Many skaters have already set fast times at national championships and qualifying events in the pre-season, but all at different venues and in different conditions. The start of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series 2023/24 in Obihiro (JPN) will put the athletes to the test internationally for the first time this season. Who will challenge three-time World Champion Jordan Stolz (USA)? And will Japan’s Miho Takagi (JPN) shine on home ice?
Takagi’s track records
Although Obihiro has hosted ISU World Cup Speed Skating only three times before (in 2010, 2014 and 2018), Takagi knows the Meiji Hokkaido Tokachi Oval well. The 29-year-old Japanese allrounder holds the 1000m, 1500m, 3000m and 5000m track records at the rink on Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands.
After a difficult post-Olympic season, in which she set up her own team with former Japan coach Johan de Wit (NED), Takagi hopes to bounce back with a reinforced squad. With Ayano Sato (JPN), Han Mei (CHN), Sanne in ’t Hof (NED) and male skaters Yuma Murakami (JPN) and Ning Zhongyan (CHN), more skaters were added to the team, which may benefit each other’s training.
Takagi started the season winning Japanese titles in both the 1000m and the 1500m in Nagano last month. However, finishing the 1000m in one minute, 14.59 seconds, she did not post the fastest time so far this season: Jutta Leerdam (NED) and Kimi Goetz (USA) were faster, both skating 1:13.64. Leerdam set her time in sea-level Heerenveen (NED), while Goetz skated in high-attitude Salt Lake City (USA).
Home favorite: Miho Takagi (JPN) prepares during the 2023 ISU World Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen, Netherlands © ISU
New challenge for Sáblíková
Marijke Groenewoud (NED) was the fastest over 1500m in Heerenveen but will not compete in Obihiro, despite having qualified easily. The Mass Start World Champion decided to skip the first World Cup event together with teammate Irene Schouten (NED). Both Groenewoud and Schouten will make their first international appearance this season next week in Beijing.
In the absence of Groenewoud and Schouten, the women’s Dutch Team Pursuit squad will comprise Reina Anema, Esther Kiel and Joy Beune (NED). Last year’s World Cup winner, Canada, will start with its regular line-up: Isabelle Weidemann, Ivanie Blondin and Valérie Maltais (CAN). Italy and the Czech Republic will be new in the women’s Team Pursuit field. For multiple World and Olympic Champion Martina Sáblíková (CZE), the Team Pursuit represents a new challenge at age 36.
Martina Sáblíková (CZE) competes at the 2023 ISU World Cup Speed Skating Final in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland © ISU
Belgium and France new in Team Pursuit
In the men’s competition, Belgium and France enter the Team Pursuit field, with Ethan Cepuran, Emery Lehman and Casey Dawson (all USA) defending their World Cup title. America’s fourth engine, Joey Mantia (USA), retired last summer.
Patrick Roest (NED) hasn’t hung up his blades just yet, but the 5000m World Champion will not anchor the Dutch Team Pursuit squad anymore. The 27-year-old has decided to focus on individual distances this season.
USA (center) take gold in the Team Pursuit at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in December 2022 in Calgary, Canada © ISU
The full monty for Stolz
In the 5000m, Roest may run into Jordan Stolz (USA), who is the only skater to race all the classic distances on the Obihiro program (500m, 1000m, 1500m and 5000m). Stolz seized World titles in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m last year, and he’s on the entry list for the 5000m in Obihiro. At the US championships in October, the 19-year-old from Wisconsin won the 500m, 1000m, 1500m and Mass Start, and finished second in the 5000m.
Jordan Stolz (USA) takes gold in the 1000m at the ISU World Cup Speed Skating in December 2022 in Calgary, Canada © ISU
Maiden flight for Mixed Team Relay event
With the Mixed Team Relay, the Obihiro World Cup will showcase a new event on the Speed Skating program. Canada (Ivanie Blondin, Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu), the Netherlands (Femke Kok, Wesly Dijs) and Norway (Allan Dahl Johansson, Martine Ripsrud) field strong skaters, but since this is a brand-new event, everyone will have to find out what works through trial and error.
For all information about the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series, please visit the webpage here.
All Media Accreditations details and deadlines for the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series can be found here.
Where to watch
Viewers will be able to watch the World Cup sessions via their national broadcaster/channel.
For countries where there are no broadcasters, the ISU will offer a live stream with English commentary on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. You will find the full list on the Where to watch webpage here.
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ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2023/24:
Nov 10 - 12, 2023 Obihiro /JPN
Nov 17 - 19, 2023 Beijing /CHN
Dec 01 - 03, 2023 Stavanger /NOR
Dec 08 - 10, 2023 Tomaszów Mazowiecki /POL
Jan 26 - 28, 2024 Salt Lake City /USA
Feb 02 - 04, 2024 Québec /CAN
About ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series
The ISU World Cup Speed Skating is a Series of Speed Skating competitions which have taken place annually since 1984. The series comprises six events (four during an Olympic season), with A Division and B Division races. Skaters can earn points at each competition, and the Skater with the most points on a given distance at the end of the series is the World Cup winner in that distance. The four World Cup Competitions held from November to December serve as qualifying events for entry quotas at the ISU European Championships, and the ISU Four Continents Championships. The whole series of six events serves as qualifying events for the World Single Distances Championships, and/or the World Sprint and Allround Speed Skating Championships.
World Cup titles are awarded in 500m, 1000m, 1500m, combined 5000m/10,000m, and Mass Start for men, and 500m, 1000m, 1500m, the combined 3000m/5000m, and Mass Start for women. Both genders also compete for the World Cup titles in Team Pursuit and Team Sprint. New in the 2023/24 program is the Mixed Gender Relay over six laps, in which teams of one man and one woman compete.
(For full explanation of this season’s ISU World Cup (entry rules, formats, qualifying, and prizes: https://www.isu.org/speed-skating/rules/ssk-communications/31562-isu-communication-2587/file)
