ISU World Cup - Bormio

3 Days in the Italian Alps

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by Torrie Hansen

16 December 2002   |   Quietly nestled in the Alps lies a tiny town called Bormio. Bormio is a beautiful getaway spot known for its hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. Bormio is also the home of the Bormio Ghiaccio Ice Arena, the host of the 4th ISU Short-Track Speedskating World Cup. The small arena seats 300 people and 22 teams from around the world attended the event. All areas of the globe were represented. Of honorable mention were the countries of New Zealand, Switzerland, and Israel, who made the journey to Italy despite their single-skater teams. Mark Jackson represented New Zealand, Sascha Lauber for Suisse, and Denis Zaslavsky for Israel. The only disappointment was China apparently had difficulties with their visas and couldn't get into the country to participate in the event.

Day One: 1500m

Stephanie Bouvier (FRA) clenches
3rd in the 1500m

The event started with the men's 1500m. Things quickly became interesting in the quarter finals when Sebastian Praus (GER) was DQ'd and both Shani Davis (USA) and Nicola Franceschina (ITA) were advanced to the semi-finals. The semi-finals had their share of excitement as well when Hyun-Soo Ahn (KOR) placed 4th and failed to make the final. Nicola Franceschina was DQ'd and also failed to make the final cut. The lucky 6 to make the final were Fabio Carta (ITA), Apolo Anto Ohno (USA), Jonathan Guilmette (CAN), and from the second semi final Jean-Francois Monette (CAN), Se-Jong Oh (KOR), and Rusty Smith (USA). In the final, Ohno and Monette easily captured 1st and 2nd. Guilmette took 3rd by a skate blade over Carta.

The ladies races were very clean, only one DQ for all the 1500 races. The line up for the final wasn't too surprising: Ha-Ri Cho (KOR), Tatiana Borodoulina (RUS), Evgenia Radanova (BUL), Stephanie Bouvier (FRA), Eun-Kyung Choi (KOR), and Amelie Goulet-Nadon (CAN). Choi stole 1st, while Goulet-Nadon and Bouvier took 2nd and 3rd.

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