The ISU Junior World Cup moved from the future Olympic ice of big city Milano to the scenic Italian mountain village of Collalbo. But whether she’s skating in an indoor arena or in the fresh air of an outdoor track in the mountains doesn’t seem to make much of a difference to Kristina Shumekova as the junior from Kazakhstan won three gold medals for the second week in a row.

With four golds and 12 medals in total, Korea dominated the Junior category. Italy topped the Neo-Senior medal rankings with four golds and 10 medals in total.

Shumekova leaves field far behind

Like in last week’s Milan leg of the ISU Junior World Cup, Shumekova won the junior 1000m, 1500m and 3000m. In the 1000m, Shumekova finished in a time of 1 minute and 17.69s. Poland’s Hanna Mazur was the only skater to finish within a second (0.97s) of the winner to take silver, with fellow Pole Wiktoria Dąbrowska taking bronze.

In the 1500m, Shumekova clocked 1:58.93, a little over two seconds outside the 2007 track record set by legendary Ireen Wüst (NED). Silver medalist Neele Göpelt (GER) needed 3.60s more to complete the distance, and Mette ten Cate (NED) finished 4.46s adrift in third place.

Kristina Shumekova (KAZ) swapped the Milan arena for the open-air ice of Collalbo but won the same trio of gold medals in the 1000m, 1500m and 3000m, pictured. © ISU

Coincidentally, the gap between gold and silver in the 3000m was the exact same as in the 1500m. Shumekova set 4:18.46, which was 3.60s faster than silver medalist Lieke Huizink (NED). Jasmijn Veenhuis (NED) completed the podium at 5.64s from the winner.

On Sunday, Mazur added gold medals in the 500m and the Mass Start to Saturday’s 1000m silver. 

Hanna Mazur (POL) leads the Mass Start field on her way to adding another gold to her 500m win and 1000m bronze. © ISU

With a time of 39.08s in the shortest distance, Mazur kept Jein Lee (KOR) 0.05s behind, while Dąbrowska took third place in 39.62s.

In the Mass Start, the rapid Mazur kept the Dutch pair of Ten Cate and Veenhuis at bay.

Korean podium shuffle in the 1000m

In the men’s junior category, Man-Hyeok Han (KOR) led another Korean podium sweep in the 1000m. After Han had taken silver behind Yun-Seong Yong with Seonung Shin taking bronze last week, the order was shuffled in Collalbo. Shin got promoted to silver, while Yong dropped to third place.

Shin also won gold in the 500m, with Hlib Khochyn (KAZ) taking silver and Jeongho Ko (KOR) bronze.

Seonung Shin (KOR) wins gold in the Junior 500m to add to his silver in the 1000m in Collalbo. © ISU

Kim Junha (KOR) booked another Korean victory in the 1500m, with Ben-Luca Kleinke (GER) coming in second and Kim Seung-Kyum (KOR) third.

Adding to his 1500m bronze, Kim took silver in the 3000m, stopping the clock between Dutch gold medalist Ede Kortlever and his bronze-medal compatriot Thijs Wiersma.

The Mass Start was a Korean affair again, with Whang Seojoon (KOR) beating Kryspin Węcławek (POL) and Kim Seung-Kyum to the line. 

The Junior Men's Mass Start field speeds around Collalbo's picturesque Ritten Arena. Whang Seojoon (KOR) emerged victorious. © ISU

Home nation dominates Neo-Senior category

Italy topped the Neo-Senior medal table with four golds and 10 medals in total. Manuel De Carli (ITA) anchored the Squadra Azzurra in the absence of Riccardo Lorello and Manuel Ghiotto (ITA), who skated at the senior World Cup in Heerenveen after their Neo-Senior medals in Milan last week.

De Carli won the Men’s 3000m and Mass Start races. 

Byeong-Hun Lee (KOR) also seized two gold medals in the two shortest distances, the 500m and the 1000m.

Giorgia Aiello (ITA) secured a complete set of medals in the women’s field with gold in the 1000m, silver in the 1500m and bronze in the 500m. Ashley Völker (GER) also won three individual medals with gold in the 3000m and bronzes in the 1500m and the Mass Start, which was won by her compatriot Julia Geutner.

Germany reigns in Mixed Relay

Germany won the Mixed Relay in both the Junior and the Neo-Senior categories.

In the Juniors, Ben-Luca Kleinke and Alexandra Sauer finished ahead of the Netherlands and Korea and in the Neo-Seniors, Tomy Nguyen teamed up with Melissa Schaefer to leave Czechia and Italy in silver and bronze.