Short Track Speed Skating

Short Track Speed Skating
W M
February 6
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500m
MEDAL
1,000m
HEAT
1,500m
3,000m RELAY
5,000m RELAY
EQUIPMENT
Apolo Anton Ohno of the U.S. (C) pursues Canada's Charles Hamelin (R) in the men's 1,000 metres short
track speed skating quarter-finals during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. REUTERS/David Gray
THE STROKE
Short track skating involves incredibly tight, fast left turns, requiring special equipment.
Skates
Blade edges that are twice as
sharp as ordinary skates allow
for near-horizontal leaning
around curves. To prevent the
side of the foot from rubbing
the ground at the depth of the
turn, blades are placed to the
left side of the sole, rather than
the center.
Helmet
Visor
Protection from ice shards
and wayward blades
Shin pad
Gloves
Ceramic caps on
fingertips glide on
ice as skaters place
hands on ice for
stability around
corners
RINK
Turning
In order to keep one skate on the ice at all times, and maintain speed around turns,
competitors cross the right leg fully over the left each time is pushes around the
bend.
THE RINK
An Olympic event since 1992, short track races were created to accomodate speed
skating in a typical hockey arena with a lap length of just 111.12 meters.
Safety
mats
Start: 500m, 1,500m
Straight length: 28.85m
Finish line
Leader
Hugs the inside lane, forcing others
to pass on the outside
Mass start
Up to six skaters, no lane assignments.
Start: 1,000m, 3,000m, 5,000m
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