Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and Sam Gaze crowned new short track world champions

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot of France and Samuel Gaze of New Zealand are the new UCI short track world champions.

Alessandra Keller (SUI) and Gwendalyn Gibson (USA) rounded out the women’s podium, while Filippo Colombo and Thomas Litscher took home silver and bronze for Switzerland.

Early on, a group of twelve riders broke away and stayed together until the seventh lap. Ferrand-Prévot stayed tucked safely in the group, keeping the wind off her face. Her tactics would prove worthwhile when she attacked in the seventh lap and never looked back.

“I’m super happy. I didn’t leave very quickly and I guarded to launch my attack. Afterwards, I managed to keep a good rhythm and it ended well,” Ferrand-Prévot said after the race.

“I had to sort-of claw my way back,” he said. “I knew it would come to the last climb.”

In the 10th and final lap, Gaze attacked and American Christopher Blevins joined him. The two set a blistering pace and seemed set to sprint for the gold medal, but Blevins crashed on the final rock garden while trying to vie for the same line as Gaze.

Gaze rode across the line solo, and after the race acknowledged Blevins’ misfortune.

Women’s elite short track results

1. Pauline Ferrand-Prévot (FRA) – 21:56
2. Alessandra Keller (SUI) – 22:14
3. Gwendalyn Gibson (USA) – 22:17
4. Jolanda Neff (SUI) – 22:23
5. Evie Richards (GBR) – 22:26
6. Greta Seiwald (ITA) – 22:33
7. Annie Last (GBR) – 22:41
8. Kate Courtney (USA) – 22:46
9. Steffi Haberlin – 22:48
10. Savilia Blunk (USA) – 22:50

Men’s elite short track results

1. Sam Gaze (NZL) – 22:21
2. Filippo Colombo (SUI) – 22:24
3. Thomas Litscher (SUI) – 22:28
4. Alan Hatherly (SAF) – 22:34
5. Martins Blums (LAT) – 22:37
6. Sebastian Carstensen (DEN) – 22:40
7. Henrique Avancini (BRA) – 22:42
8. Jonas Lindberg (DEN) – 22:44
9. Daniele Braidot (ITA) – 22:46
10. Maximilian Brandl (GER) – 22:47