#ShortTrackWorldTour

Park Jiwon, the double defending men’s Crystal Globe champion, has a simple message ahead of the fourth leg of the newly minted ISU Short Track World Tour in Seoul this weekend, 13-15 December. 

“It’s going to be amazing,” Park (KOR) said. “There are so many Korean fans. They love Short Track. Korean fans are wild, so noisy. I love skating in Seoul.” 

Danae Blais (CAN), Sun Long (CHN), Choi Minjeong, Park Jiwon (both KOR), Corrine Stoddard (USA) and Niall Treacy (GBR) get ready for round 4 of the ISU Short Track World Tour © ISU

With the city’s Mokdong Ice Rink set to be packed out, the rest of the World's best men and women short track skaters are soon likely to agree with the local hero. And crucially, for skaters and fans alike, there is everything to race for in this latest leg of the new ISU Short Track World Tour, the Seoul event sponsored by KB Financial. 

‘I will keep going and never stop’

Park versus William Dandjinou (CAN) is a rivalry that is starting to take on epic proportions. 

After losing out in the 1500m final in Beijing to the Korean White Tiger by half a skate and then failing to pick up another medal in the meet, the Canadian Ice Maple has a gentle warning for his nearest challenger in the men’s ISU Crystal Globe rankings. 

William Dandjinou (CAN), right, promises to bring his A game to Seoul and avoid another agonising defeat to Park Ji Won (KOR), left, as he did in the Beijing 1500m © ISU

“I am aware that I am not always going to win and the chase of the win is always going to motivate me,” Dandjinou said. “I am bringing my A game in Seoul.

“Last year I performed well [a gold and a silver in two 1500m races], so I hope to do the same. I am looking forward to it.” 

That is no more than Park, sat on 446 points in the Men’s Crystal Globe rankings, behind Dandjinou on 684, is expecting. 

Park is excited to be back on home ice and hopes the noisy Seoul support roars him on to victory in the race for the ISU Crystal Globe © ISU

“It’s exciting racing him but he’s too fast and too strong, and he’s too young and too long,” Park joked of the 1.90m tall Canadian, before getting serious. 

“I am studying the video review how to beat him. I study again, I study again. Don’t worry, I have a good plan and I want more golds. I will keep going and never stop.” 

Jens van ’t Wout (NED) is one of those relieved that Dandjinou was not quite as prolific in Beijing as he had been during the first two World Tour stops in Montreal, where the Ice Maple won five golds. After winning an individual (1000m) and mixed relay gold in Canada, Van ’t Wout fell to the ice four times during a tricky weekend in China. 

Jens van 't Wout (NED) won 1000m gold in Montreal but struggled to stay upright in Beijing. Third in the rankings, he's keen to bounce back in Seoul © ISU

“We had some, let’s say, technical difficulties last weekend but we’ve fixed some things, we’ve got some ideas, so it should be fine this weekend. I should be staying on my feet,” the Dutch Lion, third in the standings, said with a wry smile. 

“It is a goal to start fighting with them [Park and Dandjinou] again. I feel good right now. We will see what I can make happen.” 

Mastering the cold, hard ice is going to be key in Seoul. Fresh from a 500m gold and two relay triumphs, Chinese Loongs team member Sun Long is definitely one to watch, as is Felix Roussel (CAN), part of a strong Ice Maples line-up. 

Stoddard, Choi and others hunt Dutch Lion

Female Korean White Tiger Choi Minjeong will be garnering just as much home support as her compatriot Park. The double Olympic champion is back racing on home ice for the first time since March 2023. 

“It’s very meaningful to me,” Choi said. “My friends and family, very many of them, are coming. They are very excited.” 

Choi Minjeong (KOR) is back on home ice for the first time in almost two years and will use Korean support as a springboard to success © ISU

After only making one A final in Beijing (the 1000m, in which she came third equal) and losing ground to women’s Crystal Globe leader Xandra Velzeboer, the White Tiger has a plan to impress her loving fans. 

“I will change something this weekend, my skates, my strategy. I need more speed,” Choi said, before reflecting on just how much the standard has risen in women’s Short Track during her time away. 

“Last weekend I didn’t go to the A final for 500m or 1500m. It means there are a lot of very good skaters. It’s very hard and difficult. Super high level.” 

Corrine Stoddard is certainly one of those to have soared to new heights. The USA Eagle grabbed her first ever World-level win in the 1500m in Beijing and catapulted herself above Choi into second place in the Crystal Globe race. Now she is ready for more. 

“The first night after I won I could barely sleep,” Stoddard said. 

“It’s pretty crazy. Going into China I think I was No.6 [in the standings], I am very happy that I jumped up to No.2. I hope I can get a lot of points this weekend and keep on climbing up. 

“I feel like I can race for gold again.” 

Corrine Stoddard (USA), who won her first World-level gold in Beijing, has put the 'crazy' experience aside to focus on picking up more silverware © ISU

She and Choi, who shared 1000m bronze in Beijing, are very much aware that Velzeboer remains the standard bearer in women’s Short Track right now. The Dutch Lion produced her most consistent World Tour ever, winning the 500m, placing second in the 1000m and fourth in the 1500m. 

The battle between them, plus the likes of established stars Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) and Hanne Desmet (BEL), will be prime viewing. 

Canadian Ice Maples stand tall in Team battle

But it is far from only established stars that fans should be looking out for in Seoul. Canadian trio Danae Blais, Florence Brunelle and Roussel’s barrier-breaking performances in Beijing not only pushed them up the individual rankings but also underlined the almost frightening strength in depth the Ice Maples currently possess. 

Danae Blais (CAN) is feeling the benefit of a hard summer's training, her 1000m gold in Beijing helping the Canadian Ice Maples to top the team leaderboard © ISU

“We had a crazy summer, we really, really trained hard. I don’t know how to express how hard we trained,” Blais, winner of the women’s 1000m in Beijing, said. 

“We worked really hard to have a good team spirit, the girls together, the boys together and also the boys and girls. We all want the same thing and we want to do it together. It’s beautiful. I am very proud to be in this team.”

The Ice Maples sit 650 points clear at the top of the new ISU Crystal Globe Team rankings. It’s a formidable lead but one the Korean White Tigers have promised to eat into. 

Tune in to the revamped live stream, boasting on-site commentary for every race, to see how they do. 

ISU Men’s Individual men’s Crystal Globe standings:
1. William Dandjinou – 684 points
2. Park Jiwon – 446 points
3. Jens van ’t Wout – 386 points

ISU Women’s Crystal Globe standings: 
1. Xandra Velzeboer – 656 points
2. Corinne Stoddard – 532 points
3. Choi Minjeong – 516 points 

ISU Team Crystal Globe standings: 
1. Canadian Ice Maples – 4640 points
2. Korean White Tigers – 3990 points 
3. Dutch Lions – 3149 points

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!