The U.S. men's team pursuit squad dominated their third and final race of the 2025-26 World Cup season, and Jordan Stolz snagged his first-ever mass start gold on the final day of competition at the Hamar World Cup.

The American trio of Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman, and Ethan Cepuran crossed the finish line in 3:40.28 minutes in the men's team pursuit, nearly eclipsing the track record they set at the venue during the 2025 World Championships in March (3:39.24). With their third World Cup gold in three events this year, they earned the United States' fifth-straight season title in the event.

In their first-two races of the season, Dawson, Lehman, and Cepuran finished 2.7 seconds ahead of the runners up. Their edge only was slightly smaller in Hamar at 2.32 seconds.

The three have won every men's team pursuit race on the international level since the Milwaukee World Cup in February, including the race at worlds in which they skated to the country's first global title since 2011. With their gold in Hamar, their undefeated run extends to six.

Italy, which won the world title in 2024, finished 2nd for their first men's team pursuit medal of the season. The trio slipped and finished last in their first race of the season at the World Cup opener in Salt Lake City and did not compete at World Cup No. 2.

Brittany Bowe, Mia Manganello, and Giorgia Birkeland took silver, finishing only 0.09 seconds behind gold-winning Canada for the United States' second women's team pursuit prize of the season. The trio, racing with Greta Myers in place of Birkeland, skated to bronze in Salt Lake City.

Just one month after he readded the mass start to his portfolio, Stolz came away with gold, crossing the finish line almost one full second ahead of runner-up and reigning Olympic champion Bart Swings.

Stolz hung around the middle of the pack for much of the race but found an extra gear over the last four laps, pushing up to third before swinging around the outside of the oval to take first in the final sprint.

Before this season, the 21-year-old had not competed in the mass start since 2023 Junior Worlds, where he earned bronze. He had not raced the event on the World Cup level since 2021. He skated to his first mass start World Cup podium at the Calgary World Cup in November, snagging bronze.

With his win, Stolz pre-qualified for a fourth event at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. In February, Stolz could become the second American to win three or more individual gold medals at a single Winter Olympics in any sport after fellow speed skater Eric Heiden.

Manganello finished 4th in the women's competition. The 36-year-old, who still stands as the world No. 1 despite missing the podium, skated to a medal of every color through the first three World Cups.

Earlier in the day, Stolz skated to his fifth 500m win of the season in dramatic fashion, narrowly outpacing Poland's Damian Zurek by 0.001 seconds. Stolz posted a final time of 34.146. 

Through four World Cup stops, the 21-year-old has skated to the podium in six of the seven 500m races held. He has won 14 of his 19 races so far this season.

The Netherlands' Jenning de Boo, who entered the weekend ranked 2nd behind Stolz, did not compete in the second 500m of the weekend.

American Erin Jackson, who scratched both of her races at World Cup No. 3 due to an injured hamstring, competed in the weekend's second 500m race but skated conservatively, as she had the first, finishing last. 

Like de Boo, Dutch skater Femke Kok, who is undefeated in the distance since February 2024, also did not participate in the second 500m competition in Hamar.

With that, the window in which skaters may earn Olympic quota spots for their countries is closed, as is the opportunity for American skaters to prequalify for the Milan Cortina Olympics. The International Olympic Committee is expected to award the earned quota spots on or before Dec. 19.

Stolz (500m, 1000m, 1500m, mass start), Jackson (500m), and Manganello (mass start) qualified for the 2026 Games through the first four World Cups. However, they still must participate in the U.S. Olympic Trials Jan. 2-5.

The World Cup will continue with a fifth and final stop Jan. 23-25, in Inzell, Germany. The Olympic speed skating competition begins Feb. 7, 2026. 

Below are the full results of the first day of competition: