Short Track
Short track is an Olympic speed skating event where skaters dash around a 111-meter ice track. It is a racing sport, and the first to the finish line wins. It is one of the two main categories of speed skating, the other one being long track. Short track events range from the 500 meter individual race to the 5000 meter relay.
FAQ
What is Short Track?
Short track is a kind of speed skating that takes place on a small ice track that is 111 meters long. Skaters reach speeds that top 31 mph and races are contested between four and six racers on average.
How long is short track speed skating?
A short track is 111 meters long per lap. Events range from 500 meters to 1500 meters, and there are also relay races that reach 5000 meters (just over 3 miles).
How do you play short track speed skating?
Short track speed skating is, at its heart, a racing sport. The rules are simple: the skaters take off from the starting line together, skate around the track a certain number of laps, and the first to the finish line wins!
Where did short track speed skating originate?
Short track speed skating originated in North America. It evolved from long track speed skaters who wanted to skate at their local rinks, so they marked out "short tracks" using cones that would fit on the small public rinks.
Where is speed skating most popular?
Although it originated in the United States and Canada, these days China and Korea are the dominant speed skating countries. The sport is also very popular in the Nordic countries like Sweden and the Netherlands.