ERFURT, GERMANY – 7 March 2010
Shani Davis picked up the 2009-2010 World Cup season right where he left off: standing on top of the podium.
Racing in the first World Cup competition since his Olympic medal-winning performances in Vancouver, Davis prevailed in two 1000 meter races to clinch the Overall World Cup title in the same distance that he has now twice won Olympic Gold.
In each race Davis was paired with the Netherlands Mark Tuitert, winner of the Olympic 1500 meter. On the first day of competition Shani skated to a 1:09.29, edging out Tuitert by just .14. On the second day, in a display of consistency that has become his hallmark, Davis won in 1:09.25 to beat out Tuitert’s countryman Stefan Groothuis by .25.
In the double victory, Shani clinches the overall 1000 m World Cup title for the third consecutive year and the fourth time in his career. The victories were Davis’ fifth and sixth consecutive in the 1000 meters, continuing a season-long dominance rarely seen in that distance.
Davis now moves on to the World Cup Final in Herenveen, The Netherlands, March 12-14, before returning home to Chicago on March 15.
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