Canadian long track skaters will have two new opportunities to win Olympic hardware four years from now in Heerenveen
CALGARY, ALBERTA – Canadian long track speed skaters will have two additional medal events at the 2030 Olympic Winter Games, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) approving the addition of both the men’s and women’s Team Sprint events on Tuesday as part of their Alpes 2030 sport discipline and event programme review.
The Team Sprint is a fast-paced and highly competitive race that requires incredible teamwork and pacing. Two teams of three skaters start on opposite sides of the 400m oval, and each skater leads for one lap, before dropping off. The third skater completes the final lap alone, with the clock stopping them moment they cross the finish line. Teams are then ranked using their final times, with medals awarded accordingly.
It should be noted that long track speed skating competitions will take place at the historic Thialf in Heerenveen, Netherlands, four years from now. The decision was officialised late last month as part of the IOC’s approval of an update Alpes 2030 venue masterplan.
Canada has a history of success in the discipline, having reached the ISU World Speed Skating Championships podium six times since the event was introduced in 2019, most notably earning double gold on home ice when Calgary welcomed the world’s best to the Olympic Oval in 2024. Olympians Laurent Dubreuil, Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu, Ivanie Blondin and Carolina Hiller-Donnelly have each earned a pair of world titles in the event, while teammates Christopher Fiola, Anders Johnson, Brooklyn McDougall and Maddison Pearman have climbed onto the podium once in their respective careers.
The country has also reached the podium at the ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships four times since the event became a permanent fixture in 2015. Olympians Connor Howe, David La Rue and Tyson Langelaar captured Canada’s first medal in 2017, while skaters such as Isabelle Champagne, Julia Snelgrove, Skylar Van Horne, Camille Tremblay, Jalen Doan, Max Poulin and Luca Veeman have earned hardware on the international stage in recent years.
Canadian speed skating fans will have the opportunity to watch the Team Sprint live at the Olympic Oval when Calgary hosts the final ISU World Cup Speed Skating stop of the season next February 5-7. The top junior skaters will also race the event on home ice in Quebec City during a pair of ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating stops taking place at the Centre de glace Intact Assurance from November 27-29 and December 4-6.