Speed Skating Discussion | Qualification to Winter Olympic Games Milano-Cortina 2026 Road to Milano-Cortina 2026

[NearPup 3,048]

2 hours ago, heywoodu said:

Even here in we are, to say it with a sense of understatement, not thrilled. That should tell enough  

Relays just don't seem to work well in speed skating.

 

There is a reason why the "classic" team events are pursuits and team sprints.

 

(Well, they don't work well in long track, the relays, including the mixed relay, are amazing in short track)

Edited September 3 by NearPup

[intoronto 5,639]

Dutch skater Kai in 't Veld is now competing for  

[Gianlu33 4,560]

6 hours ago, intoronto said:

Dutch skater Kai in 't Veld is now competing for  

I think that's is a bit more older now and out of shape, but it wasn't bad some years ago.

Edited October 10 by Gianlu33

[heywoodu 15,141]

10 hours ago, intoronto said:

Dutch skater Kai in 't Veld is now competing for  

Not yet, Dutch federation is willing to release him, but he does need to pay back about 10k euro in costs they made for his training and such. His father is Greek by the way, so it's not a random nation switch  

[heywoodu 15,141]

4 hours ago, Gianlu33 said:

I think that's is a bit more older now and out of shape, but it wasn't bad some years ago.

Aren't you confused with Kai Verbij? Kai in 't Veld has never really been anywhere near things like World Cups, he was always a backmarker in Dutch championships (usually finishing somewhere around 18th-20th out of 24 or so). I mean, there's not even a Dutch Wiki about him, that says something when it's about speed skating  

 

Not to talk bad about him of course, definitely not, I wish him all the best and in a country where he is basically the only competitive skater, he definitely has chances to qualify for nice events! The last years he was mostly out because of a hernia and a ruptured achilles tendon.

[Gianlu33 4,560]

3 hours ago, heywoodu said:

Aren't you confused with Kai Verbij? Kai in 't Veld has never really been anywhere near things like World Cups, he was always a backmarker in Dutch championships (usually finishing somewhere around 18th-20th out of 24 or so). I mean, there's not even a Dutch Wiki about him, that says something when it's about speed skating  

 

Not to talk bad about him of course, definitely not, I wish him all the best and in a country where he is basically the only competitive skater, he definitely has chances to qualify for nice events! The last years he was mostly out because of a hernia and a ruptured achilles tendon.

I'm almost sure that I catched him at some WJCh some years ago. Surely I didn't confuse him with Verbij

[heywoodu 15,141]

2 hours ago, Gianlu33 said:

I'm almost sure that I catched him at some WJCh some years ago. Surely I didn't confuse him with Verbij

Huh, good memory, 2020  

 

But he was far from impressive there:

https://speedskatingresults.com/index.php?p=3&e=22921&r=7&s=45899

https://speedskatingresults.com/index.php?p=3&e=22921&r=4&s=45899

[hckošice 14,825]

From this winter flag will enter in the Speed Skating circuit thanks an import.

 

Former Junior world champion Lukáš Steklý has decided to switch nationality and will compete from this year under Slovak flag..

 

We do not have a single spped skating oval and apart him I am not even sure we do have at least one other active skater...

 

 

The news appeared on several czech sites https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/ostatni-zimni-sporty-rychlobrusleni/453414/juniorsky-mistr-sveta-meni-cesko-za-slovensko-hazeli-mi-klacky-pod-nohy.html

 

[phelps 7,675]

 and  have signed a strategic agreement about close cooperation (sharing of training camps, knowhow, use of respective local infrastructures, possibly some Italian speedskaters signing deals with NED top clubs) in Speedskating and Short Track Speedskating for the next few seasons (at least until Milano-Cortina 2026, but with an option to extend the agreement well beyond that date)

 

let's see if we can take something home from the true powerhouse of (speed)skating sports 

[copravolley 262]

18 minutes ago, phelps said:

 and  have signed a strategic agreement about close cooperation (sharing of training camps, knowhow, use of respective local infrastructures, possibly some Italian speedskaters signing deals with NED top clubs) in Speedskating and Short Track Speedskating for the next few seasons (at least until Milano-Cortina 2026, but with an option to extend the agreement well beyond that date)

 

let's see if we can take something home from the true powerhouse of (speed)skating sports 

I think that our speed skating staff is doing a great job under Marchetto's leadership. At least 1 covered ice track is missing, so that we don't have to train all summer and autumn in Inzell. Unfortunately, Turin 2006 was a great missed opportunity and that object is no longer used for sports purposes. In 2026, unfortunately, it may be similar, which is why I regret that a covered track wasn`t built in Collalbo - I find the arguments that it`s a small town funny, since we train in Inzell - similarly, a small village in Bavaria.