#SpeedSkating

Ragne Wiklund (NOR) seized her career 10th World Cup victory, coming first in the 3000m in Tomaszów Mazowiecki (POL) on Saturday. The Norwegian left Merel Conijn (NED) and Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) behind to take over the top position in the long-distance World Cup ranking from the absent Joy Beune (NED). Miho Takagi (JPN) won the 1000m to make up for a disappointing performance in Friday’s 1500m.   

Wiklund defies back problems to take 3000m gold

With four different winners in four World Cup events this season, there are many contenders for the long-distance trophy. By taking gold in Tomaszów Mazowiecki, Ragne Wiklund (NOR) became the first woman to win a second long-distance race this season and put herself on top of the rankings with one round to go.

The 24-year-old from Norway took on Martina Sáblíková (CZE) in the penultimate pairing and strung together five 31s laps before concluding with two 32s laps to finish in a final time of 4 minutes and 3.70s, just 0.91s short of her own 2023 track record.

Sáblíková crossed the line 4.02s later and eventually finished in fifth place. 

Coming off the ice, Wiklund needed support from the medical staff to take off her skates, because she suffered from back pain in the final laps of her race. 

Ragne Wiklund (NOR) overcame back pain to become the first woman to win two long-distance races in this year's World Cup. © ISU

“It was a very weird feeling,” she explained. “I was, of course, very happy with winning. It was a good race. And then, during the last laps, I was thinking, I just felt a hint in my back, I thought: am I having back troubles now, or what's going on? 

“When I got to the finish line, and resting on my knees, it was just really painful to get up and down from that position, and when I got to the point to just take my skates off, I couldn’t bend over at all."

The back issue did not seem to worry Wiklund too much.

“I had something similar last season, so I think with just a few days and some painkillers it’ll be fine, because the shape is good.”

Next week at the sixth and last World Cup in Heerenveen, Wiklund will defend the top position in the long-distance ranking against the returning Joy Beune (NED).

“I’m looking forward to it, and I'm very positive,” she concluded.

Conijn and Lollobrigida fall short of Wiklund pace

In the last 3000m pairing, Merel Conijn (NED) took on Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA), who had won the 3000m in Milwaukee three weeks ago. 

Both the 34-year-old Italian and her counterpart from the Netherlands, 11 years her junior, started faster than Wiklund had done. Lollobrigida even had a 1.39s gap at the 1000m split, with Conijn trailing her by a little under a second.

But the Italian couldn’t maintain her pace in the second half of the race. Her lap times went up and Conijn  even managed to catch up with Lollobrigida in the final lap. The Dutchwoman took silver in 4:04.59, the Italian settling for bronze in 4:05.32. 

Merel Conijn (NED, left) pipped Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA, right) to the silver medal as the final pair attempted to overhaul Wiklund's time. © ISU

“It was a good race,” Conijn said. “I started fast, then I let loose a bit too much in the second lap, but I managed to recapture [my pace] so I’m content.”

Conijn took her career second World Cup medal after already having won silver in the 5000m in Calgary four weeks ago. She climbed to third place in the World Cup ranking.

“[Ending up on the podium for the World Cup Trophy] would be really nice, but my focus is on the World Championships [in Hamar, Norway, in March],” Conijn added.

Lollobrigida had anticipated taking advantage of her pair-mate during the race. 

“I knew that if I was with her [Conijn], I had a good chance to be on the podium, but I also knew that my start was probably faster than hers, so I just wanted to make sure I could cross behind her [at the back-stretch] just to relax.

“She really had a good last lap.”

Like Conijn, Lollobrigida’s focus is on the World Championships, but she is keeping a close eye on the World Cup ranking too.

“[The World Cup ranking] is important, because I was starting from the B Division [at the start of the season in Nagano], so my goal is to be in the top six to have a good pair in the World Championships.”

Takagi secures 1000m Trophy

Miho Takagi (JPN) had been angry with herself after finishing second in the 1500m on Friday: “Not so much with my placing, but my skating was so bad,” she admitted.

Reflecting on that race ignited the fire within Takagi to make amends in the 1000m on Saturday. The Olympic champion hammered out a time of one minute and 14.80s in the last pairing to leave the rest of the field more than a second-and-a-half behind.

Miho Takagi (JPN) made amends for her disappointing silver in Friday's 1500m by winning Saturday's 1000m by 1.51s. © ISU

“Yesterday, I was overthinking the race, but I didn‘t really feel the excitement of a World Cup race, I just lacked the passion. You don’t need all that thinking in a race, but you do need that passion.

“I was angry with myself yesterday, but today was different.”

Having won all five 1000m World Cup races this season, Takagi has already secured the World Cup Trophy, but she wants to make it a perfect run at the sixth and final event in Heerenveen (NED) next week, and to end the World Cup season in record-breaking style.

“I’m going for a track record in Thiialf,” Takagi said. To get that, she’ll have to beat the 1:12.80 mark Jutta Leerdam (NED) set in the 1000m on 28 December 2022, or the 1500m mark of 1:52.95 set by Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong (NED) on the same day.

In the Tomaszów Mazowiecki 1000m, Han Mei (CHN) took silver, clocking 1:16.31. Takagi’s Chinese training partner looked back on a tough race against the fast starting Ayano Sato (JPN).

“She starts faster than me. So I wanted to catch up with her after 300m, but I didn’t manage to, so then I was fighting," said Han.

Han eventually caught Sato, who finished 11th, and managed to secure a podium spot in the last part of the race. Apart from Takagi, Han was the only one to skate her final lap under 30 seconds.

Rio Yamada (JPN) finished third to take her career first World Cup medal. The 27-year-old Japanese skater stopped the clock at 1:16.33.

Takagi's training partner Han Mei (CHN, left) took 1000m silver and Rio Yamada (JPN, right) won bronze - her career first ISU World Cup medal. © ISU

“I’m very happy, but there are a couple of good Dutch skaters absent, which left the field open for me today.

“The difference between me and Takagi and Han is the final lap. Up until the 600m split, our times are roughly the same, but Miho is able to keep it up, while I’m slowing down.”

Tomaszów Mazowiecki program

The Tomaszów Mazowiecki ISU World Cup Speed Skating will start with the first of two 500m races and the 1500m for both genders on Friday. Saturday’s program comprises the 3000m for women, the 5000m for men and the 1000m for both genders, while on Sunday both genders will skate the second 500m, and the Mass Start, to conclude with the Team Sprint.

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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