ASTANA – The 46th International Skating Union’s (ISU) World Sprint Skating Championship will be held at Astana’s Alau Ice Palace from Feb. 28 to March 1.
Yekaterina Aidova
“Most likely, Yekaterina Aidova will skate at the tournament because she is uncontested in Kazakhstan,” Head Coach of the Kazakhstan National Team Vadim Sayutin said.
Aidova is the star athlete at the Alau event, as she will be shown in all printed and promotional materials.
“There are several male participants as well. Naturally, one is current world champion Denis Kuzin, he is team captain. Besides him, there are Fyodor Mezentsev, Alexander Zhigin and Roman Krech, who recently returned to training after an operation,” Sayutin added.
According to Sayutin, the coaching staff is hopeful about winning medals; the competition, especially for the more prestigious medals, will be heated, despite the abundant ice.
The next World Speed Skating Championship will take place in Calgary, Canada on March 7 and 8.
The ISU was founded in 1892 and is the oldest international winter sport governing federation, according to its website.
During the second half of the nineteenth century, informal international competitions in speed skating and figure skating were held around the world. The first modern speed skating competition was held in Norway in 1863 and the first major international speed skating race was held in Hamburg, Germany in 1885. In 1882, the first international figure skating competition took place in Vienna, Austria.
With the emergence of international competitions in speed skating and figure skating, as well as the rise of skating clubs and national associations, the need to establish international standards to govern these sports became apparent. In July 1892, the Dutch association took the lead in calling for a meeting of representatives of countries interested in international ice skating competitions. As a result, the first congress convened in Scheveningen in the Netherlands and the ISU was created. The fifteen delegates present at the time, all from Europe, began to establish firm rules, laying down the foundations for international competitions in both sports. With Canada’s ascension in 1894, the ISU expanded its horizons and became a truly global governing body.
PROGRAMME
Friday, February 27, 2015
Team Leaders’ Meeting, Alau Ice Palace
Opening Draw, Alau Ice Palace
Saturday, February 28, 2015
500 metres Ladies
500 metres Men
1000 metres Ladies
1000 metres Men
Drawing for Sunday’s distances
Sunday, March 1, 2015
500 metres Ladies
500 metres Men
1000 metres Ladies
1000 metres Men
Awards Ceremony
