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Patrick Roest (NED) competing at the 2021 ISU European Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen, Netherlands © International Skating Union (ISU)

With the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing only a month away, the European Speed Skating elite settles down in Heerenveen for the ISU European Speed Skating Championships on 7-9 January. After last season’s combined European Sprint and Allround Championships, the tournament will be held in single distance format this year. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the event will be held without spectators.

Historic results

At last season’s Sprint and Allround Championships, the Netherlands took four out of four titles with Jutta Leerdam, Antoinette de Jong, Thomas Krol and Patrick Roest winning the men’s and women’s Sprint and Allround titles. In the single distance championships, there’s a total of 14 titles up for grabs.

Patrick Roest (NED), Antoinette de Jong (NED). Jutta Leerdam (NED) and Thomas Krol (NED) pose as overall winners during the 2021 ISU European Speed Skating Championships in Heerenveen, Netherlands © International Skating Union (ISU)

 

The Netherlands collected most silverware since the inaugural ISU European Single Distances Championships in Kolomna (Russia) in 2018. Russia leads the men’s medal table (6G, 5S, 5B), ahead of the Netherlands (6G, 5S, 4B) and Italy (1G, 1S), while the Netherlands top the women’s table (8G, 3S, 3B), with Russia (4G, 7S, 4B) in second and Austria (1G, 2S, 1B) in third.

Russian participation in jeopardy

Pavel Kulizhnikov (5G, 1B) and Olga Fatkulina (3G) lead the men’s and women’s individual medal rankings. Kulizhnikov will not skate in Heerenveen this weekend. The Russian Skating Union announced on Twitter: “In order not to risk the health of athletes before the Olympic Games in Beijing, it was decided that Pavel Kulizhnikov, Ruslan Murashov, Viktor Mushtakov and Artem Arefyev would not take part in the European Championships.” Due to positive Covid-19 tests upon arrival in the Netherlands, according to the Russian Skating Union the participation of the other Russian skaters is uncertain.

 

 

  

Schouten aims at four titles

For many Skaters the European Single Distance Championships will be a dress rehearsal for Beijing 2022, and for others it’s an opportunity to wash away the disappointment of missing out on their Olympic qualification.

Defending European Mass Start Champion Irene Schouten (NED) did qualify for Beijing 2022 in four disciplines (3000m, 5000m, Mass Start and Team Pursuit), and she will skate the first three events at the European Championships too. After a superb first half of the World Cup season, in which the 29-year-old won all three long distance races she skated convincingly, Schouten seems unstoppable.

 

Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA), who won the Mass Start and 3000m gold at the World Cup in Calgary on 10 December 2021, is one of Schouten’s main rivals. Six-time European Allround champion and veteran long distance specialist Martina Sáblíková (CZE) is absent due to a thigh injury she suffered in training last week.

 

 Ivanie Blondin (CAN) (silver), Francesca Lollobrigida (ITA) (gold) and Elizaveta Golubeva (RUS) (bronze) at the medal ceremony during the 2021 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Calgary, Canada © International Skating Union (ISU)

Van der Poel absent

In the men’s long distances Nils van der Poel (SWE)  dominated the field during the first half of the World Cup season. The absence of the Swedish World record holder in both the 5000m and the 10,000m leaves the field in the 5000m wide open to Dutchmen Jorrit Bergsma and defending champion Patrick Roest. Ten time European Allround Champion Sven Kramer, who never won a European Single Distance title, booked his ticket to  Beijing by the skin of his teeth and will also skate the 5000m in Heerenveen.

For Dai Dai Ntab (500m) and Tijmen Snel (1500m) the European Championships provide a chance to bounce back from being left out of the Dutch Olympic selection, despite good results at the Olympic trials.

Bart Swings (BEL) will defend his European Mass Start title. His gold medal, won two years ago marked the first international title for Belgium in Speed Skating history. Having won one gold and one silver medal already, Swings leads this season’s Mass Start World Cup ranking.

 Bart Swings (BEL) competing at the 2021 ISU World Cup Speed Skating in Calgary, Canada © International Skating Union (ISU)

 

Schedule

Friday, January 7, 2022: Team Sprint Women, Team Pursuit Men, 3000m Women, 1000m Men

Saturday, January 8, 2022: Team Sprint Men, 500m Women, 5000m, Men 1500m Women

Sunday, January 9, 2022: Team Pursuit Women, 1500m Men, 1000m Women, 500m Men, Mass Start Women & Men

For full entry lists and further information regarding the ISU European Speed Skating Championships please visit: isu.org/speed-skating. Results are available here and you can follow the discussion on social media by using #SpeedSkating.

 

Where to Watch

Viewers will be able to watch either via their national broadcaster / channel and for countries where there are no broadcasters, the ISU will offer a live stream on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. You will find the full list in the Where to Watch news here.

Subscribe to the ISU Newsletter to receive the latest information and the “Where to Watch” news. You can also subscribe to the Skating ISU YouTube Channel to receive notifications when live streams start or new videos are published.

Highlights, clips, interviews, behind the scenes:

YouTube: ISU Skating

IG: @isuspeedskating

Facebook: @ISUSpeedSkating

Twitter: @ISU_Speed

Follow the conversation with #SpeedSkating