Netherlands' Ireen Wust adds World Cup 1500m title to Olympic silver

Netherlands' Ireen Wust adds World Cup 1500m title to Olympic silver

Published Mar. 14, 2014 5:29 p.m. ET

HEERENVEEN, Netherlands -- Ireen Wust of the Netherlands won the World Cup 1,500-meter title Friday, making up in some small way for having to settle for silver in the same event at the Winter Olympics.

Wust finished in 1 minute, 53.68 seconds to beat countrywoman Lotte van Beek into second place at the Thialf oval in the final race of the season. Yuliya Skokova of Russia was third.

Shani Davis of the United States was second in the men's 1,000, but was already assured of the season's World Cup title even before lacing up his skates as he had built up an unassailable lead in the rankings. It was Davis' sixth World Cup title at the distance.

Olympic silver medal winner Denny Morrison of Canada beat Davis with a time of 1:08.91. Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands was third.

ADVERTISEMENT

Morrison ended second in the World Cup rankings behind Davis and Nuis was third.

Wust, who won two gold medals and three silvers in Sochi, is not skating all the distances in Thialf this weekend as she eyes next week's world allround championships at the same venue.

"I'm certainly happy with this with an eye on next week," she told Dutch national broadcaster NOS.

Van Beek was second in the season rankings and Brittany Bowe of the United States was third.

Francesca Lollobrigida of Italy won the women's mass start race to take the season's title. Bob de Vries of the Netherlands won the men's mass start and the season's title.

share