Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) takes the lead in the women's 1000m (1) final at Maurice-Richard Arena in Montreal, Canada © ISU
With several major names retired, resting or undecided about their sporting futures, the 2023-24 ISU World Cup Short Track Women’s season always looked like an opportunity for a new generation of skaters to step up to the very top of the sport.
On Saturday at the Maurice-Richard Arena in Montreal, Hanne Desmet (BEL) and Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) put forward strong cases that they could be the next in line for the throne.
Desmet won the 1500m final with a classy final-lap pass, while Santos-Griswold triumphed in a bizarre 1000m (1) final — in which all four fellow finalists fell – but showed enough power to prove she will be one to beat this winter.
Desmet builds on success
Desmet has been steadily improving year on year. She earned Belgium’s first ever Short Track Olympic medal, a bronze, at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, and at last term’s ISU European Championships, secured her country’s first major international gold in the sport.
Here, the brilliant Belgian put in a trademark late pass to secure the first gold of the ISU World Cup season. Kim Gilli (KOR), another name with massive potential, opened up space at the front of the pack, but Desmet stormed back to overtake. Gilli took silver, Corinne Stoddard (USA) bronze.
Hanne Desmet (BEL) won gold in the 1500m race, ahead of Kim Gilli (KOR) and Corinne Stoddard (USA) at Montreal, Canada. © ISU
“It was really nice to open the season with a win,” said Desmet. “It was a nice race, a good battle. I saw Gilli take off and thought, ‘damn, that’s a lot of speed’, but I had the space to catch up and pass. I’ve been better at turning this year, so I can go into the corners pretty tight. I had a good summer of training. It was a summer with a lot of changes, because we moved from training in the Netherlands to the USA, and then Canada.
“It’s been exciting learning from different teams and doing different trainings. It’s been a new experience. I feel really good on the ice.”
Desmet believes the absence of Suzanne Schulting (NED) and Choi Min Jeong (KOR) is an opportunity to go for the No.1 ranking, and the ISU Crystal Globe trophy for the overall best racer, this season.
“It’s true. Big names are missing. I think for a lot of skaters, this is a chance to step up, opportunities to break through.”
Hanne’s brother Stijn Desmet (BEL) – who won silver in the men’s 1500m, minutes after his sibling — feels her time is now.
“Hanne is obviously feeling really good and strong. I’m finding my good feeling in skating at the moment, but I’m not at her level yet. I feel like she is becoming one of the top racers, for sure. When I see her in training, she is very confident in her ability to skate with confidence and take wins.”
Santos-Griswold's mind is set on victory
Gilli, Xandra Velzeboer (NED) and Courtney Sarault (CAN) will doubtless also be looking at the overall top spot, but in Montreal, Santos-Griswold looked the pick of the bunch.
Her 1000m (1) race was one of those freakish spectacles you sometimes get in Short Track: all four of her opponents – Velzeboer, Seo Whimin (KOR), Kamila Stormowska (POL) and Lee So Youn (KOR) – piled into each other towards the end of the race.
The quartet had to struggle to their feet to fight for the other podium spots – Lee finished second and Seo third – leaving Santos-Griswold to cruise the final laps to glory.
Kristen Santos-Griswold (USA) cruised to victory in the women's 1500m in Montreal, Canada. © ISU
In reality however, the American was already so far ahead, her first place had looked a foregone conclusion before the chaos.
“It was a crazy race, I’ve never been in one where everyone has crashed before. I don’t think most people have,” she said. “I saw it and just thought, ‘no, don’t call it back’. I wish it was different and everyone had stayed on their feet, but I felt like I had the win either way. I’m really happy with how I skated.”
Santos-Griswold, always rapid, previously acknowledged she needed to work on her confidence.
“I have worked on the mental aspect of the sport, and trying to be more calm and to have fun out there,” she said.
“With some people missing from the field, it obviously opens up more opportunities. Ultimately, the goal is to be on top, regardless of who you are racing. This is a good stepping stone.”
It certainly is: a fascinating battle lies ahead.
For full entry lists and further information about the ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series, please visit webpage here.
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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.
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ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series events 2023/24:
Oct 20 - 22, 2023 Montréal /CAN
Oct 27 - 29, 2023 Montréal /CAN
Dec 08 - 10, 2023 Beijing /CHN
Dec 15 - 17, 2023 Seoul /KOR
Feb 09 - 11, 2024 Dresden /GER
Feb 16 - 18, 2024 Gdansk /POL
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About ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series
The ISU World Cup Short Track Speed Skating Series celebrated 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). In 2022, the series introduced an Overall World Classification based on an accumulation of points from all individual distances which ultimately determine a Combined Season Ranking and a Season Champion in the Women and Men categories. These Champions are awarded with the 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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