TOMASZÓW, Poland – It all comes down to one race.
One of the fastest speed skaters on the world cup circuit this season is Canmore ace Connor Howe. Cutting through the ice on the long track, the Beijing Olympian is putting up results like never before and he is shifting the balance of power in the upper-tier class of the 1,500-metre race.
Those watching the upward trajectory of the 22-year-old Canmorite, a winner of multiple world cup medals and national titles, won’t be too surprised by the development over the past few seasons, especially in Howe’s top race – the 1,500-m.
Now there’s a new award Howe has been flirting with – the inaugural Crystal Globe trophy, which comes with a hefty payday and the title of overall world champion.
“This is one of the first seasons I’ve been strong straight out of summer training, [and] was able to have some solid fall world cup races,” said Howe. “It was a bit of a training period the last few months, but I’m hoping that can kind of re-do that transition into fast skating and I think it’s in a good position.”
With one world cup remaining this season before the Crystal Globe is given away, Howe currently leads the 1,500-m standings with 227 points.
The prize money for first overall is $20,000 USD ($26,665.30 CAD). Second earns $13,000 USD ($17,332.25 CAD).
Howe positioned himself for the year-end glory by starting the 2022-23 season on fire, winning silver, and a first-ever gold medal, in the 1,500-m. At back-to-back world cup stops in Calgary in December, Howe didn’t crack the top-five in his top race, but when the world cup season resumed this past weekend in Tomaszów, Poland, Howe hustled to fourth place to inch a bit closer to the overall title.
However, as the old saying goes, it’s easier said than done.
Nipping at the heels of the young talented Canadian is Dutch star Kjeld Nuis, the Beijing gold medallist and current world record holder in the 1,500-m.
Nuis has been on fire the past two world cups, winning gold in Calgary and Tomaszów.
The Dutchman has 222 points and with one world cup left, because of the high quality of each competitor, Howe will likely have to place above Nuis in order to keep the top spot – something the Canmorite has done only once so far this season.
“I’d like to defend the 1,500 overall standing, but that will be tough now because Kjeld is really close, so we’ll see about that,” said Howe.
The 33-year-old Olympic champion came roaring back into contention with two golds, a silver and a bronze in four world cups after sitting out the season-opener.
Following last week’s Dutch national single distance championships, Nuis surprised himself with his latest world cup gold.
“I’m really happy with this,” he said in a media release. “I didn’t expect it on this ice. It’s just not my track, so I was moaning a bit all day, but then I thought: just go for it.”
This weekend (Feb. 17-19), the stage is set for the final world cup race of the season and a young lion versus old lion conclusion.
