Speed
Skating
Speed
Skating promotes good health, and builds fitness and strength through dynamic
full-body movement patterns. Speed Skaters learn the importance of teamwork,
persistence, organization and goal-setting, in an environment of good sportsmanship
that fosters both team and individual achievement.
As well as being great fun and an exciting challenge, Speed Skating is a great way to make new friends, keep fit, and learn new skills. Skate Victoria offers competitions in a season which runs from August to April. (calendar)
Competition
In the competitive arena, there are plenty of event formats to suit everyone
including:
Time Trials – race solo against the clock for 200 or 300 metres.
Straight Races – race through heats, quarterfinals, and semifinals before competing as a finalist in a mass-start race from 500 to 5000 metres.
Points Races – race over a fixed distance of between 3000 and 10,000 metres, accumulating points through a series of intermediate sprints.
Elimination Races – race between 5000 to 20,000 metres, as the rearmost skaters are eliminated in a series of intermediate eliminations.
Combination Races – challenge yourself as Points and Elimination formats are used together in one event, awarding points to the leaders and eliminating the rearmost skaters.
Relay Races – be part of a team of 3 or 4 skaters racing other teams over a fixed distance, ‘relaying’ or changing skaters on the course every 1-2 laps.
Criterium Races – exercise a number of tactical racing strategies as you contest a time+ laps format race.,
Marathons & Half-Marathons – test yourself and race your friends over the traditional Marathon and Half-Marathon distances of 42 and 21 kms.
In Victoria
Victoria is home to the
current Junior World Sprint Champion (Daniel Greig), as well as numerous Senior
World Medalists and Australian Junior, Senior and Masters Team members –
all of whom started out through Club-based instruction/coaching and moved through
the ranks of Local competition.