#SpeedSkating

Femke Kok (NED) won the last 500m race of this World Cup, but Erin Jackson (USA) headed home with the distance Trophy after a long and rocky season in Heerenveen (NED) on Sunday. Joy Beune, Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong and Marijke Groenewoud finished the Team Pursuit season undefeated, to become the first Dutch outfit to win the World Cup Trophy in that event since the 2014/15 season. The tireless Groenewoud went on to take her fifth Mass Start gold in six races, while Switzerland’s Kaitlyn McGregor and Livio Wenger concluded the 40th World Cup season by winning the Mixed Relay. 

Kok goes undefeated since comeback

Femke Kok (NED) missed the first half of the season due to a viral infection, but the 500m world champion came back stronger than ever in January. After winning in Calgary (CAN) and Milwaukee (USA), Kok skipped the fifth World Cup in Tomaszów Mazowiecki (POL) last week but in Heerenveen she dominated the field again.

Kok took her fifth gold medal in five World Cup race this season, stopping the clock at 37.13s, which was 0.08s slower than her time on Friday.

Femke Kok (NED) has returned from illness to win five gold medals in five World Cup races since being back the ice. © ISU

“Since I’m back, I’m very stable in training and in races,” Kok said. “It’s getting better every week. With the 500m, you always have to sort of get back into it, and now that I’ve found my groove again, it’s just paying attention to the details.

“I made one mistake with a false start today. The crowd gives you so much adrenaline, and I went down too fast at the start. It felt as if the starter waited very long and I instantly knew I had a false start.

“Then the second time at the line, you’re just a little more cautious.”

On Friday Kok was 0.60s faster than the rest of the field, and on Sunday she had a 0.30s advantage over Erin Jackson (USA), who took silver.

“It’s nice to have such a big gap, but Jackson is getting better every week and [looking ahead to the World Championships in Hamar 13-16 March] we missed Miho Takagi (JPN) here," said Kok.

“She skated the fastest time [on Friday in the B Division] last week, and last year at the World Sprint Championships she was superfast in the 500m too.”

Jackson celebrates World Cup Trophy

Despite coming in second, Jackson was happy to take home the World Cup Trophy for the third year in a row.

“It was was definitely an interesting season. Probably the most interesting one for me, with ups and downs and things like that,” she said.

Erin Jackson (USA,right) also endured a difficult season but managed her back injury well enough to win the 500m Trophy for a third consecutive season. © ISU

After a bumpy start at the first two World Cups, a back injury meant that Jackson couldn’t skate at the top of her game at the fourth and fifth World Cup events in Calgary and Milwaukee. The injury still hampers her, she said.

“It's not great, but there's not much I can do about it right now. So I’m just waiting till the season's over.”

Despite her back problems, Jackson still hopes to be able to challenge the seemingly unbeatable Kok at the World Championships.

“She's definitely really strong, but I'm starting to feel more comfortable and more confident in how far I can push things with my back. So now I have two weeks to get it feeling as good as possible, and then I can give hundred percent, because there's nothing else coming after.”

Kaja Ziomek-Nogal (POL) took bronze in the last 500m race on Sunday. She looked back with pride on a good first season back after giving birth to daughter Antonina. Ziomek-Nogal took her career first World Cup win in Beijing in December and added two bronze medals.

“The whole season was surprising for me, because I didn't expect to be in on the podium at all,” she admitted.

“My 500m on Friday was so bad, because I was trying to skate on new blades. We finally decided it wasn't a good idea today. So I went back to my previous blades, and I will stay on them until the World Championships.”

Andzelika Wójcik (POL) and Yukino Yoshida (JPN) finished second and third in the World Cup ranking after coming in fourth and sixth in the final race on Sunday respectively.

Dutch trio succeed in pursuit of perfect season

The Netherlands are a traditional powerhouse in speed skating, but the Team Pursuit often means trouble in paradise.

The Dutch women had not managed to win the Team Pursuit World Cup Trophy since the 2014/15 season.

But with Marijke Groenewoud, Joy Beune and Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong (NED), Dutch national coach Rintje Ritsma seems to finally have found the winning formula.

The Dutch team went undefeated through this World Cup campaign, winning the final race in a time of 2 minutes and 54.87s on Sunday.

 Joy Beune, Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong and Marijke Groenewoud made it three wins from three to bring the Women's Team Pursuit Trophy back to the Netherlands after 10 years. © ISU

“This is unique,” Beune commented. “It’s real teamwork. We know each other well, we’ve all got the same goal and we fit together well as skaters. 

“We’re all very happy with our position in the team. I feel like the engine [skating up front], and I’ve a lot of confidence in the girls behind me. I get pushed constantly to keep the speed up.

“To push from the back is super tough, so I really respect those girls, and for them it’s nice that I have a steady pace. All in all that makes the perfect train.”

Japan’s Miho Takagi, Momoka Horikawa and Ayano Sato took silver in 2:55.96, and Team USA (Brittany Bowe, Mia Manganello Kilburg and Greta Myers) seize bronze in 3:00.19. They also came second and third in the final ranking.

Tireless Groenewoud takes Mass Start

After her Team Pursuit race, Groenewoud also won the last Mass Start race, edging out Ivanie Blondin (CAN) by a few inches on the final straight.

Groenewoud thus concluded a very busy weekend on top of the podium. After finishing sixth in Saturday’s 3000m, she got into a car for a 45-minute drive up to Groningen to take a record breaking 16th victory in the last race of the Dutch marathon series. 

Back in Heerenveen on Sunday, Groenewoud also brought home the last race in the Mass Start World Cup, although she had to dig deep in the final lap. 

Groenewoud capped a busy weekend by digging deep to win the Mass Start by inches ahead of Ivanie Blondin (CAN). © ISU

“It was by just a few inches, but it was enough,” she said. “I wanted to attack at 500m from the finish, but I got caught by surprise by Lollo [Francesca Lollobrigida, ITA], and then I had to chase Blondin on the inside.

“I couldn’t enter the corner the way I wanted to, but then to pass three skaters on the final straight is pretty special.”

Groenewoud and Blondin finished just inches apart. “Blondin said: I think you’ve got it, and I thought so too, but I didn’t want to be the one who cheers on the photo only to end up in second afterwards,” Groenewoud joked.

After being angry with last week’s disqualification, Blondin was content to take silver in Heerenveen. 

“I was pretty happy with it. I chose a tight line to go on the inside, and Marijke kind of carried her speed wide, and it was a nice ride to finish. That's how it should be. 

“Her [Groenewoud] and I, we’re chill, so it's nice to have that in-race competitiveness. But off the ice we're planning coffee and riding together next week and training together.”

Mia Manganello Kilburg (USA) took her second podium of the season with third place to end up second in the World Cup ranking. 

Blondin, left, bounced back from last week's disqualification to take silver with Mia Manganello Kilburg (USA, right) taking bronze and with it second place behind Groenewoud in the World Cup ranking. © ISU

“I'd say it was probably one of the smoothest Mass Start races we've had in some time as a pack, not as aggressive and handsy,” she said. 

“I feel like it was pretty smooth with the speed as well, which I really benefit from.

“My season started pretty rough, so to be able to finish off the season [in second place], I hope to take the momentum into Norway [World Championships in Hamar, 13-16 March], and even into next season.”

Swiss pair win on Mixed Relay debut

Kaitlyn McGregor and Livio Wenger (SUI) concluded the World Cup season with their first entry in the Mixed Relay and won at the first time of asking. Stopping the clock at 2 minutes and 59.09s, the Swiss couple left Spain’s Nil Llop Izquierdo and Sara Cabrera 1.66s behind. Poland’s Martyna Baran and Mateusz Mikołajuk came in third in 3:01.30.

“We decided just a few days ago that we were gonna enter and race this time,” said McGregor. “So far this season, we found it a little bit risky, just because Livio and I both have a lot of individual distances.”

Livio Wenger and Kaitlyn McGregor (SUI) won the Mixed Relay at their first attempt after only deciding to enter the event a few days ago. © ISU

Canada’s Blondin and Anders Johnson (CAN) finished sixth to seize the Mixed Relay World Cup Trophy. Blondin likes the new event. 

“It was fun. It's a little chaotic. I feel like none of us really know what we're doing out there,” she admitted.

“Sometimes you kind of fiddle your way through people, but I luckily have the skills to be able to do it without crashing too hard.

“It's not really like an event that we take seriously. We don't practise it at all either. We kind of just go out there and see what happens, but I'm always the one to be like OK: I'll just do it for the team.

“I enjoy those moments. and then, it's a race and I'm very competitive. Whatever event they throw at me, I will always try it.”

Ivanie Blondin and Anders Johnson (CAN) won the Mixed Relay Trophy after adding a sixth place in Heerenveen to their two earlier silvers. © ISU

Heerenveen program

The Heerenveen ISU World Cup Speed Skating will start with the first of two 500m races and the 1500m for both genders on Friday, February 28th, 2025. The program on Saturday March 1st comprises the 1000m for both genders, followed by the 3000m for women and the 5000m for men. On Sunday March 2nd, both genders will skate the Team Pursuit, the second 500m, and the Mass Start, before the event concludes with the Mixed Gender Relay.

ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series events 2024/25:

Nov 22  - 24, 2024                     Nagano / JPN 

Nov 29 - Dec 01, 2024              Beijing / CHN

Jan 24 - 26, 2025                      Calgary  CAN

Jan 31 - Feb 02, 2025               Milwaukee / USA

Feb 21 - 23, 2025                      Tomaszów Mazowiecki / POL

Feb 28 - Mar 02, 2025               Heerenveen / NED 

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