"Felt better"

Vanessa Herzog continues the season after all

Speed skater Vanessa Herzog has decided to continue the season. After finishing eleventh twice in the 500 m and twelfth in the 1,000 m at the World Cup in Milwaukee in the US state of Wisconsin at the weekend, she is now aiming for further consolidation at this winter's World Cups in Poland and Heerenveen. 

Before the Milwaukee World Cup, the 29-year-old and her husband Thomas Herzog, who manages her, had mentioned the possibility of calling off her season.

Vanessa Herzog and husband Thomas(Bild: GEPA)

"The races in Milwaukee felt much better than the races in Canada (Calgary) before that," said the athlete. "Realistically, though, we're half a second off the podium, and we need to make up that deficit by next season." Various tactical and technical variations will be tested at the World Cups in Tomaszow Mazowiecki in two weeks' time and in Heerenveen the following week - with a view to the 2026 Winter Games. "A medal at the Olympic Games is and remains my big goal and I'm ready to give it my all."

After the season - the individual track world championships are also scheduled for mid-March in Hamar, Norway - a break from training and competitions will be taken to focus specifically on next year's highlight. "The main focus will be on improving basic speed as well as better and faster starts," said Thomas Herzog. The cooperation with the US national team will be continued and intensified. Unlike in the past ten years, the Tyrolean will not be taking part in any inline skating races in the summer.