Bergsma wins 1,000 title in speed skating World Cup

By AP
Published

STAVANGER, Norway (AP) U.S. speed skater Heather Bergsma won the women's 1,000-meter World Cup title on Saturday and closed in on the overall race.

Bergsma beat Japanese rival Nao Kodaira by 0.05 seconds to secure the distance title, with a perfect record in World Cup 1,000 races she has competed in this season.

The American skater is favorite to secure the overall title in Sunday's races.

Czech skater Martina Sablikova secured the women's long-distance title for the 11th straight season after winning the 3,000.

Kodaira secured the women's 500 title with seven wins from seven races this season.

Bergsma's husband Jorrit Bergsma, representing the Netherlands, won the 5,000 to take the men's distance title.

The men's 500 title will be decided Sunday after Russian leader Ruslan Murashov finished only fifth on Saturday.