Short track speed skating
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Short track speed skating (also Shorttrack speedskating) is a form of competitive ice skating similar to speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters (typically between four and six) skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111,12 m. The rink itself is 60 m by 30 m, which is the same size as an international-sized hockey rink.
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[edit] History
Short track speed skating originates in the speed skating events held with mass starts. This form of speed skating was mainly practiced in the United States and Canada, as opposed to the international form, where skaters skated in pairs. At the 1932 Winter Olympics, speed skating events were conducted in the mass start form. Competitions in North America were also held indoors, for example in Madison Square Garden, New York, and therefore on shorter tracks than was usual for outdoor skating.
In 1967, the International Skating Union adopted short track speed skating, although it did not organise international competitions until 1976. World Championships have been held since 1981 though earlier events later also received that status. At the 1988 Winter Olympics, held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, short track was a demonstration sport. It was upgraded to a full Olympic sport in 1992 and has been part of the Winter Olympics since.
Canada and South Korea have long been the dominant countries in the sport, but currently the sport is also highly popular in many Asian countries, notably The People's Republic of China, and Japan. With smaller ice tracks and shorter, often spectacular competitions, short track speed skating has grown more popular than the older long track in many countries. Even though, in 2006 Olympics, Republic of Korea won the most medals in Short track speed skating.
[edit] Races
Short track speed skating races at the international level at contested in four individual distances and one relay distance. Both men and women compete individually in 500 m, 1000m, and 1500m events. For the men, teams of four skaters complete the 5000m relay. Teams of four women complete 3000m for the women's relay. The distances contested at the olympic games are the same. The 500m race is four and a half laps, the 1000m is 9 laps and so on. Since the coners are so tight in short track speed skating it is impossible for skaters to skate the exact track. It is estimated that elite skaters skate about 116 to 120 meters every lap, accounting for some of the discrepancy between short track and long track world records.
Unlike long track speed skating, little emphasis is put on time. Finishing position in a race is all that matters. Since there are only four to six skaters to a race, many heats are often needed to eliminate the weaker competitors before quarterfinals, semifinals and a final can take place. Only the top two or three skaters from one round will make it into the next. This leads to pack strategies not seen in long track speed skating. Often, when skaters are of similar caliber, it is the one who best excecutes his strategy who wins. This pack skating can also lead to contact between skaters, and while some is permissable, there are strick guidelines about what is allowed and what is not. There are several referees to each race who will disqualify a skater if they deem that he or she has impeded another, or made illegal contact with another skater.
[edit] Rules
In Canada, short track competitions are held either as all-points meets, where skaters are seeded based only on their times for a standard distance (usually the 500m), or an age class, where people are seeded by age and gender. All-points meets allow racing against skaters of all ages and genders, with the exception of the Masters age class (30+). All-points meets are usually held at the local level in only certain provinces. Age class meets are utilized at the provincial and national levels. Age classes are :
- Peewee: 6-7
- Bantam: 8-9
- Midget: 10-11
- Juvenile: 12-13
- Junior: 14-15
- Intermediate: 16-17
- Senior: 18-29
- Master1: 30-39
- Master2: 40-49
- Master3: 50-59
- Master4: 60+
Ages are determined as of June 30th prior to competition. At international and Olympic competitions, skaters are placed by gender only.
There are several actions that will result in skaters being disqualified (DQ) from a race, and having their time rendered invalid.
- Impeding (DQI): Pushing, blocking, or otherwise causing an impediment for another skater
- Off track (DQO): Skating within the designated track
- Cross-tracking (DQX): Deliberately cutting in front of a competitor who is attempting to pass
- Skating as a team (?): Conspiring with others to determine the race result
- Assistance (?): Giving physical assistance to another skater
- Shooting the line or Kicking out (DQK): Driving the foot in lead ahead to reach the finish faster, resulting in the rear foot lifting off the ice and creating a dangerous situation for others
- Unsportsmanlike conduct (DQU): Acting in a manner not benefiting an athlete or a role model. Including cursing at a competitor, kicking your feet, striking other skaters or officials, etc. This disqualification is considered by coaches and skaters as the worst thing to be disqualified for.
- Equipment (DQE): Not wearing the proper safety equipment, losing equipment during the race, or exposure of skin not on face or neck.
- False Start (DQS): Starting before the firing of the starter's pistol twice.
- Did not finish (DNF): Usually due to injury, the skater did not finish the race
- Did not skate (DNS): The skater did not go to the starting line.
[edit] Notable skaters
- Ahn Hyun Soo
- Steven Bradbury
- Fabio Carta
- Chun Lee-kyung
- Sylvie Daigle
- Nathalie Lambert
- Marc Gagnon
- Jonathan Guilmette
- Jin Sun-Yu
- Toshinobu Kawai
- Kim Dong-sung
- Kim Ki-hoon
- Alanna Kraus
- Lee Ho-Suk
- Lee Yoonho
- Apolo Anton Ohno
- Evgenia Radanova
- Wilf O'Reilly
- Eiko Toda (Shishii)
- Mathieu Turcotte
- Cathy Turner
- Monique Velzeboer
- Tania Vicent
- Yang Yang (A)
- Yang Yang (S)
