10 Canadians will lace up their skates at season-ending competition from March 15-17
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – Ten Canadian skaters have been selected to take part in the season’s final international competition, lining up against the world’s best at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships, which takes place from March 15-17 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Skaters representing over 30 countries will fight for medals in the men’s and women’s 500m, 1000m, 1500m, as well as in the 2000m mixed relay, 3000m women’s relay and 5000m men’s relay. The event adopted a single-distance format two seasons ago, meaning the once highly coveted overall World Championship titles are no longer awarded.
The Canadian team for next weekend’s competition features five Olympians, including four skaters – Steven Dubois, Pascal Dion, Kim Boutin and Courtney Sarault – who medaled in individual distances at last season’s World Championships in Seoul. The Canadian women’s relay team also reached the podium in the South Korean capital, helping Canada earn six medals.
ISU World Short Track Championships
- Rikki Doak (Fredericton, N.B.)
- Danaé Blais (Châteauguay, Que.)
- Kim Boutin (Sherbrooke, Que.)
- Courtney Sarault (Moncton, N.B.)
- Renée Steenge (Brampton, Ont.)
- William Dandjinou (Montreal, Que.)
- Jordan Pierre-Gilles (Sherbrooke, Que.)
- Steven Dubois (Lachenaie, Que.)
- Félix Roussel (Sherbrooke, Que.)
- Pascal Dion (Montreal, Que.)
Canada enters this final competition of the 2023-24 international season on a high note, having finished the World Cup campaign with a total of 35 medals across six events, including 15 gold, 10 silver and 10 bronze. A total of nine skaters brough home individual distance medals, while the relay teams accounted for seven podiums, including four gold.
Five Canadians earned top-10 finishes in the men’s Crystal Globe standings for overall World Cup champion, with Dubois finishing second ahead of Dandjinou (3rd), Roussel (5th), Pierre-Gilles (7th) and Dion (9th). On the women’s side, Sarault and Blais finished ninth and tenth overall, respectively.
Each of the men selected for these World Championships ended the season ranked within the top-5 of an individual distance, with Pierre-Gilles and Dandjinou sitting atop the standings in the 500m and 1500m, respectively. Dubois sits second in both the 500m and 1000m, while Roussel (3rd in 500m) and Dion (4th in 1500m) had equally impressive seasons.
The ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships kicks off March 15 with qualifying races in individual distances and relays. Medals will be awarded in the 500m and 1500m on Saturday, as well as the 1000m and all three relays on Sunday. Races will be live streamed on CBC Sports and Radio-Canada Sports digital platforms, with colour commentary in English provided by Olympian Michael Gilday.