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February 10, 2007
Budapest World Cup day 2 - 500m #1 results
Gold and silver for the Canadian men
Men's 500m #1 - A final
1. HAMELIN, Charles (CAN) 41.377
2. TREMBLAY, Francois-Louis (CAN) 41.439
3. LEE, Seung-Hoon (KOR) 41.442
4. MONETTE, Jean-Francois (CAN) 41.683
The Canucks had an excellent chance to sweep the medals here with current WR holder (Jeff Monette), reigning world champion (Francois-Louis Tremblay) and Canadian record holder Charles Hamelin) all skating in the final. Korean Seung-hoon Lee acted as spoiler as he snuck in for bronze in the final lap.
Canada wins three medals at short track speed skating World Cup
Earlier, Travis Jayner was eliminated after being dq'ed in his quarter final, while Alex Izy was 3rd in his quarter final and thus did not move on.
Women's 500m #1 - A final
1. WANG, Meng CHN 44.158
2. ZHU, Mi Lei CHN 44.300
3. JEON, Ji-Soo KOR 44.316
4. GREGG, Jessica CAN 45.994
Marianne St-Gelais won the women's B final and Anne Maltais was 3rd. There were no American women skating in the World Cup round.
Posted by noelle at 9:53 AM | Comments (84)
Budapest World Cup day 2 - 1500m results
Oliver Jean takes bronze for Canada
Refreshing to see Alex Merriman skating in this final! It's the first A final for the 17 year old Aussie in his rookie season on the World Cup circuit.
Men's 1500m A final
1. LEE, Ho-Suk (KOR) 2:16.118
2. SONG, Kyung-Taek (KOR) 2:16.448
3. JEAN, Olivier (CAN) 2:16.497
4. KIM, Hyun-Kon (KOR) 2:17.060
5. MERRIMAN, Alexander (AUS) 3:02.756
DQ MONETTE, Marc-Andre (CAN)
The semis were quite loaded this weekend. Ryan Bedford finished 5th in his semi final and did not move on to either final. Jordan Malone appears to have taken a tumble a little more than halfway through the race and finished last.
Things went a bit better for Charles Ryan Leveille, who finished 4th in his semi to move on to the B final. He went on to a 6th-place finish in the B final.
Women's 1500m final
1. JUNG, Eun-Ju KOR 2:22.298
2. BYUN, Chun-Sa KOR 2:22.916
3. KIM, Min-Jung KOR 2:22.988
4. ROBERGE, Kalyna CAN 2:23.06
5. CHENG, Xiao Lei CHN 2:35.483
DQ ZHOU, Yang CHN
Kimberly Derrick was the only American lady to make it into the World Cup semifinals. She finished 7th in her race and didn't move on to either final.
Canadians Ivanie Blondin and Nita Avrith were 4th and 6th respectively in women's B final.
Posted by noelle at 9:50 AM | Comments (8)
Budapest World Cup day 2 - repechage results
1500m ladies: Sonia Milan skated in the semis and won the B final of the 1500m repechage.
1500m men: Ho-suk Lee unexpectedly found himself skating in the repechage round after an apparent fall in his qualifying heat yesterday. Naturally he went on to win the rep A final and thus moves on to the World Cup round. All American and Canadian men qualified yesterday for today's 1500m medal rounds.
500m #1 ladies: Sarah Lang, Lezleigh Jaworski and Cherise Wilkins all skated in the repechage today. Lezleigh was 3rd in her semi, putting her into the B final. That race was not skated (only 2 athletes were entered). Sarah and Cherise went on to finish 5th and 6th in the repechage A final.
500m #1 men: J.P. Kepka was eliminated in the early going after he finished last in his heat. He had a tough outing in 500m qualifying yesterday and wasn't even able to start in his 500m #2. From what I understand, he's suffering from a groin injury.
Posted by noelle at 9:30 AM | Comments (4)
We interrupt this World Cup to bring you
More news you've all been waiting to hear!
BuddyTV | Speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno to join Dancing with the Stars
On yesterday's edition of ESPN's Pardon the Interruption, Michael Wilbon reported that Olympic Gold Medal winning speedskater Apolo Anton Ohno would be a contestant on the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars.Ohno will likely fill the token professional athlete spot, previously held by Emmitt Smith and Jerry Rice. He'll be the first athlete to compete on the show while still being active in his sport.... I'm guessing he'll be a pretty good dancer in his own right, or at least will learn to be. Athletes, for obvious reasons, are predisposed to being quality dancers.
Read the whole thing for a tv blogger's take on why Apolo is a great choice for the show.
Posted by noelle at 8:48 AM | Comments (69)
February 9, 2007
World Cup #6 gets underway in Budapest
The final World Cup of the season takes place today through Sunday. Coverage will be spotty since we don't have reporters and photographers on the scene a la Heerenveen. However, Cyberscoreboard is really up and running for the latter half of the season. Results are being posted much more quickly now, and some of you have noticed that they are now offering real-time results (just look for the Live Results link on the CSB site).
Official website for Budapest World Cup
The three powerhouse teams from Korea, China and Canada are all competing in Budapest. Korea and China missed World Cup 5 in order to take part in the Asian Winter Games, while Canada was absent from Heerenveen because the Asians weren't there. Japan elected to skip the final 2 World Cups altogether. The Korean team is in Budapest minus reigning world champs Hyun-soo Ahn and Sun-yu Jin.
In addition, Charles Ryan Leveille rejoins team USA after missing World Cup #5 due to a long track conflict.
Posted by noelle at 3:40 PM | Comments (95)
Results from Budapest World Cup day 1
Skaters competed in qualifying events for each distance, plus men's relay heats. This weekend the 500m will be contested twice. Results broken down by distance event:
Men's relay heats
I caught some of these on the live results - they looked like very exciting races!
The USA men faced China, Australia and Ukraine. We switched leads with China constantly throughout the race, with our guys really having an edge maintaining first in the latter half of the race. According to the splits, China regained the lead with 4 laps to go, but the USA got it back a couple laps later to win the heat. Skaters were Jordan, Travis, Alex and Ryan Bedford.
The Canadian men won their heat by a wide margin. Charles Hamelin, Olivier Jean and the Monette boyz skated this one.
The final heat with Korea, France, Hungary and Germany looked pretty cool as well... Quite unexpectedly France won this race, seizing the lead from Korean on the last lap. Korea finished 2nd. Watching on the live results it was another nail biter! [on edit] Apparently Ho-suk Lee fell, allowing France to edge them for the win.
1500m
Women
Kimberly Derrick finished 3rd in her heat behind Eun-ju Jung and Kalyna Roberge, no less. She qualifies to move on to the semifinals as one of the 4 fastest 3rd-place finishers. Sophia Milan will skate in tomorrow's 1500m repechage round. Tina Koenig was disqualified in her heat and won't move on. There appears to have been a 4-way pileup in that race, with 2 DQ's, 1 DNF and a skater advanced.
All 3 Canadian skaters (Roberge, Ivanie Blondin and Nita Avrith) move on to the semifinals.
Men
Jordan Malone and Ryan Bedford finished 1st and 2nd in their respective heats to qualify for the semis. Charles Ryan Leveille also moves on due to an advancement.
Only 2 Canadian men are skating this distance. Olivier Jean won his heat; Marc-Andre Monette also qualifies after an advancement in his race.
Distance-by-distance results for 500m #1 and #2 and the 1000m below the jump...
500m #1
Women
The U.S. ladies (Lezleigh Jaworski, Sarah Lang and Cherise Wilkins) will skate in the repechage for another chance to advance to the medal round quarter finals.
All 3 Canadian women (Anne Maltais, Jessica Gregg and newcomer Marianne St-Gelais) easily qualified for the quarter finals.
Men
A stunningly early elimination for 500m specialist J.P. Kepka, who finished last in his 2nd-round heat and will move on to the repechage. Assuming he's healthy, he should have an excellent chance to make it out... but this is in doubt, since he failed to start in 500m #2. Alex Izykowski and Travis Jayner both qualified to move on to tomorrow's World Cup-round quarter finals.
The Canadian trio of Charles Hamelin, Francois-Louis Tremblay and Jean-Francois Monette qualified for the quarter finals.
500m #2
Women
Cherise finished 2nd in her heat to qualify for the quarter finals on Sunday. Both Tina and Lezleigh will move on to the repechage.
The Canadian ladies encountered difficulty in this round. Roberge won her heat to qualify, but Gregg (facing powerhouses Meng Wang AND Evgenia Radanova) will skate in the repechage on Sunday along with Avrith.
Men
J.P. is listed as DNS for this heat, so clearly something's not right with him. Hope he's ok. Both Ryans (Leveille and Bedford) had some trouble with their 2nd-round heats in 500m #2. Bedford will move on to the repechage round, while Leveille was advanced, for the 2nd time on the day, to the medal-round quarterfinals.
Canadians Jean and Jeff Monette both move on as well to the quarter finals.
1000m
Women
Kimberly will move on to the quarter final round; Sophia Milan and Sarah Lang will skate in the repechage round.
Canadians St-Gelais and Blondin qualified for the quarter finals; Maltais will skate in the 1000m repechage.
Men
Travis, Jordan and Izy all qualified to move on to the quarter finals, as did Flou, Charles and Jeff Monette.
Posted by noelle at 2:51 PM | Comments (0)
February 8, 2007
'International incident' at Asian Winter Games?
Chosun Ilbo | Short Track Team to Focus on Skating, not Politics
Byun Chun-sa, Kim Min-jung, Jung Eun-ju and Jeon Ji-su
The Korean women’s short track skating team left for Budapest, Hungary on Sunday for the I SU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating series.... The group had just returned from upsetting China by raising signs that read “Mt. Baekdu Belongs to Korea†after winning the silver at the Winter Asian Games in the city of Changchun, near the half of the mountain controlled by China....“We wrote the signs in the locker room without letting coaches and other officials know,†Kim Min-jung said. She denies their action was politically motivated, and says the skaters were embarrassed by the reaction after returning to their quarters. Online communities were inundated with messages supporting their act, but it triggered a diplomatic protest from China.
The skaters vowed to concentrate on the upcoming competition without becoming distracted by patriotic issues again. Instead, they pledged to win the gold in the World Cup event to make up for their defeat to China in the Asian Games.
“We want to play fair and square again,†Kim Min-jeong said. “I expect Chinese skaters won’t play foul as they did in the Asiad.†Then, Chinese skaters brazenly shoved their Korean rivals out of the way, apparently confident that that the judges would not make an unfavorable judgment against them. In contrast, Korean skaters were extra careful in the race out of concern that they would be disqualified at the slightest provocation.
Posted by noelle at 11:33 PM | Comments (14)
The update you've all been waiting for
USA Today | Two-time gold medalist Apolo Anton Ohno ponders Vancouver Games
Saying he's "leaning toward" trying for his third Olympics in Vancouver in 2010, Ohno is back on the training ice. He's planning to compete at the U.S. short track championships Feb. 22-25 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, in an attempt to qualify for the world championships March 9-11 in Milan."I feel like I've been blessed with a gift," Ohno says. "And if I'm still able, willing and healthy, then why would I throw that away?"
Ohno fans also might be able to find out whether he has a gift for dance. He is rumored to be in the lineup for the upcoming season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, which premieres March 19. Ohno would say only, "I would love to try and do it." ABC does not comment on casting rumors.
Posted by noelle at 9:30 AM | Comments (71)
February 4, 2007
Relay bronze for USA women!
Team USA receiving relay bronze medals (l-r: Kimberly Derrick, Sonia Milan, Cherise Wilkins, Tina Koenig, Sarah Lang
The women's relay team of Tina Koenig, Kimberly Derrick, Sophia Milan and Cherise Wilkins took the lead off Tina's start and led for the beginning of the race. With 18 to go they were passed by Italy an Russia. With 15 laps to go they get passed by the Netherlands. They were back a long ways, when out of no where they catch up and Kimberly blows by the Netherlands in the last lap to take bronze. Very cool race.
Way to go, ladies!!!
click image to enlarge - Women's relay medalists: Italy (gold), Russia (silver), USA (bronze)
Men's relay B final: The U.S. men's team of Alex Izykowski, Ryan Bedford, Jordan Malone and Travis Jayner were in the lead from the start. There was a messup when the Russian team fell and the U.S. had to skate around two of their skaters. At that time, the Australians passed them, but the U.S. took the lead again and led the rest of the way. No falls, no missed exchanges, and the team won the B final.
Many thanks to the Bedfords for all their hard work in keeping us up to date all weekend - photographer extraordinaire Phil and virtual play-by-play announcer Beth!
Posted by noelle at 1:24 PM | Comments (38)
Report from Heerenveen - day 3 results
Jordan Malone wins 1000m #2 to make it gold medal #2!
Men's 1000m#2 medalists: Yuri Confortola - ITA (silver), Jordan Malone - USA (gold), Heralds Silovs - LAT (bronze)
1000 men's quarters: Jordan Malone was in 4th place and with 4.5 laps to go, tried to pass everyone on the outside, but almost fell. He then made another move with 2 laps to go on the inside and won the quarter. He moved on to the semis.
Ryan Bedford was in 2nd and then 3rd and could not find the right moment to make it around second place. He finished close 3rd and did not move on to the semis.
Ryan skates in his quarter final
1000 Semis: Jordan took off from the gun and basically time-trialed the race from start to finish, winning the semi and advanced to the A final.
Jordan skating in his semi final
1000 A Final: Jordan was in 4th until 3 laps to go when he made an inside pass on all 3 skaters and won the A final by 15 meters. The second gold this weekend for Jordan!
Scene's from Jordan's gold-medal performance:
500 women's quarters: Cherise Wilkins was in 3rd position and was 3rd off the line. She couldn't pass, but made it into the semi by having 1 of the next fastest 2 times. Tina Koenig was also 3rd off the line in her quarter. She finished a close 3rd, but made it into the semi by having 1 of the next fastest 2 times.
Tina in her quarter final
500 men's quarters: J.P. Kepka was 2nd on the line and 2nd off the line. He stayed comfortably in 2nd, as 1st and 2nd were 15 meters ahead of 3rd.
500 semis: Cherise and Tina were both 3rd off the line in their semis. They could not move up and Cherise finished 3rd and Tina 4th. They advanced to the B final.
J.P. again stayed in 2nd position off the start and skated a very safe race, advancing to the A final.
J.P. skates in his 500m semifinal
Women's 500 B Final: Tina and Cherise went 2nd and 3rd - the entire race that had no passing.
Tina & Cherise skating in the 500m b final
Men's 500 A Final: JP was in the 4th start position and was 5th off the line. He never found the right time to pass until the last 5 meters where he stretched for 4th place.
Posted by noelle at 12:34 PM | Comments (6)
Sunday repechage results from Heerenveen
Travis Jayner was in the 1000 meter repechage round and won his quarter final easily. In the semis, he was in second and moves into 1st with 3 laps to go and will go to the repechage round A final.
Travis skates in his 1000m rep semifinal
In the 1000 meters men's repechage A final, Travis went to the front and then there was a lot of very close passing. With 2 laps to go, he made a move on the inside and went down, taking out another skater. He was DQ'd and therefore does not move on the WC races.
In the 500 semis for women, Lezleigh Jaworski was first off the line in the semi and was passed with 2 laps to go. She remained in 2nd and qualifies for the A final of the repechage round.
Lezleigh skates in her 1000m rep semifinal
In the 1000 semis for women, Sarah Lang skated in third the entire race and could never find a opening to pass. She moves to the B final of the repechage. Sophia Milan was in 4th from the start and tried to move on the outside with 6 laps to go, but could never get back in. She placed 3rd and moves to the B Final of the repechage.
Sarah skates in her 1000m rep semifinal
Sonia skates in her 1000m rep semifinal
In the 500 meters women's A final of the repechage round, Lezleigh started in 4th position on the line was 4th off the line and could never find an opportunity to pass anyone. She placed 4th and did not move on the WC races.
In the 1000 meters women's B final of the repechage, the pace was very slow. Sarah took the lead with 2.5 laps to go and won the B Final. Sophia passed into 2nd place on the last corner. Since this was the B final, neither skater moves on the WC races.
Sonia and Sarah in the rep B final
Posted by noelle at 8:48 AM | Comments (0)