The 2026 ISU CNSG Short Track World Championships take place at the Maurice Richard Arena, Montreal, Canada from 13-15 March. 

They will bring to a conclusion one of the most exciting Short Track seasons of all time, which has included enthralling battles for the ISU Crystal Globes followed by a thrilling Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

Canada were the kings and queens of the 2025/26 ISU Short Track World Tour, with Courtney Sarault and William Dandjinou of the Canadian Ice Maples sealing the Globes in style, and their squad securing the Team title.

The Netherlands struck back at the Olympics, however, with Xandra Velzeboer and Jens van ’t Wout living the dream at the biggest show of them all in Milan.

With one more massive weekend on the cards, who will end the season on a high? 

Velzeboer looks to capitalize on Milan magic 

As numerous No.1 seeds – past and present – can attest, going into the Olympic Games as red-hot favorite in Short Track is no guarantee of victory, or even a podium place. 

Xandra Velzeboer (pictured above) couldn’t have been more strongly tipped for the 500m gold medal – she’d hardly lost in this distance all term – but she still had to overcome intense pressure to get the job done. 

The Dutch rocket did it in style, setting a 500m world record along the way, to achieve her key Milan objective – and then added the 1000m gold, defeating a high-class field to showcase her all-round excellence. 

Velzeboer has won three of the last four 500m World Championship golds, and will be fully expected to triumph again in Montreal. Adding a 1000m title to the pile too would complete a pretty much perfect season. 

Xandra Velzeboer (NED, above right) crosses the line first to take the ISU European Championship 500m title earlier this year in Tilburg, Netherlands © ISU

Sarault stands in her way. The best all-round athlete of the season, she was brilliant across all three distances as she surged to the ISU Crystal Globe. Montreal is her home rink and she always skates confidently here. 

The 25-year-old will be buoyed by collecting four medals at the Olympic Games, and driven to add her first individual World Championship individual gold, which would mark the end of an admirable comeback from a series of health difficulties.

Courtney Sarault (CAN) poses with the ISU Crystal Globe in November 2025 in Dordrecht, Netherlands © ISU

In the 1500m, the Republic of Korea’s skaters will fancy their chances. Kim Gilli won her first Olympic gold in the distance at Milano Cortina 2026, and then took the anchor leg as her team won the 3000m women’s relay title. 

Still just 21, her golden Games could be a springboard to career greatness. Her legendary teammate Choi Minjeong is listed as a substitute and is unlikely to skate. She will doubtless be in the mix again if she does. 

Kim Gilli (KOR) celebrates victory in the 1500m during the ISU Short Track World Tour, November 2025, in Dordrecht, Netherlands © ISU

Italian star Arianna Fontana isn’t competing, but several of her teammates enter these championships with a spring in their step: Elisa Confortola, Chiara Betti and Arianna Sighel all won relay medals at the Games. 

Belgium’s Hanne Desmet, who took an Olympic mixed relay bronze, also knows she can get individual medals here.

Looking for some redemption, meanwhile, will be Kristen Santos-Griswold (if she skates – she is listed as a substitute) and Corinne Stoddard of the USA. The pair entered the Olympic Games confident of podiums, but endured some horrible bad luck and crashes; Stoddard’s 1500m bronze was the only metal they departed with. Recapturing their consistency will be the aim back in North America.

Montreal ice always emboldens the home team, too – so look out for Kim Boutin, Florence Brunelle, Danae Blais and Rikki Doak this weekend, too. 

Kim Boutin (CAN) competes at Maurice Richard Arena, Montreal, Canada, during the ISU Short Track World Tour in November 2024 © ISU

Van ’t Wout family aim to keep dream rolling 

The only people as happy as Xandra Velzeboer at Milano? The Van ’t Wout family. 

Jens came into the Olympic Games in peak physical condition – but his ISU Short Track World Tour season had been marred by illness and bad luck: the Dutchman finished seventh in the overall standings. Would the woe continue? 

It didn’t: the stars aligned in Italy. Van ’t Wout stormed to 1000m and 1500m gold – the 1000m was one of the closest, and most exciting Olympic finals of all time – and he then skippered home the men’s relay team to stand on top of a third podium.

The golds weren’t even his favorite medal: in the men’s 500m, Van ’t Wout got bronze, but spent the last lap roaring on his brother, Melle van ’t Wout, who grabbed silver. This completed an emotional comeback for the elder sibling, who has battled back from two seasons of serious injury.

It was the kind of emotional stuff that Olympic fantasy is made of, and the Dutch skaters will enter these championships on an unbeatable high. The Van ’t Wouts don’t have an individual World Championship gold to their name yet, but will surely battle for them here. 

Out in front: Jens van 't Wout (NED) © ISU

William Dandjinou (CAN), however, will start in Montreal as favorite. The two-time ISU Crystal Globe winner enjoyed a magnificent World Tour, clinching the ISU Crystal Globe with real verve, and performing brilliantly across all three distances. 

Dandjinou is especially lethal on home ice in Montreal, and will be driven to continue his consistency at World Championships. 

The Canadian No.1 returned from Milan with his first Olympic medal – not something all great Short Trackers have achieved. He wanted more than that silver in the mixed relay, but Dandjinou, a great cheerleader for the sport, has responded bullishly about the challenges ahead.

His Canadian teammate Steven Dubois, meanwhile, returns to Montreal with his career looking complete. Dubois took Olympic gold in his favorite distance, the 500m, and described it as the missing piece in his collection of honors. Always ready to take a risk, he’ll be putting it all on the line to sign off a great season. 

Two-time ISU Crystal Globe winner William Dandjinou (CAN) © ISU

Also going strong is Italy’s Pietro Sighel, who created one of the images of the Olympics as he skated backwards over the finish line to win mixed relay gold, and who has been a steady presence on podiums throughout the term. 

Sighel likes the big occasion, and his teammate Thomas Nadalini, brilliant in the Olympic relays, will also rock up in Montreal feeling like his time is now.

The Korean men also had a steady Games – Hwang Daeheon showed all his experience to grab two silver medals, while the season’s outstanding debutant, the 18-year-old Rim Jongun, got a bronze and a silver. Both have the versatility and explosive power to add world gongs here. 

Others to watch? Hometown talent Felix Roussel (CAN) and the ever-improving Shogo Miyata of Japan.

Rim Jongun (KOR) © ISU

Follow the 2026 ISU CNSG Short Track World Championships across the ISU’s social media channels. Info here on where to watch the action. The event schedule is here.