SPEED SKATING
Super Stolz (USA) starts World Cup quest with two golds and a track record
22 Nov 2024
#SpeedSkating
Jordan Stolz (USA) began his quest for three ISU World Cup trophies this season with two confident victories and a track record at Nagano’s M-Wave on Friday. The American phenomenon won both the 500m and the 1500m in dominant fashion, shattering the track record in the latter. With a time of 1 minute and 43.65s, Stolz was 1.07s faster than the previous mark set by Seitaro Ichinohe (JPN) in 2023.
1500m comes down to superb last lap
Before Jordan Stolz (USA) took on Ning Zhongyan (CHN) in the final pairing of the 1500m, Sander Eitrem (NOR) had already broken Ichinohe’s 2023 mark by 0.13s while skating against Ichinohe, who finished seventh in 1:45.47.
Eitrem skated a superior last lap in 27.6 seconds. Almost every skater who took the ice after the tall Norwegian, was faster at the 1100m split, only to come short at the finish line.
Both Stolz and Ning were also faster than Eitrem with one lap to go. Ning led the challenge at the 1100m split, with Stolz chasing him down, taking advantage of the last inner corner, but Ning too had to bow his head for Eitrem, coming 0.1 short to take bronze behind the Norwegian. Stolz was the only skater able to match Eitrem’s last lap, thus maintaining the margin he had build over the first 1100m.
Jordan Stolz (USA), front, and Ning Zhongyan (CHN), back, drove each other on to chase down Sander Eitrem's (NOR) time in the final pairing of the 1500m © ISU
Stolz had looked on at Eitrem’s race in admiration.
“When I saw his last turn, I noticed he looked really well, so I started watching the scores, to see what his time was and it was a really good time; I was a little bit worried,” the 20-year-old admitted.
Ning was the perfect pair-mate to inspire Stolz’s last-lap push.
The American explained: “It was a close race. Whenever he finishes on the outer lane, he does a really good race, but I was able to catch him in the last corner. I thought it was a good race.
“It’s hard to put it in numbers, but [chasing Ning on the final back-stretch] definitely helped.”
Ning thought his only chance was to start fast and create as big a margin over Stolz as he could before the American gave chase in the final inner.
“I wanted to skate a hundred percent fast second lap, to maybe come out in front, but then there was the last lap; I was dead, but this is a good challenge for me.
“The result is good, I’m happy with the bronze medal,” Ning declared.
Eitrem, who is more of a 5000m specialist, surprised himself in the 1500m.
Sander Eitrem (NOR) reacts to breaking Seitaro Ichinohe's (JPN) 1500m track record, but had to settle for silver following Stolz's stunning final lap © ISU
“During race prep, I wasn't feeling so good. But I think my technique is even better than last season, so that helped me through the race," he said.
“I knew that Kjeld [Olympic Champion and World Record holder Kjeld Nuis, NED] and Stolz were coming after me, but after all I’m happy with second, that’s best of the rest.”
Nuis was one of the skaters who were faster than Eitrem at the 1100m split, only to fall short in the final lap. The Dutchman had to settle for fourth place in 1:44.84.
Carbon copy of Four Continents podium
Before shattering the 1500m track record, Stolz had confidently won the 500m. Starting from the outer lane, the American chased Tatsuya Shinhama (JPN) down in the last inner corner to stop the clock in 34.43s, just 0.03 off Shinhama’s 2023 track record.
Shinhama himself clocked 34.58s to seize bronze behind Laurent Dubreuil (CAN), which made the podium a carbon copy of last week’s 500m medal rostrum at the ISU Four Continents Championships.
The 500m podium of Stolz, centre, Laurent Dubreuil (CAN), left, and Tatsuya Shinhama (JPN), right, was identical to that of last week's ISU Four Continents Championship © ISU
Jenning de Boo (NED) was the fastest European in the 500m, finishing fourth in 34.63s.
Despite the the 0.15s gap, Shinhama felt he could have done better. Anticipating Stolz’s chance to chase him down coming from the outer lane, the Japanese skater tried to take advantage of his own strength.
“My best past of the race usually is the first 100m, so I wanted to build a good gap, but that didn’t really work out well today, because my opener was not good enough,” Shinhama explained.
Silver medalist Dubreuil was content to come a little closer to Stolz than last week, when the gap had been 0.21s instead of this week’s 0.15s.
“It's good, I’m never going to be mad being second behind Jordan [Stolz],” said the Canadian.
“I keep saying it, he's the greatest skater, I think, of all time. So if I keep getting a bit closer every time, who knows? I'm happy with the medal for the first race of the season.”
Dubreuil was happy to pick up a silver medal behind the American phenomenon he suggests could be 'the greatest skater of all time' © ISU
Last week Dubreuil predicted that the Europeans would have difficulties keeping up with the strong sprinters from the other continents and he turned out to be right.
“In general, the Europeans struggle a bit more with the opener, compared to the Japanese, but I think they’re getting there,” he said. “Jenning [de Boo] is really good and he’s still very young.”
Nagano program
The Nagano World Cup will resume with the women’s 3000m, the men’s 5000m and the 1000m for both genders on Saturday, while on Sunday both genders will compete in the Team Pursuit, a second 500m, and the Mass Start, before 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
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