Jutta Leerdam defended her European sprint title in Hamar. The 24-year-old Dutch speed skater won the final at 1,000m in 1.14.80 and was therefore much faster than Femke Kok, who finished second in 1:16.06.
Jutta Leerdam was well ahead of Kok in the standings.
The Austrian speed skater Vanessa Herzog finished third in the sprint tournament after 1.17.20 in the 1,000m. Marrit Fledderus, who finished sixth in the 1,000m in 1.17.39, is number four in the standings.
Jutta Leerdam won her first international sprint title two years ago in the “skating bubble” in Heerenveen, where skaters competed for several weeks during the corona pandemic. She then only managed to pass competitors Femke Kok and Angelina Golikova from Russia in the last 1,000m. Last year, Jutta Leerdam also won her first sprint world title in Hamar, also then for Femke Kok and Vanessa Herzog.
In Hamar, Jutta Leerdam took a big lead after the 1,000m on the first day. She was 1.3 seconds faster than Femke Kok and more than 2 seconds faster than all other participants. In the second 1,000m the difference with Femke Kok and the rest was about the same.
