Less than four months remain until the 2026 Winter Olympics in northern Italy. The journey to these Games kicks off this weekend in Canada with the short track speed skating World Tour opening at Montreal’s Maurice Richard Arena.
The World Tour, previously known as the World Cup, is a global series of competitions for elite short track skaters. This season, due to the Olympics, the tour has been condensed to four stops instead of the usual six. Montreal will host the initial two events, followed by Poland and the Netherlands. The world championships are also set to take place in Montreal shortly after the Olympics.
The first two days of each World Tour meet are dedicated to qualifying for the medal rounds, which are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Athletes compete in three individual distances for both men and women (500m, 1,000m, 1,500m) and three relays (men’s 5,000m, women’s 3,000m, mixed 2,000m). Points earned throughout the season determine the winners of the Crystal Globe trophies for leading skaters in each distance and the overall champion, as well as the team Crystal Globe for the top-performing country.
This year’s World Tour will play a crucial role in determining each country’s entries for the upcoming Olympics and who will represent them. In the previous 2022 Olympics in Beijing, Canadian short track skaters secured four medals, ranking behind South Korea and sharing the spot with China, the Netherlands, and Italy. Notably, Steven Dubois claimed three medals, while Kim Boutin added a bronze in the 500m event.
Given Canada’s current dominance in short track speed skating, expectations are high for a successful performance in Milan this February. Last season, Canadian skaters clinched an impressive 37 medals, including 21 golds, across the World Tour stops. This exceptional achievement earned Canada the team Crystal Globe title.
At the world championships in Beijing, the Canadian team continued their winning streak by securing six gold medals out of nine events, with Steven Dubois and Will Dandjinou leading the charge. Dandjinou, in particular, emerged as a standout skater, showcasing his prowess and talent throughout the season.
With a record-breaking performance anticipated for the upcoming Winter Olympics, the Canadian short track speed skating team is poised to shine on the international stage once again.
