Thialf () is an ice arena in Heerenveen, Netherlands. Thialf is used for long track speed skating, short track speed skating, ice hockey, figure skating, ice speedway, and non-sporting events. The outdoor rink was opened in 1967, and the indoor stadium was opened in 1986. Several world records have been set in the indoor stadium.
Annually, Thialf hosts two Speed Skating World Cup events. Jan de Jong was the ice rink master at Thialf for many years. Thialf will host the speed skating competition during the 2030 Winter Olympics.Thialf in Heerenveen confirmed as speed skating venue for 2030 Winter Olympics
History
Thialf is named after Thialfi, a character in Norse mythology, who was Thor's servant and had to race a giant.
Construction on the artificial outdoor ice rink was started in 1966, and it was opened on 14 October 1967 by Princess Christina of the Netherlands. It was the third 400m artificial ice rink in the Netherlands, after the Jaap Eden baan in Amsterdam and the IJsselstadion in Deventer. Several national and international tournaments have been held in Thialf, but only one world record has been set on the outdoor rink, by Andrea Schöne on the 5000 m in 1983.
The roofed stadium, which seats 12,500 people, opened on 17 November 1986, about a year after Sportforum Hohenschönhausen in Berlin, which was the first 400m indoor speed skating oval in the world. Thanks to the indoor conditions, allowing climate control, almost all world speed skating records were broken at Thialf in the first season.<ref name="World records at Thialf" Since 1988 it has been overtaken as the "fastest ice in the world" by the high-altitude indoor rinks in Calgary and Salt Lake City, which have the additional benefit of low air pressure.
Every year there are main skating events like the Dutch, European and World championships, and one or two Speed Skating World Cup events in Thialf.
The 2500-seat ice hockey arena adjacent to the speed skating oval is the home arena of the Heerenveen Flyers, one of the Netherlands' most successful ice hockey clubs. It is also the main arena used in the Netherlands for international ice hockey tournaments, hosting the IIHF World U18 Championships (Division II, Group A) in late March 2012.
The stadium was renovated in 2016.
2030 Winter Olympics
In April 2025, the organizing committee for the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps started to consider having long track speed skating in Thialf. The organizing committee determined that it was not economical to develop a new or temporary speed skating venue in France for the games and instead looked for an existing venue elsewhere. In June 2026, Thialf was confirmed as the speed skating venue, making the 2026 games the first Winter Olympics (and the fourth overall, after 1920, 1956, and 2008) to have events that would be hosted outside of the host country. It will be the first Olympic events held in The Netherlands in 102 years, following the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam.Thialf in Heerenveen confirmed as speed skating venue for 2030 Winter Olympics
Long track speed skating Events Dutch championships Discipline in: Allround 1968*, 1969, 1973, 1979, 1982, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 Sprint 1969*, 1973*, 1979*, 1982*, 1989, 1992, 2001, 2008, 2011, 2012 Single Distance 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2004, 2006, 2009, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 * Dutch allround 1968: only for women. * Dutch sprint: 1969, 1973, 1979, 1982: only for men.
European championships Discipline in: Allround Men: 1971, 1975 Women: 1970, 1981, 1982, 1983 M+W: 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2021, 2025 Sprint 2017, 2021, 2025 Single Distance 2020, 2022, 2024 World championships Discipline in: Allround Men: 1976, 1977, 1980, 1987, 1991 Women: 1972, 1974, 1992 M+W: 1998, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2014, 2026 Sprint 1985, 1989, 1996, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2026 Single Distance 1999, 2012, 2015, 2021, 2023 World Cup Discipline in: World Cup 2006–07: WC1 + WC6 2007–08: WC4 + WC9 2008–09: WC2 + WC8 2009–10: WC2 + WC7 2010–11: WC1 + WC8 (final) 2011–12: WC3 + WC6 2012–13: WC1 + WC9 (final) 2013–14: WC6 (final) 2014–15: WC4 + WC6 2015–16: WC4 + WC6 (final)
Track records These are the current track records in Thialf. Men Distance Time Skater Date Duration 500 m 33.78 Jenning de Boo 5 March 2026 days 1000 m 1:06.38 Jordan Stolz 6 December 2025 days 1500 m 1:42.55 Jordan Stolz 5 December 2025 days 3000 m 3:34.09 Metoděj Jílek 16 September 2025 days 5000 m 6:01.61 Sander Eitrem 7 March 2026 days 10000 m 12:29.63 Metoděj Jílek 6 December 2025 days Team sprint 1:18.31 6 January 2024 days Team pursuit 3:34.22 5 January 2024 days
Women Distance Time Skater Date Duration 500 m 36.67 Femke Kok 5 March 2026 days 1000 m 1:12.80 Jutta Leerdam 28 December 2022 days 1500 m 1:52.69 Femke Kok 4 October 2025 days 3000 m 3:54.04 Irene Schouten 20 November 2022 days 5000 m 6:41.25 Irene Schouten 5 March 2023 days 10000 m 14:35.61 Carien Kleibeuker 13 March 2018 days Team sprint 1:26.17 10 January 2020 days Team pursuit 2:54.12 9 January 2022 days
World records The following world records were set in Thialf. Men Distance Time Skater Dates Set Broken 500 m 36.55 Nick Thometz 19–03–1987 14–02–1988 1000 m 1:12.58 Igor Zhelezovski 25–02–1989 17–12–1993 1500 m 1:52.70 Nikolay Gulyayev 15–02–1987 05–12–1987 1:48.88 Rintje Ritsma 20–12–1997 12–02–1998 3000 m 3:59.27 Leo Visser 19–03–1987 13–03–1990 3:57.52 Johann Olav Koss 13–03–1990 03–04–1992 3:52.67 Jelmer Beulenkamp 25–02–1998 21–03–1998 5000 m 6:47.01 Leo Visser 14–02–1987 22–11–1987 6:45.44 Geir Karlstad 22–11–1987 04–12–1987 6:41.73 Johann Olav Koss 09–02–1991 22–01–1993 6:38.77 Johann Olav Koss 22–01–1993 13–03–1993 6:36.57 Johann Olav Koss 13–03–1993 04–12–1993 6:30.63 Gianni Romme 07–12–1997 08–02–1998 10000 m 14:03.92 Geir Karlstad 15–02–1987 06–12–1987 13:43.54 Johann Olav Koss 10–02–1991 20–02–1994 13:03.40 Gianni Romme 26–11–2000 20–02–2002 12:57.92 Carl Verheijen 04–12–2005 31–12–2005 12:49.88 Sven Kramer 11–02–2007 10–03–2007 12:32.95 Nils van der Poel 14–02–2021 11–02–2022
Women Distance Time Skater Dates Set Broken 500 m 39.43 Bonnie Blair 19–03–1987 06–12–1987 3000 m 4:16.85 Yvonne van Gennip 19–03–1987 05–12–1987 4:07.80 Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann 07–12–1997 13–12–1997 4:05.08 Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann 14–03–1998 27–03–1998 5000 m 7:40.97 Andrea Schöne 23–01–1983 15–01–1984 7:20.36 Yvonne van Gennip 20–03–1987 28–02–1988 6:55.34 Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann 25–11–2000 10–03–2001
Other events The arena has hosted concerts by many famous artists, including Whitney Houston, Tina Turner, André Rieu, TOTO, Trance Energy and Prince, among others.
Also, the Miss Universe competition was held in Thialf several times.
See also List of indoor arenas in the Netherlands List of indoor speed skating rinks
References
External links
Track records