| Calgary: 1500m Men |
| Sunday, 04 March 2007 | |
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Jarmo Valtonen starts of fast for an allround skater, but then his 1000m pb improved last weekend. After yesterday's fast 1500m races, he might have expected more of this ice. With 6.7, 7.9 and a 9.7 laptime he loses too much each lap: 1:48.19 is no pb. Röjler's race is more even, with 24.64, 7.2, 8.0 and 8.8, his 1:48.82 is also an improvement of his best qualifying time and might bring him to Salt Lake as well. Doi and Nakajima have trouble after a 23.13 of Nakajima, and don't improve their pbs: 1:48.21 and 1:47.62, but it also lifts them in the time ranking. Christoffer Rukke starts with 23.62, with 6.3 and 7.7 the WJ might be within reach, but with a 9.5 last lap he still improves his personal best to 1:47.31. Sugimori is unlucky at the last crossing and has to stand up and put the breaks on to jump into the outerlane behind the Norwegian's back: 1.49.20. Stefan Groothuis is paired with Risto Rosendahl and starts with 23.52. A very good 25.1 lap follows, where Rosendahl, after 23.83 has a 26.2 lap. Groothuis manages a 26.4 lap and after another 28.8 he takes exactly one second off his former pb: 1:43.98 is the new time for him. Risto, after 27.1 and 28.4 brings the NR down to 1:45.75. Two Norwegians next. The two top-skaters Bøkko and Ervik. Bøkko overtakes Ervik in pbs, because Ervik stays a bit behind on his best time with 1:45.86. Bøkko however does 23.92, 6.3 - 6.9 and 27.3(!) and for the first time in his life takes a Norwegian senior record: 1:44.57. A tight race between Roberge and Warsylewicz is won by Roberge in 1:45.18, Warsylewicz also skates a personal with 1:45.57. Joon Mun and Tuitert make a very good pair, Mun starts fastest with 23.16, Tuitert 23.30. Then Tuitert does 5.5 and Mun 5.6, they both pass at 48.8; then they both have a 28.8, so the 8.4 of TUitert versus the 8.5 of Mun gives the Dutchman the win in 1:44.16, Pb. Mun sets a Korean record of 1:44.23. Schneider also improves himself, to 1:45.82, Niedzwiedski does't succee: 1:46.18. Elm faces Kuipers. Elm does 1:45.29, losing too much in his 29.1 last lap after a strong opening. Kuipers does 23.56, 5.6, 6.7 and 7.9 and sets his personal best to 1:43.97, skipping the 1:44 zone. It's just 0.01 faster than the leading time of Groothuis. Neither Lalenkov nor Morrison improves their pbs, Lalenkov 1:44.94, Morrison 1:43.43, the second time. So: WR Davis 1:42.32, then 2. Wennemars 1:43.24, and 3. Morrison, 1:43.43. No Fabris on the podium. The Cup is for Erben Wennemars. Fabris is only 8th, Kuipers is 4th, Groothuis 5th, Tuitert 6th. A pity that there can be only 3 people from one country in the World Championships. |