Jordan Stolz Smashes Three Track Records for Speedskating Hat Trick at Heerenveen World Cup

Jordan Stolz broke three track records while recording three more World Cup wins this past weekend in Heerenveen, Netherlands, while two-time Olympian Mia Manganello and the U.S. Men’s Sprint Team added Silver medals.

Stolz, a 2022 Olympian and seven-time World Champion, set track records in the Men’s 500m, 1000m and 1500m with times of 33.905 seconds, 1:06.380 and 1:42.552, respectively. He completed the speed skating hat trick with a win in the 500m Sunday, his third win in three days.

“I was a little bit tired,” Stolz said. “It can be a little bit faster. On the other hand, I think this is my fastest time at sea level, so I’m happy about it.”

The previous track record holders skated in the events, including Jenning de Boo of the Netherlands in the 500m and 1000m. Stolz and de Boo went head-to-head in the same pairing in the 1000m. Stolz called the race “near perfect,” pumping his arms after the finish as the crowd at the iconic Thialf arena in Heerenveen cheered loudly.

“I just don’t know what I would change about it,” Stolz said.

“I looked up expecting 1:06.90, but the scoreboard said 1:06.38,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it. It’s super nice to skate a track record here and of course 1:06.3 is crazy.”

“What he did today is absurd,” de Boo said.

Stolz began the three-day competition by setting a track record with his win in the 1500m. He beat the record held by the Netherlands’ Kjeld Nuis by nearly half a second with a powerful finish; Nuis was runner-up.

“I went out at a good pace that I thought I could hold,” Stolz said. “That was relaxing enough to keep it strong for the end, and then (Joep) Wennemars (of the Netherlands was) still a bit ahead and I didn’t like that, so I had to attack it more.”

Stolz has now won at the 500m, 1000m and 1500m distances at all three World Cups so far this season. He finished 23rd in the only race he didn’t win in Heerenveen, the Mass Start.

Americans have reached the podium 23 times in the first three World Cup stops, trailing only the Netherlands.

Manganello medaled in the Women’s Mass Start for the third consecutive World Cup. Her Silver medal added to previous Gold and Bronze medals. Manganello, who finished runner-up to reigning World champion Marijke Groenewoud of the Netherlands, is the World Cup season leader in the Mass Start.

“I was very excited. I hit the corner and then my legs just wouldn’t go any faster,” Manganello said. “That’s a lesson learned, but it was a good confidence booster.”

Zach Stoppelmoor, Cooper McLeod and Conor McDermott-Mostowy combined for a second-place finish in the Men’s Team Sprint, trailing only a Netherlands squad that included de Boo and won in a track record time of 1:17.226. The U.S., which is the reigning World Cup champion, was less than a second back at 1:18.162.

Brittany Bowe, a three-time Olympian, nearly added medals in the Women’s 1000m and 1500m. She finished fourth in both races with times of 1:14.553 and 1:53.808, respectively.

The Women’s Sprint Team also finished fourth, trailing the Netherlands, Canada and Poland.

Olympic Gold medalist Erin Jackson was not able to complete the Women’s 500m due to a hamstring injury. She is in fourth place in the World Cup Women’s 500m points standings.

McDermott-Mostowy and McLeod finished 11th and 12th in the 1000m, respectively, giving the U.S. three finishers among the top 12. Casey Dawson placed sixth in the Men’s 10,000m.

The World Cup Tour heads to Hamar, Norway, next weekend for the fourth of five stops.

Paul D. Bowker has been writing about Olympic and Paralympic sports since 1996, when he was an assistant bureau chief in Atlanta. He is a freelance contributor to USSpeedskating.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.