World Cup competition in long track speed skating also commences this coming weekend in Berlin, with three Australians taking their places in the field.

Former national short track representative Ben Southee will take on the 500m, 1000m and 1500m events, while two former in-line skaters who have made the transition from roller blades to ice skates - Sophie Muir and Josh Lose - will also make their long track debut in the German event.

Sophie Muir, a multiple World Inline Champion at junior and open level, will skate the 500m and 1000m, while Lose, who is a World Inline Championships silver medallist, will skate the 5000m in Berlin.

Daniel Greig, a third skater to move across from the in-line discipline, has been temporarily side-lined with injury, but is also attempting to qualify for Vancouver, as is 1998 Nagano Olympic short track representative Richard Goerlitz. Both have also qualified for World Cup, Greig in 500m and Goerlitz in 1500m.

Should any of the five meet the Vancouver qualification standard and be selected by the AOC, it will be the first time since the 1994 Lillehammer Games that Australia has had Olympic representation in long track.

Ben Southee set new Australian records in the 500m and 1500m during a Calgary Invitational meet at the end of October, in the process making the World Cup qualifying standard.

He raced to a 1:48.79 in the 1500m to lower Richard Goerlitz's previous national record by almost two seconds, and also record an Olympic qualifying time.

Goerlitz also skated in the event and posted a World Cup qualifying time of 1:52.86.

In the 500m, Southee lowered Daniel Greig's national record, set in March, bringing it down to 36.78.

Former Inline world champion, and now fully qualified long track coach Desly Hill had Muir, Grieg and Lose in Berlin for a training camp and some racing during October, with the group contesting two events on the weekend of October 24/25.

Muir skated season bests in the 500m and 1000m, recording 40.25 and 1:21.31 respectively. The 500m time was only marginally slower than her personal best skated in Calgary in March, so very promising for the start of the World Cup season.

Josh Lose competed in the 1500m and 5000m events, posting a season best 1:54.50 in the 1500m.

In the 5000m, Lose came up against the one and only Bob de Jong of the Netherlands the 10,000m gold medalist from the 2006 Torino Games and a four-time world champion in the 5000m and 10000m disciplines. Lose skated an admirable 7:01.19 to finish 40 seconds behind de Jong, who produced a season best time.

Daniel Greig competed in the 500m and 1000m disciplines, skating slightly off his best with a 38.43 and 1:16.57 respectively, but is expected to slice his times down as the season progresses.