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Suzanne Schulting (NED) and Choi Min Jeong (KOR) – the two dominant Women’s Short Track racers of the last decade – have had wildly contrasting seasons.
Choi decided to decompress after the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and start the season gradually, building up to the World Championships next month on home soil.
Schulting, however, has been her supercharged self from day one, dominating every World Cup, as well as the recent European Championships.
At the penultimate ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup in Dresden, Germany, however, the pair were finally both at their peak at the same time – with Schulting victorious in the 1000m, edging her closer to grasping the Crystal Globe, and Choi bossing the 1500m (1).
Schulting lead looks unassailable
Two-time World Champion and three-time Olympic gold medallist Schulting has her sights trained on the Crystal Globe – and her rivals needed her to falter today if they were to stand any chance.
It looked like that might happen, too: the Netherlands racer took a nasty fall in the quarterfinals of the 1000m, earning an advancement – but would the injury hamper her?
“I hit my face and my ankle, and the ankle was the worst part,” she said. “It’s not nice to feel it and to have to race again, but we are Short Track skaters, and we have to be able to switch.
“I’m lucky, I can feel the ankle now and when I’m walking, but when I’m skating again, it was OK, I didn’t feel it.”
That winning feeling: Suzanne Schulting (NED) roars to 1000m gold in Dresden. @ISU
Schulting once again fought with Hanne Desmet (BEL) – who had unexpectedly defeated her in the 1000m, Schulting’s favourite distance, at the European Championships.
But this time the No.1-ranked athlete prevailed, using her trademark finishing speed to hold off a late charge from the Belgian. Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) was third.
“Hanne is a strong skater, and I am too,” said Schulting. “We are training together every day and always battle. It was a nice race, and I’m glad I won.”
The result puts Schulting on 812 points, ahead of Courtney Sarault (CAN) with 592 and Santos-Griswold (USA) with 570. Only a miracle can stop her winning the Globe, and she is excited.
“I’ve been thinking about it all season,” she said. “There is an awards ceremony in Dordrecht (Netherlands), and so since the start of the season I’ve had it in my mind. I’m happy to have so many points. I want to go safe to Dordrecht.”
Choi hits top gear
Choi looks to be timing her form perfectly for the World Championships. After a quiet year in which she prioritised recuperation, in Dresden she looked like a four-time World Champion again, cranking up the speed to take the 1500m (1) title.
Back to her best: Choi Min Jeong (KOR) wins the 1500m (1) after a slow start to the season. @ISU
“I am really happy to win my first gold medal of the season,” said Choi. “My goal was always to build up towards the championships in Korea.
“After the Olympics, I really needed lots of rest. So I had time off and it has been slow coming back. It meant I didn’t do well at the start of the season, but now I am starting to feel good again.”
Sarault has had an excellent term, but seems resigned to second place overall in the globe. “Today was OK, but I didn’t race my own race – I was focusing too much on those around me,” she said.
“I should have calmed down and saved my legs a little bit. I reacted too much, which is something I used to do and thought I’d go over, but apparently not.
“My season overall though, has been good. I didn’t expect to be up near the top, because I took a little bit more time off this summer. Maybe laying on the beach and having some happiness worked for me.
“But Suzanne is a little too far ahead now. There is a distance I messed up which could have put me more in the battle, but you have to be consistent. She is very consistent, and that’s what is keeping her ahead.”
The World Cup continues on Sunday with the 500m, 1500m (2) and women’s 3000m relay.
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.
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