Stolz nearly sets world record in dominating World Cup speed skating win

AI-assisted summary
• American speed skater Jordan Stolz won the 1,000 meters at the first World Cup of the season in Kearns, Utah.
• Stolz’s victory puts him closer to securing a spot on the U.S. team for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics.
• Other American skaters, including Brittany Bowe, Erin Jackson, and Casey Dawson, also achieved strong results and personal bests.

KEARNS, Utah — World records are tough to come by in the first World Cup speed skating event of the season, with competitors not yet in their best shape.

American Jordan Stolz came close, however.

‘I was happy with it. Skated a pretty quick time and, physically, I think I can keep getting stronger. So it’s a good one for the first World Cup of the year,’ Stolz said.

The win means Stolz needs just one more top-5 finish in the 1,000 meters at any of the next three World Cups to lock up a spot on the U.S. team for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games, rather than waiting to qualify at the Olympic trials in January. The next World Cup is next weekend in Calgary, Alberta.

That’s not foremost in his mind right now, however.

‘I just try and focus on how I’m feeling physically and, each race, trying to make it feel a little bit better. Get a bit more comfortable,’ Stolz said.

Stolz still has the 500 meters and 1,500 meters Saturday, and another 500 meters Sunday.

It was a good night for the other top Americans, too. Brittany Bowe skated her fastest time in the 1,000 meters since 2021, while Erin Jackson (1,000) and Casey Dawson (5,000) had personal bests. Dawson’s was also a U.S. record, breaking the one he set in February at a World Cup in Milwaukee.

But all eyes were on Stolz, who at 21 is poised to be the breakout star of Milano Cortina. He swept the 500 meters, 1,000 meters and 1,500 meters at both the 2023 and 2024 world championships and won the overall World Cup titles in those three distances last season. And, despite his training hampered by pneumonia and strep throat, Stolz won silvers in the 500 and 1,500 meters and a bronze in the 1,000 meters at the 2025 worlds in March.

Should Stolz win in each of his three distances in Milano Cortina, he’d join Eric Heiden as the only U.S. athlete to win three or more gold medals at a single Winter Olympics. Heiden, a Wisconsin native like Stolz, famously won five golds at the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, winning every speed skating race.

‘I just try not to think about all the things that people will say. I just try and focus on how I’m feeling and what I think is possible,’ Stolz said.

And that is?

‘I think many things are possible,’ Stolz said. ‘But I have to actually do it, so it’s not something that’s going to happen without even trying.’

Here’s everything you need to know about this weekend’s World Cup speed skating event at the Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah and a recap of the first night of events:

American Jordan Stolz wins men’s 1,000

Stolz was paired with Joep Wennemars of the Netherlands, who beat the American at the world championships in the spring.

‘It was a nice little head to head. It was fun,’ Stolz said with a smile.

It was no contest this time. With Wennemars or anyone else.

Stolz was second-fastest at the first split, behind Żurek, but was third-fastest after 600 meters. He closed in furious speed, however, skating the last 400 meters 0.7 seconds faster than any of the other top contenders as the crowd at the Olympic Oval shouted ‘Go Jordan!’

When he crossed the finish line, Stolz glanced at the scoreboard and pumped his fist to acknowledge the crowd.

‘I don’t try and sacrifice anything in the beginning to have a faster last lap. It just usually comes or doesn’t,’ he said. ‘And today it was good.’

Making for a great start to a big season.

US women are cooking, but Dutch are dominant

Brittany Bowe and Erin Jackson started their Olympic seasons off strong. Bowe finished fifth in the 1,000 meters, skating a 1:13.26 that was her best time since 2021. She was second to Canada’s Beatrice Lemarche after their pairing, but both were passed by the Netherlands’ Jutta Leerdam and Femke Kok. Marrit Fledderus, another Dutch woman who was skating in the last pairing, also edged Bowe.

Jackson, meanwhile, skated a personal-best of 1:13.72 and finished eighth. It was the first personal-best in a few years for Jackson, who only skated the 1,000 once last year because of back issues.

‘I’m not quite 100%, but really, really close to it. So I’m super happy,” Jackson said. “It’s a lot better than it’s been the past couple of years, so I’m very, very happy.”

Fast start by American Casey Dawson

The records keep coming for Casey Dawson.

Dawson skated a U.S.-record 6:04.40 in finishing fourth in the men’s 5,000 meters Friday night. That was more than three seconds faster than the previous U.S. mark, which Dawson set in February at a World Cup in Milwaukee.

Dawson was 4.17 seconds behind Timothy Loubineaud of France, who set a world record with a time of 6:00.23.

‘I set the national record the last season, and I’m just coming in with a little bit more momentum from last season,’ Dawson said. ‘It just sets up the next couple World Cups and going into Olympic trials and then, ultimately, Milan a little bit better, a little bit easier.’

Who’s competing

Because the World Cup circuit is also the easiest way to get to Milano Cortina, this is a Who’s Who of speed skating at the Olympic Oval.

Stolz and Jackson’s biggest rivals, Jenning De Boo and Femke Kok, respectively, lead the mighty team from the Netherlands. The Dutch won 18 medals at the single-distance worlds last year, eight of them gold. Two of those golds were won by Joy Beune, the women’s all-around champion in 2024.

Also keep an eye on Japan’s Miho Takagi, who topped the World Cup standings in both the women’s 1,000 and 1,500 meters last year; and Italy’s Davide Ghiotto, the world-record holder in the men’s 10,000 meters.

What’s at stake?

Titles and points, just like at any World Cup. But with this being an Olympic year, athletes also can earn spots at the Milano Cortina Games, for themselves and their countries.

U.S. athletes can secure their own spot on the team two ways. First, if they won a medal at the single-distance world championships in March, they need to finish in the top five at the same distance in two of the four World Cups (Salt Lake; Calgary, Alberta; Heerenveen, Netherlands; and Hamar Norway) before the end of the year.

Stolz (silvers in the 500 and 1,500 meters and a bronze in the 1,000) and Cooper McLeod (bronze in the 500 meters) are the only Americans eligible for this pathway.

The second way for an athlete to secure a spot for themselves is to medal in the same distance at two World Cups.

The rest of the team for Milano Cortina – countries can send a maximum of nine men and nine women, based on their top athletes’ placement and times at the four World Cups – will be decided at the U.S. Olympic trials, which are Jan. 2-5, 2026, in Milwaukee.

Stream World Cup speed skating on Peacock

How to watch, streaming options

Live coverage of the three-day meet World Cup will be available on Peacock, with a highlights show airing Sunday afternoon on NBC.

Here’s the schedule for the rest of the weekend (all times Eastern):

Saturday, Nov. 15: Live coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. on Peacock

Sunday, Nov. 15: Highlights show at 2 p.m. on NBC; live coverage at 3 p.m. on Peacock.

Streaming options: NBCOlympics.com, NBC Sports app

Weekend schedule

(All times Eastern)

Saturday, Nov. 15

1:05 p.m. — 1st 500m Women Division B

1:49 p.m. — 1st 500m Men Division B

3:30 p.m. — 1st 500m Women Division A

3:58 p.m. — 1st 500m Men Division A

4:37 p.m. — 1500m Women Division A

5:17 p.m. — 1500m Men Division A

7 p.m. — 1500m Women Division B

8:05 p.m. — 1500m Men Division B

Sunday, Nov. 16

12 p.m. — Team Pursuit Women Division B

12:23 p.m. — eam Pursuit Men Division B

12:51 — 2nd 500m Women Division B

1:28 p.m. — 2nd 500m Men Division B

2:28 p.m. — Mass Start Women Division B

2:49 p.m. — Mass Start Men Division B

4 p.m. — Team Pursuit Women Division A

4:28 p.m. — Team Pursuit Men Division A

5:06 p.m. — 2nd 500m Women Division A

5:34 p.m. — 2nd 500m Men Division A

6:17 p.m. — Mass Start Women Division A

6:38 p.m. — Mass Start Men Division A