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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, March 6, 2010

Speedskating: Davis wins 3rd straight World Cup overall title


Associated Press

ERFURT, Germany — Olympic gold medalist Shani Davis of the United States clinched his third straight speedskating World Cup overall title on Saturday by winning his fifth 1,000-meter race of the season.

Davis won the 1,000 in 1 minute, 9.29 seconds in the first World Cup meet since the Vancouver Olympics. Olympic 1,500 gold medalist Mark Tuitert of the Netherlands was second, 0.14 seconds behind.

Germany's Jenny Wolf captured the 47th World Cup victory of her career, winning the 500 in 38.08 seconds. The Vancouver 500 silver medalist clinched her seventh win in nine 500 races and closed in on winning her fifth World Cup overall title one week before the season finale in Heerenveen, Netherlands.

Jan Smeekens of the Netherlands won the men's 500 in 34.97 to get his first World Cup victory at the distance this season. Finland's Mika Poutala finished fifth to remain atop the 500 standings.

Monique Angermueller of Germany was the surprise winner of the women's 1,000, notching her first World Cup victory in 1:16.36.

She moved to second in the 1,000 standings behind Canadian Christine Nesbitt, who was sick and did not compete.

The races were overshadowed by the confirmation by Germany coach Markus Eichner that Heike Hartmann and Bente Kraus were in a list of skaters with blood levels that were too high.

"We do not know how conspicuous the values were in the past and are absolute certain that this is not a matter of doping," Eichner said.