Jordan Stolz headlines U.S. Olympic Speedskating trials this weekend

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Jordan Stolz will skate in Milwaukee this weekend for the U.S. Olympic Long Track Team Trials at the Pettit National Ice Center, his home ice, and there are relatively few tickets left to see him race.

The 21-year-old from Kewaskum, a two-time World champion, is favored to win all of his three main events: the 500-meter and 1,000-meter sprints, and the 1,500-meter middle distance. He’s also a good bet for the 16-lap Mass Start.

This event will formally qualify Stolz for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano-Cortina on Feb. 6-22.

The trials also will draw the top national skaters, including 2022 Olympic champion Erin Jackson, Olympic medalist Brittany Bowe, and Team Pursuit medalists Mia Manganello, Emery Lehman, Ethan Cepuran and Casey Dawson.

Here is the schedule:

Friday, Jan. 2: women’s 3,000 meters and men’s 5,000 meters, 5-7 p.m. (Stolz does not race this day)
Saturday, Jan. 3: women’s/men’s 1,000 meters, 3-5 p.m. (tickets are sold out)
Sunday, Jan. 4: women’s/men’s 500 meters No. 1, women’s/men’s 1,500 meters, 1-5 p.m. (sold out)
Monday, Jan. 5: women’s/men’s Mass Start No. 1, 3:30 p.m., women’s/men’s 500 meters No. 2, 4:30 p.m., women’s/men’s Mass Start No. 2, 6 p.m.

As of Dec. 20, there are about 500 tickets available for that last day of racing, Monday, Jan. 5.

Stolz plans to skate the first Mass Start. After that race, it depends. If Stolz races to his satisfaction in the first 500 on Jan. 4 and first Mass Start on Jan. 5, he may not need or want a second chance at the second 500 meters and the second mass start later that day. Stolz's coach, Bob Corby, said Stolz probably won’t skate the second 500 race but likely will skate both mass starts.

More: Stolz takes silver in final race, ending streak, but shaking up world of speedskating

Paul Golomski is the general manager of the Pettit National Ice Center, a not-for-profit community gem that has been around since 1992. It was also the site for the 2022 Olympic Trials and, a year ago, a World Cup stop.

Although the Pettit National Ice Center is at sea level – racing is faster at altitude, like in Salt Lake – Golomski is famous for making this ice extremely fast.

That has coincided with Stolz's meteoric rise in the skating world. Stolz improved upon his own track records at the Pettit in the most recent World Cup event in Milwaukee in January 2025, etching his name in the track annals for the 500, 1,000 and 1,500.

But it was the 500 race that was stunning. Stolz became the first skater to post a time under 34 seconds in the 500 meters at a sea-level track when he finished in 33.91 seconds.

Stolz’s Pettit track records:

500: 33.91
1,000: 1:06.16
1,500: 1:41.46

Lori Nickel: How does the Pettit Center make its super-fast ice? A former hockey player at Pius XI High School has the formula

“It's something that everybody always wanted to do at altitude − going under 34 seconds,” Stolz said. “Now skating's progressed where some people are going ... you know, I guess only me ... under 34 at sea level.

“Obviously, Milwaukee was super fast. So I was feeling good about that. I had the sea-level world record in the 500.”

Stolz has, in fact, skated under 34 seconds three times in the 500 in 2025.

“I did it in Hereenveen – and I actually beat the Milwaukee time,” Stolz said. “And that was really cool because Jenning DeBoo actually had the track record there. And the next weekend, I had an even better race in the 500 in Hamar – which is slower than Hereenveen – it was still under 34 seconds.”

A two-time World champion in all three main races – the men’s 500, 1,000 and 1,500 – Stolz has been on a medal haul during the World Cup season in November and December.

Ticket information

Tickets are $30 per day, plus taxes and service fees. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, with additional standing room available in the arena area. Once a day sells out, it is sold out. No tickets are being held back, according to the Pettit website.

Full details can be found at www.thepettit.com/trials

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jordan Stolz headlines U.S. Olympic Speedskating trials this weekend

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