3,000 metres, Women

Germany and Canada were expected to take home the medals in this race. The German squad featured defending champion and 2004 World Champion Claudia Pechstein and Anni Friesinger, the 2003 World Champion. Canada’s top entrant was the reigning World Champion, Cindy Klassen, who had also lowered the World Record earlier in the season to 3:55.75. Kristina Groves and Clara Hughes, the other Canadians, were also established distance skaters.

But the first skater to break the 2005 track record (4:05.16 by Friesinger) was Dutch youngster Ireen Wüst. Considered more of a middle distance skater, she set a surprising new personal best, with 4:02.43. The first favourite to race was Claudia Pechstein, but she could not follow Wüst’s pace, and finished three seconds back. Cindy Klassen managed to start faster than the Dutchwomen, and held on to the fastest split until halfway. She then gradually lost her speed, finishing in 4:04.37. In her last lap, Klassen was overtaken by 2002 runner-up, Renate Groenewold, whose last lap put her a second ahead of the Canadian, but also a second behind her own team mate, Wüst. The final pairs did not change the medal order, as Friesinger, Groves, Hughes and Czech junior Sáblíková were all slower.