Page 17 - ARUBA TODAY

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Friday 2 February 2018

In this Sunday Nov. 12, GOT
2017 file photo, Canada’s RIPPED
Ivanie Blondin catches her
breath after competing in the McCollum scores 50 in 3
women’s 3,000 meter race quarters, Blazers beat Bulls
of the Speedskating World
Cup at the Thialf ice rink in Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum
Heerenveen, Netherlands. reacts after making a three-point basket
against the Chicago Bulls during the first
Associated Press half of an NBA basketball game in Portland,
Ore., Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018. McCollum
Forget scored 28 points in the first quarter.
speedskating
tradition. Associated Press
Here’s the mad Page 20
mass start!

By RAF CASERT
Associated Press
HEERENVEEN, Netherlands
(AP) — The mass start is ev-
erything traditional Olym-
pic long-track speedskat-
ing is not.
There are spills, pushes, el-
bows, evil eyes and worse
over 16 laps as two dozen
skaters vie in a pack for
one gold medal. There is
teamwork, strategy and
often one nail-biting sprint
to the finish line.
“That is why it is so excit-
ing,” said reigning world
champion Joey Mantia, al-
ready relishing the thought
of lining up for the final in
the new event. So is just
about everybody else.
Traditionalists in countries
like Norway and the Neth-
erlands love speedskating
with its endless time trials
between two racers, the
subtleties of lap time varia-
tions and long waits to see
which times actually sur-
vives for gold.

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