Speed Skating

With a remarkable history and singular Olympic heritage, the Pettit National Ice Center is synonymous with speed skating excellence. Yet, anyone who wants to strap on a pair of ice skates can, during one of the many public skating sessions at the Center, may skate on the same Oval as past, current, and future Olympic champions, even fantasizing about her or his own medal winning race while crouched at the starting line.

Speed Skating History

Even prior to the opening in 1967 of the outdoor Olympic Ice Rink at Wisconsin State Fair Park, Milwaukee has served as the center of speed skating in the United States. The outdoor Oval helped to raise the profile nationally of speed skating, attract and inspire determined and talented athletes, and eventually led to the construction of the enclosed Oval of Pettit National Ice Center which opened in 1992. Wisconsin speed skaters have been a strong, impressive contributor to the Olympic effort. At least one speed skater from Wisconsin has been on each winter U.S. Olympic Team since 1932. A substantial percentage of the U.S. medals won in the Olympic Winter Games are speedskating medals. Plus, an overwhelming majority of those speed skating medals have been won by speed skaters who trained and/or competed at the Pettit Center. The Pettit Center serves an essential role for U.S. Speedskating, providing a premiere venue for the training and development for U.S. National team members in both long and short track speed skating, while offering introductory, instructional, and competitive programming for those motivated to pursue Olympic dreams.

Please choose an area of interest below.

Speed Skating Pack Sessions

Pack Speedskating session are $15 per session. 10-pack ($135) and 20-pack ($262) account cards and Season Passes ($960) are available. Pack Speedskating sessions are for experienced speedskaters. Those looking to learn how to speedskate should contact a local speedskating club or join the Pettit Center Learn to Speedskate Class.

Pack Speedskating Schedule

Time Trials/Events

The Pettit Center offers time trials for speed skaters to measure their progress, record qualifying/seeding times for major competitions and gain racing experience. We are pleased to do this and grateful to volunteer officials and timers who make themselves available for the skaters. The deadline for registration for Friday, Saturday or Sunday time trials is the preceding Wednesday at 11PM. Payment of $23 must be made by credit/debit card online at the time of registration. Anyone who has missed the registration deadline must secure permission from the Chief Referee for the TT before they will be permitted to skate. Contact information will be available by clicking on the registration link. A fee of $29 will be assessed for late registrations, payable online prior to the TT. (Cash or check made payable to PNIC if alternative payment is needed). A minimum of 14 registered skaters is required for Time Trials to be held. Please check the registration forms for start times.

Click Here for Schedule

Local Speedskating Clubs and Organizations

Wisconsin Speed Skating Club- The Wisconsin Speed Skating Club (WSSC) is pleased to continue the traditions of the West Allis and Badger Speed Skating Clubs. The Club welcomes and supports speedskaters of all ages and is dedicated to helping youngsters to achieve their goals. WSSC and its predecessors have a long, impressive history of developing competitive and medal-winning skaters for U.S. Speedskating. Skaters can train up to 5 days a week, all year round, under the guidance of experienced, accomplished coaches, both paid and volunteer. The coaches and leadership of the Club believe in the value of the lifelong lessons learned, enjoyment of the sport by the skaters, and friendships created through participation in speedskating. Local, regional, and even national competitions provide appropriate opportunities for youngsters to challenge themselves and develop. Parental involvement is encouraged, appreciated, and enhances the community feeling that is distinctive about this sport. Speedskating meets and Club events offer a variety of activities in which to serve and have fun. The West Allis Speedskating Club’s history dates to the 1930’s, claiming more than 23 Olympians, 50 World Team members and 95 National Champions. For more information on the Wisconsin Speed Skating Club, please contact the club at wisconsinspeedskating@gmail.com.

Elmbrook Speed Skating Club

Pinnacle

DASH- DASH, Developing Athletes for Speedskating High-Performance, has 3 main goals; (1) expanding the speedskating talent pipeline by getting 100,000 kids to try speedskating in the next 3-Olympic cycles & intentionally recruiting promising athletes to the sport; (2) providing a clear pathway for skaters of all abilities, from beginners to world-class, to continue their improvement and achieve their goals in the sport; (3) developing champions on the ice and in their lives! For more information on how to begin developing your speed, send an email to admin@dashskating.org.

Learn How to Speed Skate

The Pettit Center offers introductory speed skating programming for those who are comfortable with the basic skills of ice skating and want to go FAST on the ice or get a good workout without all of the pounding from running! Click here for information on the Learn to Speed Skate Classes

The Pettit Center offers inline skating classes during the Summer months when the Olympic Oval is out. Click here for information on the Agility on Inline Skates Class