The second ISU Short Track World Tour event of the season takes place this weekend at the Arena Maurice Richard in Montreal, with Courtney Sarault of the Canadian Ice Maples and Pietro Sighel of the Italian Gladiators topping the standings after producing breakthrough performances last weekend.

Sighel grabbed his first ever World Tour gold medal and showed great consistency across the distances – exactly what he wanted ahead of a campaign for the ISU Crystal Globe as well as a home Olympic Games.

Pietro Sighel of the Italian Gladiators celebrates victory in the 1000m to win his first World Tour gold and top the ISU Short Track World Tour standings. © ISU

Sarault put a hellish run of poor health in the rear-view mirror to clock double gold and top the pile.

The chasing pack, however, have got them in their sights – with reigning champions Kristen Santos-Griswold of the USA Eagles and William Dandjinou of the Canadian Ice Maples aiming for better weekends this time around.

Rim Jongun of the Korean White Tigers, meanwhile, was the surprise sensation of World Tour #1. Can the Korean teen build on his astonishing announcement? 

‘Everyone is going to be coming in swinging’: the world vs Courtney Sarault 

Sarault’s showing on the opening weekend in Montreal was ominous for the field. She won the 1000m with a classy late inside pass, she made the A final in the 500m – traditionally her worst distance – and then led from the front in a powerhouse display to add 1500m gold.

“It will be hard to replicate that, but I want to keep the same attitude,” said the Canadian. “Every race is a new challenge, it’s Short Track. I’m aware of that. I don’t go in thinking things are going to be easy. 

“I just have to come in and be positive, fight, and not skip ahead. That’s how I stay grounded. But it gave me confidence, putting on a strong performance. Everyone is going to be coming in swinging, including me.”

Canadian Ice Maple Courtney Sarault celebrated her second title of the opening weekend of the ISU Short Track World Tour in the 1500m. © ISU

Xandra Velzeboer of the Dutch Lions was imperious, as usual, in her favoured 500m, and will aim to show more in the 1000m and 1500m this weekend to bolster her bid for the Crystal Globe. 

Corinne Stoddard of the USA Eagles and Kim Gilli of the Korean White Tigers – the champion two seasons ago – were the other athletes to emerge from last weekend with credit. Both are the model of consistency across the distances, and gold medals soon seem inevitable. 

Looking for improvement will be Hanne Desmet of the Belgian Ice Bears, Choi Min Jeong of the Korean White Tigers, Arianna Fontana of the Italian Gladiators and Santos-Griswold, who had quiet opening weekends.

The American ISU Crystal Globe holder had a summer blighted by injury, and feels she is yet to get going.

“I’m not where I want to be, it was a rough summer,” said Santos-Griswold. “I feel like I’m building and getting used to skating and positioning again.

"I’m trying to remember the big picture. My ultimate focus is being ready for February. In the last Olympic cycle, I skated really well at the World Cups before the Games, got my first gold, but the Olympics didn’t go well. 

“So skating well now doesn’t mean I’ll be good in February. And not skating well now doesn’t mean these Olympics will be bad.”

ISU Crystal Globe holder Kristen Santos-Griswold had a quiet opening weekend but has her eye on the bigger picture following an injury-hit summer. © ISU

Sarault’s form has proved inspiring, Santos-Griswold added.

“She’s skating amazing, she is such a great athlete, a great person, a great competitor. She’s exciting to watch. Knowing she has struggled and is now skating amazing is something I look up to.”  

Field looks to respond to revelation Rim and surging Sighel

Last season was all about William Dandjinou, who at times made this toughest of sports look like a breeze, on his way to winning the ISU Crystal Globe.

His performance in the 500m last weekend – one of complete dominance – suggested that not much might change in this Olympic winter. Up against a stacked field, there was no dealing with his power.

But then Dandjinou bundled out of both the 1000m and 1500m, a reminder of Short Track’s fickle nature – and Korean youngster Rim Jongun stole the limelight. 

The 17-year-old high school student stormed to gold in the 1500m, putting metres between himself and second place to wow the crowd on his senior debut. 

“It was wonderful, winning in Montreal,” said Rim as he reflected on the weekend. 

“Now I would like to go on and become a champion of Short Track. With the Olympic Games, this is my aim. To become a great of the sport.

“I have got to the senior tour by working harder than everybody else. I do lots of hours, but I love the sport. It is so great to be racing at this level and I want to win again.” 

17-year-old Rim Jongun of the Korean White Tigers marked an incredible debut by storming to victory in the 1500m in Montreal. © ISU

Sighel looks like he means business across the distances, beating a high-class field in the 1000m to win his first gold on the Tour – a strange aberration given his World and European Championship titles.

That deep field are in pursuit, however. Jens van ‘t Wout of the Dutch Lions was second overall last season and will seek his first win, while Canada’s Steven Dubois remains a danger, especially in the 500m and 1000m.

Two Olympic gold medallists, Hwang Dae Heon of the Korean Ice Maples and Liu Shaoang of the Chinese Loongs also showed flashes of brilliance across last weekend.

Canada’s Maxime Laoun was their man in-form during the national trials, while Brandon Kim of the USA Eagles should also be looked out for in the 500m.

The American clocked an ultra-rare sub-40 second time in the sprint during the summer (39.83 seconds, a new US record), and believes he can start making a mark in A finals. 

“I was skating low 40s in practice competition, and that gave me confidence, then I got the time at trials,” said Kim. “It was great. Only a handful of skaters have done it that fast, an elite group. 

“I got a new set up, and this summer I took some time off school, so I just trained. It put me in better shape.”

Brandon Kim of the USA Eagles broke the national 500m record in the summer with a sub-40 time and is one to watch at the shortest distance. © ISU

Kim knows he needs to translate that raw speed into race results. “I feel like by Tours three and four, I can be peaking.”

Seeing Rim of the Korean White Tigers getting results is certainly inspiring. “He’s so young but his skating is so smooth,” said Kim. 

“He’s new, so people are adjusting to racing him. People don’t know what to expect, there’s uncertainty, but he’s also really fast.”

Chapter two of the ISU Short Track World Tour will tell us more about these developing racers. It all gets underway with qualifying on Thursday 16 October at Arena Maurice Richard in Montreal, with finals on Saturday and Sunday.