The ISU is forced to cancel the European championships in short track speed skating

The pandemic strikes again. The  German Speed Skating Association no longer able to present the ISU European short track championships.

By Carl Savard

Photo by Martin Holtom

It is by way of a press release that we learned that one month before the presentation of the European championships, the German federation withdraws from the organization of the event. Here is the full statement sent to the media by the International skating union today, December 7, 2021.

The ISU was informed by the German Speed Skating Association (DESG) that the ISU European Short Track Speed Skating, scheduled to take place from January 14 – 16, 2022 in Dresden (GER) cannot be held as planned. Unfortunately, considering the complicated epidemic situation involving travel restrictions, quarantine requirements, safety concerns and logistical challenges, the organization of the event was extremely challenging. The German Speed Skating Association and the Local Organizing Committee tried their best to find solutions but ultimately concluded that, regrettably, they are unable to organize and hold the event as planned. The ISU regrets that the hosting of the event is no longer possible in Dresden in January. The ISU contacted all European ISU Members to learn potential availability to host this Event and received interest from the Dutch Member KNSB for a possible relocation of the Event in Dordrecht (NED) at the same dates. Unfortunately, despite all efforts made by the KNSB to take over the organization of this Event, the sanitary restrictions made this relocation impossible. The ISU thanks the German Speed Skating Association and the KNSB for their efforts and cooperation.

The ISU Four Continents Short Track Speed Skating Championships scheduled for the same weekend in Salt Lake City are still on the schedule.

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Consecration for Schulting and Elistratov in Gdansk

Suzanne Schulting and Semen Elistratov won the overall European Champion titles this weekend in Gdansk. 

By Jackob Savard

Photo: Martin Holtom

Short track speed skating fans finally had something to watch this weekend as the best skaters in Europe competed in Gdansk for the European Championships.

Schulting in control

Defending champion Suzanne Schulting won the 500m, 1000m and 1500m to secure the women's overall title. She was penalized in the 3000m for trying to help her teammate Selma Poutsma move up in the standings. This penalty had no impact on her final standings. At the end of the competition, Germany's Anna Seidel and Russia's Sofia Prosvirnova finished second and third.

Elistratov stands out

Russian veteran Semen Elistratov captured the men's title with his victory in the 1500m and 1000m. The young Italian Pietro Sighel, winner of the 3000m, and the Dutchman Itzhak de Laat, who showed great consistency, completed the podium. We must note the brilliant victory of Russia’s Konstantin Ivliev in the 500m.

France and The Netherlands relay champions

The French relay team took advantage of two falls and a disqualification from the other teams to win the gold medal in the relay. The Dutch and Italians took second and third place. The Russian team had initially won but was penalized afterward. In the men's event, the Dutch team won ahead of the Italians and Russians. 

Click HERE for complete results.

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Arianna Fontana won't compete at the 2021 European Championships

Italian short track super star Arianna Fontana decided to not compete at the 2021 European championships which be held in two weeks. 

By Jackob Savard
Photo: Schaats Foto's

The 30-year-old Italian is the first short track speed skater to announce that she will not participate in the 2021 European Championship, which will be held in Gdansk starting on January 22nd. Already seven times European champion, Fontana decided to not battle for title #8 as she prefers to focus on World championships. 

Here's her announcement: 

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Une publication partagée par Arianna Fontana (@aryfonta90)

What do you think of this decision? Will Fontana be the first of many athletes to miss the European Championships? 

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Hoogerwerf and Schulting claim the 2021 Dutch short track champion titles

Dylan Hoogerwerf and Suzanne Schulting were crowned 2021 Dutch champions in short track last weekend in Heerenveen.

By: Jackob Savard

Photo: Schaats Foto's 

During this competition which took part on Saturday and Sunday, the best short track speed skaters in the Netherlands had to compete on 500m, 1000m and 1500m to collect points for the overall Dutch title. The overall winners of the men’s and women’s categories were awarded a spot on the Dutch team for the 2021 European Championships.

A second Dutch title in career for Hoogerwerf

Dylan Hoogerwerf won the men's championship. With a victory on 500m, a sixth place finish in the 1500m and a second place on 1000m, the 25-year-old skater captured his second Dutch title in career. His first was in 2017. 

Jens van 't Wout took second place overall by winning the 1500m and capturing bronze in the 1500m. His 22nd place on 1000m cost him the title. Friso Emons finished third and Sjinkie Knegt missed the podium finishing fourth. 

We saw some more difficult performances from veterans Itzhak de Laat (6th) and Daan Breeuwsma (9th) and from last year's Dutch champion Sven Roes (14th). Thanks to his victory at the Invitation Cup, de Laat is already part of the national team and this 6th place will not harm him. For the others, they will have to rely on discretionary choices to represent their country this season.

Perfect competition for Schulting 

Suzanne Schulting was once again dominant at the Dutch championships. She won all three distances and will again lead the the Dutch team at this year's European Championships. Her young teammates Xandra Velzeboer and Selma Poutsma completed the overall podium. Rianne de Vries (5th) and Yara van Kekhof (7th) probably expected better results and will both have to wait and see if they got selected.

The Netherlands at the European Championships

Itzhak de Laat, Dylan Hoogerwerf and Suzanne Schulting won their spots for the individual distances at the European Championships with their performances at the Invitation Cup and the Dutch Championships. The remaining skaters heading to the European Championships will be decided by discretionary selection in the upcoming weeks. Will we see a younger Dutch team at the European championships or will the Dutch federation put its trust in veterans even if they had a tougher weekend?

Full results 

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Suzanne Schulting and Liu Shaoang win the 2020 European titles

Suzanne Schulting and Liu Shaoang offered great performances again on the third day of the European champonships to win the 2020 edition of the competition held in Hungary.

By Carl Savard

Photos by Martin Holtom

Shulting wins her second title in a row

The Dutch star just picked up where she left things yesterday starting this third day of competiton with a win on 1000m. This third victory in a row was enough to confirm her title of 2020 European champion even before racing the 3000m superfinal. Her teammate Lara van Ruijven joined her on the 1000m podium winning silver while seven-time European champion Arianna Fontana won the bronze. Fontana went on to win the 3000m superfinal ending the competition in second place overall. While Schulting didn’t need to win the 3000m, she did try to move forward in the pack with a few laps left to the race but was penalised for a hazardous action. Hanne Desmet was also penalised while Anna Seidel got herself a yellow card for a dangerous action at the end of the race. Ekaterina Efremenkova finished second of the 3000m while Martina Valcepina’s third place on the distance allowed her to finish in third place overall in the final ranking. 

In the relay, the Dutch team composed of Suzanne Schulting, Yara van Kerkhof, Lara van Ruijven and Rianne de Vries won the title in the event finishing ahead of the Italians and the Russians. The Hungarian team was penalised. 

The Liu brothers decide on the outcome of the competition

With both Liu Shaolin Sandor and Liu Shaoang in action on 1000m, the crowd was loud during the final that was also raced by Semen Elistratov, Itzhak de Laat, Daan Beeuwsma and Yuri Confortola. Liu Shaolin Sandor finished first and was accompanied on the podium by Liu Shaoang and Semen Elistratov after a highly exciting final. With only six points separating the Liu before the 3000m superfinal, fans of the distance were expecting a show, but the brothers had decided otherwise and didn’t play letting the three first distances decide of who would win the 2020 title. Semen Elistratov won the 3000m securing his third spot in the overall ranking. Liu Shaoang is your new European champion while Liu Shaolin Sandor finishes in second place. Last year, Shaolin had won the title with Shaoang finishing second ahead of Elistratov. 

Angry crowd after the men’s relay

After offering one of the best show in recent history on the relay, the Hungarian team was penalised on what looked like a pretty common move in this kind of event. A situation that sent the crowd booing the decision and allowed Russia to win gold while the Dutch team got silver and the Italians won the bronze.

For full results click HERE

For our Day 2 recap click HERE

For our Day 1 recap click HERE

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Liu Shaoang and Suzanne Schulting take the lead in Debrecen

Hungarian Liu Shaoang and Dutch Suzanne Schulting are in the lead after two distances at the 2020 European short track speed skating championships.

By Jackob Savard

Photo: Martin Holtom

The 1500m and 500m final rounds as well as the relay semifinals were raced on the second day of racing in Hungary.


Liu brothers please their crowd 

Hungarian superstars Liu Shaoang and Liu Shaolin Sandor put on a great show for their fans today in Debrecen. Shaoang started his championship winning the 1500m in front of Itzhak de Laat and Vladislav Bykanov. On 500m, it was Liu Shaolin Sandor who took gold while Shaoang got silver and Semen Elistratov bronze. After two of the four individual distances, Liu Shaoang leads the overall ranking with 55 points, his brother is second with 36 and Dutch Itzhak de laat is third with 29.

Two in two for Schulting 

Reigning European and World champion Suzanne Schulting won both the 1500m and 500m finals today in Debrecen. Italian Arianna Fontana and German Anna Seidel finished second and third on 1500m while Martina Valcepina and Natalia Maliszewska completed the 500m podium. Schulting is a the top of the ranking after two races with 68 points. Italian teammates Arianna Fontana and Martina Valcepina are second and third, both with 21 points.

No surprises in the relays

Hungary, the Netherlands, Russia and Italy all qualified for both the men’s and women’s A final to be skated tomorrow.

For the detailed results, click HERE

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Europe's best short track skaters ready to battle it out

The 2020 European Short Track Championships started today in Debrecen, Hungary.

By Jackob Savard

Photo: Schaats Foto’s

The qualifying day in Debrecen was rather calm as most of the medal contenders managed to secure a place in this weekend's main event. 

In the women's category, Belgian Hanne Desmet, Dutch Suzanne Schulting and Yara van Kerkhof, Russians Ekaterina Efremenkova and Sofia Prosvirnova, Hungarians Deanna Lockett and Petra Jaszapati, Italian Arianna Fontana and Polish Natalia Maliszewska all got through their qualification rounds on all three individual distances. Great Britain's Elise Christie, who was penalized on 1000m, Italy's Martina Valcepina, who crashed on 1000m, and Dutch Lara van Ruijven who crashed on 1500m are three of the higher ranked skaters who didn’t had a perfect day in Debrecen.

There were several penalties and crashes on the men's side of the competition, but nothing that involved the podiums favourites. Short track fans in Debrecen will see Shaoang Liu, Shaolin Sandor Liu, Sébastien Lepape, Alexander Shulginov, Semen Elistratov, Daan Breeuwsma, Itzhak de Laat, Vladislav Bykanov and Stijn Desmet compete in all individual distances this weekend.

In the six relay quarterfinal heats, no less than three disqualifications and two yellow cards were awarded. Big fights are expected this weekend between the Netherlands, Russia and Hungary for the European relay titles.

For the detailed results, click HERE

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First major titles in career for Leerdam and Swings on the last day of the 2020 European championships

The 2020 European single distances speed skating championships ended today in Heerenveen. 

By Jackob Savard

Photo: Jaap Hop 

The 2020 single distances European championships came to an end today with the team pursuit, 1000m and mass start events. The Netherlands and Russia once again had a solid day winning five of the six titles available today.

Both team pursuit titles go to the Netherlands

The Netherlands won the ladies' and men’s team pursuit titles. Ireen Wüst, Melissa Wijfje and Antoinette de Jong were the Dutch ladies who collected the title while Patrick Roest, Marcel Bosker and Sven Kramer composed the men’s Dutch team who won. Both times, Russia finished second. Belarus and Norway respectively completed the ladies’ and men’s podium. 

European title and personal best for Leerdam

After skipping the 500m and team sprint events because of a groin Injury, Jutta Leerdam won the ladies’ 1000m with a new personal best time of 1:13.67. Russians Daria Kachanova and Yekaterina Shikhova had a good day, but it was not enough to beat the 21-year-old Dutch skater. Russian teammates got silver and bronze. 

Pavel Kulizhnikov from Russia established a new track record of 1:07.09 to claim his third European title of the weekend after his win on 500m and in the team sprint. Crowd favorites Thomas Krol and Kai Verbij finished second and third.

Shouten and Swings mass start champions

The ladies’ mass start title was decided by the final sprint. Irene Schouten won the European title just in front of Italian Francesca Lollobrigida and Dutch Melissa Wijfje.

We had to wait for the last race of the weekend to see a non-Dutch or Russian skater win a title. Belgian Bart Swings was the man who did it as he crossed the finish line in first place in the men’s mass start. It was Swings' first ever international title on the ice. Dutch veteran Arjan Stroetinga got silver while Russian Danila Semerikov took bronze. 

For our day 1 recap, click HERE

For our day 2 recap, click HERE

For the complete results, click HERE

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Russia and the Netherlands both get two wins on the second day of the European Championships

More European champion titles were up for grab today at the European speed skating championships in Heerenveen.

By Jackob Savard
Photo: Albert Van Lobenstein

The ladies’ and men’s 500m were won by Russian skaters while the ladies’ 3000m and men’s 5000m were won by Dutch Skaters. 

Fatkulina and Kulizhnikov 500m champions

Russia's Olga Fatkulina, who’s having a good World Cup season so far, won the ladies’ 500m European title in front of defending champion Vanessa Herzog from Austria and Russian Angelina Golikova. Fatkulina crossed the line with a time of 37.40.

The men’s 500m was won by Russian Pavel Kulizhnikov who registered a time of 34.38 to beat crowd favorite Dai Dai Ntab and Ruslan Murashov from Russia.

Visser and Roest take the long distances victories

Esmee Visser retained her 3000m European champion title being the only skater to skate her 3000m below four minutes. Her time of 3:59.15 was enough to beat Russian Natalia Voronina who finished second and Italian Francesca Lollobrigida who took bronze skating her personal best time on the distance.

Dutch sensation Patrick Roest skated another impressive 5000m today in Heerenveen establishing a new track record and grabbing the European title. Sven Kramer and Denis Yuskov completed the podium.

For our day 1 recap, click HERE

For the complete results, click HERE

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