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Today the International Skating Union (ISU) reveals the new Crystal Globe trophies that will be awarded this season for the first time to the best overall male and female Short Track Speed Skating Skaters.

Made of high-quality crystal glass with a flawless base from the same material, the trophies will be presented on February 12, 2023 on the final day of the ISU World Cup Short Track event in Dordrecht (NED) and the winners will be determined by the overall World Classification.

ISU ST Crystal Globe full reveal shot

For the time being, competitions are going on and the penultimate ISU World Cup Short Track event will be taking place at the JOYNEXT Arena in Dresden (GER) from Friday February 3rd to Sunday February 5th. After four rounds of highly competitive skating, crucial points will be up for grabs as racers strive to become the winners of the inaugural ISU World Cup Short Track Crystal Globe trophies.

Suzanne Schulting (NED) has a commanding lead in the Women’s competition so far, while two racers from the Republic of Korea will be favorites to scoop the Men’s prize.

Koreans battle for Men’s title  

Park Ji Won (KOR) leads the points tally in the Men’s competition. The 26-year-old made his World Cup debut in 2015/16, but like most of the male Korean racers, he has been in and out of the squad, which is fiercely difficult to get a place on, over the years. The 2022/23 season has been Park’s finest by far. He has won four World Cup races, all over the 1500m, to gather 668 points. Technically excellent and tactically savvy, he will be hoping his prowess over the longer distances can hold off the competition this weekend.

His teammate Hong Kyung Hwan (KOR) will be his closest rival. Lurking not far behind him with 584 points, the 24-year-old has also enjoyed his best year, consistently clocking podiums, including gold in the 1500m in Almaty (KAZ).

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Hong Kyung Hwan (KOR) during the 2022 ISU World Cup Short Track in Almaty, Kazakhstan. @ISU

Expect a close tussle between the Korean colleagues, with a pair of Canadian compatriots not far behind, Steven Dubois (CAN) lies in third place. The 25-year-old Quebecois has been skating excellently, especially in the 500m, and has earned 458 points so far. His friend from Montreal Pascal Dion (CAN), 28 years old, is also on form and just one point behind. Both can catch the Koreans should they have an exceptional run-in to the season.

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Steven Dubois (CAN) and Pascal Dion (CAN) during the 2022 ISU World Short Track Championships in Montreal, Canada. @ISU

Other medal contenders should include Stijn Desmet (BEL) and Jens van ’t Wout (NED), who had an exceptional battle at the recent ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships, Kazakhstan’s Denis Nikisha, and Italian 500m specialist Pietro Sighel.

Schulting heavy favorite for Women’s globe

Suzanne Schulting (NED), who can win over all three individual distances, was particularly superb at the Montreal (CAN) and Almaty (KAZ) World Cups, and is well clear in the race for the overall title, with 712 points.

In Beijing, the Dutchwoman became the first female Short Track Skater from any country to win four medals at a single Olympic Games by claiming two gold, a silver and a bronze.

Canada’s Courtney Sarault, 22 years old, can also reflect on a pleasing season, and lies in second place with 522 points. She dazzled at the last two meetings in Almaty (KAZ) – winning 1000m and 1500m gold, but will need to be at her ruthless best from the start in Dresden to give Schulting a scare.

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Courtney Sarault (CAN) competes during the 2022 ISU World Cup Short Track in Almaty, Kazakhstan.@ISU

Kim Gilli (KOR) is still just 18 years old, and arrives fresh from winning two golds at the ISU World Junior Short Track Championships, on this Dresden rink, last weekend. Kim claimed her first senior individual World Cup win in Salt Lake City (USA) earlier in the season, and looks like to become one of Korea’s most exciting young talents for years. She lies in third place, with 514 points.

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 Kim Gilli (KOR) celebrates winning with Team Korea Women`s 3000m Relay during the 2023 ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Dresden, Germany.@ISU

Elsewhere, Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA), Choi Min Jeong (KOR) and Shim Suk Hee (KOR) always have medal potential, Hanne Desmet (BEL) arrives after an excellent showing at the ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships, and Xandra Velzeboer (NED) had a strong start to the season, and can beat her illustrious teammate on her day. 

The Men’s and Women’s 1000m and 1500m (1), plus the Mixed Team Relay, take place on Saturday, while the 500m and 1500m (2) will be held on Sunday, and the 3000m Women’s Relay as well as the 5000m Men’s Relay will be the concluding proceedings.

 

World Cup Classification - Men

Overall World Cup Classification

Men 500m

Men 1000m

Men 1500m

Men 5000m Relay

 

World Cup Classification - Women

Overall World Cup Classification

Women 500m

Women 1000m

Women 1500m

Women 3000m Relay

 

World Cup Classification – Mixed Relay

World Ranking Mixed Relay

 

Where to watch

Viewers will be able to watch the Saturday and Sunday afternoon (local time) World Cup sessions via their national broadcaster/channel.

For countries where there are no broadcasters and for the qualification and repechage races, the ISU will offer a live stream on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. You will find the full list on the Where to watch webpage here.

 

ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2022/23:

Oct 28 - 30, 2022                      Montréal /CAN 

Nov 04 - 06, 2022                     Salt Lake City /USA

Dec 09 - 11, 2022                     Almaty /KAZ 

Dec 16 - 18, 2022                     Almaty /KAZ 

Feb 03 - 05, 2023                      Dresden /GER 

Feb 10 - 12, 2023                      Dordrecht /NED 

 

About ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series

The ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2022. Launched in 1997/98, the Series usually consists of six events (four during an Olympic season) that take place in North America, Europe and Asia.

The competitions have a single distance character across nine distances (500, 1000 and 1500 meters for Women and Men, Women 3000 meters Team Relay, Men 5000 meters Team Relay and a Mixed Gender Relay over 2000 meters), and to mark its 25th anniversary, the series now also includes an Overall World Classification based on an accumulation of points from all individual distances which will determine a Combined Season Ranking and a Season Champion in the Women and Men categories. These Champions will be awarded with the new ISU World Cup Short Track Crystal Globe Trophy.

Each competition is held over three days (day 1 is dedicated to all Qualifying Rounds, days 2 and 3 consist of the last Qualifying Rounds followed by the World Cup sessions). For the Mixed Gender Relay Teams (2 Women & 2 Men), the Women 3000 meters Relay races and Men 5000 meters Relay races a maximum of four Skaters shall compete and must belong to the same ISU Member. For further information please visit isu.org.

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