Heerenveen has been named as host of the 2023 World Speed Skating Championships ©Getty Images

Heerenveen has been provisionally awarded the hosting rights for the 2023 International Skating Union (ISU) World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships.

The Dutch city was selected as the ISU Council confirmed its initial selections for events in the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 seasons.

Saitama in Japan was also confirmed as the provisional host of the 2023 World Figure Skating Championships, having been previously revealed by local media.

The Netherlands is the global powerhouse in speed skating and Heerenveen last staged the World Single Distances in 2015.

The 2023 edition will be the first since the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.

Other provisional awards made in speed skating include the 2023 European Championships to Hamar in Norway.

Inzell in Germany has been awarded the 2023 World Junior Speed Skating Championships.

Saitama in Japan, last year's host, has been confirmed as the provisional venue for the 2023 World Figure Skating Championships ©Getty Images
Saitama in Japan, last year's host, has been confirmed as the provisional venue for the 2023 World Figure Skating Championships ©Getty Images

In figure skating, the 2022 Four Continents Championships is planned for Tianjin in China with the 2023 edition scheduled for Sydney.

The Australian city was due to play host next year but this event was called off due to COVID-19.

Finnish capital Helsinki has been named as host of the 2023 European Figure Skating Championships with the World Junior Championships in the same year provisionally placed in Calgary in Canada.

Turin in Italy is scheduled to host the 2023 European Short Track Championships, while Gdansk in Poland has been named as the World Junior Short Track Championships venue in the same year.

Lake Placid in the United States has been chosen as the 2023 World Synchronized Skating Championships host.