Photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson

Short track skaters set big goals for worlds

March 9, 2017

After two world titles and ten medals at last year’s event, Canada heads into the ISU World Short Track Championships hungry for more.

Olympic medallists Marianne St-Gelais and Charles Hamelin are set to lead this year’s 10-person roster into the final world championships before PyeongChang 2018. With the competition taking place between March 10 and 12, speed skating fans can expect a packed three days of action.

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With eight World Cup medals this season, St-Gelais, the reigning 1500m champion, is aiming for nothing less than top honours in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

“My goal is to win the overall world champion title, but I’d like to add an individual one too,” said St-Gelais. Last year the Canadian lost the overall title – awarded on a points based system after four events – by a mere three points. However, with eight World Cup medals this season in various distances, St-Gelais is ready to race for the top.

Marianne St-Gelais holds up her bouquet, sporting the gold medal around her neck after winning the 1500m at the world championships in Seoul, South Korea on March 12, 2016.

Related: Hamelin back on top at worlds

On the men’s side Hamelin is also chasing an overall title, however the defending 1000m world champion is bringing a different approach to the ice this time around.

“My goal is to have a constant competition. I want to accumulate as many points as possible to be at the top of the rankings,” said Charles Hamelin. His new approach came after he started last year’s event with penalties in the 1500m, which ruined his shot at the overall title.

Samuel Girard and Charles Hamelin race during the men’s 500 at a World Cup event in Utah on Nov. 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Samuel Girard, last year’s 1000m world silver medallist will back in action this weekend, looking to build on his successes from his first world championships.