ISU Challengers Cup News

Today is the final day of the Challengers Cup Event in Hoorn, Netherlands. It's an official ISU event held three times during the winter for skaters to set times to qualify them for the World Cups.

Tonight both Shane Dobbin & Dj Nation from New Zealand will be racing the 5000 meter event. With only 5 pairings Dj Nation is against a skater from the Netherlands in the third pair and Shane Dobbin is against a Norwegen in the final pair. On the ice for both Shane Dobbin & Dj Nation will be DSB Bank marathon coach Peter de Vries who is still a famous skater in the Netherlands only retiring last year from the marathons and stepped straight into coaching. The 5000 meter is the final event for the evening and it will depend on the weather condition as to what times will be set this evening. Hoorn is a ice rink which is 80% closed but the inside of the corners are open air so if it's windy outside it can change the times set. Last year the winner of this event was a Dutch skater who won in a time of 6:47 which is still currently the track record. So no super fast times are planned for this evening just a good enough times to qualify for the World Cups next year.

Video will be taking through this evenings races and will be uploaded online so be sure to keep and eye out for the videos that will be coming soon this week!

Yesterday Wayne Begg from New Zealand skated the first round of the 500 meter and 1000 meter races as well as Australians Sophie Muir and Josh Loose raced the 1500 meter. Both Wayne Begg and Sophie Muir will be racing the second round of the 500 meter and 1000 meter events while Josh Loose will be starting in the 5000 meter race.

The results from yesterday are as follows:

Men's 500 meter Winner

1st Ronald Mulder (Netherlands) - 36.5

Men's 1000 meter Winner
1st Michel Mulder (Netherlands) - 1:13

Other Results
Wayne Begg 500 meter - 39.7
Wayne Begg 1000 meter - 1:19
Sophie Muir 500 meter - 44.2
Josh Loose 1500 meter - 1:59

Results from tonight will be posted soon!