Winter Olympics Technology Illustrated | Flower skates, ball skates, speed skates... The "ice skates" used in the Winter Olympics are very different

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Written by reporter Zhao Tianyu Edited by Chen Yongjie

New Media Editor/Li Yunfeng

Scientific review

Hu Bin (Professor at the Winter Olympics Training Institute of Beijing Sport University)

As an essential event in the Winter Olympics, skating can be divided into figure skating, ice hockey and speed skating. As the saying goes, if you want to do your work well, you must first sharpen your tools. In addition to superb skills, a pair of advanced and suitable ice skates is also the key to victory for skaters in the competition.

Depending on the different sports, ice skates are divided into flower skates, ball skates, and speed skating skates, so ice skates for different sports should be equipped with different ice skates. What are the differences between them?

Simply put, the ice skates we see can be divided into three categories. The first category is the ice skates used by speed skaters and short track speed skaters, referred to as speed skates and racing skates. The second category is the ice skates used by ice hockey players, which have shorter blades than speed skates, commonly known as ball skates. The third category is the ice skates used by figure skaters, referred to as "flower skates".

▲On February 12, Chinese athlete Gao Tingyu won the gold medal in the men's 500m speed skating final at the Beijing Winter Olympics (Photo source: CCTV News)

According to the specific classification of the event, speed skating skates can be divided into two types: "long track speed skating skates" and "short track speed skating skates". Among them, the blade of the long track speed skating skates is very long, the blade is narrow and flat, the ice-pushing area is large and the friction resistance is small, and the waist of the shoe is low to lower the body's center of gravity and reduce air resistance; the blade of the short track speed skating skates is relatively short, the bottom of the blade has an arc, and the contact area with the ice surface is very small, which is convenient for sliding in an arc when turning. The blade of the skates is high, and the skates will not touch the ice surface when the skates are tilted at a large angle.

▲On the evening of February 5, the Chinese sports delegation won the championship in the short track speed skating mixed relay final, and China's first gold medal was born (Photo source/CCTV News)

The ice skates used in figure skating competitions are called "flower skates". They are slightly longer than ball skates, but shorter than speed skating skates. The curvature and transition of the middle and front parts of the blade are similar to those of ball skates, except that there are several ice teeth at the front end. The ice teeth can help athletes jump and rotate, increase friction with the ice surface, and make it easier to stop.

▲On February 10, Chinese athlete Jin Boyang performed in the men's singles free skating competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics (Photo source: CCTV News)

Ice hockey is a highly competitive sport, and the requirements for ice hockey shoes are also very strict, requiring a hard toe, a high waist, and a thick upper. Therefore, ice hockey skates have the characteristics of a high and short blade, a large arc, and a thick blade.

The blade is high, so when the athlete tilts the skate to make a sharp turn, the skate will not touch the ice; the blade has a large curvature and a small contact area with the ice, so the athlete can slide, run and change direction more flexibly; the blade is thick, so it can withstand impacts without bending.

It is worth mentioning that goalie skates are also quite different from other athletes' skates. They are made of all metal, with a short and flat blade, and multiple connections between the blade and the butt to prevent the ball from leaking. Goalie skates are wrapped with special thickened hard leather around the shoe to resist blows and protect the feet.

In fact, since the International Olympic Committee allowed the official use of new ice skates in the Winter Olympics in 1998, almost all the Winter Olympic records and world records in speed skating have been broken. It can be said that the innovation of ice skates has promoted a leap in speed skating technology and athletic performance.

According to reports, the secret lies in the fact that researchers have installed a connecting device between the shoe and the ice blade near the big toe, so that when the athlete's center of gravity moves forward when pushing off the ice, the rear blade support and the skate will automatically separate. This allows the ankle joint to fully move, increasing the calf's pushing power and extending the pushing time without increasing friction on the ice.

▲Ice hockey game (Photo source: People's Daily)

But for beginners, ice hockey skates are the easiest to use, because ice hockey skates are higher in the boots, the calves bear part of the force, the ankles are under less force, and it is easier to stand and skate. The second is figure skating skates, and finally speed skating skates, because their operation difficulty and professionalism are relatively high.

The birth of ice skates has injected new kinetic energy into ice skating. Ice skates are like butterflies flying on the ice rink, perfectly presenting strength and beauty, speed and passion at the same time. Ice skating is also one of the high-quality events in my country's Winter Olympics. Let us wish the Winter Olympic athletes good results in this event!

(This content is jointly produced by Beijing Science and Technology News and China Digital Science and Technology Museum)

Produced by: Science Central Kitchen

Produced by: Beijing Science and Technology News | Beijing Science and Technology Media

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