Tilburg Prepares for ISU Short Track World Tour

The world’s best short track skaters can be seen in Tilburg a year before the Olympic Games. From 7 to 9 February 2025, IJssportcentrum Tilburg will be the battleground for the fifth event of the ISU Short Track World Tour, a series of six three-day competitions where the global elite of this spectacular sport face off against each other.

The ISU Short Track World Tour 2024-2025 kicks off from October 25-27 in Montreal, Canada. A week later, from November 1-3, the action moves to Salt Lake City, USA. In December, the international short track circuit heads to Asia, with events in Beijing, China (December 6-8), and Seoul, South Korea (December 13-15). The World Tour concludes in Milan, Italy, from February 14-16, 2025.

Tilburg Secures Five-Year Short Track Partnership
Tilburg’s inclusion in the successor to the ISU World Cups stems from a five-year collaboration agreement between the KNSB, TIG Sports, and the Municipality of Tilburg. During this period, Tilburg will host World Tour events (the successor to the ISU World Cups) and the 2026 European Short Track Championships.

IJssportcentrum Tilburg Expands for World Tour
IJssportcentrum Tilburg, the venue for the World Tour, is not only the home of ice hockey club Tilburg Trappers but has also hosted the Challenge Cup/NK Kunstschaatsen, the Netherlands’ largest figure skating event, for several years. For the Short Track World Tour, the stadium’s capacity will be expanded to over 3,000 seats. Additionally, various upgrades have been implemented to meet ISU standards, including improved lighting and sound systems, as well as enhanced safety measures for the athletes.

Jeroen Kraaij: Tilburg Shows Passion for Skating and Short Track
“We can see that Tilburg has a genuine passion for skating in all its forms,” said Jeroen Kraaij, commercial director of the KNSB, during the signing of the cooperation agreement in mid-2023. “There are many opportunities to further elevate the short track events, which we’ve already brought to a high level together with TIG Sports, to new heights in Tilburg. Moreover, it’s fantastic that the large community of short track fans in the Netherlands will have the chance to watch TeamNL Shorttrack and other world champions compete live in Tilburg.”

Maarten van Asten: Tilburg is Growing into an Ice Sports City
Maarten van Asten, Alderman for Sport in the municipality of Tilburg, stated:
“Tilburg is increasingly becoming an ice sports city, and the arrival of the international short track competitions at our IJssportcentrum is a wonderful crowning achievement. Short track has grown rapidly over the past decade, especially as a spectator sport. We are extremely proud to host these top-tier events for the next five years. It’s incredible to be mentioned alongside global cities like Salt Lake City, Montreal, Beijing, Seoul, and Milan!”

TIG Sports and KNSB: A Partnership for a Sporting Spectacle
TIG Sports has been the KNSB’s event partner for international short track competitions since 2011 and will also oversee the ISU Short Track World Tour in Tilburg. Niels Markensteijn, director of TIG Sports, commented: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Tilburg. The positive energy and cooperation we’ve already experienced from the city give us confidence that, together with the municipality and the KNSB, we will create a spectacular sporting event complemented by fitting entertainment at the IJssportcentrum.”

More about the ISU Short Track World Tour on Schaatsen.nl:
https://www.schaatsen.nl/nieuws/shorttrack-krijgt-flitsende-makeover-van-isu-world-tour/