Joy Beune (NED) led the women’s long distance World Cup ranking, after the first two events in Salt Lake City and Calgary, but the third leg in Heerenveen featured a 5000m instead of a 3000m on the program, and that’s not Beune’s natural territory. Ragne Wiklund (NOR) and Isabelle Weidemann (CAN) feel more at home in the longest distance, taking gold and silver on Friday night. 

Jutta Leerdam (NED) overcame the ramifications of a bike crash last week to win the 1000m on the first day of the ISU World Cup in Heerenveen. 

5000m Women

Wiklund and Weidemann crossed swords in the penultimate pairing of the women’s 5000m. The Norwegian took the initiative skating steady 32s laps throughout her race. 

Ragne Wiklund (NOR) wins the 5000m at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating at Thialf Ice Stadium in Heerenveen, Netherlands © ISU

Wiklund gradually skated away from her Canadian pair-mate and built a lead of over two seconds halfway through the race. For Weidemann, the second part of the race is where the fun is. Bringing her lap-times back to under 32s, she managed to close in on Wiklund, but her acceleration came too late to win the race. 

Wiklund stooped the clock after 6 minutes and 49.01s, and Weidemann crossed the line 1.10s later. 

Both Wiklund and Weidemann were slower than Sanne in ’t Hof (NED), who clocked 6:47.65 in the B Division, which is raced in quartet starts, instead of pairs. 

Wiklund was content about her transition, from the high altitude tracks in Salt Lake City and Calgary, to sea-level Heerenveen. 

“I didn’t have the best feeling in Salt Lake and Calgary, though I knew I was in good shape and my 1500m (bronze in Salt Lake City) confirmed that, but today, it was just nice to have a better feeling towards the end of the race.”

For Wiklund, the 5000m is home, more so than the 3000m or the 1500m, in which she won her career first World title in 2021. 

“For me, the 5000m is the most important distance, and the 1500m is a kind of a bonus.”

Even more than Wiklund, Weidemann favors the 5000m over all other distances. 

Isabelle Weidemann (CAN) in the 5000m at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating at Thialf Ice Stadium in Heerenveen, Netherlands © ISU

“The longer the better,” Weidemann laughed. “Although maybe not the 10,000m."  5000m is the longest female distance.

Coming off Calgary home ice, the Canadian needed some time to adjust to sea-level Heerenveen, however.

“I'm happy with today. I had a hard time finding the pace. I bounced around a little bit. It was too slow, too fast and slow, and then I found it, and then I felt good in the half.”

Bringing her lap-times down is a signature move for Weidemann.

“That's the way I like to race generally. People start so much faster than I do anyway. I was watching Ragne today, and she was so smooth, and I didn't want the gap to get too big, and I was trying to keep her within my sight a little bit.”

Coming from a different background, Beune is used to starting faster - and she did. 

Joy Beune (NED) in the 5000m at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating at Thialf Ice Stadium in Heerenveen, Netherlands © ISU

Starting out with a string of sub-31 laps in the final paring, Beune was well under Wiklund’s time, halfway through the race. But after six  33s laps in the second half of the race, she finished 2.82s short of Wiklund to take bronze. 

“For me, that was not even starting real fast,” Beune said. “I had the feeling that I was holding back, because it’s in my system to start with 29s laps, but that’s not such a good idea in a 5000m. Eventually I’m happy to be able to keep my lap times flat near the end.

“This is the best 5000m time I ever skated in Thialf, so I’m content.”

Whereas Wiklund and Weidemann target the Olympic 5000m, Beune focuses on the shorter distances.

“I want to qualify for the 1500m and the 3000m, because I think that suits me best.” 

Positive thinking gets Leerdam gold in the 1000m

Jutta Leerdam edged out Miho Takagi (JPN) by .12s in a time of 1:14.17 to win the 1000m, just a week after she suffered scratches, bruises and what might have been a slight concussion at a road accident. Training on her road bike, she was drifted off the road by a car.

Jutta Leerdam (NED) celebrates after winning the 1000m at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating at Thialf Ice Stadium in Heerenveen, Netherlands © ISU

“He was looking at his phone and he didn’t see me,” she explained. “He came from the opposite direction and swerved towards me. He didn’t hit me, but he pushed me off the road.”

Leerdam was happy to be able to race, despite five stitches in her face and the scratches and bruises on her arms and legs.

“The first thing I thought (when the accident happened) was: it’s going to be hard to race next week. But I learned a lot.

“I always try to stay positive. Even if you’re not feeling very well physically, you have to just say it’s going well. You shouldn’t let it affect you mentally, just shut out negativity. Even though there’s things you can’t control, there’s so much you can control yourself.”

Leerdam did control her race well, although it could have been better, she acknowledged.

“This was not a perfect race. I made two mistakes that I also made in Calgary, even though I said I was not going to do that again.”

The not-perfect race was good enough to beat Olympic 1000m Champion Takagi, who had set her time in the first pairing of the field.

Miho Takagi (JPN) in the 1000m at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating at Thialf Ice Stadium in Heerenveen, Netherlands © ISU

“I didn’t know if it was good or bad, because all the others had yet to start,” Takagi said. “Technically, it’s getting better, but the last 200m or even 400m should be better. 

“My movement is not right there, so I’m still working on my technique. But the result was good, although it’s silver and I always aim for gold.”

Kok finished third in 1:14.46, dropping from first to second behind Leerdam in the 1000m World Cup ranking.

Femke Kok (NED) in the 1000m at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating at Thialf Ice Stadium in Heerenveen, Netherlands © ISU

“I travelled from Calgary to Spain for a training camp with no ice, and I noticed that my timing was a little off," said Kok.

I skated a bit as if it was Salt Lake City (high altitude), where you glide longer, and this (sea level) is different, so I had to make amends to enter the corners. I just need to get that timing right.”

Olympic qualification

The first four World Cups serve as Olympic qualification events. Speed skaters will earn quotas for their National Olympic Committees through the Special Olympic Qualification Classifications (SOQCS). Quotas will be allocated based on the SOQC Points ranking (based on points achieved at specific World Cup events) and the SOQC Times ranking (based on the best times per athlete achieved at specific World Cup events).

The maximum amount of quota places per NOC is nine skaters per gender. The quota places are determined by the SOQCS, and allocated to NOCs, not to individual skaters. There’s also a maximum amount of quota places per NOC in each distance at the Olympic Games.

For details of Olympic Qualification, click here