The final event of the 2018-2019 long track speed skating World cup season is held this weekend at the Utah Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City.





By Jackob Savard

Photo: Maria Dalton





On day 1, the skaters fought for world cup points on the long distances, 1000m and 500m.



Kulizhnikov victorious in a fast paced 500m (1)

The ice condition were really fast today in Salt Lake City. Russian Pavel Kulizhnikov won the 500m with a new world record time of 33.616. Japanese skater Tatsuya Shinhama finished second and also skated below the previous world record while his teammate Yuma Murakami finished third. The last 500m of the season will be raced tomorrow.





Roest wins the 5000m

Dutch Patrick Roest, who was recently crowned allround world champion , won today’s 5000m race in a personal best time of 6:03.706. Five seconds behind was his teammate Marcel Bosker. Canada’s Ted-Jan Bloemen finished in third place. "I am surprised, I didn't thought my race was fast enough for a medal, but I am happy." said Bloemen after the race. Russia’s Alex Rumyantsev who finished fourth today is the 5000m/10000m world cup champion in the long distances.





Personal best fest in the ladies’ 500m (1)

Ten of the twelve ladies who raced the 500m today established new personal best times on the distance. Japanese Nao Kodaira won it in 36.474 and was closely followed by Vanessa Herzog and Angelina Golikova who finished second and third. The overall classification winner will be crowned tomorrow after the 500m (2).





Sablikova beats her own 3000m world record

Martina Sablikova won today’s 3000m beating her own world record that she established last week in Calgary . "Since I rested all week after the allround championships I didn’t think I would beat that record again this weekend." said Sablikova. She is the 2018-2019 long distances world cup winner. Dutch Esmee Visser and Russian Natalia Voronina completed today’s podium.





Nuis new 1000m world record holder

Kjeld Nuis raced a new world record of 1:06.183 in today’s 1000m to defend his world cup title on the distance. "I didn’t allow myself to think about the world record all day, but of course when I saw the other records falling before my race I knew it was possible. I end my season with a smile!" said Nuis after the race. His Dutch teammates Thomas Krol and Kai Verbij finished second and third in today’s 1000m.





Another world record on 1000m!

American Brittany Bowe won the 1000m establishing a new world record of 1:11.610. With that performance, she confirmed her win in the overall classification on the distance. "To have all my family and friends here is the cherry on top." said Bowe not long after her new world record established on home soil. Japanese Miho Takagi and Nao Kodaira finished second and third.



