The 2025-26 Speed Skating World Cup continues November 21-23 in Calgary, Canada, just one week after a groundbreaking opening weekend in Salt Lake City.

At the first World Cup stop of the season, held on the fastest ice on earth, France's Timothy Loubineaud (men's 5000m), the Netherlands' Femke Kok (women's 500m), and the U.S. men's team pursuit trio shattered world records, while five Americans skated to national bests.

This weekend in Calgary will be the second of a five-leg competition circuit, the first four of which serve as opportunities for each country to earn Olympic quota spots for the 2026 Winter Games.

The Netherlands led the first World Cup competition with 11 medals, though the United States closely followed behind with eight. 

Three of those eight were earned by Jordan Stolz, who will look to repeat — or even improve upon — his golden trio in Calgary. After skating to the top of the podium in his three signature events in Utah, Stolz slipped to fourth in the second 500m (where the Netherlands' Jenning de Boo finished first). He also raced the mass start, an event he hadn't entered on the World Cup level since 2021, in an attempt to expand his Olympic portfolio. 

It's a much different race than he's used to: 16 laps with four sprint intervals occurring every four laps. Although Stolz isn't completely new to the distance, having earned bronze at the 2023 World Junior Speed Skating Championships, it may take time for him to get back up to his usual speed. In Salt Lake City, Stolz finished 15th.

In Calgary, the 21-year-old will make his first appearance in the 1000m.

In the women's 1000m, Brittany Bowe will make another attempt to grab her first individual medal of the season after landing in 5th and 6th place in the 1000m and 1500m, respectively. She and Japan's Miho Takagi, Bowe's biggest rival in the two events, both made the podium in just one race during the opening weekend: the women's team pursuit.

Loubineaud and Casey Dawson will take on the 5000m once again to close the first day of competition. Dawson, who leads the U.S. men's pursuit trio, also set a national record in his individual specialty last weekend.

In another showing of the Dutch-American rivalry, the Netherlands' Femke Kok and Erin Jackson will go head-to-head again in the women's 500m. Kok, the three-time reigning world champion in the distance, will look for her third gold of the season, while Jackson, the three-time reigning overall World Cup winner, hopes to level up her performance after securing silvers behind Kok in both 500m races last weekend.

The U.S. men's pursuit squad seems poised to repeat its dominant performance from the 2024-25 season, as they head into World Cup No. 2 with another world record and gold medal. They'll take the ice on the third day of competition.

Also scheduled is the first mixed relay of the season. The Canadians dominated last year's circuit, followed by the German and Polish teams, who landed in 2nd and 3rd place overall, respectively.

American skaters may earn an Olympic berth in two ways at World Cup competitions:

• Earn a medal at the 2025 ISU World Single Distances Championships AND place in the top five at any two of the first four World Cups in the same distance
• Finish in the top three at any two of the first four World Cups in the same distance

According to those parameters, Stolz (500m, 1000m, 1500m) needs just one more top-five finish in each of his three signature distances, while Jackson (500m) and Mia Manganello (mass start) need one more top-three finish to pre-qualify.

However, those pre-qualified skaters also must compete in the same distance at Olympic Trials January 2-6, 2026, in order to remain eligible for the Olympic roster.

Additionally, the number of Olympic quota spots each country will receive will not be released until Dec. 19.

The speed skating competition at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics begins Feb. 7, 2026, with the women's 3000m. 

The three-day competition begins Friday, November 21 at 7 p.m. ET and concludes Sunday, November 23.

All events are available to watch on mobile, tablet and connected TV devices via Peacock.