November 2, 2026 – Town of Wayne, Wi – The 2026-2027 U.S. speed skating season is underway and Jordan Stolz is picking up where he left off just eight short months after capturing two gold and a silver at the Olympic Games in Milan, Italy.
Jordan Stolz was back on the ice over the weekend at the US Speedskating World Cup Qualifier at the Pettit National Ice Center.
The season at the Pettit began about two months ago with new ice and a new facade featuring hometown favorite Stolz, along with fellow 2026 Olympic medalists Mia Manganello, Ethan Cepuran, Casey Dawson, and Emry Lehman.
For Stolz, getting back to business seems like a quick turnaround from his return to the states in early March as there were demands including celebrations and media appearances.
At the Pettit, Stolz was back in familiar territory, competing and beginning the process of building toward another international season.
Click HERE to watch Saturday’s 1500m race vs. Cooper McLeod. Stolz crossed the finish line in 1:46.21, while McLeod finished in 1:51, however the official time listed Stolz at 1:46.19.
The stopwatch was only part of the story.
“Media stuff didn’t slow down for a while until like probably June, July,” he said. “So training was pretty inconsistent until then. But I was trying my best.
“I was hoping to be feeling a little bit better in the beginning part of the season,” he said. “But hopefully that just means I’ll have a really good ending. I feel strong off the ice. Still getting it into the ice, but we’ll see where it goes,” Stolz said.
The Town of Wayne celebrated Stolz over the summer with a permanent tribute sign recognizing the three-time Olympic medalist. The sign was the work of Chucker Dreher, with help from Randy Gremminger of Trend Setters Sign Shop and a handfull of local donors.
One of the biggest changes heading into the new season is Stolz’s coaching arrangement.
After working with Bob Corby for years, Stolz has moved in a different direction as he begins planning for the next two Olympic cycles.
Corby was instrumental in developing Stolz into an international champion. The two worked together through his rise from a young Wisconsin skater to a world champion and Olympic gold medalist.
In July, Corby confirmed Stolz planned to change coaches. The decision followed a conversation in June about taking a different direction in preparation for future Olympics.
In the latest interview at the Pettit, Stolz confirmed he is working with his friend and blade tech Mark Yanagihara, who was with him the past four seasons including the 2026 Olympics.
“Right now I’m working with Mark Yanagihara, so he’s more like my adviser kind of, but we get along really well,” Stolz said.
He added that the two see eye to eye on many things and are working toward a plan that will carry him through the 2030 and 2034 Olympics.
“I feel like training with Mark is the best way to go forward. He’s also one of my best friends,” Stolz told the ISU.
“When I get to January, late January, we’re going to have the World Cup in Salt Lake City. And I think there’s a possibility for some really fast times there,” he said.
He recalled last season’s opportunity to skate fast times late in the year.
“If they would have had that World Cup last year in the later part of the year, I could have been close to some world records,” he said. “So, we’ll try and do that again this year.”
The 2026-27 ISU schedule includes six World Cup stops:
| Dates | Location |
|---|---|
| Nov. 13-15, 2026 | Beijing, China |
| Nov. 20-22, 2026 | Obihiro, Japan |
| Dec. 4-6, 2026 | Heerenveen, Netherlands |
| Dec. 11-13, 2026 | Stavanger, Norway |
| Jan. 29-31, 2027 | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Feb. 5-7, 2027 | Calgary, Canada |
The World Championships are scheduled for Feb. 25-28 in Beijing.
The Pettit trials are important because they help determine which American skaters qualify for the opening portion of the World Cup season. The international competition will give Stolz a better measure of where he stands against the Dutch, Chinese, Canadian and other national teams.
While Stolz 2026 Olympics ended with a bang, he helped the Milwaukee Brewers kick off their big run to the World Series as Stolz threw out the first pitch at the season opener.
On March 26, Stolz walked onto the field at the Milwaukee Brewers’ home opener at American Family Field. He shared the spotlight with Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love.
Stolz wore Brewers jersey No. 26, recognizing the 2026 Winter Olympics, and tucked his Olympic gold medals into his pocket before delivering the pitch.
When whether he felt part of this year’s World Series team, Stolz said, “I do actually. They’re going to have to have me come back again.”
