Speed skating

Speed skating is a discipline in the hard drive on skates, a branch of the skating . Speed skating is practiced on whether or not covered ice rink of 400 meters.

Within the long track speed skating are different disciplines, each with their own distances. On the super sprint the 100 and 300 meters driven, 500 or 1000 meters made at the sprint. Medium distances 1500 and 3000 meters, 5000 and 10 000 meters belong to the long distances. Finally, there is the team pursuit .

Content

 * 1 Ice Rinks
 * 2 Distances
 * 3 Match
 * 4 Technology
 * 5 Schaatstraining outside the rink
 * 6 Equipment
 * 7 Developments in long track speed skating
 * 8 See also

Ice Rinks
The long-distance skating usually takes place on an oval rink of 400 meters, mostly on artificial ice . Standard Jobs are divided into two separate courses of at least four meters wide. On the inside there is often a inrijbaan for warming up and the spreading of the participants. The straight opposite the finish is the changeover portion; the so-called intersection. This serves to change the drivers of job, so that a fair distribution of inner and outer corners possible.

The Netherlands has a large number of ice rinks. At the rink Thialf in Heerenveen, the fastest times be driven. In Enschede a new rink built, the second full indoor ice rink in the Netherlands. This rink is opened in the 2008-2009 season.

Size race track according to Article 203 of the ISU rules:
 * Standard Course
 * A standard path for the hard drive is an open, covered or closed skating rink, with double competition lanes, a maximum of 400 meters and a minimum of 333 1/3 feet long, with two curved ends of each of 180 degrees, wherein the radius of the inner curve is not less than 25 meters, and no more than 26 meters.
 * The intersection has to be equal to the entire length of the straight, from the end of the bend.
 * The width of the inner race track must be 4 m. The width of the outer race track must be at least 4 m. The radius of the inner curve must be 25, 25.5 or 26 are m.

Distances [ edit ]
The sprint tournament distances are laying off both skated twice. A skater can thus no benefit or adversely affected by having to start in the indoor or outdoor job. On-round tournaments for men 500, 1500, 5000 and 10,000 meters driven (large vierkamp) or the 500, 1500, 3000 and 5000 meters (small vierkamp). For women, these are the 500, 1500, 3000 and 5000 meters (large vierkamp) or the 500, 1000, 1500 and 3000 meters (small vierkamp). On the basis of all distances ridden a ranking compiled which all distances equally count.

There are also games a distance, whose Speed ​​skating at the Winter Olympics is the most important. Annual competitions each distance are the World Single Distance Championships and the World Cup speed skating (World Cup). In these competitions, the specialists at a certain distance more likely.

A relatively new discipline in the long track speed skating team pursuit is, this is somewhere between long track speed skating and speed skating marathon . In the team pursuit ride two teams of at least three and up to four people several laps. The finish time of the third rider is decisive, the fastest time wins. The games can also be run in accordance with the knockout system. This is a waste disposal system in which the elapsed time is not important; here only time compared to the competitor. From 2011, more and more competitions are also organized as mass start also called 'mini-marathon' mentioned.

[Contest edit ]
The fate decides which driver in the indoor or outdoor job to start. The rider, who starts on the inside lane, need to press the intersection to cross the outside lane and vice versa. On the first command of the startergo to the start, the riders will immediately draw about 1 meter behind the starting line. After the next call: on your marks take the drivers behind the starting line, each in their job in the starting position. If the participants stand still, the following command ready, after a count following the launch. At the front of the finish line located straight stand the trainers of the riders, giving them lap times or the expected end time cry.Entering the final round is always indicated by a bell. A rider has traveled the distance, if it touches the finish line with a skate or reached. This also applies when a fall shortly before the end.

[Technology edit ]
Simon Kuipers during the World Cup in Heerenveen in 2007

Dimensions 400 meter rink

Job Form of the rink Leeuwarden during one of the first international speed skating in 1885. The total length is 1609 m and there is only one curve present.

Traditional skates for speeding; callednoren

The long-distance skating requires a separate technique in which a forward speed is obtained having a side outlet. At an optimal skating technique as much energy as possible is converted in the forward energy.

Typically at a properly executed skating technique is the deep 'sit' of the rider with the far forward facing strong upper body and knees bent. The knee angle should be about 90 degrees, this is done by pushing the knees forward so that the center of gravity of the buttocks falling too far behind the heels. The upper legs with respect to the lower body should form an angle of about 45 degrees. In order to obtain a good lateral outlet belong to the feet during the deposition duty to be forward facing.

In the super sprint and sprint 500 meters in both arms vigorously meegezwaaid, at 1000 meters is usually waving one arm (outer), on the longer distances holds the rider, however, the hands on the back, often in however bends the outer arm meezwaait to increase the pace slightly. The leg technique consists of a continuous drop and slide. From the deep, angled posture leg (the outlet leg) swung aside until the knee is extended. The body weight is transferred to the other leg (the idle leg), resulting in a long sliding movement. The outlet leg is then brought by a circular movement of the drumstick again to the body, the knee of the outlet leg is near the knee of the supporting leg, the skating is as close as possible to the other put down and follows the sale to the other side. It comes down to the skate as silently as possible to the center of the sharp bottom to bring on the ice. When this drop off, and to move the slide back and forth of the upper body are reduced to a minimum. Cornering technique one uses the transition, the right skate over the left is placed after a powerful marketing right.

At the start, the riders are at an angle of 40-45 degrees with slightly bent knees to the starting line. Next, the right arm, for example, is charged at the height of the right shoulder, the left arm is bent along the left femur. Besides standing, skaters can also start from a squatting position with one hand support is kept on ice. After the launch ride participants with powerful arm movements and quick steps away where the skate points first be directed outward, they are trying to go as fast as possible in glide over.

[Schaatstraining outside the rink edit ]
To maintain a good condition is outside the skating season regularly trained through skating and cycling. These sports are particularly suitable because hereby the same muscle groups are used largely in the skates. With so-called imitation exercises (at the skate movement adapted gymnastics) muscle strength and coordination are maintained. The training program often belongs also strength training with weights.

[Equipment edit ]
First one uses natural skating . Modern 'hardrijschaatsen' are made of hard steel of high quality, the skate-iron has a length of 40 to 44 cm. The tread, called the blade is slightly curved in length and 0.9 to 1.3 mm thick. A sharp skate is essential for top performance. Every driver usually makes his irons sharp, this is done manually by means of a grinding table and flat grindstone.

Much (better) speed skaters use clap skates, which expand in the deposition, which one longer able to push harder for drop-off and thus keep more speed. The skate shoes can be made of soft leather, whether they are made of a hard plastic. Although the shoe extends only to the ankles, the rider still good grip by a heel that supports the foot.

During races they wear a skinsuit, which is equipped with a hood. The suit, which fitted tightly around the body, reduces the air resistance. To the aerodynamics to further improve the better versions often consist of different materials. To the suit thumbs down without top so that the sleeves while skating can not go up. To keep the muscles in the running for a hot contest are jacks (zip) trousers, etc. salopeds worn.

During the training are often gloves worn, these provide protection and warmth. When a game is this done less frequently. Most competition skaters wear goggles to reduce the drying of the eyes. More and more skaters choose to ride without socks. When leather shoes that is comfortable, moreover it provides more 'contact' with theice .

Developments in long track speed skating [ edit ]
The long track speed skating has a dynamic development. As recently did the faster klapskate its appearance and also the thermoplastic (skate) shoe is fairly new.These shoes can be placed in a special oven in order to make them malleable, after which they are as it were, it can shape the feet. If the close-fitting shoes despite not sitting comfortably, then they can always return to the oven. The skate packs carried by the competition skaters are developing rapidly, and aims at further improving the aerodynamics.