Racing News:

Allround Disappointment
Chad Hedrick can't seem to find his Olympic form
By Planet staff
posted Monday, February 12, 2007

A year after savoring Olympic glory, Chad Hedrick finished 14th in the Allround World Championships of ice speed skating in Heevenveen, Netherlands.

Hedrick's lackluster finish over the weekend was not unexpected. The former inline champion took a long break from skating after the Torino Winter Games and has been skating well off his top form in recent months. But nobody expected the Olympic gold medalist to drop so far in the rankings.

Up until this season, Hedrick seemed to have a charmed existence on ice. In 2004, he won the Allround title, just two years after starting his transition to ice.

The next year, he finished second to rival Shani Davis. And last year, he appeared to be on his way to victory when a mental lapse (he forget to make a required lane change) led to his disqualification in the final event.

But this year at Allrounds was an altogether different story. The best finish he was able to manage in any event was 12th (in the 500 meters).

In the 1500 meters, in which he won a bronze medal at Torino, he finished 13th. In the 5000 meters, in which he won his gold, he finished 17th.

After the first three events, the 29-year-old found himself in 14th place, which made him ineligible to skate in the final event: the 10,000 meters.

Hedrick wasn't the only U.S. skater who faltered at Allrounds. Davis, after winning back-to-back titles, finished sixth. His best finish was third in the 500 meters.

Hedrick had said earlier this year that he was concentrating on improving his ice form. He will get another chance to test it, and himself, at the World Single Distance Championships next month in Salt Lake City.

Final Men's Ranking:

1. Sven Kramer NED
2. Enrico Fabris ITA
3. Carl Verheijen NED
4. Håvard Bøkko NOR
5. Erben Wennemars NED
6. Shani Davis USA
7. Wouter Olde Heuvel NED
8. Eskil Ervik NOR
9. Ivan Skobrev RUS
10. Denny Morrison CAN
11. Johan Röjler SWE
12. Arne Dankers CAN
13. Steven Elm CAN
14. Chad Hedrick USA
15. Justin Warsylewicz CAN
16. Kwun-Won Choi KOR
17. Stefan Heythausen GER
18. Sverre Haugli NOR
19. Henrik Christiansen NOR
20. Matteo Anesi ITA
21. Hiroki Hirako JPN
22. Alexis Contin FRA
23. Jarmo Valtonen FIN
24. Tobias Schneider GER