Canadian speedskater Laurent Dubreuil searches for faster feel in sprints

The former world champion in the 500, and the 2022 Olympic silver medallist in the 1,000, was still searching for his optimal form to start this World Cup season.

The Canadian placed 10th in Saturday’s 500. He’ll get another chance Sunday in the distance.

“I’m fit and too good physically to be posting those kinds of times but I think it’s just tweaking my technique, maybe figuring something out,” said the 33-year-old.

“I’ve set my PBs in the weight room this year. I know I’m stronger, I’m more explosive, but I’m just not applying it on the ice right now.”

Dubreuil ranked second in the 500 to American star Jordan Stolz in the overall World Cup standings last season after reaching the podium in six of 10 races.

The current talent and speed in men’s sprints, led by 21-year-olds Stolz and Dutchman Jenning De Boo, is unforgiving of mistakes.

And those two men finished third and second respectively Saturday behind South Korean winner Jun-Ho Kim, who was the only man to go under 34 seconds.

Kazakhstan’s Yevgeniy Koshkin posted the fastest opening 100 metres of 9.3 seconds, but ended up 17th.

Dubreuil says he has time to track down his technique ahead of February’s Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, Italy.

“The field is just better, and I need to be on my A game and I’m not right now, but it’s more frustrating for today. I’m not worried about what’s in two months,” he said. “I know it’s just about finding the right feel on the ice and I have plenty of time to get it.”

The sprinters’ high speeds on the Oval ice combined for three crashes on the inside corner of the final turn in the women’s and men’s 500 metres, plus a few slips by those who stayed on their blades on that corner.

“In Salt Lake, in Calgary it happens quite often, but sea level not quite as often because you just don’t go as fast, so you feel more in control,” Dubreuil explained. “You don’t lean as much. A lot of the times when people fall, they lean too much and then their boot touches the ice instead of the blade and you don’t have any blade contact and then you fall.

“Tomorrow, you’ll probably see another fall or two or close calls again but then we’ll hit Europe and it probably won’t happen any more.”

Stolz prevailed in the 1,500 later Saturday afternoon with a blistering closing lap. He ran sixth after three laps in the second-last pairing before hitting the gas.

“I just wanted to go out smooth and not burn up too many matches in the beginning because I was really not feeling it in the (500) today,” Stolz. “I just want it to save in the middle for the last lap and that’s what I did.”

Connor Howe of Canmore, Alta., who was a bronze medallist in the 1,500 in this year’s world championship, didn’t race Saturday because of a back injury.

Joy Beune of the Netherlands claimed both the women’s 500 and 1,500 metres Saturday to complement her victory in Friday’s 1,000. Her Dutch teammate Femke Kok took the women’s 500 a week after setting a world record in the season-opening World Cup in Salt Lake.

Canadian skaters aim to be ranked in the top eight in the world at the conclusion of this season’s first four World Cups this season, which qualifies them for the Olympic Games.

Calgary is the season’s second World Cup stop followed by Herenveen, Netherlands and Hamar, Norway in December.

Canadians will fill any Olympic quota spots still open after that via a national meet Jan. 3-6 in Quebec City.

Racing in Calgary concludes Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2025.

Donna Spencer, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Canadian speedskater Laurent Dubreuil searches for faster feel in sprints

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