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So good have the Canadian men’s team been today that they have made this most beautifully fickle sport a little predictable. 

Five times they took to the ice, at the CNSG 2025 ISU World Short Track Championships Beijing, with the chance to win gold – and five times they crossed the line first. 

Add on the brilliant 3000m relay gold the women have won – having clearly played a critical role in the mixed team’s success – and beating them seems ever elusive. As Great Britain’s Niall Treacy asserts: “Every team is probably going to go home and be like: ‘What do we need to do differently to close them down?’”

After William Dandjinou (CAN) and Steven Dubois (CAN) had begun the Championships on Saturday, with golds in the 1500m and 500m respectively, the pair teamed up for gold in both the men’s and the mixed relays on Sunday, while also going head-to-head in the Men’s 1000m. 

Steven Dubois (CAN) celebrating the win in the mixed relay at the CNSG 2025 ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Beijing, China © ISU

As if to underline their dominance, the duo finished one-two in that race, with Dubois taking gold by less than a quarter of a skate. 

It was, as Park Jiwon (KOR), the 2022/23 and 2023/24 ISU Crystal Globe champion, said: “crazy good”. 

Dubois & Dandjinou sweep 1000m

After Saturday’s heroics, Dandjinou and Dubois knew that the 1000m presented a chance to complete a rare sweep of the individual events. Both flew through the rounds. Once in the final though, they had to challenge not just a raft of champions, but a packed Capital Indoor Stadium too. 

The passionate crowd had not had too much to cheer for so far, but with Sun Long (CHN) lining up, thousands of local fans opened up their lungs. Their hero gave it his all, but nothing could stop the black-and-red clad machines. 

Dubois hit the front from the gun and, despite making a desperate lunge for it on the final lap, not even Dandjinou could catch him. Much to the fans' disappointment, Pietro Sighel (ITA) passed Long on the final corner to snatch bronze. 

Steven Dubois, centre (CAN) and Pietro Sighel (ITA), right, competing in the Men's 1000m Finals in Beijing, China © ISU

“It was a race that I knew was going to be super-fast. I knew I had to start in front fast,” Dubois said. “I was watching the (stadium TV) screen, watching William coming back, and I was scared. I was like, ‘I know this is too soon, he’s coming back’. There was no plan to race like that, but we raced perfect today.” 

Perfect aptly sums it up. 

“Steven executed tactically, an amazing race, and I was just trying to find solutions where there were none, Dandjinou said. “I knew that once he was in front with two laps to go, it was going to be very hard, and he knew that me coming back was going to be very, very hard.” 

Bronze medalist Sighel was happy to applaud “the best” but the Italian already has his eye on February 2026. 

“We will see next year how the skaters improve and we will see at the Olympics,” Sighel said, with a smile. 

Canadians benefit from Dutch slip in mixed relay

The first race of the day had the same outcome, but here the Canadians not only had to work incredibly hard, but they also benefitted from a little fortune. 

Three-time winners on the World Tour this season, the Netherlands mixed relay team took to the front early in the final, clearly determined to try and stop the Canadian wave. 

But, with injured powerhouse Jens van ‘T Wout out of action with an ankle issue, another star performer, Xandra Velzeboer found herself hitting the ice in a relay final for the second time in less than 24 hours. 

It was an opportunity the Canadians were in no mood to pass up. 

Florence Brunelle, Kim Boutin, William Dandjinou and Steven Dubois of Canada celebrate their Mixed 2000m Relay success in Beijing, China © ISU

With defending champions, and reigning Olympic champions China, knocked out in the quarterfinals, it was the Italians who stepped up to snatch silver, while Poland continued their fine form with bronze. 

“We came in with a lot of confidence and it showed on the ice. We skated like we belonged and like we were one of the best teams,” said Courtney Sarault (CAN), who had her own dream Championships, with two golds and two silvers. 

In contrast to the Dutch, Poland will remember these World Championship relay races for all the right reasons.

Team Poland celebrate their bronze medals in the Mixed Relay at the CNSG 2025 ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Beijing, China © ISU

“It brought a lot of power to the team that the girls won that (silver) medal yesterday and we just wanted more,” Diane Sellier (POL) said. 

Men’s relay secures five out of five for Canada

That left just the men’s 5000m relay for Canada, and they made sure the 2025 World Championships ended how they started. 

Leading from the gun, the Canadian quarter of Dubois, Dandjinou, Maxime Laoun and Felix Roussel were far too good. Roared on by the desperate fans, defending champions China did their very best but with 10 laps to go, Canada put the hammer down. By the time Dandjinou rounded the final corner the lead was so significant he had time to hold up an outstretched hand, signifying the five gold medals he had played a part in Canada winning. 

China took a much-celebrated silver, with Republic of Korea grabbing bronze. 

Team China, team Canada and team Korea with their medals in the Men's 5000m Relay Finals in Beijing, China © ISU

“We are going to work harder this summer to make sure that it happens again and again,” Dandjinou said. 

That is music to the ears of Canada’s head coach, Marc Gagnon, who admitted his team had gone “way over our expectations” with six golds and four silver medals. 

Gagnon then revealed that his team will get “about three weeks” holiday before the work starts again, with the first job to “get our spots for the Olympic Games”. 

But before all of that, the last word goes to Dubois, who arrived in China without a single world title, and leaves with four.  

“For us to win nearly every single thing we touched on the ice is pretty surreal,” he said. “I think we are the strongest and we showed it.”

Where to watch 

Viewers will be able to watch the CNSG ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 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. Find the full list on the Where to Watch webpage here.

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