Short Track
Short track speed skating is contested on a compact oval of about 111 metres, where several skaters race together in a pack and finishing position decides the result.
Overview
Short track speed skating is held on a compact oval of about 111 metres, usually marked out on an ice rink the size of an ice hockey surface. Rather than racing the clock, skaters compete head to head in small groups, and the first across the line advances or wins.
The tight corners call for sharp cornering technique, with skaters leaning steeply and often touching the ice with a hand for balance. Passing, positioning and drafting make it a tactical, fast-changing form of racing.
What defines it
- Raced on a compact oval of about 111 metres, often on a hockey-sized rink.
- Several skaters race at once, and finishing order decides the result.
- Tight corners require a deep lean and precise cornering steps.
- Tactics such as passing, positioning and drafting play a major role.
- Relay events, where teammates take turns, are a distinctive part of the sport.
Getting started
- 1Local clubs and public rinks are common starting points, and some offer introductory short track sessions.
- 2New skaters usually build comfort with basic gliding and stopping before practising the crossover steps used in the corners.
- 3Using club equipment or renting skates is a typical way to begin before investing in specialised gear.
Other Speed Skating disciplines
The forms of Speed Skating sit alongside each other — explore the rest.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Short Track to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Sports
- Speed SkatingA racing sport on long-bladed skates, powering around an ice oval or tight indoor track with long, rhythmic strides.
- WrestlingA grappling sport of takedowns and control where two athletes compete to pin or out-position each other.
- PadelA sociable, doubles-first racquet sport played in an enclosed court where the walls stay in play.
- NetballA non-contact, position-based team sport of quick passing and accurate shooting.
- RacquetballA lively indoor racquet sport played on an enclosed court where the walls, and often the ceiling, stay in play.
Rules
Facilities
- Ice rinkA sheet of prepared ice, usually rink-boarded with rounded corners, used for skating and ice sports.
- Athletics trackAn oval multi-lane running track, usually 400 metres per lap, used for sprints, distance running and relays.
- VelodromeA steeply banked oval track for track cycling, with sloped bends that let riders hold high speeds through the turns.
Playing surfaces
Tactics
- Breakaway and pelotonThe cycling tension between the main pack riding together and small groups that break clear to gain time.
- Offside trapA defensive football tactic where the back line steps up together to leave an attacker offside.
- Man-to-man markingA defensive tactic where each defender is assigned a specific opponent to track and contain.
- Negative splitA pacing tactic where an athlete covers the second half of a race faster than the first.
- Serve and volleyAn attacking tennis tactic where the server follows their serve to the net to finish the point with a volley.