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B.C. speed skater in final at World Cup
SZEKESFEHERVAR, Hungary (CP) -- National team rookie Alanna Kraus of Abbotsford, B.C., qualified for her first career final in the women's 1,500 metres at a World Cup short-track speed skating meet Friday.Kraus, the only Canadian finalist in the meet, placed sixth.
The Canadians are currently mired in one of their worst-ever slumps at the international level with only three medals so far this season in four World Cup meets.
In the women's 1,500 final, Evgenia Radanova of Bulgaria broke the world record and earned a second gold this season in the event with a time of two minutes 41.892 seconds. Amy Peterson of the U.S., was second in 2:42.030 and Danielle Molendijk of the Netherlands was third at 2:43.167. Kraus finished with a time of 2:43.452.
"I was very happy with my racing," said Kraus, who has lived and trained at the national centre in Calgary since age 17. "The key was I stayed relaxed. This kind of result gives me a lot of confidence that I can make the world championship team later this year."
Tania Vicent of Montreal and Chantal Sevigny of Sherbrooke, Que., both 1998 Olympians, were eliminated in the semifinal. The Canadian women are without their two top-ranked skaters -- Olympic champion Annie Perreault of Rock Forest, Que., and Christine Boudrias of Montreal -- for this meet.
In the men's 1,500, Kim Dong-Sung of South Korea, the 1,000-metre Olympic champion, won his third gold of the season clocking 2:19.829. Fabio Carta of Italy, the current overall World Cup leader, was second in 2:20.306 and Apolo Anton Ohno of the U.S. third in 2:20.537.
World champion Marc Gagnon of Montreal and double Olympic medallist Eric Bedard of St-Thecle, Que., were eliminated in the semifinal. Gagnon, 23, is still looking for his first individual medal this year.
Competition continues today with the men's and women's 500 and semifinal relays.