December 13, 2025 – Hamar, Norway – Jordan Stolz is definitely marking his territory in professional speedskating and at this point the competition is feeling his dominance. Six races in a row with six track records toppled. All of them convincingly. All of them delivered with the same calm, almost casual shrug that has become the signature of the American speedskating phenom.
Asked about the streak, Stolz didn’t sound like a skater in the middle of something historic. He sounded like a young man who just finished another day at work. “Yeah. Yeah,” he said with a smile. “Six track records… two in one week. It was quick.”
Quick, yes. Easy, no.
The most recent record came less than 12 hours after a late-night 1500 meters, a race that lingered in his legs the next morning.
“Today it was a little bit painful,” Stolz said “The 1500 was at 9:30 last night. So it was a little bit harder than usual, but it was still a track record. I’m happy with the time, too.”
The former track record, 1:08.05, was set in March 2025 by Joel Wennemars of the Netherlands. Stolz, crushed it with a convincing time of 1:07.63. The lap times show Stolz was on his game, leading in the first and final lap and not giving up much of an edge to De Boo at the 600m mark.
One of the more fascinating parts of Stolz’s dominance is what rivals see and feel when they skate against him. Commentators have suggested his late-race surge can be demoralizing, like watching someone shift into an extra gear no one else seems to have.
Stolz doesn’t shy away from that idea.
“It helps me,” he said. “If I see I’m right with De Boo at 600 meters or slightly ahead, I’m pretty confident I can get him in the last lap.”
That confidence is not arrogance. It is awareness. Stolz knows his race, his timing, and his body. He even enjoys the chase element, especially when he starts on the outer lane.
“I like starting outer with him,” Stolz said. “Just ’cause I can kind of hear him coming up. When we get to the 50, I don’t know, it makes it more interesting. I like that.”
No screaming rivals. No dramatic distractions.
“No, not yet,” he laughed when asked if competitors cry for help. “Not yet.”
According to an interview on ISU-skating.com, Stolz is having an impact on the competitions confidence. Reporter Leo Aquina writes De Boo is feeling a bit frustrated after racing Stolz.
“Both of us are faster than anyone’s ever been [on this track], and then my time pales into insignificance because [Stolz] does unbelievable things and that does bother me a bit,” the Dutchman admitted.
“On one hand, I’m really happy with my races and that’s what my coaches also tell me. On the other hand there’s this little voice in my head that says: ‘You’re the first loser’, and then my coaches are the counter voice telling me that I also skate faster than my own track record, which means that I’m better than I was when I was at my peak last year.
“That tells me something about my shape right now, while actually my shape even shouldn’t be peaking.”
Despite Stolz’s record-breaking streak, De Boo still thinks the American is beatable.
“Yes, I do have that conviction. If I’d skated my perfect race here and he’d beaten me by two tenths, I would have lost hope. But my race wasn’t perfect, it was good but far from perfect. I have to work on my start. Jordan is faster from the line, so I just need to react faster.”
What looks like an effortless surge is actually something Stolz feels, almost instinctively.
“You just kind of feel once you get up to speed,” he said. “I just feel I can get a little bit more.”
That “little bit more” has not always been there. Stolz pointed to Salt Lake City and Calgary as examples.
“I didn’t really have that extra gear,” he said. “Today I could feel it. Even with being tired from the 1500, like after the first 200 meters, I had just a little bit more to build.
“I’m not really thinking too much other than the feeling under my feet, not letting the ice break away too much, good corner entries, and once I start dying, just push as hard as I can.”
When a reporter mentioned it never looks like he’s dying, Stolz said, “Well, it feels like dying.”
Coming up Sunday, Stolz will skate the Mass Start and take another run at improving his track record in the 500m.
Stolz family is here, cheering him on. “It’s really nice that I know they get to enjoy the races,” Stolz said. “That makes me feel good.”
Below are previous articles about the ISU World Cup in Hamar.
December 13, 2025 – Hamar, Norway – Two more track records at the ISU World Cup on Friday for American phenom Jordan Stolz. One of the track records, he wished would have stood the test of time. “Couldn’t leave my track record alone, huh?” said Stolz reading a text from former 1500m track-record holder Shani Davis. “I was hoping he would be able to keep his track record … because it was a really fast time from 16 years ago.”
“I was hoping he would be able to keep his track record … because it was a really fast time from 14 years ago.”
Stolz hit the ice in Hamar with a one-two punch on Friday night, taking a gold in the 500m and knocking down competitor Jenning De Boo’s record set at last year’s World Championships. Stolz finished with a time of 33,97.
“I was more so really surprised with the 500 today,” Stolz said. “That was pretty fast.”
De Boo agreed. “He beat my track record from last year,” said the Dutch sprinter. “Both times were really quick. He’s in very good shape right now. I’ll try and beat him in the future. We’ll see.”
Stolz followed up that performance a short 45 minutes later with another one for the record books, this time topping his friend and idol Shani Davis’s 1500m record with a 1:44,16.
This marks Stolz’s fifth consecutive race with a track record. “Maybe it’s the first time that’s been done,” he said. “I’m on a good one right now.”
Stolz credited rest, rhythm, and the mileage built up across the World Cup circuit.
“Calgary and Salt Lake, I was just a little bit fatigued from the training,” he said. “Now I got a little bit of rest and all the racing built in really helped me in these last two. Now I’m looking forward to going home and getting a training block in and maintaining what I have right here.”
He also acknowledged the sting of the previous World Championships, where illness derailed his season. “Here I have a lot more confidence because I wasn’t sick, sitting in bed for two and a half, three weeks,” he said. “Now I have a really good base under me. I just feel super strong. I think I’m on a good path.”
Asked whether the triumphs in Hamar carried a flavor of revenge, he weighed it carefully. “It feels like it a little bit,” he said. “But it’s not something I planned. Nothing like ‘I want to get my revenge.’”
De Boo, eyeing the showdown ahead, put it plainly: “Now I’m just focusing on the chase. He’s the one to chase. I’ll try to beat him hopefully in February.”
Stolz’s coach, Bob Corby, said the training regime he planned, is working to a T.
“Of course he’s in very good shape right now,” Corby said. “He’s skating at a really high level… This wasn’t planned. It happened because of all the World Cups in a row, then traveling to Europe, and not being able to skate for a couple days when we got here. It just kind of happened and then he took off.”
Corby praised Stolz’s resilience in the tight 500/1500 double. “They all bounce back. He’s just the better bouncer,” he said. “I could see he was tired because the high-end speed in the beginning wasn’t there.”
As for comparisons to legends, Corby keeps the conversation and speculation grounded.
“In the races they share — 500, 1000, 1500 — yes, he’s dominated as Eric Heiden did. But no one’s ever in Heiden’s class until they win all five races at the Olympics. You’d be a fool to say you’re a Heiden.”
For now, Stolz is content with the streak, the speed, and the playful texts from the man whose record he hoped would live a little longer.
Stolz skates the 1000m on Saturday. He is the current World Record holder with a time of 1:05,37. He will line up again in the ninth pairing against familiar rival Jenning De Boo. De Boo’s best is 1:06,05 and the track record, held by Joel Wennemars is 1:08.05.
December 12, 2025 – Hamar, Norway – A fourth individual race and a fourth track record and gold-medal finish in a row for American speedskater Jordan Stolz who is just leaving coaches and the competition speechless.
Stolz clipped off the second fastest 100m opener on the day (9,51) and then showing off his strong finishing kick, Stolz crossed the tape in 33,97.
The previous track record held by Dutch sensation Jenning De Boo who finished trailing Stolz at 34,21.
This has been the second track record of De Boo’s that Stolz has broken in the last eight days.
“He’s just in very good shape right now,” said De Boo.
Comments from Stolz will come after his 1500m competition, where he skates ninth against Dutch standout and hometown favorite Peder Kongshaug.
On a side note: There’s lots of fun personality in the crowd at Hamar as young fans show their true colors.
December 12, 2025 – Hamar, Norway – A big weekend on tap in Hamar, Norway as Jordan Stolz skates in his last ISU World Cup, December 12 – 14, before the Olympic qualifier at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, January 2 – 5, 2026.
Stolz is coming in to this weekend riding a sweep of races and new track records in Heerenveen where he secured gold-medal finishes in the 500m, 1000m, and 1500m.
His name was also added to the leader board at The Thialf, as Stolz set new track records in all three events.
“Pretty phenomenal,” said coach Bob Corby of the 500m record. “It was not planned or expected. So it was pretty surprising.”
“Amazing couple weeks for Jordan, especially Heerenveen,” said 1994 Olympic gold medalist Dan Jansen. “Possibly the best I’ve ever seen him look.”
Jansen is very familiar with this weekend’s skate in Hamar, it’s the same ice where he secured his 1000m gold and set a world record in 1994 at 1:12,43.
Stolz is slated to compete in four races this weekend including the 500m and 1500m on Friday, the 1000m on Saturday, and on Sunday the men’s Mass Start.
“He will definitely need rest after this week in Hamar,” said Jansen. “More than most as he is unique in racing three individual distances plus the Mass Start…. So at least five races each weekend compared to two (or max three) for others.
“The good thing for him is he does not need to peak for the US Trials. Most of the Dutch skaters need to be at their best for their own trials so they basically need to peak twice. Having said that, they are as good or better than any country I’ve ever seen at peaking at the right time.”
The last time Stolz was in Hamar was March 2025 and he was definitely coming down with something. In the 500m he secured a silver medal, followed by bronze in the 1000m and silver in the 1500m.
Interesting to note the podium appearances even while he was suffering pneumonia and strep throat.
2006 and 2010 Olympic gold and silver medalist Shani Davis has also been keeping an eye on Stolz. Earlier this season he was in attendance at the ISU World Cup in Salt Lake City.
“Jordan is doing unbelievable things right now. 3 victories, 3 track records in Heereneven; wonderful,” said Davis. “The best is still yet to come.”
Stolz seems to have found another gear this season. “Performing at a high level weekend after weekend is challenging but he seems to be handling it quite well,” said Davis.
“Going into the Olympics he’s definitely the most consistently competitive athlete we have; I haven’t heard about any others from different sports.”
TIMES TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND:
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The old 500m track record of 34.31 was set in January 2008 by Canadian Jeremy Wotherspoon. In March 2025 Jenning De Boo topped that with a skate of 34.24. The World Record set in March 2019 in the 500m is held by Paul Kulizhnikov at 33.61.
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Stolz will skate in the eighth pairing against track record holder Jenning De Boo.
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Stolz enters the race with a personal best of 33.690. Last week in Heerenveen he skated a track record at The Thialf of 33.905
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In the 1500m Stolz will skate in the ninth pairing against powerhouse Peder Kongshaug of Norway. The 24-year-old’s best time is 1:41,34, where he finished fourth in Salt Lake City in November.
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Stolz enters the 1500m with a personal best of 1:40,480.
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The 1500m track record holder is Shani Davis; set in November 2009 with a time of 1:44,27. Nuis Kjeld holds the world record at 1:40,17.
Jansen echoed Stolz current status saying he “is obviously very sharp at the moment, both physically and technically.”
Looking ahead, Jansen speculated, “I’m not his coach, but my thought would be to recover for two weeks (post Hamar), then do a six-week program leading up to the Games.”
That upcoming timeframe, according to Jansen can be tricky.
“Rest is so important for the body to recover and to improve. But the key is not to lose that “sharpness” as you rest. Your body still craves the hard work so you have to continue some hard, fast work right up to “Go time” or you can feel flat,” he said.
“He already has a solid base, so he doesn’t need as much volume as he did this Fall. Now it is just maintaining his endurance base and keep doing speed work all the way into February.”
Stay tuned for live coverage this weekend at WashingtonCountyInsider.com
