Sport of the Week – Short Track and Speed Skating (Winter Olympics)

Sport of the Week – Short Track and Speed Skating (Winter Olympics) - with John Hartley and Geoff Peterfy 0:00 18:32

What’s the difference between a short track and “long-track” speed skating? Well, you’ll have to listen to the above to find out or read the notes below. It’s another Monday, so we’re going over another sport and with the Winter Olympics starting one month from today, we’re extremely excited (John is at least). Check back in next Monday for more history and event rundown of a Winter Olympic sport.

We’re somewhat new to these sports, so if we get something wrong, feel free to let us know via the contact page or by calling 614-398-3243 and leaving a brief voice message.

Quick overview of what it is If Nascar was on ice and the cars were people. So essentially a combo of Ice Age and the movie Cars.

Where/When did it start Do we really need to get into where ice skates came from? I’ll give you a guess. Yep, Northern Europe Scientists found a pair near Finland at the bottom of a lake and were dated to about 3,000 BC . Made of animal bone and not made as a hobby Bone to iron, iron to steel Not trying to do a bit, but imagine being that first guy to slap bones on his feet From there, the Dutch made some modifications in the 1300s 1763, first true skating competition was held in England on the Fenlands. 15 miles long across canals In the netherlands their distance race is called Elfstedentocht (eleven cities tour), 200km long, started in 1909 Speed skating started in late 1800s, all were held outside Short track began at the beginning of the 1900s in Canada and the US, where it gained popularity for the mass start appeal. Only recently (since 1994) have the long track events been held indoors, with 1988 Calgary as the first indoor track 1924 speed skating was introduced at the olympics, 1960 women were allowed to participate Short track started 1992

How do you win? Be the fastest skater around the track Two false starts are disqualified Average speed is around 30mph

Events Short Track – started in 1988 as demonstration became standard in 1992 Mens 500m, 1,000m, 1,500m, 5,000m Relay Womens 500m, 1,000m, 1,500m, 3,000m Relay Speed Skating Men’s 500m, Men’s 1,000m, Men’s 1,500m, Men’s 5,000m, Men’s 10,000m, Men’s Mass Start, Men’s Team Pursuit Ladies’ 500m, Ladies’ 1,000m, Ladies’ 1,500m, Ladies’ 3,000, Ladies’ 5,000m, Ladies’ Mass Start, Ladies’ Team Pursuit Biggest Difference between the two event types Short Track is on a 111m track, whereas regular is 400m Short track is more about technique as it’s tighter turns and has higher potential for wipeouts Full track is more about power 500-5,000m is done with only 2 skaters at a time, Short track is 4 to 8 depending on length Team Pursuit is for three athletes per team. Different than track relay. All three race at the same time, racing against another team of three. Have to finish all three before other team finishes all three Some events have a staggered start Long track they generally just do one round whereas short track has several rounds Mass start is 16 laps, entire field races (max of 24) Each 4 laps there are sprint points awarded 5, 3, 1 given out for first, second, third At the end 60, 40, 20 are given out

Best Known for the sport Short track – dominated by teams from Asia and North America South Korea, China, Canada and the United States have won 104 of 120 medals awarded South Korea leads the medal tally (and gold medal tally), with 42 medals including 21 golds US has 4 gold, 19 total Speed Skating Netherlands 35/105, US 29/67, Norway 25/80

Fun Facts Blue is the fastest color: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/11/sports/olympics/fastest-color.html Extreme version called Crashed Ice, sponsored by Red Bull (Sweden is great at this, specificaly Jasper Felder (7 championships) Not sure on the validity, but some say because there are more right hand/leg dominant athletes, it’s easier to go counter-clockwise (turning left)

Most Famous Maame Biney [mah-meh Bye-knee] – 17-year old US, become first black woman to qualify for a US Olympic speedskating team, short track Erin Jackson – first black woman to qualify for US Olympic long-track team Steven Bradbury of Australia Won Gold 1,000m Short Track at Salt Lake City in 2002 Famous for winning by letting everyone else fail Got into semifinals on a technicality, in semis, three racers crashed so he advanced to finals Finals – 5 racers, 4 fell, he crosses the finish line with the gold first person from any southern hemisphere country to win a Winter Olympic event Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/tYUjmEH9NNk/ Viktor Ahn, with 6 gold medals, has the most Olympic golds in short track He and Apolo Anton Ohno, with 8 medals each, have the most Olympic medals in short track German Claudia Pechstein – nine medals—five gold, two silver, and two bronze—more than any other speed skater at the Olympics one of four Winter Olympians to win medals at five straight Olympics most successful German Winter Olympian of all-time Lidiya Skoblikova, Soviet Union 1964 won four gold medals, became first athlete to win gold in each available event



Steven Bradbury’s Improbable Gold Medal