Irene Schouten (NED) reacts during the 2022 Speed Skating World Cup qualifying tournament in Heerenveen on October 30, 2022. @ Getty Images
A new generation challenges familiar faces, when the new international long track season gets underway with the first World Cup in Stavanger (NOR) from November 11-13, 2022. Some household names in international Speed Skating waved goodbye after the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games, but others like triple gold medallist Irene Schouten (NED) are still eager to add silverware to their trophy cabinet.
Kick-off with the Men’s 1500m
The Stavanger World Cup starts with the Men’s 1500m on Friday, November 11th. Olympic Champion Kjeld Nuis (NED) wasn’t able to qualify due to a groin injury, so it’s up to his long-time rival and Beijing runner-up Thomas Krol (NED) to keep the new generation at bay.
Thomas Krol (NED) competes during the 2022 ISU World Cup Speed Skating Final in Heerenveen, Netherlands. @ ISU
Ning Zhongyan (CHN), is one of the main contenders. The Chinese miler won last year’s World Cup race in Stavanger and he’ll be eager to bounce back after not winning silverware on home soil at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Winter Games.
Zhongyan Ning (CHN) competes in the 1000m Men Division A during the 202 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Stavanger, Norway. @ ISU
Jordan Stolz (USA) is another name to look out for. The 18-year-old American dominated the American World Cup trials, winning the 500m, the 1000m, the 1500m and the Mass Start on October 24th, 2022. Skating a time of 1 minute 6.47s in the 1000m, he set a Junior World Record, and his time of 1:43.16 in the 1500m set a US Junior Record.
Olympic Champions
The Friday program continues with the Women’s 500m, featuring Olympic Champion Erin Jackson (USA).
She’ll take on Olympic 500m runner-up Miho Takagi (JPN). Japan’s sprinting queen Nao Kodaira said farewell to international Speed Skating after having won her final race at the national championships in Japan last October.
In the Women’s 3000m all eyes will be on Irene Schouten (NED), who won the 3000m, the 5000m and the Mass Start at last year’s Olympics. The queen of the Beijing Oval changed her summer routine this year, when she went inline skating in Colombia. She enjoyed the new approach and got back to her winning ways on the ice in the 3000m and the 5000m at the Dutch World Cup Qualification tournament.
The first day concludes with the event that the home crowd in Stavanger will be looking out for most: the Men’s Team Pursuit with Olympic Champions Hallgeir Engebråten, Sindre Hendriksen and Sverre Lunde Pedersen (NOR).
On Saturday the Women will skate the 1500m and the Team Pursuit. In absence of Olympic Champion Ireen Wüst (NED), who hang up her blades after Beijing 2022, it’s up to Olympic runner Miho Takagi (JPN) to take on the challenge. Familiar names like Antoinette de Jong (NED) and Ayano Sato (JPN), but also home favourite and 2021 World 1500m Champion Ragne Wiklund (NOR) will also aim for gold.
Ragne Wiklund (NOR) competes in the Women's 1500m during the 2022 ISU World Cup Speed Skating Final in Heerenveen, Netherlands. @ ISU
In the Team Pursuit all eyes will be on Canada, who will field their golden Olympic line-up with Isabelle Weidemann, Ivanie Blondin and Valérie Maltais (CAN). Olympic Japan runners start with the familiar Miho Takagi and Ayano Sato, but youngster Momoka Horikawa replaces Miho’s sister Nana Takagi, who hang up her blades after last season.
Sprinting elite
In the Men’s 500m, Dutch youngster Merijn Scheperkamp (NED) is looking forward to take on the world’s sprinting elite after his breakthrough season last year. Olympic Champion Gao Tingyu (CHN) decided to skip the whole season, but Korea’s silver medalist Cha Min Kyu and Japan’s bronze medal winner Wataru Morishige (JPN) will be there to take him on.
Min Kyu Cha (KOR) competes during the Men's 1000m at the 2022 Wiinter Olympic Games in Beijing, China. @ Getty Images
Last year’s World Cup winner Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) has already shown early season speed winning the 500m title in 34,37s, at the Canadian National Championships on October 13th, 2022.
In the Men’s long distances Nils van der Poel (SWE) left the floor to all the others when he decided to quit Speed Skating after setting a new standard when he won both the 5000m and the 10.000m in Beijing. Jorrit Bergsma and Patrick Roest, both went to work with a different coach last summer and the two Dutchmen hope to be able to hold off the Canadian challenge from former world record holders Ted-Jan Bloemen and Graeme Fish (CAN).
Sunday’s 1000m is another chance for Olympic Champion Thomas Krol (NED) to shine after his 1500m on Friday. The Women’s 1000m will probably be a battle between Olympic champion Miho Takagi and runner up Jutta Leerdam (NED).
The Stavanger World Cup concludes with the most unpredictable and challenging events in long track Speed Skating: the Mass Start. In the Women’s field the longtime battle between Irene Schouten (NED) and Ivanie Blondin (CAN) will probably continue, and in the Men’s race all eyes will be on Belgian Olympic Champion Bart Swings (BEL).
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Bart Swings (BEL) competing during the 2022 Speed Skating World Cup Final in Heerenveen, Netherlands. @ ISU
Program
The Stavanger World Cup will feature the Men’s 1500m, Women’s 500m, Women’s 3000m and Men’s Team Pursuit on Friday. On Saturday the Women will skate the 1500m and the Team Pursuit, while the Men take on the 500m and the 5000m, and on Sunday there is a 1000m and a Mass Start for both genders.
For all information about the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series, please visit the webpage here.
World Cup Standings - Men
World Cup Standings - Women
Where to watch
Viewers will be able to watch the World Cup sessions (local time) via their national broadcaster/channel.
For countries where there are no broadcasters, the ISU will offer a live stream on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. You will find the full list on the Where to watch webpage here.
ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2022/23:
Nov 11 - 13, 2022 Stavanger /NOR
Nov 18 - 20, 2022 Heerenveen/ NED
Dec 09 - 11, 2022 Calgary /CAN
Dec 16 - 18, 2022 Calgary /CAN
Feb 10 - 12, 2023 Tomaszów Mazowiecki /POL
Feb 17 - 19, 2023 World Cup Final - Tomaszów Mazowiecki /POL
About ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series
The ISU World Cup Speed Skating is a Series of international Speed Skating competitions which takes place annually.
The Series started in 1985 and usually consists of six or seven events including the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Final. The events take place across North America, Europe and Asia.
Skaters can earn points at each competition, and the skater who has the most points on a given distance at the end of the Series is the World Cup winner of that particular distance.
The results from the World Cup competitions in the first part of the season are the main qualifying method for the ISU Speed Skating Championships and also for the Olympic Winter Games.
A number of World Cup titles are awarded every season, for Men: 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, combined 5000 m / 10000 m, Team Pursuit, Mass Start and Team Sprint. For Women 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m, the combined 3000 m / 5000 m, Team Pursuit, Mass Start and Team Sprint. For further information please visit isu.org.
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