The planet’s greatest Short Track Speed Skaters get together to kick off the 25th ISU World Cup Short Track Series, at the Maurice-Richard arena, Montreal (CAN) from 28 to 30 October.
Women and Men will duel for 500m, 1000m and 1500m individual medals, and there will be Relays in the Women’s (3000m), Men’s (5000m) and Mixed Team (2000m). This year, Skaters will have their eye on the new Crystal Globe Trophy which will be awarded to the Man and Woman with the most accumulated points throughout the season. More information on the Crystal Globe can be found here.
Canada usually performs well on home ice and, as ever, one of Short Track’s fastest women, Kim Boutin (CAN), will lead the charge. The 500m world record holder enjoyed an impressive season last year, winning five silver medals at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships, also held at Montreal’s Maurice-Richard arena.
Kim Boutin (CAN) reacts at the 2022 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Montreal, Canada.© ISU
The 28-year-old, who also claimed Olympic bronze in the 500m eight months ago, can blow away the opposition to top the podium and will be aim to bag some points to be in a chance to grasp the Crystal Globe Trophy at the end of the season.
Courtney Sarault and Danae Blais will also be in the hunt for the host nation.
Kim Boutin, Courtney Sarault and Danae Blais (CAN) in training for the race during the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, China. © Getty Images
As local legend Charles Hamelin retires, the Men’s cohort he inspired (and with whom he won Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games Men’s Relay gold) – Pascal Dion, Jordan Pierre-Gilles and Steven Dubois – will battle it out to become his successor.
Schulting and Choi reignite fascinating fight for supremacy
There is huge respect between Suzanne Schulting (NED), and Choi Min Jeong (KOR), and the pair have already achieved enough to be considered greats of the sport.
Choi won her fourth overall ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships title in 2022 – a remarkable feat at 24 years old – and at Beijing 2022 retained the Olympic 1500m she won at PyeongChang in 2018.
Minjeong Choi (KOR) poses on the podium at the 2022 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Montreal, Canada.© ISU
After a couple of seasons marred by injury in the early stages, it will also be fascinating to see how a fully fit Choi can perform across the year, with the new Crystal Globe Trophy her key aim. Montreal will offer an early indication.
Schulting has two overall World Championship titles but might have as many as Choi had it not been for the cancellation of the 2020 World Championships due to the global pandemic, and getting the covid-19 virus herself last spring foiled another shot at glory.
Her Olympics, though, were stellar: two golds – one in the 1000m which she completely dominates, the other in the Women’s Relay. Always utterly driven, she will no doubt come out flying in Montreal, looking to register early points in the quest to win the first ever Crystal Globe.
Also in contention in Canada? Shim Suk Hee and Seo Whimin of Korea are always dangerous, Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) goes from strength to strength, while Natalia Maliszewska (POL) remains a threat in the sprints.
Kristen Santos (USA) competing at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China. © Getty Images
Hungarian brothers miss Men’s battle
The poster boys of Short Track, Shaoang and Shaolin Sandor Liu (HUN) always work as a team, and will be delighted with their work at Beijing 2022 – especially Shaoang’s 500m gold medal, which was Hungary’s first individual gold at an Olympic Winter Games.
Shaoang also won his second overall World Championship title in 2022 and is now the sport’s most dominant Skater, although it’s never a surprise when his elder brother beats him.
But the pair will miss the Montreal meet. So who’s likely to capitalize on their absence?
June Seo Lee (KOR) during the 2022 ISU World Short Track Championships in Montreal, Canada © Getty Images
A young Korean team featuring Lee June Seo and Park Jiwon will always be in contention, while the Dutch squad, including veteran Sjinkie Knegt (NED) and youngster Jens van ’t Wout, is ever-improving.
Surprise packages
Experienced campaigners always follow a post-Olympic season with a much-needed summer break, the type they might not take prior to other campaigns. The first meeting of the season also tends to throw up random results, as skaters dust off the cobwebs and get back to grips with proper racing.
Who might spring a surprise this weekend, then? Hanne Desmet (BEL), Xandra and Michelle Velzeboer (NED), Anna Seidel (GER) and Corrine Stoddard (USA) are among the mid-pack skaters who could jump up a level in the Women’s field; in the Men’s, Pietro Sighel (ITA), Kazuki Yoshinaga (JPN) and Andrew Heo (USA) could all step up.
Xandra Velzeboer o(NED) celebrates after winning the 500m final at the 2022 World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Montreal, Canada.© ISU
For all information about the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series, please visit webpage here.
World Cup Classification - Men
Overall World Cup Classification
World Cup Classification - Women
Overall World Cup Classification
World Cup Classification – Mixed Relay
Where to watch
Viewers will be able to watch the Saturday and Sunday afternoon (local time) World Cup sessions via their national broadcaster/channel.
For countries where there are no broadcasters and for the qualification and repechage races, the ISU will offer a live stream on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. You will find the full list on the Where to watch webpage here.
ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2022/23:
Oct 28 - 30, 2022 Montréal /CAN
Nov 04 - 06, 2022 Salt Lake City /USA
Dec 09 - 11, 2022 Almaty /KAZ
Dec 16 - 18, 2022 Almaty /KAZ
Feb 03 - 05, 2023 Dresden /GER
Feb 10 - 12, 2023 Dordrecht /NED
About ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series
The ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2022. Launched in 1997/98, the Series usually consists of six events (four during an Olympic season) that take place in North America, Europe and Asia.
The competitions have a single distance character across nine distances (500, 1000 and 1500 meters for Women and Men, Women 3000 meters Team Relay, Men 5000 meters Team Relay and a Mixed Gender Relay over 2000 meters), and to mark its 25th anniversary, the series now also includes an Overall World Classification based on an accumulation of points from all individual distances which will determine a Combined Season Ranking and a Season Champion in the Women and Men categories. These Champions will be awarded with the new ISU World Cup Short Track Crystal Globe Trophy.
Each competition is held over three days (day 1 is dedicated to all Qualifying Rounds, days 2 and 3 consist of the last Qualifying Rounds followed by the World Cup sessions). For the Mixed Gender Relay Teams (2 Women & 2 Men), the Women 3000 meters Relay races and Men 5000 meters Relay races a maximum of four Skaters shall compete and must belong to the same ISU Member. For further information please visit isu.org.