#ShortTrackWorldTour

Desmet (BEL) triumph in 1000m keeps ISU Crystal Globe race alive 

With the Republic of Korea’s athletes competing at the Asian Games, it was expected that Kristen Santos-Griswold of the USA Eagles and Xandra Velzeboer of the Dutch Lions would capitalise at the 2024/25 ISU Short Track World Tour Tilburg Odido Cup, as the pair quest for their debut ISU Crystal Globe title. 

Instead, it was Hanne Desmet of the Belgian Ice Bears and Corinne Stoddard of the USA Eagles who came away happiest from day one of competition. 

Hanne Desmet (BEL) wins the Women’s 1000m at the ISU Short Track World Tour Odido Cup, in Tilburg (NED) © ISU

Desmet won the 1000m with a textbook performance, with Stoddard grinding out silver ahead of Velzeboer. The result means just a handful of points separate these top four. 

Velzeboer did however come away with a fine gold in the relay – as a much-changed Netherlands line-up showed they are still the team to beat over 27 laps. 

Desmet and sleepless Stoddard back in the Globe hunt

The women’s 1000m has been wide open this season, and the tussle in Tilburg was as thrillingly close as ever.

Corinne Stoddard has made huge strides this season, putting herself in contention for podiums regularly – and now for the ISU Crystal Globe, too. 

She hit the front early and churned out laps mercilessly – but was caught on the last time around by Desmet, a specialist in making a late move. Velzeboer, not quite at full fitness after a knee injury, raced to a gutsy third. 

Xandra Velzeboer (NED), Hanne Desmet (BEL) and Corinne Stoddard (USA) in the Women’s 1000m Final in Tilburg (NED) © ISU

“It felt really good, I felt really nice speed today, I felt energised,” said Desmet. “I always love racing in the Netherlands. I lived here for a long time. I always see people from home, it is exciting. 

“I am excited to win a 1000m. I have a mixed relationship with it. Some of my best results, some of my worst results.  It’s a tough distance, you really have to be awake and sometimes I struggle with that. You have to be in the race the whole time.

“I’ve been working on the right thinking, improving my skating.”

Stoddard ran out of ice, just. “I tried to stay to the front, I didn’t want to get caught behind anyone,” she said. “I thought ‘wow, I have the win’, but Hanne flew by me on that last lap. 

“My legs had blown up at three laps to go. Leading the entire race, it’s pretty hard with that field out there. I’m proud with how I skated.”

She has been battling issues off the rink. “I had the worst month of my life before this,” she said. “I’ve been dealing with really bad insomnia. I even thought about not coming here, because the sleep deprivation is getting to me more. 

“It’s horrible. It affects your emotional, mental, and definitely physical abilities. I’ve been to an insomnia therapist, been taking some sleeping medicine. I had one night where I was really anxious, and now it is performance anxiety about sleep. So that silver medal means a ton to me with how horrible it has been.” 

 (L-R) Xandra Velzeboer (NED); Hanne Desmet (BEL) and Corinne Stoddard (USA) after the victory ceremony in the Women’s 1000m in Tilburg (NED) © ISU

Santos-Griswold misfortune, as Velzeboer fitness returns 

Velzeboer was content with third place in the 1000m as she returns to full power. “My positioning was really good, then Corrine started to accelerate,” she said. “I wanted more, but after the weeks where I couldn’t skate that much because of my knee, I should be happy, getting to a final. 

“It is really great I am standing here again and racing good. I feel OK. We will increase the training load. And anyone can still win the Globe.”

Desmet agrees. “There are a lot of girls in the battle. We are pretty close together. I’ve messed up a few times. That doesn’t work in my favour. So we will see.”

Santos-Griswold led the rankings by 10 points coming into the event, but was left frustrated in her best distance, after she wasn’t advanced following a crash in the quarterfinals.

“I thought I’d be advanced, so it was heartbreaking for that to not happen,” she said. “I’m struggling with it. It’s tough to feel physically ready, but not show everyone that. 

“I’m not a judge, I never know what the calls are going to be. I’m trying to not focus on that [the Crystal Globe race], and just think about one race, one step at a time.”

Dutch continue relay mastery 

After being narrowly foiled in the individual distances, the Tilburg crowd finally got to go crazy for the women’s 3000m final. 

The Netherlands women’s relay team has proved pretty invincible since their triumph at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, and they’ve done it with an ever-rotating line up: only Xandra Velzeboer currently remains from that gold medal team. 

Here, a quartet of Xandra, her sister Michelle Velzeboer, and two young racers – 21-year-old Diede van Oorschot and 19-year-old Zoe Deltrap kept the flag flying. 

Velzeboer saw off a strong challenge from the Italian Gladiators, who got silver, and the USA Eagles, who secured bronze. 

Team Italy pose with the silver medal, Team Netherlands the gold  and Team United States with the bronze in the Women’s 3000m Relay in Tilburg (NED) © ISU

“It was so great to win in front of the home crowd,” said Michelle Velzeboer. “We really wanted the win and today it all came together. 

“We are having a big party here in Tilburg, it’s a bit like last year’s World Championship in Rotterdam, we are here with all the family and friends. 

“We are a young team and we are getting better every race, that makes it special. It came together today. We are still finding our way. We are hoping to get Selma [Poutsma] and Suzanne [Schulting] back next season but you never know. 

“With this team we want to be on top and really try. It helps being sisters, knowing each other so well as a team, it’s really good training for us.” 

Racing continues on Sunday in the ISU Short Track World Tour Tilburg Odido Cup: the 500m and 1500m will prove vital in the race for the Crystal Globe. 

Women’s ISU Crystal Globe standings 

Xandra Velzeboer 798 

Kristen Santos-Griswold 748

Corinne Stoddard 730

Hanne Desmet 707