THE CANADIAN PRESS
HEERENVEEN, Netherlands — Kristina Groves of Ottawa raced to a silver medal in the 1,500 metres while Christine Nesbitt of London, Ont., earned the bronze at a speedskating World Cup on Saturday.
Three-time world champion Anni Friesinger of Germany won the gold, clocking one minute 55.98 seconds.
The Canadians went head to head in the last pair of the event, Groves taking the silver in 1:56.18, and Nesbitt the bronze in 1:56.56. Cindy Klassen of Winnipeg was seventh.
"I’m really pleased with how I skated, it was a lot better than last in week in Russia," said Groves, who captured her third medal this season at the distance. "I was able to change a few things that I didn’t do as well and I had a much better rhythm and felt lighter."
Nesbitt leads the discipline standings with 350 points. Groves is second with 290 followed by Friesinger with 280.
"I’m pretty happy with being a lot more consistent than at this point last season," Nesbitt said. "But in today’s race it wasn’t as good as I would have hoped. I started faster than usual and I wasn’t used to it and paid for it in the end."
Sven Kramer of the Netherlands edged Norway’s Havard Bokko to win the men’s 5,000 metres.
Kramer, the world record holder, finished in 6:15.26 seconds, with Bokko clocking 6:18.35. Shani Davis of the United States was third in 6:21.36. Arne Dankers of Calgary was sixth while Justin Warsylewicz of Regina was 11th.
Bokko kept the overall lead in the World Cup standings with 300 points. Kramer is second with 280 ahead of countryman Bob de Jong, who has 208.
Also Saturday, South Korea’s Lee Kyou-hyuk won the 500 in 34.92 seconds, ahead of Japan’s Joji Kato and countryman Joon Mun. Vincent Labrie of St-Romuald, Que., was 17th, while Denny Morrison of Fort St. John, B.C., was 18th.