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Hanne Desmet (BEL) upset local hero Suzanne Schulting (NED) to clinch a women’s 1500m victory as the last ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup meeting of the season got under way in Dordrecht, Netherlands on Saturday.
In a back-and-forth race with a lot of jostling for position, Desmet worked her way to the front and made an aggressive inside pass on leader Courtney Sarault (CAN) to the entry of the final corner to secure top spot.
Hanne Desmet (BEL, right) edges out Short Track superstar Schulting (NED, centre) to win 1500m gold. @ISU
Schulting was sitting just too far behind and had to settle for silver, with Shim Suk Hee (KOR) pipping Sarault to bronze.
“It was a very chaotic race with a lot of skaters wanting to be at the front,” Desmet said. “I had to manoeuvre myself through a lot of small gaps but that’s what Short Track is all about. It’s something you have to see and just go for.”
I’m getting better and better at spotting gaps and sneaking through to get to the front of the pack. It can always go wrong, of course, but today things went my way.
“To do it here in Dordrecht, with my family and so many others in the crowd, makes this win extra special.”
Desmet has been enjoying an impressive season. At the European Championships in Poland last month, she won her country’s first major international gold in the sport after overhauling Schulting on the line in the 1000m.
“Does this win feel better? I think my emotions are pretty similar right now,” the 26-year-old said. “It was more a battle between Belgium and the Netherlands at the European Championships. The field is a lot stronger here.”
Schulting resigned herself to the fact that she was not able to grab gold in an individual distance on the opening day of finals in her home event.
“It’s not a nice feeling of course,” she said. “You always want to win in front of your own fans. But at the same time you can’t come out on top in every race. That’s just how it works.”
“At the end of the day I can tell myself I’ve clinched the overall classification [winning the first ever Crystal Globe trophy, pictured below], I’m in the lead by some 300 points. That’s a lot. I’m skating my best World Cup season ever.
The Crystal Globe trophy 🏆 is here and will be awarded on Sunday 😍#ShortTrackSkating pic.twitter.com/okwmnYJ4no
— ISU Speed Skating (@ISU_Speed) February 11, 2023
“That doesn’t mean I’m going to settle for silver now. That’d be stupid. I’m not happy with silver, and I never will be. But you could tell the other skaters were all coming for me. That’s also worth something.”
Boutin on top again
Kim Boutin (CAN) returned to winning ways in the 1000m (1) after executing a textbook late pass in the entry to the final corner to move into first place and claim a dramatic win.
It looked as if Xandra Velzeboer (NED) was going to delight the home crowd with a gold medal as the bold young talent had the lead with one lap remaining, but she was ultimately passed by the four-time Olympic medallist.
Delight for Kim Boutin (CAN, right) as she wins the 1000m (1) on the line. @ISU
Following Boutin’s last-minute move, it was Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) who outstretched Velzeboer at the finish line to earn silver, with Velzeboer having to settle for bronze.
“The plan was to keep my energy until the end,” Boutin said. “I was analysing Xandra (Velzeboer)’s lines, building my speed and keeping my pace to make sure my pass was going to be clean. It’s not easy to overtake her.”
“When I placed my pass I was really ready to be a little bit more aggressive, and it worked.
"I feel very happy. I’m trying to build my confidence a bit more in every distance. I’ve been working a lot on my inside and outside passes. Today it paid off.”
In an exciting Mixed Team Relay final, the Netherlands ultimately did secure gold on home ice, with anchor Jens van 't Wout (NED) fending off a late challenge from Jordan Pierre-Gilles (CAN) to win ahead of Canada. Poland claimed bronze.
Women’s racing continues in Dordrecht for the final time this World Cup season with the 500m, 1000m (2) and 3000m Relay finals on Sunday.
World Cup Classification - Men
Overall World Cup Classification
World Cup Classification - Women
Overall World Cup Classification
World Cup Classification – 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
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