Polish fans had the highest expectations for the departure of the sprinting team, which won the World Cup in Calgary. In Arena Lodowa, Marek Kania, Piotr Michalski and Damian Żurek did not repeat this success and ended up finishing in fourth place. The Poles took advantage of the disqualification of the Japanese, who finished in third position. With a track record and an advantage of more than three seconds over the hosts, the Canadians won.

Biało-Czerwoni took fourth place in the final World Cup standings. The Dutch won.

“By winning in Canada, we showed our ability and our medal aspirations. We are capable of getting on the podium. Our run today was not the worst, but I heard that Damian had stumbled and lacked teamwork” – summed up Kania.

In the individual starts, in the absence of the best Polish sprinters, Andżeliki Wójcik and Kaja Ziomek, Karolina Bosiek represented the white and red team of group A over the 500m distance. Pilica’s 22-year-old skater Tomaszów Mazowiecki clocked 38.83, earning her 15th place out of 20 competitors. The Pole lost 0.87 seconds against the best Austrian Vanessa Herzog.

In the whole cycle, the Korean Min-Sun Kim was the best in this distance, which only in Tomaszów Mazowiecki was overtaken by another competitor.

Bosiek, who specializes in long distances, admitted she was happy with the race and the time.

“It’s my best time in the 500m at this track. I’m happy because I’ve treated the starts in this distance as training this season. However, I managed to pass a few good sprinters, which is also a happiness” – admitted the skater, who is still waiting, among other things, starts on the 1000, 1500 and in the sprint team.

The second Pole starting Friday in Group A, Magdalena Czyszczoń, in the longest women’s distance of 3000 m, took 11th position, as a week ago. His time was 4:13.71, 6.5s better than the previous start. The track record was won by Ragne Wiklund, to whom the AZS AWF Katowice skater lost more than 11 seconds. In the overall World Cup standings, the Norwegian also triumphed in this competition.

“This one went well for me and it’s great that I managed to run well in front of such an audience. I hope the form will continue to improve” – stressed Czyszczoń.

One of the events of the first day of the World Cup final was also American Jordan Stolz’s track record and victory in the 1500 m – 1:45.44. The 18-year-old edged Dutchman Kjeld Nuis, who took first place in the final standings on this course.

Around 200 speed skaters from more than 30 countries take part in the World Cup final competition at Arena Lodowa in Tomaszów. For most of them, it is one of the last tests of form before the World Championships in Heerenveen (2-5 March), which will close the international competition this season. The competition will last until Sunday. On Saturday, competition is scheduled for the women’s 1500m and the men’s 500m and 5000m team sprints.

Wyniki piątkowych konkurencji:

kobiety

500 m
 1. Vanessa Herzog (Austria)          37,96
 2. Min-Sun Kim (Korea Płd.)          38,08
 3. Jutta Leerdam (Holandia)          38,14
...
15. Karolina Bosiek (Polska)          38,83

grupa B
 1. Brittany Bowe (USA)               38,77
...
 6. Iga Wojtasik (Polska)             39,58
12. Martyna Baran (Polska)            40,34

klasyfikacja PŚ:
 1. Sun-Kim Min (Korea Południowa)    354 pkt
 2. Vanessa Herzog (Austria)          301
 3. Erin Jackson (USA)                241
 ...
19. Andżelika Wójcik (Polska)         133
30. Karolina Bosiek (Polska)           63
34. Martyna Baran (Polska)             49
40. Iga Wojtasik (Polska)              29
47. Natalia Jabrzyk (Polska)            3

3000 m
 1. Ragne Wiklund (Norwegia)          4.02,97
 2. Martina Sablikova (Czechy)        4.05,67
 3. Joy Beune (Holandia)              4.08,35
...
11. Magdalena Czyszczoń (Polska)      4.13,70

grupa B
 1. Sanne In't Hof (Holandia)         4.07,41
...
16. Olga Kaczmarek (Polska)           4.26,44
21. Liwia Kubin (Polska)              4.39,54

klasyfikacja PŚ na długich dystansach:
 1. Ragne Wiklund (Norwegia)       342 pkt
 2. Isabelle Weidemann (Kanada)    251
  . Joy Beune (Holandia)           251
...
11. Magdalena Czyszczoń (Polska)   173
38. Olga Kaczmarek (Poslka)         39

mężczyźni

1500 m
 1. Jordan Stolz (USA)                1.45,44 
 2. Kjeld Nuis (Holandia)             1.46,16 
 3. Sander Eitrem (Norwegia)          1.46,30

grupa B
 1. Jae Won Chung (Korea Płd.)        1.48,25
... 
18. Marcin Bachanek (Polska)          1.51,43

klasyfikacja PŚ:                            
 1. Kjeld Nuis (Holandia)          276 pkt
 2. Connor Howe (Kanada)           254
 3. Jordan Stolz (USA)             236 
...
48. Marcin Bachanek (Polska)        15 
              
sprint drużynowy
 1. Kanada                            1.19,53        
 2. Norwegia                          1.20,89     
 3. Holandia                          1.21,36     
 4. Polska                            1.22,63             
    (Damian Żurek, Piotr Michalski, Marek Kania)

klasyfikacja PŚ:
 1. Holandia                       156 pkt
 2. Kanada                         144
 3. Norwegia                       140
 4. Polska                         137