Wuest claims latest World Cup honour with 1500m title

The Dutch skater got the better of Japan's Miho Takagi on her home ice, overcoming an athlete who was unbeaten in five World Cup 1500m races across last season.

Her time of 1:58.742 was the first to break the two-minute barrier and while Takagi and Antoinette de Jong challenged in the penultimate pairing, nobody could beat Wuest's performance.

Takagi was forced to settle for silver this time around while Brittany Bowe – who prevailed last time out – secured bronze, despite having the best time of all races after 1100m.

A disappointment it may have been but American Bowe still leads the event World Cup rankings, level with Takagi and five clear of Wuest.

Meanwhile, Nao Kodaira secured her second 500m win of the weekend – despite not being as quick as her first outing in Japan.

The home favourite stopped the clock in 38.26 seconds but it was still enough for gold, with Austria's Vanesse Herzog bagging her fourth consecutive silver medal three tenths back.

While Bowe celebrated another bronze medal, this time across the shorter distance.

Finally, Bo-Reum Kim made the most of a plethora of absences to take gold in the mass start.

Last week's winner and Olympic champion Nana Takagi and Olympic bronze medallist Irene Schouten were both missing, but the Korean athlete profited in the best fasion.

Francesca Lollobrigida went to front for the final lap and still had the lead on the final straight, but Kim fought back to force the Italian to settle for silver, with Ivanie Blondin taking him bronze.

Sportsbeat 2018