Short Track Speed Skating

On a short track, at super high speed.

Everyone against everyone, a coloured tandem on a ring of ice, or in relay teams to give each other a break as the race unfolds.

Short track has been an Olympic discipline since Albertville 1992; Italy won its first gold medal in 1994 with the national men's 5,000 m relay team at Lillehamer.

Some atypical nations, for a winter scenario sport, such as Australia and China, lead the field when it comes to performance.

Short track speed skating competitions can be easily defined: fast and spectacular.
While in speed skating, on a long track, athletes are in pairs and the competitions are timed, in short track speed skating competitions are disputed over shorter distances, similar to the dimensions of a hockey rink (30 x 60 m), with at least four skaters (for the 500 and 1,000 m) and 6 for the 1,500 all competing against each other.

The athletes' technique is characterised by a particular position of the body, with an inclination up to 30°, the hand touching the ice on the bends, excellent acceleration during the start and opponents to be left behind while avoiding any disastrous collisions. A fundamental part of the competitions is formed by the tactics, with a study phase in the longer competitions.

Competitions are divided into individual and relay events: men’s and women’s.

Individual competitions

In individual competitions all skaters can take part in all distances, and the competition consists of a series of heats involving 4, 5 or 6 athletes.
The first two athletes in each heat go through to the next round until only four skaters remain who go through to the final. "B" finals are also held (from 5th to 8th place for 500 and 1,000 m and from 7th to 12th place for 1,500 m). These are important in assigning medals should there be any disqualification of two athletes in the "A" final.

Physical contact

Serious collisions, with pushes and obstructions, are punished with disqualifications. For each skater only one false start is permitted.

Relay

Eight teams take part in short track speed skating relay, each with four skaters plus a substitute. Each team is also free to decide how many laps each of its athletes will race, though the last two laps must be covered by the same skater. It is unusual for an individual athlete to exceed one and a half laps, giving a total of approximately 7-8 changes per athlete. Only where there is a fall can a substitute be admitted to this final phase.

The push

The relay exchange is carried out by touching one’s team mate and a hard push intended to transmit one’s own speed to the next team mate. The handover can be made along the two straights, while the last handover is carried out, in accordance with the rules, within the line in the middle of the straight corresponding to the start of the last 2 laps. If the rules are not respected, the team will be disqualified.

Source: www.torino2006.org

Event schedule