Strong Start in Salt Lake City as Team GBR Long Track Skaters Target Next World Cup in Calgary

Great Britain’s long track speed skaters delivered an encouraging start to the Olympic season as World Cup 1 got underway in Salt Lake City over the weekend, producing standout performances across the opening stage of the 2025–26 ISU Speed Skating World Cup. With valuable Olympic qualification points now on the board, attention quickly turns to World Cup 2 in Calgary - the second of four World Cup events that will determine quota places for Milano-Cortina 2026.

Smeding opens season with statement 1000m victory

Ellia Smeding started the weekend in perfect fashion, taking an outstanding win in the B Division of the women’s 1000m in Salt Lake City. Her victory places her 14th in the overall World Cup standings, marking a strong early statement in a crucial Olympic qualifying year.

Over the course of the weekend Smeding also delivered solid races in both the 500m and 1500m, clocking times very close to her personal bests and underlining the consistency that has made her a regular contender on the international stage. With three strong skates in the opening round, she heads into Calgary with growing confidence and early ranking points secured.

Cooper returns with personal-best 3000m

Gemma Cooper marked her return to the World Cup circuit in style. Racing the 3000m, she produced an impressive personal best performance - a landmark result that also registered as a new British record over the distance.

Cooper followed that up with a well-executed race in the mass start, showing sharp race awareness and endurance to round off a successful first World Cup weekend back in British colours. Her results in Salt Lake City confirm the form she showed earlier in the autumn and underline her status as a key distance and mass start skater for Team GB in this Olympic cycle.

Kersten makes welcome World Cup comeback

Salt Lake City also marked the welcome comeback of Cornelius Kersten, who officially returned to World Cup competition following injury. Kersten clocked a strong 1000m, laying down a solid benchmark as he rebuilds race sharpness after time away from the ice.

The performance is an encouraging step for the 2023 World Championship medallist in the 1000m, who has been a consistent force over the 500m, 1000m and 1500m on the World Cup circuit in recent seasons. With more racing to come over the next three stages, Kersten will look to convert this promising return into increasingly competitive times and points.

World Cup 2: Team GBR's Long Track to Calgary’s “Fastest Ice in the World”

There is little time to pause after Salt Lake City. World Cup 2 takes place next weekend at Calgary’s Olympic Oval from 21–23 November, the second stop on the 2025–26 ISU Speed Skating World Cup circuit and another key Olympic qualifying event on the road to Milano-Cortina 2026.

A legacy venue from the 1988 Olympic Winter Games, the Calgary Olympic Oval is renowned as one of the quickest rinks in the world and proudly carries the tagline “The Fastest Ice in the World” thanks to the many world records set there.

For Smeding and Kersten, Calgary is now very much home ice. Earlier this year, the pair relocated to the city to train with Pro Team Calgary under coach Bart Schouten as part of their long-term preparation for the 2026 Winter Olympics. That familiarity with the Oval – from daily training sessions to knowledge of its ice conditions – adds an extra layer of opportunity as they look to build on their Salt Lake performances in front of friends, teammates and local supporters.

Cooper will once again bring her distance strength and mass start experience to the line-up, targeting another strong 3000m outing and more race-craft against a world-class field in the mass start.

Across the three days in Calgary, the British squad will contest the same distances as in Salt Lake City, giving them a direct opportunity to improve on their opening World Cup benchmark times and rankings.

British Long Track race programme in Calgary

Over the course of World Cup 2 in Calgary, the British skaters are scheduled to race:

• Ellia Smeding – 500m, 1000m, 1500m

• Cornelius Kersten – 500m, 1000m, 1500m

• Gemma Cooper – 3000m, Mass Start

  
  

With confidence high and momentum building after a successful opening stage, Team GBR’s long track athletes have set the tone for what promises to be an exciting road to Milano 2026.

Fans will be able to follow start lists and live results via official ISU channels, with updates and reaction shared across British Ice Skating’s digital platforms throughout the Calgary weekend. The entire event is also available to stream via the ISU YouTube Channel.