Dec 3, 2023 at 1:45 PM Update: 14 minutes ago
Marijke Groenewoud finished second in the 5,000 meters at the World Cup competitions in Stavanger, Norway, behind 36-year-old Martina Sáblíková. Irene Schouten in the B group was almost ten seconds faster than the winning time in the A group.
Groenewoud opened aggressively and in the first laps drove on the schedule of the track record, which Schouten set earlier on Sunday (6.50.64). The all-rounder recorded a time of 7.03.27 in the first afternoon stage.
The conditions on Sunday afternoon did not appear to be comparable to earlier in the day. Due to the different air circulation (partly prompted by more spectators in the stands), the lap times quickly increased.
Sáblíková showed that she could deal with those circumstances best. The three-time Olympic champion, like Groenewoud, got out of the starting blocks and kept up the high pace. She was the only skater to dip under seven minutes in the afternoon: 6.59.60.
Sanne in ‘t Hof lost out to the Chinese Mei Han in her ride and finished with a time of 7.10.35. Norwegian Ragne Wiklund seemed to be on his way to a surprise for his own audience for a long time by riding above Sablikova’s schedule, but had to give up a lot in the final laps. With a final lap of 35.6, Wiklund even finished third, 0.33 seconds behind Groenewoud.
Supreme Schouten breaks track record in B group
Earlier on Sunday, Schouten won the 5,000 meters in the B group by force majeure. With a time of 6.50.64, the Olympic champion was more than two seconds under her own track record.
Schouten had to play in the B group because she had skipped the first World Cup race in Obihiro and had only finished eighth in the 3,000 meters in Beijing two weeks ago.
In Stavanger, 31-year-old Schouten again showed some of the form she had at the end of October during the World Cup qualifying tournament in Thialf. Then she won the 5,000 meters in 6.42.24.
Competition follows at a considerable distance
On the slower ice in Stavanger, Schouten achieved a quartet start in a competition – two rides start right after each other, so that four skaters ride at the same time – to 6.50.64. She was more than 17 seconds faster than compatriot and teammate Elisa Dul, who had the second fastest time of 7.08.38. Ester Kiel was more than 28 seconds slower in seventh place with 7.19.44.
Schouten already won the mass start in Stavanger earlier on Friday. She did this by doubling almost the entire peloton, which meant that those skaters were eliminated from the results.
Marijke Groenewoud and Sanne in ‘t Hof will compete later in the day in the A group of the 5,000 meters. The women’s 500 meters and team sprint are also on the programme. The men’s 1,500 meters and the team sprint will be held.
2023-12-03 15:53:32
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