World Cup ace in a slump

Season over: “Bad to abysmal!”

The season is over for Vanessa Herzog.(Bild: EPA)

Vanessa Herzog ends season prematurely, even skips the World Championships. With old training plans, things should work out again in the 2026 Olympic year. Now she's off to Africa with her coach husband Tom.

Over, over - over! Three 17th places at the speed skating World Cup in Poland were certainly not satisfactory for Carinthia's double Olympic fourth-placer. Vanessa Herzog and her coach husband Tom therefore decided to end the season early - the 29-year-old will therefore miss the last World Cup in Heerenveen (Hol) and the World Championships in Hamar (Nor).

If next season is as bad again, it will probably be the last.

Tom HERZOG, Trainer-Ehemann von Vanessa

"We had to compete again in Poland to stay in the A group for next season. Vanessa is unfortunately not putting in the training performances on the ice this year. The season was nothing at all - everything from bad to abysmal," says Tom, analyzing the training plan for the 2026 Olympics in Italy.

Training plans from Tom
"We'll go back to the methods we used six years ago - Vanessa trained even more consistently and only according to my instructions. She was in the best shape ever," says Tom, hoping that the tactics will work again. In ten days' time, the pair will take off to Africa for their annual safari tour.

"After that, the Olympic preparations will start - but if next season is as bad as this one, it will probably be the last. Otherwise, even the 2030 Olympics would still be an option."