It’s a massively important week for the world’s elite Short Track speed skaters.

With stop number three of the ISU Short Track World Tour taking place in Gdansk, Poland from 20-23 November, and part four being staged in Dordrecht, Netherlands the weekend after, there’s a huge amount on the line.

The first point of business will be the destiny of the ISU Crystal Globes. Can William Dandjinou of the Canadian Ice Maples retain the men’s title he lifted in style last winter?

And will reigning women’s champion Kristen Santos-Griswold of the USA Eagles fight back into contention in Poland after a slow start to her campaign – or will her consistent US teammate Corinne Stoddard, in-form Canadian Courtney Sarault, or somebody else, seize her crown?

Reigning women's ISU Crystal Globe champion Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) has had a difficult start to this season but will hope to find form as the Olympics beckon. © ISU

There’s also a tussle going on for the ISU Team Crystal Globe, with champions the Canadian Ice Maples leading the way from the Korean White Tigers.

This regular season consists of just four events rather than the usual six, due to the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games taking place in the New Year. This shortened format means every point counts more than ever. 

Even more crucial to most racers, however, will be those treasured Olympic qualification places.

Numbers will be crunched over the next two weekends as teams try to secure maximum allocations for the greatest sporting show on earth.

We know the likes of Canada, Korea and Netherlands will send full complements of racers to the Games, but for those further down the list, each race will assume agonising significance. Can the likes of Uzbekistan, Croatia and Czechia get their racers over the line to Milan Cortina?

Might a once-in-a-lifetime performance send a racer from Ireland, Philippines or Brazil to the Games and make headlines back home? This is Short Track, and nothing can be ruled out.

Storming Sarault looks to complete dream comeback 

Courtney Sarault’s performances in Montreal surpassed even her own wildest expectations. The Ice Maple has fought a long road back from a series of health difficulties to find the form of her life.

She leads the ISU Crystal Globe standings with 490 points having won three individual golds – the 1500m, and the 1000m twice. Always a brilliant endurance racer, Sarault has also added explosive power to her armoury, and can now contend in the 500m. 

With the mental side of her game matching the physical, she is in pole position for the title. 

Courtney Sarault (CAN) leads the ISU Crystal Globe standings with three individual golds and is a contender across all distances. © ISU

The stealthy rise of Corinne Stoddard is a threat. The USA Eagle got on the podium regularly last season thanks to her unwavering consistency, but without getting a gold.

She currently lies second overall with 410 points thanks to another spell during which she contended in virtually every final without quite managing to secure first place.

Stoddard is desperate to shake off that ‘nearly’ tag, and with the right tactics, a gold feels inevitable. Either way, her performances bode well for a tilt at the title and medals in Milano.

Corinne Stoddard (USA) owes her second place in the ranking to her consistency. Can she convert her knack of reaching finals to a long-awaited gold in Gdansk? © ISU

Xandra Velzeboer of the Dutch Lions is also in Globe contention with 396 points. Her victories in the 500m have become metronomic, and she continues to improve over the longer distances.

Choi Min Jeong of the Korean White Tigers will be the other skater arriving in Gdansk happy with her season. 

The three-time Olympic gold medalist looked to be back to her best when she won the 1500m in Montreal, and is a specialist at peaking during Olympic season. With 308 points, she’s got an outside shot at the Globe, too. 

Several key racers will be seeking improvement. 

Santos-Griswold had an injury-marred summer, and the rustiness showed in Montreal. With only 243 points, retaining the Globe would take a superhuman effort, but the USA Eagle will be more concerned with finding form here to take to Milano.

Kim Gilli of the Korean White Tigers and Hanne Desmet of the Belgian Ice Bears, both excellent last season, will look to banish a sluggish start to the term, while Arianna Fontana of the Italian Gladiators continues her audacious bid to win medals in both Short Track and Long Track.

Look out too for Selma Poutsma of the Dutch Lions and Kim Boutin of the Canadian Ice Maples, both sprinters rebuilding after injury, and don’t rule out some of the young Italian Gladiators squad from making an impact.

Dandjinou seeks to clinch Crystal Globe double 

Dandjinou was a true breakthrough sensation last season, clinching the men’s ISU Crystal Globe with elan, and in Montreal he showed that this had been no fluke.

On the opening weekend he was stellar, but on weekend two he seemed to be discovering new dimensions – becoming the first Short Track racer ever to gather all the gold medals available in a weekend – 500m, 1000m, 1500m, Mixed Relay and the Men’s Relay. He leads the standings with 442 points. 

William Dandjinou's flying eagle has become a common sight on the World Tour, the Canadian's clean sweep of golds in round two giving him a firm grip on the Crystal Globe. © ISU

It would be easy to get carried away with these results, but Dandjinou is also level-headed enough to know that nothing can be taken for granted in this sport. 

For one thing, unlike last year, he hasn’t raced Jens van ‘t Wout much. The Dutch Lion was ranked No.2 last season, but was unwell during the opening weekend of this season and suffered some poor fortune at World Tour 2. In Europe, especially at home in Dordrecht, expect a revitalised challenge. 

Pietro Sighel looks like the Canadian’s key Crystal Globe rival. The Italian Gladiator is positioned second with 352 points, and finally picked up his first ISU Short Track World Tour gold medal in Montreal, winning the 1000m with the perfect combination of physicality and race-craft. 

The Italian is accomplished across the distances, and has identified this winter, which ends with a home Olympics, as the most important of his life. 

Pietro Sighel (ITA) finally won ISU Short Track World Tour gold in the 1000m in round one at the start of a season which includes a home Olympic Games. © ISU

It also feels like Steven Dubois is coming into form at the right time. He has struggled a little with some technical issues in his best event – the sprint – but is looking like a more rounded skater in the longer distances.

Dubois is reigning World champion in 500m and 1000m, and knows that while Dandjinou is currently grabbing the limelight, he has every chance at scooping the Olympic golds. Gdansk will be fascinating as the pocket rocket – currently third with 308 points – fine-tunes his high-speed, high-risk game. 

Rim Jongun of the Korean White Tigers is a fascinating newcomer. At his debut senior event, the skater who has been so dominant at junior level illustrated that he can compete with the big boys. 

The 18-year-old was astonishingly quick to win 1500m gold. Will his lack of experience count against him as the Olympic Games approach, or can the confidence of youth shine through?

Rim Jongun (KOR) stepped up from the juniors to win 1500m gold at the first time of asking. Can the 18-year-old impress again in Poland? © ISU

Also interesting has been the re-emergence of the two racers in the field with the best Olympic pedigrees: Liu Shaoang of the Chinese Loongs and Hwang Dae Heon of the Korean White Tigers.

Liu has had a quiet few years since switching from Hungary to China, but seems to have hit a purple patch at the right time. Hwang didn’t make the Korea team last term, but is also now looking back to his powerhouse best.

Add in the rangy Sun Long of the Chinese Loongs and the ever-improving Shogo Miyata of the Japanese Ninjas, and it is once again a stacked field – with so much at stake.