365 days before Milan Odido surprises short trackers with support from home on their skating suits

With exactly one year to go until the Winter Olympics in Milan, the Dutch shorttrackers will appear at the start of the ISU Shorttrack World Tour - Odido Cup in a unique outfit. Xandra Velzeboer, Sjinkie Knegt, Jens van ‘t Wout and their teammates were surprised with a special gesture: personal messages from loved ones, family and friends printed on their skating suits in the place where normally the sponsor can be found.

Thanks to TeamNL partner Odido, the skaters will get an extra source of inspiration during the ISU Shorttrack World Tour in Tilburg. The personal messages, meant to motivate and support, replace the Odido logo on the suits for this occasion. Top sport can be lonely, but the support of people around them allows the absolute best to cope with pressure, setbacks and challenges. 

Those important people are also there during competitions, but at the end of the day, short trackers are alone on the ice. With the replacement of the Odido logos, Xandra Velzeboer, Sjinkie Knegt, Jens van ‘t Wout and their teammates also have the support of loved ones while on the ice. The unveiling of the new skating suits, the day before the start of the tournament in Tilburg, caused emotional reactions among the skaters. For instance, Jens van ‘t Wout, who recently dominated at the European Shorttrack Championships, was moved to tears. But champion Xandra Velzeboer was also perplexed by the personal message she received.