After the first day of the World Sprint Championships in Inzell, Germany, skater Jenning de Boo is in third place. The 20-year-old from Groningen was a fraction faster in a direct duel with classification leader Laurent Dubreuil from Canada and finished fourth in 1.08.28. The 1000 meters was won by Zhongyan Ning from China in 1.07.67. Dubreuil remains in the lead.
De Boo had the third fastest time in the first 500 meters. The Dutch and European champion in the 500 meters was the best Dutchman with 34.65. The victory in the 500 meters also went to Dubreuil in 34.47.
Kjeld Nuis finished third in the 1000 meters with 1.07.90. The 34-year-old South Hollander was 0.23 seconds slower than Ning. He takes fourth place in the rankings after the two distances completed on Thursday. Joep Wennemars crashed in the second corner and finished well behind. The 21-year-old debutant therefore has no chance in the rankings.
Nuis set the ninth fastest time in the 500 meters with 34.96. The Dutch sprint champion won his stage against the Finn Tuukka Suomalainen, but gave up 0.49 seconds to Dubreuil.
Women
Jutta Leerdam finished the first day of the World Sprint Championships in third place. The 25-year-old defending champion set the second fastest time in the 1000 meters with 1.13.71, behind Japanese world champion Miho Takagi, who won in a track record of 1.13.32.
Femke Kok lost her leading position in the rankings to Takagi, who defeated her in a direct duel. The world champion in the 500 meters had a lead of 0.12 over the Japanese, but conceded more than a second with a time of 1.14.35. After two distances she is second in the rankings, just ahead of Leerdam, but well behind the Japanese. “I knew it would be difficult, because she already drove about 500 meters,” Kok said about Takagi. She thinks she will compete with fellow countrywoman Leerdam for the remaining medals.
Kok started with a victory in the first 500 meters and was the fastest with a track record of 37.07. Defending champion Leerdam set the fifth fastest time with 37.41.
(AP)