The Canadian short track speed skating team showcased exceptional performance at the ISU World Tour event in Montreal, securing three more medals. Courtney Sarault from Moncton, N.B., clinched her second consecutive gold in the women’s 1,500-meter race with a time of 2:22.156. She outpaced Kim Gil-li of South Korea (2:22.217) and Corinne Stoddard of the U.S. (2:22.256), replicating her success from the previous day’s 1,000m final win. Sarault, a silver medalist in both distances at the previous year’s world championships in Beijing, expressed joy in her performance, attributing it to her dedicated training.
Another Canadian Olympian, Kim Boutin, secured silver in the women’s 500m, finishing in 43.087 seconds. Boutin, the reigning world champion from Sherbrooke, Que., marked her return to the podium after a season without individual distance success. The event saw Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands claiming gold and Stoddard taking bronze.
Canada also celebrated bronze in the mixed team relay, as the Canadian Ice Maples clinched the podium spot after the disqualification of the Korean White Tigers. The team, consisting of Sarault, Steven Dubois, Felix Roussel, and Danaé Blais, initially placed fourth but moved up to third due to the disqualification.
The ongoing World Tour season plays a vital role in determining Olympic entries and participants for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games in February. Athletes earn points throughout the season, competing for the Crystal Globe trophy awarded to the top skater in each distance and the overall champion. Additionally, a team Crystal Globe is presented to the country with the highest points tally.
Canada’s impressive performance at the Montreal event yielded a total of seven medals – three gold, one silver, and three bronze – placing them at the forefront of the overall medal standings. They also secured the second spot in the Team Crystal Globe ranking with 1,376 points, while Sarault leads the women’s trophy race with 250 points.
The short track speed skating action will continue with upcoming stops in Montreal, Poland, and the Netherlands, leading up to the world championships in Montreal in March. Viewers can catch the live coverage of these events on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem.