"A good beginning of this weekend. It was a strong race, but the opening and first lap I lost too much on Anni. The circumstances are hard, you have to work hard here. I have to race a lot, these days, so I have to recover well. It's nice to skate in a full stadion, but it's still a competition and I give everything. The atmosphere is not like at World Championships."

Anni Friesinger has made choices not to race so much this year. It paid off. In total she has 10 World titles. Gunda Niemann leads that ranking with 11 titles, and this is within Friesinger's reach this weekend. She is crowned here with a laurel crown on her head, but takes it off for the anthem, which I think she should better not... 

Anni: "I'm very happy, it was a heavy race. The ice is a bit like Kolomna. You need a good rhythm, finding the right push, not too early, not too late. We prepared well. And I have a lot of experience and am a few years older. But a 1500m needs much time for recovery. I fear I can't skate the TP, because they have them on the programme on Saturday, and we have to skate on Sunday. It would be better if the TP would be after the distances. Also the Dutch and Canadians have asked for that. But we can't change it."