Canadian skater Courtney Sarault secured the women’s overall title at the short track World Tour finale in Dordrecht, Netherlands, leading Canada to its second consecutive team Crystal Globe victory. Sarault, a Moncton native, claimed silver in the 1,500 meters and then triumphed in the 500 meters, amassing a total of nine medals (five gold, three silver, and one bronze) across the four World Tour events.
At 25 years old, Sarault made history as the first Canadian woman to win the overall World Tour title, earning 980 points, a significant 150 points ahead of the runner-up, Corrine Stoddard from the United States. In the 500 meters, Sarault outpaced Stoddard by 0.304 seconds with a time of 42.695, executing a skillful outside pass to secure the victory.
Additionally, Sarault clinched the women’s 1,000 meters title with 300 points, claiming her first career Crystal Globe. The Canadian team, known as the Ice Maples, defended their title by earning 31 total medals (15 gold, seven silver, and nine bronze) and accumulating 5,656 points, surpassing the Dutch Lions who finished in second place with 4,807 points.
Reflecting on her success, Sarault expressed her determination and joy, emphasizing the team’s support and unity throughout the season. The Crystal Globe sweep was completed by William Dandjinou of Montreal, who secured the men’s overall title for the second consecutive year. The Canadian team paid tribute to injured teammates Kim Boutin and Maxime Laoun during the trophy presentation.
The World Tour was condensed from six stops to four to accommodate the upcoming Milan-Cortina Olympics, with the results influencing the allocation of quota spots for each country. The Canadian high-performance program will also utilize the results to finalize the selection of five men and five women who will represent Canada at the Olympics in Italy.