On a track crowded with skaters, these racers have to accelerate in the turns and pass when the moment is just right.

Short Track

By Alexandra Garcia, Mika Gröndahl, Graham Roberts and Joe Ward

Scroll

Short-track speedskaters whip around a relatively small oval, pushing forward in short bursts of acceleration on extremely sharp blades. Jessica Smith and Chris Creveling, both members of the United States Speedskating Team, describe leaning low in the turns, drafting off competitors and sprinting toward what is often an unpredictable finish.

1

Skaters create most of their speed coming out of the turns by crossing right-over-left and pushing off the ice.

2

Short-track strategy is a constant assessment of the options — when to lead, when to follow, when to pass.

Credits

Produced by Alexandra Garcia, Mika Gröndahl, Graham Roberts, Joe Ward, Mike Bostock and Tom Giratikanon

Additional video by Peter Pilafian

Narration by Zena Barakat; Post Production by Ben Laffin

Photography by Robert Michael/AFP/Getty Images, Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Images; Cover photograph by Morry Gash/Associated Press

Sources: Christopher Creveling, Jessica Smith, Travis Jayner, Stephen Gough, U.S. Speedskating

Published: Feb. 14, 2014

Others in This Series