With just over two weeks remaining before the opening race at the Olympic speed skating venue in Milan, the final World Cup competition of the season is taking place in Inzell, Germany. This event represents a key opportunity for skaters to refine their form ahead of the Winter Olympics while also determining the overall World Cup rankings.
Source: NOS Schaatsen, Netherlands
The World Cup event held in Inzell, located in southern Germany, marks the last serious test for athletes before the Olympic Winter Games begin in Milan. The competition runs across the weekend starting with the women’s 500 meter race at 18:30, followed immediately by the men’s 500 meter, and continuing with both women and men competing in the 1,500 meter races. These races not only serve as vital practice for Olympic hopefuls but also finalize the season’s World Cup standings.
Two weeks prior, most Dutch skaters bound for Milan chose to skip the European Championships held in Poland, with only Anna Boersma competing there. Many others focused on alternative preparations such as training camps along the Spanish coast or at high-altitude locations in Italy, or simply training at home in the Netherlands. The event in Inzell will provide insight into what improvements remain achievable before the Olympics and how skaters compare against international rivals.
For American skater Jordan Stolz, the World Cup weekend presents a reunion with his main sprint rival, Jenning de Boo. Unlike De Boo, who had to fight for Olympic qualification at the Dutch Olympic Qualification Tournament, Stolz was able to continue training and observe from the sidelines. He expressed relief at not experiencing the pressure his competitors faced. Despite a cold and a fall during the 1,000 meter race, Stolz posted a strong time of 1:07.96 and is aiming to win three overall World Cup sprint titles again this season.
Stijn van de Bunt, a newcomer to senior international competition, is also in Inzell after a surprising performance at the Dutch Olympic Qualification Tournament where he won both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races. This earned him places not only in his distance events at the Olympics but also selection for team pursuit and mass start events. Van de Bunt’s debut includes competing in the B group of the 5,000 meters and the mass start with the opportunity to qualify for the A group.
Dutch skater Femke Kok currently leads the World Cup rankings in both the 500 and 1,000 meter events. Securing participation in the 1,000 meter race will guarantee her the overall World Cup title in that distance, and maintaining a mid-level finish in the 500 meters should suffice to win that classification as well. Kok has accumulated 22 consecutive victories in the 500 meters and stands to earn approximately 27,000 euros in prize money if she secures both titles. Although qualified for the 1,500 meters at the Olympics as well, Kok has opted not to compete in that distance in Inzell.
Many athletes have embarked on extended training and competition schedules away from home, with around five to six weeks spent traveling and preparing. After the World Cup weekend in Inzell, most will stay a few extra days to train before moving on to Milan. Italian skaters such as Davide Ghiotto and Francesca Lollobrigida are using Inzell primarily as a brief test before returning to Italy to focus on their Olympic preparations.
