Obihiro day 2: Yuskov convincing on 1500m, Kodaira keeps her 500m crown

The best long track speed skaters in the World were back at the Meiji Hokkaido-Tokachi Oval for the second day of the first World cup event of the season.

By Jackob Savard
Photo: Thomas Wendt (@freddyrace)

On the menu for day 2 of World cup #1: 500m (2), 1500m and mass start.

Kodaira too strong on 500m

Olympic champion Nao Kodaira took her second 500m victory in two days with another impressive race in the 500m (2). She established a new track record of 37.298 to beat Vanessa Herzog and Olga Fatkulina who completed the podium. It was also Herzog’s second medal in two days after her second place in the 500m (1) yesterday. This victory is Nao Kodaira's 18th 500m career victory in World cup events. Who’s gonna put a stop to the Japanese skater’s domination?

Yuskov In gold on 1500m

Russian Denis Yuskov won the first 1500m event of the season in a time of 1:44.55. He finished just a tad faster than Olympic champion on the distance Kjeld Nuis and allround world champion Patrick Roest. The top six skaters all raced the distance below the previous track record of 1:45.97.

An american victory on 1500m

United States’ Brittany Bowe edged out crowd favorite Miho Takagi by 0.09 seconds to win the ladies' 1500m. Russia’s Yekaterina Shikhova took the bronze medal and reigning Olympic champion on the distance Ireen Wüst took the fourth place. Bowe’s time of 1:55.034 is the new track record. Just like in the men’s race, it was a fast competition and the top four skaters were all faster than the previous track record.

Haga was close but Kulizhnikov won it in the 500m (2)

Japanese skater Ryohei Haga, who skated in the first pair, had to wait for the 9th pair to see someone skating faster than him. Pavel Kulizhnikov skated a new track record of 34.619 to take gold and finish ahead of Haga. Yesterday’s 500m winner, Norway's Havard Lorentzen, took third place.

Nana Takagi and Andrea Giovannini victorious in the mass start

After a pretty calm race, Olympic champion on the distance Nana Takagi won the first mass start of the season in the sprint. Just like in Pyeongchang, Dutch Irene Schouten and Korean Kim Bo-reum were on the podium with her but this time, not in the same order.

In the men’s mass start, we saw a bit more action and a small group managed to escape the main pack. In the sprint, mass start specialist Andrea Giovannini from Italy was able to finish in front of his rivals. Netherlands’ Simon Schouten and Korea Cheonho Um completed the podium.

To read our day 1 recap, click HERE

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