November 15, 2025 – Salt Lake City, UT – Town of Wayne speedskater Jordan Stolz opened the ISU World Cup season in thrilling fashion, capturing gold in the 1000 meters on the lightning-fast ice of the Utah Olympic Oval. The 21-year-old phenom—already a world champion—delivered a blistering 1:05.66, sealing yet another international victory and sending a clear message that he remains one of the sport’s most dominant forces.
Fresh off the ice, Stolz greeted reporters with a smile and an easygoing, Midwestern nod.
“It was good. I was happy with it. A pretty quick time. Uh, physically, I think I can keep getting stronger. So, it’s a good one for the first World Cup of the year,” he said.
Stolz admitted he wasn’t sure what to expect from his opener. Early-season races are notoriously unpredictable, especially at altitude.
“I honestly had no idea what the time would be,” he said. “Some of my other times like when I first did the trials, it was like a 1:07.0… the big difference from 1:07.0 to 1:05.66. So, physically, I was feeling good, but it still needs to get better.”
His punishing closing speed—already one of his trademarks—was on full display.
“I always try and, you know, keep it like that. I don’t try and sacrifice anything in the beginning to have a faster last lap. It just usually comes or it doesn’t. And today it was good.”
The win puts him in excellent position for early World Cup qualification standings, but Stolz made it clear that rankings aren’t his primary focus.
“It’s not something I think that hard about. I just try and focus on how I’m feeling physically each race, trying to make it feel a little bit better, get a bit more comfortable.”
After dealing with fatigue and illness late last season, Stolz rebuilt over the summer — and the results are showing.
“My endurance is good right now. I’ve done a lot of training over the summer… 24.30 was my first lap, I think. So I’d like that to be a little bit faster. If like Damian Żurek’s going 24.0, I should be able to hit that.”
He also gave a glimpse into the small but critical details that elite skaters obsess over. Observers noticed that during warm-ups he repeatedly reached back toward his skate blade.
“I’m just feeling if there’s a burr that may be built up if you ran something over on the ice… that’s the last thing you want going into the race, going top speed and having it slipping. It’s a habit.”
Dutch commentators have been buzzing about his decision to pursue the mass start at the Olympics — a move that adds another layer of intrigue to his already packed racing schedule.
“Well, I mean, I’m surprised that they are surprised cuz I did it at the trials and I made some noises that I might do it… we’ll see how I’m doing… if I can keep up for the sprint.”
He’ll toe the line in the mass start at this weekend’s World Cup as a test.
“Yeah, I’m doing it,” he said.
But one of the most meaningful moments came after the formal interview wrapped up. Twelve-year-old speed skating fan Ezar Magnum Loc stepped forward with two questions — and Stolz lit up.
Ezar: “If you could give advice to a young speed skater, what would it be?”
Jordan: “Number one, when it gets really hard, just keep going. It’s going to get easier as you get older. It’s kind of a sport where it’s difficult when you’re a kid.”
Ezar: “And how long have you been speed skating?”
Jordan: “Since I was five, so 16 years.”
Ezar: “Wow, that’s a lot.”
Jordan: “It’s a long time.”
For a young skater looking up to one of the world’s best, it was a memory for life. And for Stolz, it was another reminder of why he pushes the sport forward — not just with speed, but with humility and heart.
On Saturday racing starts at 10 a.m. with the B Division women’s 500m followed by the men’s 500m. Division A skaters begin around 12:30 with the women then the men in the 500m.
Coach Bob Corby thinks the slick ice will make for some amazing times in the 500m. “I think there’s a possibility of four or five guys going under 34 flat,” Corby said.
“I don’t know if they’re going to be on world record pace, but I think a whole bunch of guys are going to go under 34. Because you look at everybody out there, they’re all a little bit slimmer than last year. They’re all a little bit faster than last year. The Olympic year is different. Everybody trains a little bit harder because it’s so important.
The second half of Saturday’s completion will feature the 1500m with Division A skaters followed by Division B.
November 14, 2025 – Salt Lake City, UT – In January 2024 when Jordan Stolz skated at the Olympic Oval in Salt Lake City, UT he set a new world record in the 1000m and his coach, Bob Corby, predicted it. The 2025 season begins this afternoon with the ISU World Cup in Salt Lake City.
Skating in his signature rich deep blue skin suit, Stolz crushed his previous best time in the 1000m and set a new world record, national record, personal best and season best with a time of 1:05,37. Stolz season best so far is a 1:06,70 from November 6, 2025 in Salt Lake.
Today, coming off a strong summer training regime, Stolz will toe the line with a big challenge ahead to better his time and possibly set another world record.
Stolz skates the 1000m in the Men’s A group this afternoon. Races begin at 4:56 p.m. and there will be 10 heats with Stolz skating eighth against Joep Wennemars of the Netherlands.
Wennemars is a formidable opponent. He won the gold in the 1000m in March 2025 in Hamar, Norway with a time of 1:08,05. Stolz finished that race at 1:08,26.
So far this season Wennemars has skated a 1:07,17 in the 1000m on November 2, 2025.
Over the weekend Stolz will also compete in the 1500m and 500m.
In the 1500m in Salt Lake in 2024, Stolz finished in a time of 1:40,87 which was 1,09 better than second place finisher, Zhongyan Ning of China.
For Stolz the time in the 1500m was a National Record, Personal Record, and Season Best. Click HERE for the unofficial final results
Stolz previous personal best in the 1500m was 1:42,26. The track record is 1:40,17 set by Kjeld Nuis on March 10, 2019.
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In the 500m in 2024, Stolz stood atop the podium again with a first-place finish time and new national record at 33,96. Click HERE for unofficial final results.
In Calgary in 2024, Stolz recorded his personal best in the 500m with a 33,69 finish.
Stolz will have some stiff competition as Dutch Speedskater Jenning de Boo clocked a 33,98 on October 31, 2025 at the Netherlands Single Distance Championships.
For the US, keep an eye on Cooper Mcleod who this season has the fourth fastest 500m at 34,30.
The track record at the Olympic Oval in Salt Lake in the 500m was set March 9, 2019 at 33,61 and held by Pavel Kulizhnikov.
Side notes:
Members of 4-H Wayne Crusaders gathered this past week to make posters to cheer on Jordan Stolz. We will be featuring their artwork through the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy.
Flights out of Milwaukee to Denver to Salt Lake City were all on time. One interesting note, the airlines nationwide had been keeping track of flight data including cancellations and delays. Once at Mitchell International in Milwaukee, the checkin kiosk noted the 8 a.m. flight was delayed. At the Southwest counter, however, the clerk said it was simply delayed a minute. I wonder how much other data was included while flights were marked ‘delayed’ by a minute.
Had to take a photo of my friend’s favorite Midwest-themed gathering spaces at Mitchell International Airport. Does any other airport have such a signature space?
Flashback video to 2024 when Stolz set a new record in the 1500m
