#ShortTrackWorldTour

The third instalment of the ISU Short Track World Tour takes place in Beijing from 6 to 8 December 2024. After a blockbuster start to the season in the Montreal double-header, the races for the ISU Crystal Globes are sure to take some fresh twists and turns in China and over the following weekend in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

In the women’s events, a fascinating five-way contest for supremacy is unfolding. 

The legendary Choi Min Jeong of the Korean White Tigers is looking back to her transcendental best – but is facing a tough challenge from supremely gifted young teammate Kim Gilli, the resurgent Kristen Santos-Griswold of the USA Eagles, ever-improving Hanne Desmet of the Belgian Ice Bears, and Xandra Velzeboer of the Dutch Lions, who is in the form of her life and who currently leads the pack.

Koreans Choi Min Jeong, left, and reigning Crystal Globe winner Kim Gilli, right, begin the Asian leg of the Short Track World Tour in hot pursuit of leader Xandra Velzeboer (NED) © ISU

In the men’s event, one athlete has been almost impossibly ascendant in this usually unpredictable sport: the Canada Ice Maples’ William Dandjinou. The rangy racer stood tall in both Montreal events, winning three gold medals at each (from four individual races and two relays). Can he keep the charge going or will double ISU Crystal Globe winner Park Ji Won of the Korean White Tigers strike back? 

It is all to play for at the Capital Indoor Stadium – as it is in the in the fight for the ISU Team Crystal Globe: Canada lead with 3106 points, Korea have 2578 and Italy have 2145.

Colorful facelift adds to the Short Track drama

Adding to the excitement is the massive revamp that Short Track has undergone this season in terms of branding and coverage. 

Among the innovations are new team names and suit designs, redesigned venue dressings and on-site entertainment, upgraded TV, streaming and social media coverage, and a new prize – a bespoke, specially designed helmet – for the ISU Crystal Globe winners. 

In all, the ISU Short Track World Tour will showcase this dramatic, dynamic and intense sport in the best possible light. 

Velzeboer adds stamina to lead women’s pack 

Whenever Xandra Velzeboer lines up for a 500m, she is the hot favourite. If the world record holder can get to the first corner in front, raw speed makes her almost unstoppable. The Dutch Lion is, however, adding endurance to her arsenal. She was World Champion in the 1000m last season and is getting more consistent in the distance, winning gold in the opening Montreal meet.

If she continues to thrive over both races, her first ISU Crystal Globe is there for the taking, and she will be the woman to catch this weekend. 

World 500m record holder Xandra Velzeboer leads the pack after the Montreal meets. The Dutch skater has added endurance to her raw speed for a strong 1000m too © ISU

Two Koreans lead the pursuit of Velzeboer’s 416-point tally: Choi and Kim are second and third respectively with 398 and 362 points.

Choi did not skate on the tour circuit last season, enjoying a sabbatical after an exhausting decade of action since winning her first title aged 16. Since that maiden victory, she has been overall world champion four times, won the gold in the 1500m at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and retained the title at Beijing 2022. 

The Korean great now seems refreshed, and is probably still the most complete Short Track skater alive, able to win over all three distances, and especially lethal in the 1000m and a tactical 1500m. 

Her White Tiger teammate Kim Gilli is the sorcerer’s apprentice: the 20-year-old skates with identical technical perfection to her close friend and mentor Choi. What she lacks in experience, she makes up for in youthful fearlessness. The reigning ISU Crystal Globe champion can also thrive in all three distances, and will be looking to score heavily on Asian ice.

Santos-Griswold lies in fourth, but will still be many people’s pick to raise the ISU Crystal Globe. The USA Eagle has made remarkable physical and mental progress over the last two seasons, and is in the thick of almost every A final. 

At World Tour 2 in Montreal, she endured some bad luck and crashes to record a “wiped weekend”. Stay on her skates during the Asian legs and she is likely to move up the standings.

Desmet, meanwhile, is fifth, but is only 84 points off leader Velzeboer. Like Santos-Griswold, she is an athlete having a moment.

The Belgian has improved technically over recent seasons, adding to her physical prowess and tactical nous. She emerged from an utterly chaotic 1500m in Montreal to win gold, and while she isn’t a sprint specialist, she can stack up points in the longer races. 

Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) and Hanne Desmet (BEL), who had differing fortunes in the two Montreal meets, will be targeting wins and Crystal Globe points in Beijing © ISU

Who else might make the podium? The powerful Corinne Stoddard of the USA Eagles is making huge progress in Santos-Griswold’s slipstream, while Kim Boutin of the Canada Ice Maples is looking fresh after a break.

The X-factor? Arianna Fontana of the Italian Gladiators will arrive in Beijing having competed for the last two weekends at the long track World Cup events in Nagano (JPN) and Beijing. 

The two-time Olympic 500m gold medallist admits that she doesn’t know whether her experiment of racing both disciplines will cause her counterproductive fatigue or sharpen her game to a new level. It’ll be fascinating to see how it pans out.

The main big name missing? Suzanne Schulting of the Dutch Lions, who broke an ankle at last season’s ISU World Championships, is currently racing long track, but will not return to the smaller oval competitively until the New Year.

Can Koreans strike back against Dandjinou’s Canada? 

Two years ago, William Dandjinou was on the fringes of the Canadian team. Over two weekends in Montreal at the Short Track World Tour meets one and two, however, he looked like the best racer in the world. 

With 500 points, Dandjinou is currently well clear of his nearest rival, Pietro Sighel of the Italian Gladiators (328), in the early running for the ISU Crystal Globe. 

No matter the distance in Montreal, Dandjinou was in contention – using his raw athleticism to win a 500m gold, his tactical savvy to grab two 1500m wins, and a combination of the two to get a 1000m title, too. 

William Dandjinou (CAN) powers into the lead in the 1000m on home ice on his way to winning one of four golds on the Montreal leg of the Short Track World Tour © ISU

The Canadian was already powerful and intelligent enough to dominate at this level, according to his head coach Marc Gangnon, but has now added mental strength and confidence to his armoury. 

He looks like a Canadian Olympic hero in the making – but might his Quebec heroics be a case of overperforming on home ice? 

Park Ji Won of the Korean White Tigers certainly hopes so. The back-to-back ISU Crystal Globe winner is one of the most confident athletes around, and has declared his intention to get back on top of the pile in Asia. 

There is huge mutual respect between the two racers, but Dandjinou says he “likes to hear” the kind of talk Park is coming out with: a season-long battle is surely in the offing.

Park Ji Won is aiming for a third ISU Crystal Globe in a row, and the Korean has declared his intention to close the gap on Dandjinou in the Asian legs of the tour © ISU

Also likely to be in contention is the man who ran Park closest to the title last term: Steven Dubois of the Canada Ice Maples. 

While somewhat overshadowed by his great friend Dandjinou in November’s meetings, Dubois has been Canada’s best racer for a couple of seasons, and looks especially dangerous when he gets going in the 500m. It’s a great time for Canadian skating overall, in fact, with Jordan Pierre-Gilles also on electric form.

Elsewhere, Sighel has looked steady across the distances. Having won three individual European titles and a World Championship gold, he will be desperate to finally garner a maiden Short Track World Tour gold. Jens van ’t Wout of the Dutch Lions meanwhile is improving with every race, while Jang Sungwoo of the Korean White Tigers is building on his strong performances from last season. 

Other key names have started the winter quietly: Lin Xiaojun, Liu Shaolin and Liu Shaoang of the Chinese Loongs haven’t quite got going yet. Beijing seems like a good place to start for the three Chinese showmen. 

Liu Shaoang, front, and Lin Xiaojun, left, have had a quiet World Tour so far but along with teammate Liu Shaolin will be on top form on home ice © ISU

Team battle looking tight

With Korea having Choi and Kim in contention for the women’s globe, Park having won back-to-back men’s titles, a great supporting cast of other skaters and strong relay teams, many would have thought the White Tigers’ name was already on the first ever ISU Team Crystal Globe trophy.

After Montreal, however, Canada have put paid to that assumption: it is going to be a two-way fight. On the men’s side, Dandjinou and Dubois are flying, supported by Pierre-Gilles and Felix Roussel, while Boutin leads a women’s squad which also has much promising talent. 

With Korea starting slowly, Canada will focus on their three excellent relay squads to try and extend their lead further. China will want to up their game, while an Italy team that is full of youthful talent will be delighted to remain in podium contention. 

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!