THE HAGUE, March 7-- Twelve-time winner Martina Sablikova of the Czech Republic edged Canadian Isabelle Weidemann by four points for another women's long distance World Cup title on Saturday. Although the Canadian won the 3,000m race in the ISU Speed Skating World Cup Finals in Heerenveen, the Netherlands, in three minutes and 59.759 seconds and the Czech finished fourth, it was enough for Sablikova to top the final standings. In the 3,000m race, Antoinette de Jong of the Netherlands came second in 4:00.035 and Russia's world record holder Natalia Voronina was the third. However, neither of them managed to surpass Ivanie Blondin of Canada, who was thrid overall. Patrick Roest safely took home the men's long distance trophy, his career first World Cup, after his fifth win this season in as many World Cup races he featured in. The Dutch crossed the line in 6:11.152 seconds in the men's 5,000m on Saturday, 1.67 seconds ahead of Canada's Graeme Fish, who was third on the overall table. Russia's Danila Semerikov, despite a fourth finish, kept his second place on the overall standings. Elsewhere on Saturday, Dutch Thomas Krol stood on top of the men's 1,000m podium in 1:07.858, which enabled him to overcome the two-point disadvantage to his former roommate Kai Verbij ahead of the final and claimed the title. Season runner-up Verbij finished third behind Laurent Dubreuil of Canada, who was third on the overall standings. |