World Cup 4

Marquette, Michigan, USA

 

Day 2

Things just aren’t going well for Team Canada.  With the disqualification of Olivier Jean in the 1000m, Canada has essentially lost a spot in the men’s 1000m for Vancouver 2010.  He simply made too many bad passes.

 

 

 

Although Olivier Jean did win the 1000m overall at Canadian Olympic Trials, since he has lost a spot for Canada, the committee will have to decide if he should skate this distance for Vancouver 2010 over Francois Hamelin.  Charles Hamelin for sure is definitely skating all the distances since he was pre-qualified. 

 

Another big news item is that the Japanese men have lost their chance to qualify a relay team for the games.  Last night, a skater came in for a late bad exchange, and then both skaters fell.  They couldn’t catch up with the pack and did not make it out of the quarters. 

 

 

 

Alyson Dudek of the US made a thrilling inside pass with three laps to go during their relay quarters!

 

 

 

Italy almost qualified but fell literally within laps to go.  This allow the Netherlands and Germany move onto the next round.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 1

Racing began here in Marquette, Michigan, and I must say I’m seeing a lot more falls than I did in Montreal.  There were so many issues with baggage handling on the way to Marquette, some skaters couldn’t get onto the ice until maybe late Tuesday or Wednesday.  Lee Eun-Byul of South Korea and Zhao Nannan of China both fell on Wednesday and hit the pads.  Eun-Byul toed into the ice creating a large gash and Zhao Nannan just fell into the pads.  At first I thought they both had injuries, but after Day 1 of racing, they both seem fine.

 

The ice is super fast here in Marquette and I think it’s going to be possible to see some records broken.  However, the pads here are very hard and don’t give very much.  There have been lots of falls, but all of the skaters have been getting up without any issues. 

 

Cho Ha-Ri of South Korea fell stepping on a block and didn’t make it out of her quarters.  The biggest shocker was the Women’s 1500m Heat 3.  We had skaters fall once, and then we had ANOTHER fall at the end of the heat.  It was roller derby I swear!  Lin Wei of Taiwan Taipei fell and took out Valerie Maltais of Canada and Sanne Van Kerkhof of the Netherlands.  THEN, at the END of the race, Marina Georgieva-Nikolova of Bulgaria knocks into Van Kerkhof on the last lap and took out Aika Klein of Germany!

 

1500m Women

-Kimberly Derrick did not make it out of her 1500m quarters from Day 1.  That only leaves Allison Baver and Katherine Reutter for this distance for USA

-Kim Min-Jung and Lee Eun-Byul both advanced to the semis for South Korea while Cho Ha-Ri fell to lose her advancement

-All three Chinese skaters advanced to the semis (Sun Linlin, Liu Qiuhong, Zhou Yang), as well as the Canadians (Tania Vicent, Kalyna Roberge, Valerie Maltais)

-Japanese women only advance two (Mika Ozawa, Hiroko Sadakane)

 

 

I’ll have videos up soon!  Day 2 of racing today!  REMEMBER to follow my tweets!  (http://www.twitter.com/shorttrackhd)

 

 

BACK HOME