Everything Irene Schouten touches this season turns to gold. The skater from Hoogkarspel won the World Allround Championships in Hamar, Norway on Sunday for the first time in her career. At the five kilometers, the North Holland rider was faster than the Japanese Miho Takagi.
It remained unusually exciting until the end, because Takagi skated against Antoinette de Jong in the last stage. The Japanese finished fourth in the last distance, while Schouten finished second behind Martina Sáblíková.
Behind Takagi and Schouten, De Jong took the bronze. Merel Conijn from Edam was sixth in the five kilometers and thus became sixth in the general classification. In the 1500 meters the skater had finished fourth with a personal best. Schouten finished fifth at that distance, six seconds behind Takagi. That margin disappeared like snow in the sun during the final five kilometers.