The global short-track speed skating season is set to kick off this week with the commencement of the World Tour in Vancouver, followed by a subsequent event in Montreal. The tour comprises seven stops, including visits to South Korea, China, Poland, and the Netherlands, culminating in the world championships scheduled to be held in Seoul in March.
Canada is an apt choice to launch the tour as it has emerged as one of the top short-track nations. Last season, the Canadian team, known as the Ice Maples, secured a remarkable 31 total medals, including 15 gold medals, across the four World Tour stops, clinching their second consecutive team Crystal Globe trophy. This achievement surpassed second-place South Korea, which garnered 21 medals, including nine golds.
Will Dandjinou from Canada retained his title as the individual men’s overall champion, while Courtney Sarault claimed her first women’s overall crown. However, despite their success, Canada faced setbacks in the major events of the season.
During the Winter Olympics in Italy, Canadian short-track skaters contributed five out of the country’s 21 medals. Sarault stood out with four medals, including two silver and two bronze, while Steven Dubois secured a gold in the men’s 500 meters race. Despite this, Canada finished third in the short-track standings behind the Netherlands and South Korea.
Subsequently, at the world championships in Montreal, Dandjinou and the Canadian team aimed for a comeback but fell short. Although Dandjinou assisted Canada in retaining the men’s relay title and clinched a silver in the mixed relay, he missed the podium in his individual races. Similarly, Sarault did not secure an individual medal.
Looking ahead, Dandjinou opted to skip the initial World Tour stops in Vancouver and Montreal to explore long-track skating at the Canadian championships in Quebec City, where he finished ninth in the 1,500m race. He intends to rejoin the short-track World Tour in South Korea next month and expressed his desire to compete in short track at the 2030 Olympics.
Meanwhile, Canada has selected 12 skaters, including Dubois and Sarault, to compete in Vancouver and Montreal. Notably, Kim Boutin, a Canadian star, retired after the world championships, concluding her career with six Olympic medals and three world titles.
The World Tour events feature qualifying rounds on Fridays, followed by medal races on Saturdays and Sundays. Each stop includes three individual distances (500m, 1,000m, and 1,500m) as well as men’s, women’s, and mixed relays. Viewers can watch the medal races live on the CBC Gem streaming service and CBC Sports website. The coverage of the Vancouver event will begin this Saturday from 7-11 p.m. ET and continue on Sunday at the same time. Additionally, the CBC TV network will feature the action from the Vancouver event on Saturday from 9-11 p.m. ET as part of the CBC Sports Primetime show.
