#SpeedSkating

Davide Ghiotto (ITA) and Jordan Stolz (USA) added new marks to the track record list at Nagano’s M-Wave on Saturday. Ghiotto broke the 5000m record set by the legendary Sven Kramer (NED) in 2016, and seizing his third gold medal of this first ISU World Cup weekend, Stolz crushed the 1000m mark Tatsuya Shinhama (JPN) had set at the Japanese national championships last month.

Stolz leaves 1000m field over a second behind

Jordan Stolz (USA) faced Jenning de Boo (NED) in the much anticipated penultimate pair of the 1000m. Having skated the season-best time in the 500m, De Boo is considered to be one of the main challengers of the seemingly unbeatable American.

De Boo couldn’t remember ever having been paired with Stolz and didn’t really know what to expect. 

“I was a bit nervous. It’s hard to figure out how to skate against someone like him,” admitted De Boo.

“Kjeld [teammate Kjeld Nuis (NED)] told me to skate my own race and that’s what I did.

“I had hoped to be ahead of him at the 600m split because I know that he’s a way better finisher than I am, but unfortunately I didn’t manage it. Yet I surprised myself with my [strong] final lap.”

Stolz was just too fast on every inch of the ice in Nagano. While De Boo was already 0.04s faster than the track record, the American phenomenon brought Shinhama’s mark down a full 1.15s to one minute and 7.18s.

Jordan Soltz (USA) won his third gold medal of the opening ISU World Cup weekend in the 1000m, leaving the field - and the Nagano track record - more than a second behind © ISU

De Boo took a distant silver and watched in admiration. 

“I have to be satisfied. He’s a second ahead of me, I’m not there yet. I see it as a challenge. At the moment I’m not good enough to catch him, so there’s work to be done, and I do like the process of progression.”

Despite already having won yesterday’s 500m and 1500m, Stolz had felt confident at the start. 

“I wasn't too tired like from yesterday,” he commented.

“When I went to bed last night, my legs were hurting pretty bad. I thought I wouldn't be able to recover, but I did.”

Like De Boo, the American had anticipated on a fast start from the Dutchman. 

“I didn't see [De Boo] coming up on me on the opener, so I knew I'd be on a good one. I really focused on entering that first inner, and I tried to make it perfect, because the ice gets really crunchy, so you don't want to break out. I felt like that turn, I did perfectly. and the ice was really good today. It was really suitable for how I was skating. Overall, it was a good race.”

Jenning De Boo (NED), left, put thoughts of Stolz's dominance to one side as he raced his own race to silver, Cooper McLeod (USA), right, completing the podium trio © ISU

With a little help from Stolz, Cooper McLeod (USA) captured his first World Cup medal, taking bronze in 1:08.43.

“Definitely a surprise,” said McLeod. “I wasn't super happy with my fitness and I had some blade issues the past few weeks, so it's good to finally come around and feel good again.”

He admitted Stolz’s expertise had been instrumental in him taking the bronze. 

“I got a little help with my rocker from Jordan this week. He was helping me read the settings. I'm not too good with looking at and knowing the numbers on the blades.

“He's definitely super knowledgeable on a lot of subjects in skating, and he's always a really consistent person with everything and how he treats each performance and how he goes about his equipment.”

Ghiotto proud to beat Kramer mark

Before Stolz’s exploit, Davide Ghiotto (ITA) had already set a remarkable mark at the M-Wave. The Italian clocked a time of 6 minutes and 12.71s taking 2.46s off the previous track record set by three-time Olympic Champion Sven Kramer (NED) in 2016.

Ghiotto knew he was good after having skated the fastest 10,000m time in history with a time of 12 minutes and 26.30s in Inzell (GER) last October. The time could not be recognized as a World Record because of the absence of International Skating Union judges and drug testers at the lower-level competition, but for Ghiotto, it had been a confidence boost. 

Davide Ghiotto (ITA) broke Sven Kramer's (NOR) eight-year-old track record, and was honoured to beat the time of a 'big, big champion' © ISU

“I knew I was in good shape, because I skated a good time in Inzell already,” he said.

Ghiotto was paired up with Chris Huizinga (NED) and he enjoyed the challenge.

“I was little bit scared of him, because he skated very fast in Heerenveen, and the first part of the race, I tried to stay with him. I wanted to skate a flat race because the ice is a little bit harder, not slow, but you need to push more in the second part of the race.”

Eventually Ghiotto left Huizinga more than 10 seconds behind. The Dutchman couldn’t keep up the pace he had set out at, eventually finishing ninth in 6:22.81. 

Breaking Sven Kramer’s track record meant a lot to Ghiotto. 

“For me, it's very important, because Sven Kramer was a very, very big champion, and when you can skate under his time, that’s just great.”

Beau Snellink (NED), left, also ducked under Kramer's M-Wave mark, Sander Eitrem (NOR), right, winning his second medal of the weekend after his 1500m silver © ISU

Beau Snellink (NED) was also faster than Kramer had been, taking silver in 6:13.99. He was happy to be back on the podium after a disappointing season.

“This was a good and steady race, could have been better, but a good start to the World Cup season.

“Last year was just a s**t year. That was a mental blow, but now I can turn that around. The year before last year, I had been steady with top four and podium finishes. I think that’s my level and I can look up again.”

After yesterday’s silver in the 1500m, Sander Eitrem (NOR) seized 5000m bronze in 6:15.71 on Saturday. He seems to have already found the consistency he is looking for this season. 

“The 5000m is my favorite distance, but I really like to skate a good 1500m too, so I hope to be consistent in every single race," he said.

“I improved my technique. I’m more confident than I was last year in the 1500m and it’s the same in the 5000m.”

Nagano program

After two days of individual action, the Sunday program at the M-Wave features the Team Pursuit, a second 500m, and the Mass Start for both genders. Competition concludes with the Mixed Gender Relay. 

ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series events 2024/25:

Nov 22  - 24, 2024                    Nagano / JPN 

Nov 29 - Dec 01, 2024             Beijing / CHN

Jan 24 - 26, 2025                      Calgary  CAN

Jan 31 - Feb 02, 2025               Milwaukee / USA

Feb 21 - 23, 2025                      Tomaszów Mazowiecki / POL

Feb 28 - Mar 02, 2025           Heerenveen / NED 

Where to watch

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