US Speedskating Sees Big Opportunities Ahead

With one of the potential superstars of the 2034 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games ready to burst onto the scene and two international events coming to the national governing body’s home, it is a big few months ahead for US Speedskating.

In early November, the ISU Speed Skating World Cup will be at the Olympic Oval in Kearns as competitors and fans from around the world will come to see some of the pre-Olympic competition ahead of Italy in February while also promoting the 2034 Games that come to Salt Lake City.

“Super excited about World Cup this year and we’ve always had good crowds here in Utah for a World Cup,” US Speedskating CEO Ted Morris said. “But now knowing we have the ’34 Games, I think it’s going to be incredible. We’re going to see huge crowds here, not only from Utah, but from around the world.”

“One thing that I think is a real opportunity is we know Olympic tickets are getting more and more expensive, and a lot of people can’t afford to go to the Olympic Games,” Morris added. “To be able to come here and see those same athletes of the years leading up to and after the Games is a huge opportunity that I think we’ll take advantage of.”

One skater in particular for fans to watch is Jordan Stolz, who at 21 is coming off a season in which he won three individual titles on the ISU 2024—2025 World Cup circuit.

“Hopefully we’ll win some medals and then create some big stars coming out of it,” said Morris of Italy. “But just the general energy there is for the Olympics now and Winter Olympic sport in the state, I think, is a great opportunity for us to grow our sport and grow interest in our elite athletes.”

Morris was part of a meeting Friday at the Olympic Oval in Kearns with young athletes and the SLC 2034 Organizing Committee, plus representatives from Kearns and Salt Lake County. It was the latest in a series of listening tour events the organizing committee is having around the state.

“What we’re looking at is economic development,” Kearns Mayor Kelly Bush said. “Bringing these people in here and letting them stay, having them stay. That’s what we’re really excited about, making this a place that when they leave after the Olympics, they want to keep coming back here because we are an Olympic venue city.”

With the international events on the horizon and only the next in a series of ISU and other events heading to the Oval, there will be plenty of chances for the SLC 2034 organizing committee to evaluate transportation, fan movements and more.

“We heard that transportation was a little tricky during the Games in ’02,” said SLC 2034 Chief Executive Officer Brad Wilson. “We want to make sure that we’re aware of that and work on those issues.”

For Morris, the time between now and 2034 is exciting for US Speedskating for one major reason — the Oval itself, which was built for the 2002 Games and has been used as the NGB’s home since.

“It was a big topic of the meetings today is how do we get more kids from Utah representing Team USA at the Olympics in 2034,” he said. “That’s the great opportunity about having this runway, which didn’t exist in 2002. This facility wasn’t here. And so we have so many pieces of the puzzle in place now with this eight-year runway, that’s the real opportunity for us to take advantage of.”