#SpeedSkating

Everyone had come out to see Jordan Stolz (USA) in the 500m and the 1500m at his home ice in the Pettit National Skating Center in Milwaukee: The 20-year-old phenomenon from Kewaskum, Wisconsin, defied the nerves, to become the first skater to finish the 500m under 34s at a sea-level track, as all previous sub-33s races took place at high altitude in either Calgary or Salt Lake City. A little over an hour later, Stolz also took the 1500m track record in an exciting battle with Olympic champion Kjeld Nuis (NED).

Nervous in front of Shani Davis

In the 500m, Jordan Stolz (USA) was paired up with Jenning de Boo (NED) in the penultimate heat. Whereas his winning margin in Calgary last week had been just .02s, Stolz left his Dutch rival standing this time.

Jordan Stolz, pumping his fist after victory in the men’s 500m, admitted he felt some nerves with so many USA skating legends in the crowd. © ISU

“I had a really good first step off the line,” Stolz said of his fast 9.56s opener. “It just projected me into really good skating and I focused on not rushing too much in the first 30 meters, and getting down and getting good pushes.

“I could feel the speed when I was crossing the line was going to be good. I figured he [De Boo] would go like nine six, and I couldn’t see him for referral vision, so I thought it was good coming out of the exit of the turn.”

De Boo was .13s slower in the opener and coming from the outer lane, the Dutchman was not able to take advantage of a good draft.

“I made a few mistakes, maybe because I was behind and forced because I was too eager,” De Boo said.

Stolz finished in 33.91, to lower his own track record by a .16s margin.

“I thought it would be possible. I had done 34.07 here a while ago. I think it was a month ago, so I knew it'd be faster,” he said.

Although he always seems to be unfazed, Stolz had been a little nervous before the start.

“With everybody up here in the crowd, [former speed skating champions] Dan Jansen, Casey FitzRandolph, Shani Davis, I didn’t want to disappoint them, especially Shani.

“He was going to be handing out awards later. I didn’t want to go up and mess up the race and have him give me a medal for second place. I don’t think he’d be happy with that. So that was a little bit of pressure.”

Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands races to silver in the men’s 500m race at the ISU World Cup in Milwaukee, USA. © ISU

Davis eventually handed that medal for second place to De Boo, who finished .37s behind Stolz.

“A bit frustrating,” De Boo said. “I had hoped for something more, and I felt that it was possible, but he [Stolz] had a very good race and I did not have my best race today. But this makes me all the more eager for tomorrow [the second 500m of the Milwaukee World Cup weekend].”

Just .09s behind De Boo, Laurent Dubreuil (CAN) took his second medal of the World Cup season. The 2021 world champion had been injured after the first World Cup of the season in Nagano last November, and he was happy to be back in the mix.

“I hadn’t raced real races since Nagano,” said Dubreuil. “I was basically three and a half weeks without skating. I could train still, [do] some things in the weight room.”

Getting back on the ice in international competition last week in Calgary, Dubreuil had to shake off some rust.

Laurent Dubreuil of Canada, who finished third in the men’s 500m, said it felt good to get back on the medals podium. © ISU

“I was ready for the first one to not be good, but then it’s still frustrating when it happens. To be on the podium here feels good.”

Losing by a big margin to Stolz didn’t spoil Dubreuil’s mood. “If somebody’s much better than you, there’s no shame to it,” he said. “My goal is only to do the best I can, and hopefully I get to meet him at some point, but if that never happens again, I still had a very good career, and I was lucky I was born 10 years before [Stolz].”

Beating the Olympic champion

In the 1500m, Stolz faced defending Olympic champion Kjeld Nuis (NED). The two spoke briefly while warming up before the race.

“I asked him if he was going to keep it normal in the first 300m,” Nuis said. “If he would really have gone for it and wanted to skate a 1:40 [finishing time], I would have started slower.”

“No, not today,” was Stolz’s answer. “I’m not coming out that hard.”

The 1500m men’s podium at ISU World Cup in Milwaukee: Kjeld Nuis (Netherlands), Jordan Stolz (USA) and Peder Kongshaug (Norway). © ISU

Nuis adjusted his strategy, Coming from the inside lane, he tried to keep up with Stolz in the opener to be able to take advantage of his pair-mate later on in the race.”

The plan worked.

“He could benefit from me at the first backstretch, then I could do the same at the second backstretch, so I could pass him and go in front at the 1100m split,” said Nuis.

It was in the final lap, however, where Stolz really made the difference.

“My lights went out, and I was a sort of a springboard for [Stolz],” Nuis said. “But I took the initiative, attacked and did it the way it should be done. I was really proud of myself.”

Silver medalist Kjeld Nuis of the Netherlands on the podium at ISU World Cup in Milwaukee, USA. © ISU

Nuis’ strong performance up until the 1100m split had worried Stolz a little.

“I was a little nervous when I saw he was that close to me, but I haven’t raced him in a while,” said Stolz.

“I guess I had an idea that he might go out pretty hard. For his position, that would probably be the most ideal thing to do. That’s what he did.

“Coming up to the last lap, I was just a little bit behind, but I was really attacking. When I got into the backstretch with about 50 meters to go, I could see I was really gaining on him, so I knew I would have it.”

Peder Kongshaug of Norway, who was awarded bronze on Saturday, was the last skater to beat Jordan Stolz in the 1500m, back in December 2023. © ISU

Stolz finished in a track-record time of 1:41.46, leaving Nuis 1.21s behind. Peder Kongshaug (NOR) took third place in 1:43.01. The Norwegian had been the last skater to beat Stolz in the 1500m, on 9 December 2023 at the World Cup in Tomaszów Mazowiecki (POL).

“Yes, I remember,” Kongshaug said. “I think I’m even closer [to Stolz’s level] than I was before I beat him last time, so maybe Poland [the next World Cup race in three weeks] is my race again. I like Poland.

“Today we all knew that [Stolz] was probably going to be on his own level, especially after yesterday, also being at his home track.”

Milwaukee program

The Milwaukee World Cup concludes with the Team Pursuit, the second 500m and the Mass Start for both genders on Sunday.

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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