The Pettit National Ice Center, a U.S Olympic Training Facility, will play host to the Essent ISU World Cup Speed Skating Competition November 26 and November 27, 2005. The World Cup will feature the best speed skaters in the world and is a tune-up for the 2006 Winter Olympics in February.
The World Cup marks the first time in more than five years that an international long track competition will be held at the Pettit Center. This Pettit Center-hosted World Cup will also be the last time a world competition will be held on North American soil before the Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. Since many of the athletes who will be competing at the Pettit Center will represent their country at the Winter Games, this competition makes for a true Olympic preview.
"Milwaukee is a great sports town and has established itself as a popular destination for hosting high visibility amateur and professional sporting events," said Doug Neilson, president & CEO of VISIT Milwaukee. "The World Cup will provide us with an opportunity to showcase the Pettit Center, a world-class facility, and the many amenities of Milwaukee to competitors and visitors from throughout the world."
In the two weekends before the Pettit Center event, countries will compete against each other in Calgary and Salt Lake City.
This final North American World Cup will feature the fastest speed skating races on Earth, known as the sprints. Both men and women will take part in 100-meter, 500-meter and 1000-meter races. This past weekend at the Fall World Cup Qualifier, the Pettit Center saw track records fall in the 500-meter and the 1000-meter races to Casey FitzRandolph and Shani Davis respectively.
"I think it is great that the world's fastest sprinters will be right here in Milwaukee just two months before the Olympics,” said Bonnie Blair-Cruikshank, the most decorated U.S. female Winter Olympic athlete ever. “ Also, in my eyes, America has some of the fastest sprinters in the world and they will definitely have an edge with the crowd and the home ice advantage."
With the U.S. skaters returning to the Pettit Center, as well as some very fast competition from the world’s top skaters, you can expect to see more records tumble during the World Cup.
Up to 20 countries from all corners of the globe will be bringing their best skaters to Milwaukee and the Pettit Center for the World Cup.
For more information on the Essent ISU World Cup or for media accreditation, please contact Rob Multerer at the Pettit National Ice Center by phone at 414.266.0100, ext. 132 or by email at rmulterer@thepettit.com.
Contact: Rob Multerer
Director of Marketing
Pettit National Ice Center
414.266.0100, ext. 132
rmulterer@thepettit.com
