Rust reigns at 5 kilometers at NK, scoop for Scheperkamp at 500 meters | To skate

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Feb 03, 2023 at 7:40 PMUpdate: 8 minutes ago

Patrick Roest became Dutch champion in the 5 kilometers for the fourth time in his career on Friday. Marcel Bosker (silver) and defending champion Jorrit Bergsma (bronze) followed at an appropriate distance, but qualified for next month’s World Championship distances. Merijn Scheperkamp conquered the gold in the 500 meters.

Roest dived the 5 kilometers as the only skater under 6:10 minutes in Thialf. De Lekkerkerker recorded 6.08.77 and that was more than enough for gold.

In the final stage, Bosker and Bergsma fought a nice duel for silver. Bosker won and finished second in 6:12.95. Bergsma (6:13.37) had to settle for bronze. The top three of the NK qualify for the World Championship distances. The most important tournament of this winter is from 2 to 5 March in Thialf.

Beau Snellink was one of the main contenders for a podium spot in advance, but the Jumbo-Visma stayer disappointed with a fourth place (6.17.85). His teammate Kars Jansman (fifth in 6:21.35) also missed out on a World Cup ticket.

Roest took NK gold in the 5,000 meters three times in a row between 2019 and 2021. Last season he finished second behind Bergsma. With his fourth national title, the 27-year-old Team Reggeborgh rider is still far from Sven Kramer’s record. The skating icon, who stopped last year, was the best in the 5 kilometers no less than ten times.

Bergsma drove his first 5 kilometers since mid-December on Friday. The Frisian, who turned 37 on Wednesday, skipped the NK all-round at the end of last year because he was ill. It was already the third time this season that Jumbo-Visma’s acquisition was ailing with his health, but he seems to be fit again in the most important part of the winter.

Merijn Scheperkamp impressed in the 500 meters. Photo: ANP

Scheperkamp wins first national title

Scheperkamp won his first national title in the 500 meters with conviction. The Jumbo-Visma sprinter was the fastest in both stages and was the sovereign winner of the classification, for which the stage times were added together.

Behind the 22-year-old Scheperkamp, ​​who won the European Championship sprint at the beginning of January, Hein Otterspeer and Stefan Westenbroek finished with silver and bronze. The bronze was a consolation prize for Westenbroek, because he was unable to secure a World Cup ticket.

The World Cup starting tickets went to the three skaters with the fastest time. In addition to Scheperkamp (34.61), these were N’tab (34.89) and Otterspeer (34.91). With 34.93, Westenbroek was only two hundredths of a second short of qualifying for the world championships.

Defending champion Kai Verbij did not participate in the NK distances. The 28-year-old Jumbo-Visma sprinter retired last Wednesday with a groin injury and put an end to the season. Verbij does not defend his world title in the 1,000 meters at the World Championship distances.

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