Essay On Speed Skating

ABOUT SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING
Short track speed skating takes place on a 111.12-metre oval track on a rink measuring 30-metre by 60-metre. Because the corners are tight and it can be difficult for skaters to maintain control, the boards must be covered by protective mats of polyurethane foam at least 20 centimetres thick with a minimum height of one metre. The mats are covered with a water-resistant and cut-resistant material and they must be attached to the boards as well as to each other. Facilities dedicated solely to short track speed skating often use a self standing mat system that does not require boards which provides additional safety for athletes crashing at high speeds.

The Races
In world championship competition, men and women skate four distances: 500, 1,000, 1,500 and 3,000 and relay races over 3,000 metres for women and 5,000 metres for men. The competition lasts three days. The events are skated in the following order: 1,500, 500, 1,000 and 3,000 metres.

Positions are drawn by lot and the competition pits skater against skater. Strategies and tactics are very important in a race. Races are often won by the smartest rather than the fastest skater. In international competitions, skaters must finish among the top two in their heats, quarterfinals and semi-finals to qualify for the 500-metre, 1,000-metre and 1,500-metre finals. Only the skaters who accumulate points in previous finals are eligible for the 3,000-metre final. First place receives 34 points; second place, 21 points; third place, 13 points; fourth place, eight points, fifth place, five points, sixth place, three points, seventh place, two points and eighth place, one point. The winner of the World Short Track Speed Skating title is the skater with the highest number of final points when the championship