William Dandjinou (CAN) celebrates after winning the Men 1000m Final A during the ISU Short Track World Tour 2024 in Seoul (KOR) ©ISU

A men’s ISU Short Track World Tour season like no other gets under way at the Maurice-Richard Arena in Montreal, Canada, from 9-12 October, with one question on everyone’s lips: as the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games approach, can anyone stop William Dandjinou of the Canadian Ice Maples?

The Quebec racer was utterly dominant last season, lifting his first ISU Crystal Globe by winning across the distances and across the continents.

Strength in Humility: William Dandjinou Conquers the Crystal Globe

He was rivalled at times by the buccaneering Jens van ’t Wout of the Dutch Lions and the ever-improving Pietro Sighel of the Italian Gladiators, who both made impressive late-season charges. Dandjinou’s close friend and teammate Steven Dubois (CAN) also hit some high notes. But overall, Dandjinou put in about as commanding a season-wide performance as is possible in this wild sport. 

Notably missing from the headlines last term were the racers from the Korean White Tigers – a nation that’s led the men’s Short Track rankings in recent years. They have shaken up their squad for 2025/26 in a bid to return to glory. 

All the racers will once again try to contribute points in the race for the ISU Team Crystal Globe, which was introduced with great success last winter. The Canadian Ice Maples, Korean White Tigers, USA Eagles and Dutch Lions will all be in the running – and the first leg of an ISU Short Track World Tour double-header will be revealing, as the road to Milano opens up.

Ice Maples seek to continue dream run

Ice Maples Rising: Canada's Historic Crystal Globe Triumph

The Canadian Ice Maples enter another event on home territory this weekend, with unrivalled team spirit and sky-high confidence.

Last season, Dandjinou hit gears he didn’t know he had. Always a supreme athlete with great race intelligence, his coach Marc Gagnon credited a newfound belief and confidence for the skater’s ascendancy.

He won using raw power, he won using tactics and he won by taking risks at the right time. Add in his showmanship – the eagle and the ‘sleep’ celebrations, and his own line of merchandise – and it’s easy to see Dandjinou becoming a bone fide national star at the Olympic Games.

Staying humble and consistent, two of his other qualities, will be key. 

Is Dandjinou the best in the world? The stats say so, but last year’s World Championship results suggest he is facing stiff competition to even be the best racer in his team.

Steven Dubois (CAN) at the Short Track World Tour 2025 Tilburg (NED) ©ISU

Steven Dubois stormed to 500m and 1000m gold at the Beijing Worlds. Find a groove this term, and the ISU Crystal Globe could be heading to a different Quebec trophy cabinet. The battle between the rangy Dandjinou and Dubois – a pocket rocket with one eye on the 500m world record – should be fascinating. 

Both Canadians attribute their progress to strength in depth in the squad. They race against the very best every day in training – so look out for the other Ice Maples, too: Jordan Pierre-Gilles and Felix Roussel are both capable of producing magic. 

Young talent Mathieu Pelletier will also be one to watch. He lit up the Junior World Cup events last season, and has been clocking times fast enough to become a player on the senior scene.

Korean White Tigers shake things up

It is often said that it’s harder to get into the Korean Short Track team than it is to win international medals once you’re in it. 

The absence of Park Ji Won in the squad for this ISU Short Track World Tour proves the point. Park won the first two editions of the ISU Crystal Globe, in 2023 and 2024 – but a quiet 2024/25 has resulted in his omission this time around.

Hwang Dae Heon (KOR) at the Short Track World Championships 2024 Rotterdam (NED) ©ISU

Improvements will be demanded, and the return of Hwang Dae Heon is notable. 

Hwang won 1500m gold at Beijing 2022, and a silver in the 500m at PyeongChang 2018. A powerful and aggressive combatant, the White Tigers will look to him to go toe-to-toe with Dandjinou. He missed last season however – so is the Korean match-fit enough to bring his best for the Olympic season? Only time will tell. 

Sungwoo Jang (KOR) at the Short Track World Tour 2025 Milan (ITA) ©ISU

Sungwoo Jang (KOR) also looks like a standout talent. He finished eighth overall and made more podiums as the season progressed. Combine well with Hwang, and Canada could have something to worry about. 

Dutch Lions, Italian Gladiators and Chinese Loongs to roar?

Who else can rival the Ice Maples? Van ’t Wout is top of the list. A friend of Dandjinou, the pair love to spar on the ice, and the Dutchman is also an entertaining and risk-taking racer.

Jens Van ‘t Wout (NED) during the ISU Short Track World Tour 2024-2025 Tilburg (NED) © Getty Images

Capable across the three distances, the young Lion will be laser-focused on sealing his first ISU Crystal Globe – and bagging an Olympic medal. In the Netherlands, for the first time since the heyday of Sjinkie Knegt, there is real hope of gold medal glory in men’s Short Track.

Teun Boer (NED) - silver, Long Sun (CHN) – gold, and Pietro Sighel (ITA) - bronze at ISU Short Track World Tour 2025 Milan (ITA) ©ISU

Pietro Sighel of the Italian Gladiators, meanwhile, is fiercely ambitious ahead of his home Games. He has got better year on year to reach a world ranking of three – becoming remarkably consistent without winning that many races. 

Sighel will seek to make one more step up this term, alongside promising talents Luca Spechenhauser and Thomas Nadalini. They’re on a mission to make Short Track one of Italy’s favorite sports this winter. 

Thomas Nadalini (ITA) during the ISU Short Track World Tour 2024-2025 Tilburg (NED) © Getty Images

Not to be forgotten are the Chinese Loongs. They starred at their home Olympic Games, Beijing 2022, but have put in somewhat muted performances since. 

The charismatic brothers Liu Shaolin and Liu Shaoang are Olympic gold medalists – unlike most of the above – but have not looked at their best since switching countries from Hungary to China.

They’ll be keen to show they can do it in the season that matters the most, though, as will fellow Loongs Long Sun and Lin Xiaojun, a former World Champion who previously represented Korea. The group should combine well to pose a real threat in the relay.

Shogo Miyata (JPN) during the ISU Short Track World Tour 2024-2025 Tilburg (NED) © Getty Images

Elsewhere, Shogo Miyata of the Japanese Ninjas, Roberts Kruzbergs of the Latvian Golden Stars, Michal Niewinski of the Polish Hussars, and Niall Treacy of the British Royals have also been making great strides forward.

The Short Track World Tour consists of just four events this season, rather than six, to allow for the Olympic Games. A Montreal double-header is half the deal, then: expect maximum excitement, right from the first gun.