by DAN BERRY
STARrinks.com
22 R INK MAGAZ INE may/June 2011
SPEED
Preparing for the
U.S. Speed Skating
Nationals at the
Utah Olympic Oval
The Utah Olympic Oval
knows speed.
Last February, an
amazing seventh world record was broken
during the U.S. Speed Skating Nationals.
So, just how much goes into preparing
for such an event? And why has the Utah
Olympic Oval been so successful?
From short and long track setup to
overall safety, the following photographs
taken by Oval staff during event setup
showcase what it takes to put on a
world-clas
s speed skating event.
NEED FOR
Full floods and just track "only" makes are done with the ice resurfacer per
schedule and track officials. Block chasers bucket flood and squeegee the track as
well as move blocks for track changes.
Photos courtesy of the Olympic Oval Staff
Edging off the rough ice makes the surface smoother and safer
for skater crashes, as the pad system has a great deal of flex.
The pads are moved to the center and edging is done, followed
by a double-pass scrape with the ice resurfacer. The pads are
secured back in place and then the surface is flooded.
The double-walled short track pad system is a
recent design that enhances skater safety with
crash protection. Aside from regular edging,
periodically the inner wall needs to be pulled
away for detailed edging that removes rough
ice buildup from the condensate formed on
pads underneath.
