A German pair: Heythausen versus Lehmann. Heythausen is the strongest today, unlike their pbs could predict. 1.47,81 is his time, just behind Prinsen, with 7.0, 7.8 and 8.8 laps. Lehmann 1.50,85.

Sven Kramer opens 23,82, Flygind Larsen's 23,94 is not bad either. Next lap 6.2 versus 6.5. But who can beat Kramer's next 27.3? One more 27 lap, and he finishes in 1.45,21, only 0.02 above the TR of Erben Wennemars. Flygind Larsen has to bow deep with his 1.48,52.

Konrad Niedzwiedski and Arne Dankers then, not those fireworks. Dankers can usually show a flat race, his laps are now 6.7, 7.5 and 8.5 and his time 1.48,11. Niedzwiedzki 1.48,29.

Pair 5: Dmitry Babenko and Chad Hedric. Hedrick opens below 24, a bit wild still in his movement. Babenko 24.4. But Hedrick has a 26.1 first full lap, but still stays behind Kramer, also with the next lap, 7.5. His final time is 1.46,79, currently second. Babenko needs 1.49,29, and has only Lebedev and Lehmann behind him. 

The first to endanger Kramer's time is Denny Morrison, who opens 23,86, then 5.8 and 6.8 seems to be heading towards a track record. But his last lap is 28,7, and he stays behind Kramer with 1.45,34.

Lalenkov and Skobrev. After the Canadian pair a Russian pair before a Dutch pair.  The Russians open below 24, First lap Skobrev is faster, 6.4, next lap Lalenkov, 7.2. then Skobrev again, 8.6. His time is 1.46,56, third place, Lalenkov 1.47,09 is not satisfied with that.

Wennemars and Tuitert now. Opening Wennemars, 23,27, but also Tuitert's 23,44 is one of the fastest. They stay close together, which may help them. 6.0 Tuitert, 6.1 Wennemars. Then 7.2 Wennemars, 7.3 Tuitert. Still on schedule for a TR. alas: a final 28.7 for Tuitert and 29.9 for Wennemars bring them to 1.45,54 and 1.46,61.

Simon Kuipers false starts agaist Havard Bøkko. Kuipers opens 23,61, Bøkko 23,74. Kuipers has the advantage of the back of Bøkko, but with 6.4 and 6.5 they lose considerably to some of the fastest. 7.5 for Bøkko then and Kuipers 7.6, but in the last lap Kuipers is faster again, 8.1 versus 8.3, and his time is just outside the podium, 1.45,79, Bøkko 1.46,19.

The coming two skaters in the final pair are expected to finish on the podium and kick Tuitert off. Shani Davis opens 24,00, Enrico Fabris 24,35. The gap increases, wtih 6.0 for Davis and 7.0 for Fabris. No Fabris then today? 6.9 Davis, 7.7 Fabris. The final sprint does not save the Italian. Davis finishes in 1.45,66 with a 8.6 final lap, behind Tuitert. Enrico Fabris has a 8.0 lap at the end, but his 1.47,22 is far behind the best.

Kramer wins his first 1500m World Cup, Morrison is second, Tuitert third.