The International Skating Union (ISU) hosted the inaugural Speed Skating Awards on March 8, 2026, in Heerenveen, Netherlands, recognizing top athletes from the 2025/26 season.
According to ISU Skating, the awards honored achievements including World Championships titles, record-breaking performances, and individual recognitions. ISU President Jae Youl Kim addressed attendees during the ceremony, highlighting the season’s remarkable moments and outstanding competitors.
The awards celebrated skaters who delivered notable performances throughout the season. Valérie Maltais of Canada received the Most Improved Skater award, while Metoděj Jílek from the Czech Republic was named Best Newcomer. Femke Kok (Netherlands) and Jordan Stolz (USA) were recognized for having the most wins among women and men respectively.
Several world records were broken during the season. Metoděj Jílek set a new men’s 3000m record with a time of 3:32.42 in Salt Lake City, while Timothy Loubineaud (France) and Sander Eitrem (Norway) established new men’s 5000m records at different events. The USA’s team pursuit squad also set a record in Salt Lake City. On the women’s side, Femke Kok broke the 500m world record in Salt Lake City, and the Dutch mixed relay team recorded a new benchmark in Calgary. Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands set a sprint combination points record in Heerenveen.
The World Champions recognized at the event included Jenning de Boo (men’s sprint), Femke Kok (women’s sprint), Sander Eitrem (men’s allround), and Ragne Wiklund (women’s allround).
