KNSB Invitation Cup, the train gets back on track at the international level in short track

The KNSB International Invitation Cup took place last weekend in Heerenveen, Netherlands.

By Carl Savard

Photo Schaats Foto's

The KNSB International Invitation Cup is an opportunity for the Netherlands to have its best skaters showcase their talents before the country announce the selected athletes for the first two world cup events. Some of the other national teams that were invited to take part in the competition went differently about it. 

While Italy, Hungary and France sent most of their top skaters, Canada used the Invitation Cup to add to the development of its younger prospects. The Czech republic, Belgium, Latvia and Israel also had athletes competing during the weekend. The group of skaters on both the women’s and the men’s sides were split in A and B groups and athletes competed in the classic distances. Smaller countries even joined forces in the relay events. 

Schulting was just too strong

If the weekend’s results are any indication of what's to come in this olympic season, it’s safe to say Suzanne Schulting is ready for the battlefield. The twenty-four-year-old from Groningen finished in first place on the three individual distances in the A group. Following her on the final ranking were Italy’s Arianna Fontana and Hungary’s Petra Jaszapati. Schulting’s compatriots Xandra Velzeboer, Rianne DeVries and Yara van Kerkhof finished in 4th, 5th and 6th place. The best Canadian performance of the weekend went to Ann-Sophie Bachand who finished 15th of the A group.

Hungary in control on the men’s side

Even though eight out of the top eleven positions of the final rankings on the men’s side went to Dutch skaters, the top three positions went to Hungary. Finishing 1st on the 1500m and 1000m and 4th on the 500m, Liu Shaolin Sandor closed his weekend in 1st place. He was followed on the ranking by his brother Liu Shaoang and their teammate John-Henry Krueger. The KNSB International Invitation Cup was tough for local star Sjinkie Knegt who finished in 3rd place on 1500m but 10th on the 500m and 20th on the 1000m giving him the 7th place overall. Canada’s best result went to Jérome Courtemanche with a 17th place on the overall ranking of the A group. 

For full results click HERE

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