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This past weekend I attended both days of the ISU event, the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships. I was a little disappointed that Kristen Santos (USA), Suzanne Schulting (NED) and Arianna Fontana (ITA) were not competing, but that they weren't gave the Canadian skaters better odds of winning or placing higher.

Kim Boutin, our star Canadian female skater, finished second in every competition, the 500m, 1000m, 1500m, 3000m, and with her team mates in the 3000m relay. She ended up placing second behind Choi Minjeong from Korea who had the highest overall classification points.

I wonder why there are so few Americans either in men's or women's short track speed skating. I suppose it simply isn't a popular sport as compared to so many other sports at which USA succeeds.

At this competition in all races, men and women it was The Netherlands, Korea and Canada who excelled and won podium positions, with a few exceptions. Most notably with Liu Shaoang from Hungary who won the gold medal in 500m 1000m 1500m and Sitjn Desmet who won bronze in two events. I was hoping to see his sister Hanne win something, but she didn't pass semi-finals and bowed out of one of the disciplines.

Other notable absences include Shaoang's brother Sandor Liu Shaolin, the whole Chinese team and there were no Russians; likely due to the war in Ukraine. There was one sole Ukrainian skater Oleh Handei managed to qualify for one of the 500m quarterfinals, and when they announced his name the whole audience stood up and cheered for minutes on end. There was also one Israeli, Vladislav Byaknov, who trains in The Netherlands as there isn't really a short track speed skating community in Israel.

On both days the arena was completely full of attendees, there were just a few seats here and there that didn't seem to be occupied; possibly people who just caught Covid in the previous few days as there is a 6th wave that is expanding at the moment. The below photos just show the crowd around the arena.

My mobile device doesn't do great for capturing the races or racers, but there are a few I can mention. Here is the start of the 1000m final B group; Alyson Charles from Canada is on the left, and Anna Seidel from Germany had already moved forward to the starting line. They introduce the skaters one by one and when announced, the skater moves ahead.

Here is an example of the skaters lined up just before they start; in the center is Canadian skater Pascal Dion who ended up winning this 1000m final B group race which means he placed 6th in this event.

On Saturday while they were doing the medal presentations, I took the following photo which shows from right to left, Netherlands, Israel, Belgium, Belgium, and then a bit further France. It is one of the things I like about international competition, it can really bring people together.

On Sunday after the 3000m relay where Canada's women's team won the Silver medal, they did a lap around the ice so that the Canadian fans that filled the arena got to see them.

And then to end everything the whole Canadian team (men, women, coaches, trainers) went up to the podium for a 'Say Goodbye to Charles Hamelin' ceremony.

Charles had been competing on Canada's national team for 19 years and through that time he won numerous medals, competed in many Olympic games, and decided after the winter Olympics that had just passed that this event in his home country would be his last. There was a heart warming send off for him.

Maybe I'll go to Dordrecht again next year; I'll have to see how my new job works out and if there is a blackout at that time for vacations.