Japan’s Tatsuya Shinhama became the first speed skater to defeat Jordan Stolz in a World Cup race in more than one year, snapping the American’s record win streak at 18 in a row.
Shinhama, 28, won the 500m at a World Cup stop at Stolz’s home oval in Milwaukee on Sunday.
Shinhama clocked 34.14 seconds for his 12th career World Cup victory, holding off Stolz by five hundredths in the same pair.
It marked Stolz’s first defeat on the World Cup since Jan. 28, 2024 in a 5000m — a distance he rarely skates. His last defeat in the 500m was Dec. 10, 2023.
In Milwaukee, Stolz had won a 1000m on Friday and a 500m and 1500m on Saturday, all in the fastest times in history at a sea-level venue. He won Saturday’s 500m in 33.91.
“I didn’t have the snap today, just fatigued,” he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
His 18 victories in a row broke the men’s record of 15 set by retired Dutchman Sven Kramer from 2012-14, according to Dutch broadcaster NOS and speedskatingstats.com. All of Stolz’s wins came in individual events, while Kramer’s included six in the team pursuit.
"(The streak ending) doesn’t matter, though, as long as I do well at World Championships,” in March, Stolz told Dutch broadcaster NOS.
Stolz is the two-time reigning world champion in the 500m, 1000m and 1500m.
The speed skating World Cup continues Feb. 21-23 in Poland, live on Peacock.