The Speed Skating World Championships, organized by World Skate, will bring together the world’s best athletes in Beidaihe, China, from September 13 to 21, 2025. Over nine days, more than 40 nations will compete in sprint and long-distance events at the Beidaihe International Roller Skating Center. The competition comes only a month after the World Games, extending a summer of major sporting events within the international sports movement overseen by the International Olympic Committee -IOC-.
Beidaihe, a coastal district of Qinhuangdao, is well known for its beaches and its long-standing reputation as a summer retreat for Beijing’s elite. For decades, it has been associated not only with tourism but also with the discreet political gatherings of senior figures of the Chinese Communist Party, making it both a symbolic and influential location.
Beidaihe, between politics and international sport
The global event will center on the Beidaihe International Roller Skating Center, a modern venue featuring a 200-meter indoor track, an outdoor road circuit, and world-class facilities. Strong delegations are expected from China, India, Chinese Taipei, and Korea, alongside established skating powers such as Colombia, Italy, France, and the United States. For World Skate, the choice of Beidaihe consolidates its strategy of expanding speed skating across Asia, a key region for the sport’s development in the years to come.
The contrast is striking: a location once synonymous with closed-door political meetings now opens to sport and to thousands of fans who will follow the races closely. This transformation places Beidaihe on the global map with a completely different profile than the one that made it historically renowned.
International stars ready to compete
In the men’s sprint events, Spain’s Jhoan Sebastian Guzmán, winner of five gold medals at the World Games, will face Italy’s Vincenzo Maiorca and Duccio Marsili, both part of the team known as the ‘frecce azzurre’.
On the women’s side, Colombia remains the benchmark team, with leading athletes such as María Fernanda Timms, Geiny Pájaro, and Gabriela Rueda. The competition will include Guatemala’s Dalia Soberanis, Italy’s Asja Varani, and France’s Haila Brunet in the sprint races, as well as challengers like Marine Lefeuvre (France) and Gabriela Vargas (Ecuador) in the long-distance events.
Spain, Italy, and Colombia among the contenders
In the senior men’s category, Colombia’s Juan Mantilla starts as the favorite, though he will face tough competition from veteran Patxi Peula, one of Spain’s most decorated international skaters. Italy’s Daniel Niero and Giuseppe Bramante will also aim for podium finishes in what promises to be a highly competitive field.
The host nation, China, will present a mix of emerging talents and experienced athletes, led by veteran Guo Dan. The presence of the home team adds further interest to a championship that, beyond the sporting spectacle, will highlight Beidaihe as a distinctive international venue, reinforcing the role of World Skate and the alignment of this sport with the values of the International Olympic Committee -IOC-.
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