Draw:
1. Obara - Rukke. Rukke makes a first false. They are off then with Obara leading, 16.74/17.08, laps 6.0/6.2. But the last lap is for Rukke, who manages 1.11,06; 1.11,60 Obara. It won't bring Rukke much.
2. Kleven - Roberge. Kleven opens faster, 16,98. His lap 6.0, and then 7.4 to finish in 1.10,55. Considered his pb is the slowest of all four that skated so far, he is doing well (being injured in the first world cups). Roberge finishes in 1.11,24. corrected to 1.11,20.
3. Lalenkov - Yesin. Yesin opens 16.79, Lalenkov 16.93. We witness two sub-26 laps, 5.7 Lalenkov and 5.9 Yesin, and Lalenkov takes the lead with 1.09,38 (6.7) and Yesin 1.10.70 (7.9).
4. Flygind-Larsen - Ustynowicz. Opening 17.42/16.79. Laps 6.1/5.9, and Ustynowicz with a 8.1 lap finishes in 1.10,83. Flygind-Larsen could work on his openings. His final lap was 7.3, and he finishes in 1.10.91.
5. Kang-Seok Lee - Ki-Ho Lee. Opening 16.40/16.70, but then Ki-Ho takes over, 5.8/5.4 laps, 42,17 is the fastest passing time at 600m. But No 6.7 lap follows, they finish second and third, 1.10,53 (8.3) and 1.10,26 (8.0)
6. Samuel Schwarz - Dmitry Lobkov. Opening Lobkov 16.42, Schwarz 16.91. He can just cross in front, but while he does, he falls. Lobkov has to put the brakes on, and continues after a 6.1 lap nevertheless, passing in 42.57. Schwarz on his stomach glides forward, and Lobkov finishes, disappointed, in 1.11.09. Schwarz finishes in 2.04,90.
7. Remco Olde Heuvel - Kip Carpenter. A big hole in the ice coming out of the turn needs to be repaired first. After some delay they start with 16.78 Carpenter, 17.09 Olde Heuvel. The crossing is tight; Carpenter sprints to cross in front, and manages at the end of the straight. His lap is 25.5, Olde Heuvel only 26.1. But there are two ways to skate 1.10.62, and we see them here: Olde Heuvel finishes with 27.3, Carpenter 28.2.

8. Tuitert - Poutala. Opening 16.96 Tuitert, 16.48 Poutala. Then Poutala lets Tuitert cross in front, but stays in the slip stream an both manage a 25.5 lap, passing in 42.55/42.05. Then Tuitert comes, a 7.0 lap and 1.09,60 finish, Poutala 7.7 and 1.09,80.
9. Joon Mun - Wennemars. Start is good, but then into the first turn, Wennemars loses his balance, regains. opening 16.89 and Mun 16.71. Mun continues with a 25.4 lap, Wennemars 25.5. Both a 7.6 to finish, 1.09,79 Mun is behind Tuitert, Wennemars 1.10.03 is not enough, unless Kuipers can't deliver.
10. Kuipers starts 16.90, Kyou-Hyuk Lee 16.41. A 5.4/5.5 lap is still on track. The last lap is decisive. 7.4 for Kyou-Hyuk, 1.09.41 is just behind Lalenkov. But Kuipers finishes with 6.9 and takes the lead, 1.09.22. Kuipers to Nagano, with Tuitert and Bos.
11. Jan Bos - Wotherspoon opening 16.35 Wotherspoon, 16.90 Bos. Laps 5.4 /5.1 nice and fast for the Canadian, but Bos reels him in towards the finish; 1.09.47 (7.1) Bos, 1.09.64 (8.1) Spoon.
12. Shani Davis - Morrison. The opening is the 21st in this field, 17.12. Morrison 16.84. Then 5.3/5.4; passing in 42.48 / 42.24, Kuipers was in the middle of that with 42.32. Davis has a 6.1 final lap, so much faster than everybody else. 1.08.63 is the winning time. Denny Morrison deserves to be second and does that with a 6.5 final lap, 1.08,75.

Distance: 1. Davis 1,08,63, 2. Morrison 1.08,75, 3. Kuipers 1,09,22.

Final standings, World Cup: 1. Davis 840, 2. Morrison 736, 3. Bos 550.