#SpeedSkating

Yukino Yoshida (JPN) started the ISU World Cup series with her first ever win in the competition on Friday. The 21-year-old Japanese skater made her World Cup debut last year, but had not won a medal until today. At Nagano’s famous M-Wave, Yoshida left the world’s best sprinters behind with a personal best of 37.74s in the 500m. Miho Takagi (JPN) added a second Japanese gold on home soil in the 1500m.

Yoshida gets straight up to speed

“Happy,” said Yukino Yoshida (JPN) with a big smile as she stepped off the podium with the much cherished gold medal in her hands.

“Unfortunately I was not able to win a medal last year, so my goal for this season was getting on the podium.”

Yukino Yoshida (JPN) set a personal best to win her first ISU World Cup medal in the 500m ahead of a strong, if ring rusty, field © ISU

Yoshida was the only woman to set a personal best in the shortest distance on Friday, and the rest of the field seemed a little rusty coming into the new season. 

Yoshida’s pair-mate Kim Min Sun (KOR), who won bronze at last week’s ISU Four Continents Championships, finished in 37.93s to end up in third place again. She felt that she left a lot on the ice in Nagano.

“My opener was not so bad, but in the corners and the last 100m I made many mistakes today, Fortunately, the others also did not skate very good, but I'm happy to get a medal, of course,” said Kim.

Erin Jackson (USA) and Kurumi Inagawa (JPN), who joined Kim in first and second place on the Four Continents podium, had to settle for ninth and fifth places respectively in Nagano.

The surprising silver medalist at the M-Wave on Friday came from Europe. Andzelika Wójcik (POL) completed the 500m in 37.92s to squeeze in between Yoshida and Kim on the podium.

Andzelika Wójcik (POL), left, overcame health issues to take a surprise silver behind Yoshida, with Kim Min Sun (KOR), right, taking bronze © ISU

“I'm really astonished,” the 28-year-old from Lubin, Poland, said.

“I'm still struggling with the same health issues as last year, gut problems. It's really hard for me, but now I can believe that I can overcome these issues and I just can focus on good skating.”

Although Wójcik herself was surprised to take a medal, others had seen it coming.

“My coach said: hey, you look really good on ice this week. So I think you can win something this weekend,” Wójcik revealed.

Despite her health issues, the Polish skater is optimistic for the rest of the season.

“I think when everything comes together, this could be really good.

“[The health issues] mean a loss of 50 percent of my recovery between the training sessions. So there is a huge muscle soreness in between the sets of skating or gym training. That’s really hard for me, but I try to keep up.”

Han closes in on mentor Takagi

After she beat Han Mei (CHN) to silver in last week’s 1500m at the ISU Four Continents Championships, Miho Takagi (JPN) again left her training partner in second place at the M-Wave, but this time the gap was 10 times smaller. In Hachinohe City, Takagi had been 1.67 seconds faster than Han; in Nagano that margin had shrunk to 0.16s.

With Han cheering for her on the finishing straight, Takagi had to empty the tank completely to finish in one minute and 55.02s. She had not heard her team-mate cheering.

Miho Takagi (JPN) made it two World Cup wins from two for Japan's women in Nagano with victory in the 1500m © ISU

“I was too much in the zone and too empty,” she admitted after the race. Both Takagi and Han believe that their partnership in training with Team Gold propels them to a higher level. 

“[Han] always tries to do as good and as much as possible, every time, so I get a lot of inspiration from her,” said Takagi.

Han has so much respect for Takagi, that she didn’t even want to beat her mentor.

“I think Miho really deserves to win,” said Han. “I don't want, to beat Miho, because without her, I would be as good as I am right now. Miho is always top level, she never gives up. I respect that a lot and it also makes me better."

Whereas Takagi skated on home soil in Nagano, next week Han enjoys a home race in Beijing. Takagi was already looking forward to the clash.

“Of course I’ll still try to beat her,” she said, laughing.

Beune bounces back for bronze

Behind the Asian dominance, Joy Beune (NED) seized the 1500m bronze in 1:55.58. She had been ill after the Dutch trials two weeks ago in Heerenveen.

Takagi's training partner Han Mei (CHN), left, closed the gap to just 0.16s on her mentor, while Joy Beune (NED) bounced back from illness to take bronze © ISU

“I’m really content. Considering the way I felt two weeks ago, I’m happy that this is my base level,” she said.

“I’ve been working good skating [technically] lately, and it works pretty well, that gives me a lot of confidence, even though I hadn’t really been able to do anything for 10 days. That was tough, but skating here [training in Nagano] went well last week.”

Beune won the World Allround and the 5000m World Single Distance titles last season and feels that she’s more competitive in the longer distances than in the 1500m, in which she took bronze at last year’s World Single Distance Championships. 

“I feel like I can do more in the 3000m [on Saturday]. Takagi is so incredibly strong. If I can beat Takagi [in the 1500m], that would be the ultimate goal, but I’m pretty far away from that now, the gap is still 0.6s."

Nagano program

The Nagano World Cup will resume with the women’s 3000m, the men’s 5000m and the 1000m for both genders on Saturday, while on Sunday both genders will compete in the Team Pursuit, a second 500m, and the Mass Start, before competition 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 

Where to watch

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