About Speed Skating

Long Track is completed on a 400m oval skating surface. Most Long Track Ovals in Canada are outside (there are only three inside ovals in Canada - one in Calgary, built for the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, one in Fort. St. John, B.C., built following the Vancouver Olympics, and one in Quebec City) and skaters contend with the weather and the elements while they race in pairs (Olympic Style) or in Mass Starts. 

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Red Deer is lucky! We have one of the few Long Track Ovals in Alberta. Built for the 2019 Canada Winter Games, Setters Place Oval is an amazing facility - right here in Red Deer! 

 

Learn more about Long Track: https://speedskating.ca/discover/learn-about-speed-skating/long-track/

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An elegant sport, Long Track Speed Skaters glide along the surface of the ice on blades up to 45cm long with seemingly little effort. Younger skaters gain experience in both the Olympic Style 100m races and in longer Mass Start races and work hard to develop a good skating form.

 

Long Track Meets

 

For long track meets, skin suits are desirable but any close-fitting clothing will suffice. Under the skin suits, skaters usually wear a thermal layer that whisks away moisture. Aside from that, warm mitts are usually a good idea, as well as sports glasses to protect the eyes from ice, snow, and wind. For many skaters, a warm-up suit is also a very good idea, as it allows for longer warm-ups and more comfort during the pre-race time period.

 

At practice, the situation is a bit different. Aerodynamics are not quite as important and warmth becomes a more critical issue. Dressing in layers is highly recommended. For the upper body, that should include a full set of underwear, another shirt or sweater, and a windbreaker of some sort. A neck gator or other face protector often helps. For the legs, a warm pair of tights with long underwear underneath is a good idea. On the feet, boot covers provide extra warmth on cold nights.

 

Mass Start & Team Pursuit

 

This form of racing, used in both short and long track, has up to six skaters race against each other on a single lane/track; this format is used at Ability Meets and for younger skaters. 

 

The newer Mass Start event in Long Track has 24 skaters on the line completing 16 laps of the oval with points for three sprint laps in the 4th, 8th, and 12th laps with a final sprint to the finish link for additional points. Skaters are required to wear Short Track Safety Gear (helmets, ankle kevlars, etc.) for this race. 

 

Team Pursuit is another popular event in which 2 teams of 3 skaters start from opposite sides of the Oval. 

 

Olympic Style

 

This is a style of long-track racing where two skaters race in separate lanes, at the same time, against each other and the clock. Each skater stays in his or her own lane, crossing over to the other lane at a predetermined point on the backstretch of each lap (to make the distances traveled equal). The ranking is based on finish times for all competitors (i.e. a skater who wins his or her pairing might come in 3rd overall). Distances range from sprints of 500m to endurance races of 10,000m (35 laps). 

 

Short Track Speed Skating takes place in community arenas across Canada. Club & Youth Skaters practice and race on a 100m Oval while Neo-Junior and older skaters (14+) race on a 111m oval track. Meets will often run both tracks at the same competition. 

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Our Club has moved to our new arena at the G.H. Dawe Community Centre. We host practices and meets at the Dawe for skaters of all ages on a 100m and 111m track. 

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Learn more about Short Track Speed Skating: https://speedskating.ca/discover/learn-about-speed-skating/short-track/

 

Involving tight corners and high speeds with numerous skaters on the ice at the same time, Short Track Speed Skating is an exciting sport to watch as it combines strategy, speed, and technique.

 

For safety, rink boards must be covered with protective mats. At international competitions, athletes race distances of 500m, 1,000m, 1,500m, and 3,000m with relay races of 3,000m (women) and 5,000m (men). For our younger skaters, Ability Meets include shorter distances of 100m to 1500m.

 

Short Track Ability Meets

 

The majority of Short Track Meets hosted by Clubs in Alberta are Ability Meets. An Ability Meet seeds (places) skaters based on Ability and not based on Gender or Age; Male and Female skaters of different ages will race in the same group based on their Ability (using Seed Times). Seed times are Personal Bests (PBs) for a skater in a given distance. If you are ever asked for a seed time on a meet entry form and you don’t know what to put, ask your coach. Do not put in a time that has not been skated. These times are used to place skaters in the right group so it's important that they are right.

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Ability meets feature an equal number of races for all participants in a mass start format (usually up to 6 skaters racing at once). Ability Meets usually award medals based on accumulated points with respect to other skaters in a given Division (a group of skaters placed together based on their Seed Times/Abilities). 

 

Short Track Age Class Meets

 

At age class meets, skaters race against others in their own age class; they are further divided by gender (Males and Females). Canadian Youth Short Track - West is an example of an Age Class Meet for Youth Skaters (ages 11-13). 

 

Skaters are grouped according to their seed times. The majority of meets in Alberta are Ability meets. If you are ever unsure about where you or your child should be classified, please consult one of the coaches on this matter well before a meet.

 

Short Track Mass Start

 

This form of racing, used in both short and long track, has up to six skaters (sometimes 8 skaters) race against each other on a single lane/track.