DORDRECHT, NED (February 12, 2012) - Team USA had an outstanding performance today to close the 2011-12 World Cup season at the Korean Air ISU Short Track World Cup in Dordrecht, Netherlands.

Simon Cho (Laurel, MD) and Lana Gehring (Glenview, Ill) led the team with gold medal wins in the Men’s 500m and Ladies 1000m, respectively.

Today’s win marked back-to-back golds for Gehring. Skating a 1:32.711, she crossed the finish ahead of Canada’s Marie-Eve Drolet (1:32.813) and China’s Jianrou Li (1:32.819). Emily Scott (Springfield, MO) skated a 1:34.744 in today’s 1000m C final for third. 

Today’s win puts Gehring third overall in 1000m World Cup standings. Gehring also won gold on Saturday in the Ladies 1500m.

“I am extremely excited with my back-to-back golds over this weekend,” said Gehring. “I felt very strong and was able to preform at my highest level so far this season thanks to the great coaching from all three of our coaches. I’m hoping to build upon this momentum as we prepare for World Championship in Shanghai next month.”

Cho, the reigning 500m World Champion, skated a 41.461 to win gold in today’s 500m. Korea’s Yoon-Gy Kwak won silver with a time of 41.592 and Francois-Louis Tremblay (FRA) took bronze (41.609). This  weekend’s World Cup is Cho’s return to international competition following several months off to rest a back injury.

"I've taken most of the season off and I am happy to have created momentum for myself going into these World Championships,” said Cho. “I needed this victory to show everyone that I am still undeterred from defending my World Championship title. It's amazing how far hunger and willpower alone can take you.”

Team USA’s ladies skated to a silver in the 3000m Relay. Their second silver in two consecutive World Cups. Posting a time of 4:18.005, the squad (Gehring, Alyson Dudek (Hales Corners, WI), Scott and Tamara Frederick (Park Ridge, Ill.) finished behind China (4:16.882). Japan took bronze with a time of 4:30.303.

“We had a strong Relay today,” said Gehring, who skated the team’s anchor leg. “We kept our focus and we were able to come out with a silver and second overall on the World Cup circuit.”

J.R. Celski (Federal Way, WA) continued his successful return to World Cup competition this season winning a bronze in today’s 1000m, posting a time of 1:28.422. Korea’s Jinkyu Noh won the distance with a time of 1:28.202. Olivier Jean (CAN) captured silver (1:28.265).

Team USA’s men (Kyle Carr (Peachtree City, GA), Travis Jayner (Midland, MI), Cho and Celski) skated an exciting Relay B final, winning with a time of 6:53.271, after Celski made a bold pass to pull ahead of China late in the race. The Dutch team skated to a thrilling victory in front of a hometown crowd for the gold with a time of 6:55.971. Canada won silver (6:56.569), and Korea took bronze (6:59.106).

Team USA now travels back to the U.S. to train for the 2012 Korean Air ISU World Short Track Championships in Shanghai, China (March 9-11).

Extended results from World Cup #6 are available here: http://www.sportresult.com/federations/ISU/ShortTrack/?evt=11212100000009