2025 ISU Short Track World Tour Gdańsk: Athletes to watch
Dandjinou, the reigning men’s Crystal Globe winner, is favourite to retain his title after impressing on home ice in the first two stops in Montreal.
The Canadian won the 500m in the opening event on 10 October, before securing three podium spots in the second meet, including gold in the 1000m.
Italy’s Pietro Sighel, a double Olympic medallist from Beijing 2022 who sits second in the men’s standings, will be striving to close the gap on Dandjinou in Poland.
Steven Dubois, who finished second in the men’s 1000 and 1500 metres at the last event in Montreal, is another Canadian to keep a close eye on.
The focus will remain on North American skaters in the women’s events, where Sarault is in first place, ahead of Corinne Stoddard of Team USA in second. Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands is third.
Sarault will be hoping to maintain her unbeaten reign in the 1000m and keep her place on the podium in the 500m, after two second-place finishes in Montreal.
The top six also includes two former Crystal Globe winners, with reigning champion Kristen Santos-Griswold in fifth and 2023/24 champion Kim Gil-li in sixth. Choi Minjeong of Republic of Korea sits fourth.
Michał Niewiński and Natalia Maliszewska, two of Poland’s best skaters, will lead the home team’s challenge in Gdańsk.
In the relay events, all eyes will be on Canada’s Ice Maples, who lead the competition for the Team Crystal Globes with 3,246 points, ahead of the Korean White Tigers (2,547 points) and the Dutch Lions in third (2,207 points).