The 2025-26 Short Track World Tour season commenced this past weekend with an event in Montreal, Quebec with Canada coming away with seven medals. Courtney Sarault of Moncton, New Brunswick was the Canadian star as she won gold in the women’s 1000 metres and women’s 1500 metres.
In the women’s 1000 metres on Saturday, Sarault had a winning time of 1:28.185. Gilli Kim of South Korea won the silver medal with a time of 1:28.25. Corrine Stoddard of the United States won the bronze medal with a time of 1:28.279. Sarault reached the podium by 0.363 seconds over Hanne Desmet of Belgium, who had a fourth place time of 1:28.548.
In the women’s 1500 metres on Sunday, Sarault had a winning time of 2:22.156. Kim won the silver medal with a time of 2:22.217. Stoddard won the bronze medal with a time of 2:22.256. Sarault reached the podium by 0.14 seconds over Desmet, who had a fourth place time of 2:22.296.
In the women’s 3000 metre relay on Saturday, Sarault teamed up with Canadian Olympic silver medalist Kim Boutin of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Danae Blais of Chateauguay, Quebec, and Florence Brunelle of Trois-Rivieres, Quebec to win bronze. Team Canada had a third place time of 4:07.45. South Korea won the gold medal with a time of 4:07.318. The Netherlands won the silver medal with a time of 4:07.35. Canada reached the podium by 11.808 seconds over Italy, which had a fourth place time of 4:19.258.
Sarault also won a fourth medal on Sunday. She teamed up with Blais, Canadian Olympic gold medalist Steven Dubois of Laval, Quebec, and Felix Roussel of Sherbrooke, Quebec to win the bronze medal in the mixed team relay. Canada had a third place time of 2:44.691. China won the gold medal with a time of 2:39.528. The Netherlands won the silver medal with a time of 2:39.905.
In the men’s 500 metres on Saturday, two Canadians reached the podium. William Dandjinou of Sherbrooke won the gold medal with a time of 40.35 seconds and Dubois won the bronze medal with a time of 40.48 seconds. Dandjinou reached the podium by 0.207 seconds and Dubois reached the podium by 0.077 seconds over Maxime Laoun of Montreal, Quebec. Laoun had a fourth place time of 40.557 seconds.
In the women’s 500 metres on Sunday, Boutin had a second place time of 43.087 seconds. Xandra Velzeboer of the Netherlands won the gold medal with a time of 42.972, and Stoddard won the bronze medal with a time of 43.142. Boutin reached the podium by 0.127 seconds over Michelle Velzeboer of the Netherlands, who had a time of 43.214.
Dubois won his Olympic gold medal in the men’s 5000 metre relay at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing. Boutin won her Olympic silver medal in the women’s 1000 metres at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. The medals for Sarault, Blais, Brunelle, Boutin, Dubois, Dandjinou, and Roussel will give them confidence as they prepare for the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan/Cortina d’Ampezzo.
