ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2023 preview: Full schedule and how to watch live
Choi Min-Jeong and Park Ji-won will spearhead hosts Republic of Korea’s charge at the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Seoul from 10 to 12 March. The showpiece will include global stars, such as Dutch sensation Suzanne Schulting and Canada’s Courtney Sarault.
Short Track Speed Skating
The short track season will come to a climactic end when the world's best skaters converge upon Seoul for the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2023 from 10 to 12 March.
The event will attract more than 260 skaters from 35 countries who will be competing for top honours over the three days of action.
When and where will the World Short Track Speed Skating Championships take place?
The Republic of Korea, one of the leading nations in the sport, will finally get to host the event that was scheduled to take place in March 2020. The event was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will be the fourth time the country has hosted short track skating's premier event after 2001, 2008 and 2016.
The women's competition includes the 500m, 1000m, 1500m and 3000m relay races, with the men competing in the 500m, 1000m, 1500m and 5000m relays.
World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2023: Stars to watch
Skating on home ice, the Korean contingent will be spearheaded by defending overall world champion Choi Min-Jeong and newly crowned World Cup Crystal Globe Trophy winner Park Ji Won.
Dutch short track legend Suzanne Schulting will look to translate her superb form into more silverware at the global showpiece. Schulting, who won gold in the 1000m and 3000m relay at last year's Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, bowed out of the World Cup campaign as the top female skater clinching the inaugural Crystal Globe trophy.
The two-time world champion was the dominant force in the 1000m this season, winning four gold medals in her World Cup campaign and topping the podium twice in the 1500m.
Republic of Korea's Kim Gilli was the top female in the women's 1500m while reigning world champion Xandra Velzeboer finished the World Cup season at the top of the standings in the sprint distance.
Choi, the queen of Korean short track, will be looking to find her form on home ice after a low-key World Cup campaign. She only has one individual victory to her name, winning the 1500m event at the Dresden's leg at the beginning of February.
Park will be looking to build on his superb form in the men's competition after winning the inaugural Crystal Globe Trophy. Park has been imperious this season, finishing on top of the standings in both the 1000m and 1500m.
Denis Nikisha of Kazakhstan was the top performer in the sprint event and will fancy his chances of getting his hands on the world title in the 500m event in Seoul.
Italian legend Arianna Fontana, who is the most decorated short tracker in Olympic history has taken a sabbatical and will not be in action at the championships.
Schedule for the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2023
All times CET
Friday, 10 March
Qualifying rounds
Men 500m
Men 1000m
Men 1500m
Women 500m
Women 1000m
Women 1500m
Quarterfinals
Relay mixed
Relay men
Relay women
Saturday, 11 March:
Repechage
Men 500m
Men 1500m
Women 500m
Women 1500m
Quarterfinals
Men 500m
Semi-finals
Men 500m
Men 1500m
Relay men
Women 500m
Women 1500m
Relay women
Finals
Men 500m
Men 1500m
Women 500m
Women 1500m
Sunday, 12 March:
Repechage
Men 1000m
Men 1000m
Final B
Men relay
Women relay
Quarterfinals
Men 1,000m
Women 1,000m
Semi-finals
Men 1000m
Women 1000m
Relay mixed
Finals
Men 1000m
Women 1000m
Mixed relay
Men relay
Women relay
How to watch the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships:
You can catch all the short track speed skating sessions via their national broadcasters. For countries where there are no broadcasters and for the qualification and repechage races, the ISU will offer a live stream on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel.