Sports Glossaries
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all-round

A championship competition in which skaters race at various distances, typically four, and the championship is determined by the samalog system. In major events, men race at 500, 1,500, 5,000, and 10,000 meters, while women race at 500, 1,000, 1,500, and 3,000 meters.

armband

Worn by skaters in pairs so judges can distinguish one from the other. The skater who starts on the inner lane wears white and the other skater wears red.

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blocks

Barriers that mark the inner boundary of the track.

burn out

To set a very fast pace.

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clap skate

Allowed only in long track racing, the clap skate has a blade that detaches at the heel, which allows the full length of the blade to remain on the ice for a much longer period of time, increasing speed. When the skate is lifted from the ice, the blade is snapped back into its original position by a spring-loaded hinge located under the ball of the foot. That produces a distinctive clapping sound that gives the skates their name. Also klap skates, often spelled as one word.

cross-tracking

Improperly crossing into the wrong lane; results in disqualification.

crossover

1) Halfway through each lap in pairs skating, the skaters have to change lanes in a designated area called the crossover. 2) The motion used by skaters to negotiate curves, in which the outer foot crosses over the inner foot to help maintain balance and speed.

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false start

A premature start. The skater is warned after one false start and disqualified after the second.

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heat

A preliminary qualification round for up to six skaters, with the top two finishers advancing to the next round.

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judge

Speed skating judges watch the race for possible rules violations and determine the final placings for each heat or pairs race.

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lane

Pairs racing is conducted in lanes, against the clock. To equalize the distances skated, the skaters have to change lanes at the crossover, halfway through each lap.

lap recorder

The official who's responsible for keeping track of how many laps remain in a race and ringing a bell that tells the skaters the last lap has begun.

long track

A type of competition in which two skaters at a time race on a 400-meter track, against the clock rather than one another.

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marker

A plastic block that marks the boundary between lanes. There are seven track markers at each curve.

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pairs

The racing system usually used in long track competition, with two competitors skating the track at the same time. Both are electronically timed. The winner of the race is the skater with the fastest time after all the pairs have skated.

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recorder

An official who keeps track of race results and compiles the race standings.

referee

The chief official, who oversees the entire race or meet, conducts the draw, and decides when the ice should be resurfaced.

relay

Short track competition has relay races, usually involving four teams with four skaters each. Each team member must take at least one turn on the track, but the distance to be covered by a skater isn't fixed. When an exchange takes place, the skater on the track needs only to touch the incoming skater. In practice, however, the incoming skater usually gets into a crouch on the ice and is given a push start by the skater who's being replaced. Only one exchange can take place during the last three laps, and a single skater has to complete the final two laps.

right of way

In short track skating, the lead skater has the right of way and the passing skater is responsible for avoiding body contact. In long track skating, the skater who starts in the outside lane has the right of way at the crossover if they arrive at the same time, but otherwise the skater in the lead has the right of way.

rocker

A measure of the amount of a curve in the portion of a skate blade that touches the ice. Speed skating blades have little rocker, which makes them faster but less maneuverable. Hockey skates have a great deal of rocker, allowing greater maneuverability.

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samalog

A scoring system in which a skater's times for races at various distances are converted into points to determine an overall champion. Essentially, all times are converted to the equivalents for 500 meters. The number of points awarded for the 500-meter event is the same as the time in seconds; the number of points for the 1000-meter event is the time in seconds divided by two, and so on. Also sammelagt

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short track

A type of competition conducted on a 111-meter track on an international size hockey rink. Skaters race in packs, not pairs.

sprint

A long-track race of 1,00 meters or less.

starter

The official who's responsible for ensuring a fair start. He or she gives the command, "Go to the start," followed by "Ready." After the skaters have been motionless in the ready positon for a second or more, the starter fires a gun as the signal to start the race.

straight

The long, straight section of a speed skating oval.

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timer

There are several timers, who use stop watches as backup to the electronic timing system.

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