Leading international speed skaters have voiced their concerns about the proposal to hold the 2030 Olympic speed skating competition in Heerenveen, the Netherlands, despite the popularity and quality of the Thialf arena.
NOS Schaatsen, a Dutch news source, reported on the skaters’ perspectives and the ongoing discussions about the venue choice for the 2030 Winter Olympics.
The International Skating Union’s top athletes have recently enjoyed competing at Thialf during the World Allround and Sprint Championships, appreciating the arena’s atmosphere and enthusiastic crowd. However, most national and international skaters are reluctant to support Heerenveen as the location for the Olympic speed skating events. Femke Kok, the sprint world champion, expressed that she would be disappointed if the Olympic tournament were held there.
Following the Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, news emerged that Thialf submitted a bid to host the 2030 Winter Olympics’ speed skating competition. The French Alps, initially considered for the event, are hesitant to invest in building a costly skating rink that might see little use afterward. This has led to proposals to relocate the skating events either to Heerenveen or Turin.
While skaters appreciate the conditions at Thialf—described by world allround champion Sander Eitrem as the best racing venue with supportive crowds for all athletes—many remain wary of hosting the Olympics there. Eitrem pointed out the distance of Heerenveen from the other Olympic events, preferring that competitions take place in new venues such as Milan to add special significance to the Games. Polish bronze medalist Vladimir Semirunniy echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the benefit of having all events concentrated at a single location.
Femke Kok, celebrated locally for her world sprint championship title, also favors consolidating Olympic events in one place. She suggested that, if relocation is necessary, a temporary ice rink could be installed similarly to what was done in Milan, a solution that produced fast ice and successful races.
Contrasting these views, Dutch skating coach Jillert Anema strongly opposed the idea of Heerenveen hosting the Olympic speed skating competition. He argued that constructing a new high-quality ice track in France is preferable, as hosting the event in the Netherlands would give Dutch skaters a disproportionate home advantage. Anema dismissed the debate as speculative, expressing confidence that the event would ultimately take place in France.
