BASSELGA DI PINE – On the final day of competitions at the 3rd World University Speed Skating Championship once again Italy was the most successful country. The host nation won two gold medals to secure the first spot in the final table of medals.
The first of four races on Sunday was the Ladies 500 meters. Qishi Li from China won her second gold medal (after winning the Ladies 1,000 meters on day three). She was followed by Arisa Tsujimoto and Nana Takahashi from Japan to complete an all-Asian podium.
Tough weather conditions!
The men from Asia also finished in great fashion in the 500 meters. Ching-Yang Sung (TPE) and Yuto Fujino (JPN) were only beaten by Mirko Giacomo Nenzi from Italy who added the sixth gold medal to his home country’s yield.
To conclude the championship, the Mass Start was held at Ice Rink Pinè. The women’s race was dominated by the Netherlands with three student-athletes finishing in the top four. Annemarie Boer won the gold medal, followed by Olesya Chernega (RUS) and the Dutch duo of Jessica (Jacoba Elise) Merkens and Willemijn (Anne) Cnossen.
Italy finished the WUC with a similarly strong performance in the men’s race. Three skaters from the host nation were in the top five. Riccardo Bugari (ITA) won gold, Armin Siegfried Hager (AUT) came in second, Marcin Bachanek (POL) came in third.
After the races the Closing Ceremony was held at the venue in Baselga di Pinè. The athletes celebrated a successful event in their very own fashion staging a snowball field on the ice rink.
Results
Results day 3 can be downloaded here.
Click here to find the final medal table.
