#ShortTrackWorldTour

Kristen Santos-Griswold and Corinne Stoddard of the USA Eagles will head into the last day of the 2024/25 Short Track World Tour season on Sunday as hot favourites for the ISU Crystal Globe. Saturday’s 1000m final ended up being a procession for the duo, while their rivals for the prized glassware all faltered.

Santos-Griswold won the 1000m ahead of her teammate, while Elisa Confortola of the Italian Gladiators ignited the Forum Assago crowd in Milan by scooping third place. 

In the Women’s relay, meanwhile, the Dutch Lions continued their fantastic recent form, narrowly beating the Italian Gladiators to a dramatic gold. 

Santos-Griswold makes major stride towards Globe win 

Sometimes Short Track can hand out punishing misfortune – while other times, it can present victory on a plate.

Kristen Santos-Griswold has certainly had her share of poor breaks this season, regularly being eliminated by crashes not of her own making. 

“Bad luck seemed to be the theme of the season for me,” she said recently. 

In the 1000m at the Assago Forum, however, the tables were turned. A pile-up involving Confortola and Florence Brunelle and Danae Blais of the Canada Ice Maples left the two Americans with a free rink. They coasted casually to victory while Confortola got up and skated round for bronze.

Canada's Florence Brunelle leads the way in the 1000m final but she and compatriot Danae Blais (10) would crash out leaving Americans Kristen Santos-Griswold (2) and Corinne Stoddard (5) to share gold and silver. © ISU

“I’m really good at winning in unconventional ways in this sport – restarts, the whole field falling over, that kind of thing,” said Santos-Griswold. “It has happened a few times.

“Last week [in Tilburg] was hard, really rough, so I don’t mind getting some luck. This weekend I wanted to reset, refocus, change my mindset. Really try to do this for myself, go out there and have fun.

“I feel like I was due a bit of luck. it was one of the easiest finals I’ve had to skate. I was happy to come out on top. It’s a good precedent for next year coming into the Games [the Short Track events at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games are being held at the same venue].” 

With Xandra Velzeboer of the Dutch Lions not having her best day and missing the A final, Hanne Desmet of the Belgian Ice Bears receiving a penalty and Kim Gilli of the Korean White Tigers sustaining an injury, the USA Eagles pair increased their lead in the rankings. 

“It’s part of the sport, we all have bad races, bad days, bad weekends,” said Santos-Griswold. “For lack of a better term, it sucks when it’s you that it’s happening to.

“But I think that’s what makes all of us so strong and resilient as athletes. Our ability to just come back for the next race, especially when it is ten minutes later.”

Stoddard, left, and Santos-Griswold, centre, start the final day of the ISU Short Track World Tour as favourites for the Crystal Globe. Elisa Confortola (ITA) took 1000m bronze. © ISU

Stoddard was also satisfied. “It’s another great result, it felt really good for us to go one and two,” she said. 

“With five laps to go there was only us out there. It was crazy for everyone else, calm for us. You really do have to be prepared for anything in this sport.”

Stoddard, as Santos-Griswold’s nearest competitor for the Crystal Globe, would have been justified to turn the two-athlete race into a shootout, but thought better of creating any more twists.

“We spoke before the race and we wanted to work together from the front and take over, switch between us leading,” she said. “After the crash happened, we just took half the race each. 

“I thought about [racing her teammate] for a split second, but then I thought, ‘one and two is good, no matter who it is’. It is better for the team. If I go for a pass then we bump or get a penalty, that’s not good. I’d rather take a silver than take a teammate out. So we kept it chilled.”

Confortola was delighted to take the applause of the local crowd and make a little bit of history, becoming the first Italian Short Track medal winner in the venue that will be used at Milano Cortina 2026. 

Confortola hit the ice with the Canadians but picked herself up to pip Danae Blais to bronze, becoming the first Italian to win a medal at Milan's 2026 Olympic venue. © ISU

“It feels amazing, winning with my family here, with everyone cheering for you,” she said. “When I fell in the final, I didn’t feel any pain because of all the supporters cheering me on. 

“It makes me keep going, I wanted to make them proud. It’s incredible to be at this Olympic venue and it makes us all very excited.” 

Velzeboer bounces back from individual woes to steer Dutch relay team home 

Xandra Velzeboer had a difficult day on the ice, individually – she came fifth in her 1000m semifinal and then fourth in the B final. 

“I don’t know what went wrong really, I actually felt pretty good,” she said. “There were some stress moments in the races. You have to make decisions in a split second, and maybe they weren’t the right ones. 

“Physically maybe I’m not where I was at the start of the season. I couldn’t train for a while because of a knee injury, so maybe that plays a part. It’s a learning day for the 1000m.”

It means she is unlikely to win the Crystal Globe – she is not racing the 1500m on Sunday – but she still had the willpower to lead the brilliant young Dutch Lions relay team home. The well co-ordinated but fairly new line-up saw off a late charge from the Italians.

Xandra Velzeboer celebrates 3000m Relay victory with Dutch teammates Michelle Velzeboer (12), Zoe Deltrap (94) and Diede van Oorschot (35). © ISU

“I’m proud that I got excited and ready for the relay,” she said. “The girls are so supportive. It’s incredible, we started this season with such a young team, and everyone has progressed so much. This race was insane, we did it from the front.

“We have put some work in, but it came together here. We change the team and everyone gets a new role. For me and Michelle, our position also changes, and what is expected of us. So we’ve learned a lot this season. You have to get confidence. It all came together.”

The final day of racing in the 2024/25 ISU Short Track World Tour takes place on Sunday, with the women’s 1500m and 500m deciding the fate of the ISU Crystal Globe. 

Be sure not to miss it. As Stoddard concludes: “I am trying not to think about it too much because it is still Short Track, and anything can happen tomorrow.”

Women’s ISU Crystal Globe Standings 

Kristen Santos-Griswold  - 968

Corinne Stoddard - 916

Xandra Velzeboer - 880

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!