View source for World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships

{{Short description|Series of speed skating competitions}}
The '''World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships'''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.isu.org/media/419577/announcement-isu-world-single-distances-ss-champs-2017-gangneung.pdf |title=ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships 2016, Kolomna, Russia |website=ISU.org |publisher=[[International Skating Union]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311172946/http://static.isu.org/media/1002/announcement-world-single-distances-ss-champs-2016-kolomna.pdf |archive-date=11 March 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.isu.org/media/419577/announcement-isu-world-single-distances-ss-champs-2017-gangneung.pdf |title=ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships 2017, Gangneung, Korea  |website=ISU.org |publisher=[[International Skating Union]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202235352/http://static.isu.org/media/419577/announcement-isu-world-single-distances-ss-champs-2017-gangneung.pdf |archive-date=2 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships, 2019 Inzell, Germany |url=https://www.isu.org/events/eventdetail/11204/-/isu-world-single-distances-speed-skating-championships?templateParam=11 |website=ISU.org |publisher=[[International Skating Union]] |access-date=12 July 2018}}</ref> are a series of [[speed skating]] competitions organised by the [[International Skating Union]].

==History==
Since the late 19th century, speed skating championships were always decided by racing multiple distances – four different distances for the [[World Allround Speed Skating Championships|Allround Championships]], and two different distances (which have to be skated twice) for [[World Sprint Speed Skating Championships|Sprint Championships]]. However, the speed skating events at the [[Winter Olympic Games|Olympic Games]] were always individual distances, no medals are awarded for a combined event (the only exception being the [[Speed skating at the 1924 Winter Olympics|1924 Winter Olympics]]).

Towards the end of the 20th century, skaters started to specialize and it became rare that a skater was able to dominate both the short and the long distances. Perhaps the last skater able to do so was [[Eric Heiden]], who won all five distances at the [[1980 Winter Olympics]]. As a consequence of this specialization, the difference between the Olympic Games and the regular championships, and the popularity of both the [[Speed skating World Cup]] and Single Distance Championships held nationally in several countries, the International Skating Union decided to organise the World Single Distance Championships.

Starting in 1996, this originally was an annual event, but in 1998 it became clear that having World Single Distance Championships and the Single Distance Championships as held at the Winter Olympics during the same year was too much, so since 1999, the World Single Distance Championships are no longer held in (Winter) Olympic years.

==Distances==

The skaters compete in the following distances:
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Men
([[World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships for Men|'''List of medal winners''']])
!Women
[[World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships for Women|('''List of medal winners''']])
!'''Notes'''
|-
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Men#500 m|500 m]]
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Women#500 m|500 m]]
|
|-
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Men#1,000 m|1,000 m]]
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Women#1,000 m|1,000 m]]
|
|-
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Men#1,500 m|1,500 m]]
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Women#1,500 m|1,500 m]]
|
|-
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Men#5,000 m|5,000 m]]
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Women#3,000 m|3,000 m]]
|
|-
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Men#10,000 m|10,000 m]]
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Women#5,000 m|5,000 m]]
|
|-
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Men#Team pursuit|Team pursuit]]
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Women#Team pursuit|Team pursuit]]
|''(since 2005)''
|-
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Men#Mass start|Mass start]] 
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Women#Mass start|Mass start]] 
|''(since 2015)''
|-
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Men#Team sprint|Team sprint]]
|[[World Single Distance Championships for Women#Team sprint|Team sprint]] 
|''(2019–2020, since 2023)''
|}

==Summary==
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
!colspan=5| ISU Single Distances Championships
|-
!Number!!Year!!City!!Country!!Events
|-
| align=center|1 || [[1996 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|1996]] || [[Hamar]] || {{NOR}} || align=center|10
|-
| align=center|2 || [[1997 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|1997]] || [[Warsaw]] || {{POL}} || align=center|10
|-
| align=center|3 || [[1998 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|1998]] || [[Calgary, Alberta|Calgary]] || {{CAN}} || align=center|10
|-
| align=center|4 || [[1999 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|1999]] || [[Heerenveen]] || {{NED}} || align=center|10
|-
| align=center|5 || [[2000 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2000]] || [[Nagano, Nagano|Nagano]] || {{JPN}} || align=center|10
|-
| align=center|6 || [[2001 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2001]] || [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]] || {{USA}} || align=center|10
|-
| align=center|7 || [[2003 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2003]] || [[Berlin]] || {{GER}} || align=center|10
|-
| align=center|8 || [[2004 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2004]] || [[Seoul]] || {{KOR}} || align=center|10
|-
| align=center|9 || [[2005 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2005]] || [[Inzell]] || {{GER}} || align=center|12
|-
| align=center|10 || [[2007 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2007]] || [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]] || {{USA}} || align=center|12
|-
| align=center|11 || [[2008 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2008]] || [[Nagano, Nagano|Nagano]] || {{JPN}} || align=center|12
|-
| align=center|12 || [[2009 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2009]] || [[Richmond Olympic Oval|Richmond]] || {{CAN}} || align=center|12
|-
| align=center|13 || [[2011 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2011]] || [[Inzell]] || {{GER}} || align=center|12
|-
| align=center|14 || [[2012 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2012]] || [[Heerenveen]] || {{NED}} || align=center|12
|-
| align=center|15 || [[2013 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2013]] || [[Sochi]] || {{RUS}} || align=center|12
|-
| align=center|16 || [[2015 World Single Distance Speed Skating Championships|2015]] || [[Heerenveen]] || {{NED}} || align=center|14
|-
| align=center|17 || [[2016 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships|2016]] || [[Kolomna]] || {{RUS}} || align=center|14
|-
| align=center|18 || [[2017 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships|2017]] || [[Gangneung]] || {{KOR}} || align=center|14
|-
| align=center|19 || [[2019 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships|2019]] || [[Inzell]] || {{GER}} || align=center|16
|-
| align=center|20 || [[2020 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships|2020]] || [[Salt Lake City, Utah|Salt Lake City]] || {{USA}} || align=center|16
|-
| align=center|21 || [[2021 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships|2021]] || [[Heerenveen]] || {{NED}} || align=center|14
|-
| align=center|22 || [[2023 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships|2023]] || [[Heerenveen]] || {{NED}} || align=center|16
|-
| align=center|23 || [[2024 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships|2024]] || [[Calgary, Alberta|Calgary]] || {{CAN}} || align=center|16
|-
| align=center|24 || [[2025 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships|2025]] || [[Hamar]] || {{NOR}} || align=center|16
|}

==Medal summary==
The medal table by nations is the total number of the 16 distances (men and women) at all of the 23 championships (1996–2025). The individual tables are about the eight distances by gender.

===Nations===
All medals, click on the nation to go to the list of medallists.

''Updated after the [[2025 World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships|2025 World Championships]].''

{{Medals table
 | caption        = 
 | host           = 
 | flag_template  = flagcountry
 | event          = 
 | team           = 
 | gold_NED = 120 | silver_NED = 104 | bronze_NED = 79 | name_NED = {{flagicon|NED}} [[Netherlands at the World Single Distance Championships|Netherlands]]
 | gold_GER = 36 | silver_GER = 33 | bronze_GER = 27
 | gold_CAN = 31 | silver_CAN = 42 | bronze_CAN = 43
 | gold_USA = 29 | silver_USA = 18 | bronze_USA = 30
 | gold_CZE = 16 | silver_CZE = 7 | bronze_CZE = 6
 | gold_JPN = 15 | silver_JPN = 19 | bronze_JPN = 24
 | gold_RUS = 13 | silver_RUS = 16 | bronze_RUS = 28
 | gold_NOR = 12 | silver_NOR = 17 | bronze_NOR = 14
 | gold_KOR = 10 | silver_KOR = 13 | bronze_KOR = 8
 | gold_ITA = 6 | silver_ITA = 9 | bronze_ITA = 4
 | gold_CHN = 4 | silver_CHN = 12 | bronze_CHN = 7
 | gold_BEL = 2 | silver_BEL = 2 | bronze_BEL = 4
 | gold_AUT = 2 | silver_AUT = 2 | bronze_AUT = 2
 | gold_SWE = 2 | silver_SWE = 1 | bronze_SWE = 0 | name_SWE = {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Sweden at the World Single Distance Championships|Sweden]]
 | gold_RSU = 1 | silver_RSU = 3 | bronze_RSU = 7 | name_RSU = ''[[Russia|Russian Skating Union]]''
 | gold_KAZ = 1 | silver_KAZ = 0 | bronze_KAZ = 1
 | gold_POL = 0 | silver_POL = 2 | bronze_POL = 7 | name_POL = {{flagicon|POL}} [[Poland at the World Single Distance Championships|Poland]]
 | gold_FRA = 0 | silver_FRA = 1 | bronze_FRA = 2
 | gold_BLR = 0 | silver_BLR = 1 | bronze_BLR = 1 | name_BLR = {{flagicon|BLR}} [[Belarus at the World Single Distance Championships|Belarus]]
 | gold_NZL = 0 | silver_NZL = 1 | bronze_NZL = 1 | name_NZL = {{flagicon|NZL}} [[New Zealand at the World Single Distance Championships|New Zealand]]
 | gold_FIN = 0 | silver_FIN = 0 | bronze_FIN = 2 | name_FIN = {{flagicon|FIN}} [[Finland at the World Single Distance Championships|Finland]]
 | gold_GBR = 0 | silver_GBR = 0 | bronze_GBR = 1
 | gold_SUI = 0 | silver_SUI = 0 | bronze_SUI = 1
}}

===Men===
Top 10, including team pursuit and team sprint. Boldface denotes active skaters and highest medal count among all skaters (including those who are not included in these tables) per type.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" width=80% style="text-align:center;"
|- style="background-color:#EDEDED;"
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" style="width:1em" | Rank
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" | Skater
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" | Country
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" | From
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" | To
! style="background:    gold; width:8%" | Gold
! style="background:  silver; width:8%" | Silver
! style="background: #CC9966; width:8%" | Bronze
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" style="width:8%" |Total
|-
| 1 || align="left" | [[Sven Kramer]] || align="left" | {{NED}} || 2007 || 2020 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | '''21''' || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 3 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 2 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | '''26'''
|-align="center"
| 2 || align="left" | [[Shani Davis]] || align="left" | {{USA}} || 2004 || 2015 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 8 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 4 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 3 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 15
|-align="center"
| 3 || align="left" | [[Bob de Jong]] || align="left" | {{NED}} || 1997 || 2013 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 7 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | '''8''' || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 5 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 20
|-align="center"
| 4 || align="left" | [[Gianni Romme]] || align="left" | {{NED}} || 1996 || 2004 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 7 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 2 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 3 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 12
|-align="center"
| 5 || align="left" | [[Erben Wennemars]] || align="left" | {{NED}} || 1999 || 2008 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 6 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 2 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 3 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 11
|-align="center"
| 6 || align="left" | '''[[Jordan Stolz]]''' || align="left" | {{USA}} || 2023 || 2025 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 6 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 2 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 1 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 9
|-align="center"
| 7 || align="left" | '''[[Jorrit Bergsma]]''' || align="left" | {{NED}} || 2012 || 2023 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 5 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | '''8''' || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | – || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 13
|-align="center"
| 8 || align="left" | [[Carl Verheijen]] || align="left" | {{NED}} || 2001 || 2009 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 5 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 5 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 3 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 13
|-align="center"
| 9 || align="left" | [[Hiroyasu Shimizu]] || align="left" | {{JPN}} || 1996 || 2005 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 5 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 3 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 2 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 10
|-align="center"
| 10 || align="left" | '''[[Pavel Kulizhnikov]]''' || align="left" | {{RUS}}<BR> [[Russia|Russian Skating Union]] || 2015 || 2021 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 5 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 3 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 1 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 9
|}

===Women===
Top 10, including team pursuit and team sprint. Boldface denotes active skaters and highest medal count among all skaters (including those who are not included in these tables) per type.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" width=80% style="text-align:center;"
|- style="background-color:#EDEDED;"
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" style="width:1em" | Rank
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" | Skater
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" | Country
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" | From
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" | To
! style="background:    gold; width:8%" | Gold
! style="background:  silver; width:8%" | Silver
! style="background: #CC9966; width:8%" | Bronze
! class="hintergrundfarbe5" style="width:8%" |Total
|-
| 1 || align="left" | '''[[Martina Sáblíková]]''' || align="left" | {{CZE}} || 2007 || 2025 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | '''16''' || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 7 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 4 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 27
|-align="center"
| 2 || align="left" | [[Ireen Wüst]] || align="left" | {{NED}} || 2007 || 2021 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 15 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | '''15''' || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 1 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | '''31'''
|-align="center"
| 3 || align="left" | [[Anni Friesinger-Postma|Anni Friesinger]] || align="left" | {{GER}} || 1997 || 2009 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 12 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 9 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 1 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 22
|-align="center"
| 4 || align="left" | [[Gunda Niemann-Stirnemann]] || align="left" | {{GER}} || 1996 || 2001 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 11 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 3 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | – || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 14
|-align="center"
| 5 || align="left" | [[Irene Schouten]] || align="left" | {{NED}} || 2015 || 2024 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 8 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 2 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 5 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 15
|-align="center"
| 6 || align="left" | [[Christine Nesbitt]] || align="left" | {{CAN}} || 2007 || 2013 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 7 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 2 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 3 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 12
|-align="center"
| 7 || align="left" | '''[[Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong]]''' || align="left" | {{NED}} || 2016 || 2025 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 6 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 5 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 2 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 13
|-align="center"
| 8 || align="left" | '''[[Miho Takagi (speed skater)|Miho Takagi]]''' || align="left" | {{JPN}} || 2015 || 2025 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 6 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 4 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 6 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 16
|-align="center"
| 9 || align="left" | [[Claudia Pechstein]] || align="left" | {{GER}} || 1996 || 2017 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 5 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 13 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | '''12''' || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 30
|-align="center"
| 10 || align="left" | '''[[Ivanie Blondin]]''' || align="left" | {{CAN}} || 2015 || 2025 || bgcolor="#F7F6A8" | 5 || bgcolor="#DCE5E5" | 9 || bgcolor="#FFDAB9" | 3 || bgcolor="#E7FAEC | 17
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{World skate champs}}
{{World Speed Skating Championships}}

[[Category:World Speed Skating Championships|Single]]