Groningen skater Jenning de Boo thought he was ready for his World Cup debut, but finished outside the top 10 in both the 500 and 1000 meters in Calgary. “Unfortunately, I think I used up a little too much in Quebec.”
Two weeks ago, De Boo was in bed with a fever for days, which not only forced him to skip the last World Cup, but also affected his preparation for the World Cup distances. “I just missed power,” the 20-year-old Groninger noted on Saturday after the 1000 meters.
De Boo finished sixteenth, almost 2 seconds behind Jordan Stolz (1.07.89). The American top favorite extended his world title in Calgary as expected. With 1.06.05 he was well ahead of the Chinese Zhongyan Ning (1.06.53). Kjeld Nuis (1.06.80) captured the bronze.
Twenty-four hours earlier, De Boo was also unable to compete for medals in the 500 meters (twelfth, 34.57). “In fact, only the team sprint went as hoped.” That earned him, Tim Prins and Janno Botman a silver medal, although afterwards, given the small difference with the Canadians (two thousandths), it felt more like losing gold.
Still not recovered
De Boo thought beforehand that his body had recovered from the disease. “But that was a bit disappointing in the match. I wasn’t quite the Jennings I was at the beginning of January.” Then he surprisingly won the European title in the 500 meters in Thialf, but now it remained a supporting role. “Unfortunately, I think I used up a little too much in Quebec.”
Still, De Boo enjoyed the four weeks he spent in North America with his teammates. “And besides, there is another big competition coming up: the World Sprint Championships. I’m really looking forward to that too.” Because he has already been placed, De Boo is not yet sure whether he will ride the National Championships next weekend. “I still have to discuss that with the coaches. Everything depends on how fit I am.”
Prince fifth
Teammate Tim Prins will be there anyway. De Frisian made a valiant attempt on Saturday to keep up with Stolz in a direct duel, but was ultimately unable to compete to the end in the 1000 meters and finished fifth (1.07.16).
After a lap and a half, Prins felt his legs filling up. “It was all or nothing.” He had seen that Stolz opened very quickly during the 500 meters. “But I’m not someone who skates it safe. If I can compete, I will.”
Prins finished just off the podium in his first individual performance at a World Cup. A great achievement, he thought. “Because racing against Stolz is not easy. Secretly you hope for a medal, but in the end I can’t help but be satisfied, although things went a little slower than the last time in Salt Lake City. I want to become a big boy and then I have to be able to fight these kinds of duels.”
Closing the gap
Races like this help close the gap with Stolz. “So that I can go not 600, but 1000 or 1500 meters.” It is a goal that motivates. He would rather not lose to the man who pushes boundaries almost every week. “But I’m sure that one day I will be at his level too. I don’t doubt that for a second.”
For the time being, Nuis in particular is making things difficult for Stolz. The multiple Olympic champion did not expect that he would win another medal so soon after his ugly fall in Salt Lake City. “I really have no idea where I got this from. My opening (16.3, ed.) was faster than six years ago in Pyeongchang. Really crazy.”
Nuis has seen the level of medium-distance racing increase in recent years. “And when I do get on the podium again, I am just very proud of myself. This feels like a victory, although silver would have been possible if I hadn’t fanned out so much in the corner on the way to the last lap. I left a lot behind there compared to Tim, Jordan and Ning.”
Bosker misses the final mass start
Marcel Bosker missed out on a place in the final of the mass start at the World Championship distances in Calgary. The 27-year-old from Groningen failed in the semi-final battle.
Three skaters, including the later winner Bart Swings from Belgium, broke away and took a big lead. Bosker counter-attacked for a moment, but was unable to get away from the peloton. Bart Hoolwerf did reach the final, but came in a disappointing fifth.
Bosker explained his elimination by a difficult draw with many top riders in the first semi-final. “No one wants to ride away with me and then I am forced to sprint. I have never done that, I have no idea how to do that,” he said in front of the NOS cameras. “That’s not my trick.”