KEARNS — Attempting to increase spectator interest, speedskating is the latest winter sport to test new distances and events. And for the second straight season, the Utah Olympic Oval served as the Essent ISU Speedskating Sprint World Cup's experiment lab.
Following Saturday night's traditional 500-meter pairings, skaters competed in head-to-head-to-head 100-meter competition, followed by what is believed to be a first-ever World Cup relay.
The 100 debuted last year at the Oval in the same World Cup setting.
Despite being a storied, original Winter Olympic discipline, speedskating has seen its little brother — short-track — command an equal if not brighter spotlight of late, thanks to media sensation Apolo Ohno. Long track is pairs racing the clock; short-track is racing in packs, with thrilling passes and chilling spills.
While Ohno and the U.S. team's three medals got plenty of media play during the 2002 Winter Olympics, Team USA earned eight long-track medals and boasted feel-good stories with skaters such as Derek Parra, Chris Witty, Casey FitzRandolph and Jennifer Rodriguez.
But if short-track is "NASCAR on ice," long track is seen as "drag" racing — emphasis on "drag," particulary with the longer 3,000-, 5,000- and 10,000-meter distances.
"Americans have short attention spans, don't we?" quipped FitzRandolph as the 500-meter gold medalists in 2002 prepped for Saturday night's 100s.
He says speedskaters are treating the innovative, non-Olympic events cautiously, concerned about how participation in the 100s or relays may affect one's competition in that weekend's events or in upcoming trials and championships. In other words, not a top priority while organizers "work out the kinks," he said.
Also, rather than the long-bladed clapskates now used, the 100s would demand a different type of skate — shorter, fixed blades that aren't offset or bent like those for longer distances.
While short in distance, the 100s are lengthy in time for competition, starting with initial heats of three skaters using the two regular lanes and the inside warm-up lane. Skaters with the 12 fastest times advance to the quarterfinals, with six to the semifinals and then a trio in the finals. Still, some of the loudest crowd cheers of the evening came during 100s racing.
While short in distance, the 100s are lengthy in time for competition, starting with initial heats of three skaters using the two regular lanes and the inside warm-up lane. Skaters with the 12 fastest times advance to the quarterfinals, with six to the semifinals and then a trio in the finals. While some of the loudest crowd cheers of the evening came during 100s racing, the long breaks between rounds thinned the crowd considerably.
Japan's Hiroyasu Shimizu won the men's 100, with his time of 9.43 seconds nipping the 9.46 of Canada's Mark Nielsen. Joji Kato of Japan was third at 9.64.
In the women's 100, Japanese skaters placed 1-2, with Sayuri Osuga at 10.49 and Shihomi Shinya at 10.54. China's Manli Wang placed third at 10.62.
FItzRandolph and U.S. teammate Tucker Fredricks advanced from the opening heats to the quarterfinals but could manage no better. No American made the women's quarters.
In the men's 500, Canada's Jeremy Wotherspoon won his second gold in as many nights, with his time of 34.45 seconds bettering Dimitry Lobkov's 34.51, which set a Russian national record. Hiroyasu Shimizu of Japan, Friday night's runner-up, placed third at 34.61. Shimizu, Friday night's runner-up, placed third at 34.61.
Wotherspoon has dominated the World Cup 500s this season, winning all four events contested.
FitzRandolph, who took last season off, finished sixth at 35.02; U.S. teammate Kip Carpenter placed 10th at 35.12.
In the ladies' 500, the Netherlands' Marianne Timmer posted her first triumph of the season, finishing in 38.00. Wang placed second for the second straight night at 38.14, just .01 seconds better than Shinya, the World Cup points leader in the event and Friday night's winner.
Rodriguez — whose best events are the 1,000 and 1,500, where she has won five golds and a bronze in six World Cup outings — repeated her fifth-place finish of Friday, coming in at 38.29.
Saturday night's relay events were contested after the 500- and 100-meter events and awards ceremonies, finishing after the Deseret Morning News' press deadlines.
E-mail: taylor@desnews.com