Danae Blais (CAN) will never forget 6-7 December 2024. In the space of just 24 hours, the 25-year-old helped the Canadian Ice Maples break the mixed relay 2000m world record, grabbed her first ever individual ISU Short Track World Tour gold medal and then returned to the Beijing ice and drove the women’s 3000m relay quartet to victory. 

                                                                                                                                 Danae Blais of Canada leading the women's 1000m during the ISU Short Track World Tour in Beijing, China. © ISU

“I don’t realise what I have done yet,” Blais said with a laugh. “I was really tired in the relay, I am not going to lie but my team brought me the energy that I needed and I did what I had to do.”

That team spirit was on show throughout a thrilling first day in the Capital Indoor Stadium. With Steven Dubois and William Dandjinou claiming silvers in the men's 500m and 1500m and respectively, the Ice Maples laid down a marker for the rest of the best as they extended their lead in the ISU Team Crystal Globe race.

Back in Beijing with a new mindset

But the focus has to be on Blais. Back in 2022, the Canadian arrived in Beijing for the Olympic Games struggling badly with her mental health. Anxiety and depression were affecting her performance so badly that she questioned whether she wanted to remain in the sport.

After transforming her life, she returned to the Chinese capital feeling that something might be about to happen.

“I had to totally change my mindset and now it’s a pleasure to come to training every day," she said. "I guess when you love what you are doing and you are happy every day, it works.

“I don’t know why but I was really confident today, even if I had never won (before).”

She needed all of that confidence, given the extraordinary strength of the women’s 1000m field. Take this quarter-final line up of Xandra Velzeboer (NED), Arianna Fontana (ITA), Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) and Shim Sukhee (KOR). Velzeboer emerged best out of that field overflowing with Olympic and world championships medals. And the Dutch Lion proved Blais’ biggest competition in the final.

Blais did have Courtney Sarault (CAN) for company in the big dance and that proved crucial. The teammates muscled their way to the front with six laps to go. And while the returning Sarault eventually dropped off, even the might of Velzeboer, Olympic silver medallist Choi Minjeong (KOR) and the rising American Corinne Stoddard could not find a way past Blais, who won in 1:29.678.

Xandra Velzeboer (NED), Danae Blais (CAN), Corinne Stoddard (USA) and Choi Minjeong (KOR) after the women's 1000m at the ISU Short Track World Tour in Beijing, China. © ISU

“She’s definitely one to watch out for now,” Velzeboer (1:29.717) said of her rival, before turning her attention to just how hard it is to even make a final.

“It’s already good skaters and a super high level in the quarter-finals and the heats as well," she said. "You have to be on top of your game in every race. It’s challenging but also really good to gain that experience.

“I am really happy actually that I am able to show this level of skating again. It really shows my consistency.”

That consistency helped her increase her total at the top of the individual ISU Crystal Globe standings to 496 points. With her favourite distance, the 500m, to come on Sunday, it is looking good for Velzeboer.

Stoddard is another who cannot wait to return to race. The American Eagle soared to a third successive 1500m bronze, but she wants to fly a whole lot higher.

“I came into this World Cup thinking I want to skate for gold or silver,” said Stoddard, who ended up sharing third place with Choi, the duo recording a time of 1:29.777.  

“I just hawked at the line and hoped for the best. I cannot believe Minjeong and I had the exact same time, that’s crazy.”

Choi’s bronze medal means that she retains second place in the Crystal Globe race with 468 points, while fellow Korean White Tiger, Kim Gilli – knocked out of the 1000m in the semi-finals – is third on 390.

Drama in the relays

Before the Canadian Ice Maples finished off their day in style, the electrifyingly unpredictable nature of Short Track was on display. Fresh from their world record the night before, the mixed relay team fell in the semi-finals. “That’s Short Track” was the team’s phlegmatic assessment.

Several hours later, the Chinese Loongs women’s relay team may have been feeling something similar. After Wang Ye (CHN) suffered a bad fall midway through the first running of the final, the race had to be restarted. With a replacement onside and the crowd roaring, the Loongs looked good for a consolation medal until they were penalised. That left the Korean White Tigers in silver and the delighted Kazakhstan Nomads in bronze – their first women’s World Tour medal.

But there was never much doubt about the identity of the gold medallists.

                                                                                                                         Canada's women's 3000m relay team after Final A at the ISU Short Track World Tour at Capital Indoor Stadium. © ISU

“We’re very prepared for that (rerunning the final), we’ve done relays (in training) way more tired than that,” said Florence Brunelle (CAN), who was also part of the world-record setting mixed relay team.

“Last year, the guys had a very strong year and that helped us, all the girls, to push harder. I feel like we are just going to keep improving. The way we work is 10 out of 10.”

About the ISU Short Track World Tour: Feel the Rush!

The ISU Short Track World Tour is a global series of six elite Short Track ice skating events, spanning across North America, Asia and Europe. With a focus on engaging fans in a brand-new dynamic and entertaining event experience through vibrant competitions, the ISU Short Track World Tour aims to elevate the sport and bring its explosive excitement to a worldwide audience.

With each race, skaters aim for the ultimate prize — the Crystal Globe—awarded to the top male and female skater who accumulate the most points throughout the Short Track World Tour. This is where the world’s best Short Track skaters meet to thrill audiences and Feel the Rush!