Tracks

[sk8er]

Several years ago there was talk in the ISU about shortening the shorttrack to slow down the speeds. The issue was safety as the skaters just keep getting faster. Now hear this: the latest twist is changing the shape of the track to "make the sport more exciting." Apparently there was some recent experimentation in SLC.

Visualize a rectangle. Mark the top N and the bottom S. Put an oval shorttrack inside it. Bisect the oval. Slide the two sections apart, one slightly N and one slightly S until the ends no longer meet. What you have are two horseshoe shaped sections slightly offset. What this does is narrow the space for the corner entry and enlarge it coming out of the turn. Makes it more dangerous I'd think, everyone rushing for that narrow corner entry. I guess THAT'S more exciting.

[jenza123]

HI SK8ER. IM TRYING TO VISUALIZE THAT TRACK IN MY MIND. WTH?
JUST NOT HAPPENING .EITHER WAY .IT DONT SOUND FEASIBLE. JMO.

[sk8er]

Try to get a mental picture in your mind. The track has been cut in half north to south. The two horseshoe shaped pieces are slightly off set. This puts the first block on the entry closer to the wall. You have less space between the 1st block and the wall going into the turn. That really changes the game, on all levels. At least that's the way Tony explained it to me in the locker room Saturday. Man, did I miss out of the good stuff the first couple of years I skated by being too modest to change in front of everyone! We have a "unisex" locker room, lol, and that's where the good jokes and news travels around. Tony has a website and said he put up video. OK, here's his url for that story

www.shorttrackhd.com/Mock.html

[tdav]

In my opinion, I think that, yes, initially, it would substantially slow the sport down but it would also make it more dangerous. I also think that, inevitably, the sport would still get faster, as the skaters get used to the new track. And I also wouldn't think that skaters, such as Apolo, Charles, Ahn, etc., who have been skating on a 111 m track for 10-15 years, would like it much.

[bubblebuttsbabe]

so THAT'S what those mock races were showing - i watched one earlier and i didn't get it it. it looked the same to me but i obviously wasn't paying attention. oops.

that's pretty interesting, but i honestly don't think it would work. we have enough trouble trying to get people to pay attention to short track as it is that i doubt people will open their eyes to this change. not that i'm trying to be a debbie downer about this, but i just don't think it's going to change anything. but what do i know...

[skaterfan]

My initial impression is that this may be an attempt to decrease the potential for team skating and increase the need for individual skill and strategy in the sport. Might be interesting. I also noticed that Apolo was observing in the middle of the track in some sort of official capacity. Maybe he was in on the proposal?

[sk8er]

Actually shrinking the track to 100m would slow the skaters down because you don't have that extra length on the straight away to get a stride in that would increase your speed. Moving the blocks to narrow the entry would also result in slowing the action down as you would need to be a little more careful about the smaller entry corner. Elite skaters know the "feel" of that track and can tell when the blocks have been moved even inches. Someone on our message board, who is I think from Germany, posted that this idea wasn't going to fly.

[justsayin]

As I watched the mock races, I wasn't impressed.

I noticed that skaters didn't have enough room to swing really wide just before going into the curve to "slingshot" past another skater in the curve. I saw skaters repeatedly trying to do that but not getting the momentum to really make a pass.

For example, JR Celski really does this move brilliantly and it is exciting to watch. I'd hate to see resizing the track set the sport back while the skaters adjust to it. I'm afraid that is what would happen.

And you're right sk8er, the shortend straightaways make passes there more difficult too.

[evie5]

If they do change the track, I hope they wait until after 2010 to give everyone a chance to adjust. I think it would unfair to change the track just a few months before the olympics.

[sk8er]

Here's the latest comment off our message board: Yes it IS the off season and we'll talk about anything!

they adjusted the track again before the racing began due to feedback during the
training sessions. The comments there were about adjustments before the "mock races" began... SusanG

the 'new' new track is 108m, so not far off the current 111.12m The original
new track they tried was 100m but it was too short.

[sk8er]

Latest scuttlebutt on our board....SusanG

ISU is thinking about changing the track for the post-olympic season.
nothing's published cos they wanting to test it first and get skater feedback

Nick