About Short Track

Short track made its Olympic debut in 1992, and Norway first participated with athletes at the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994. Short track is a fast-paced and spectator-friendly relative of Norway's national sport, speed skating, but is practiced on a hockey rink. Short track, also known as 'short track speed skating,' is a very popular sport in countries such as the USA, Canada, South Korea, the UK, and Sweden. In the early 2010s, the Norwegian Skating Federation signaled its intention to focus on short track due to the sport's increasing popularity and support.
The competitions take place on an oval ice rink that is 111.12 meters long. The rink is divided by an inner and an outer line, and all the skaters race within these lines.
The goal is to be the first to cross the finish line in your heat, regardless of time. Each heat consists of four competitors.
Individual competitions start with 32 athletes, who advance through qualifying heats. The top two finishers in each heat move on to the next round.
The relays take place over two days, with qualifying heats, semifinals, and finals. Teams can substitute skaters from the semifinal to the final, as each team has five athletes.

Events

The eight events on the Olympic program in short track speed skating:
Men:
  • 500 m
  • 1 000 m
  • 1 500 m
  • 5 000 m Relay
Women:
  • 500 m
  • 1 000 m
  • 1 500 m
  • 3 000 m Relay

500 m

Four and a half laps of pure sprint. Each heat consists of four competitors, and it is a mass start.

1000 m

Nine laps. A tactical race, where the athletes start slowly and position themselves for the best possible position for the final sprint. The speed gradually increases toward top speed during the last two to three laps. Each heat consists of four competitors with a mass start.

1500 m

Here, both qualifying heats, quarterfinals, and the final take place on the same day. 13 and a half laps with six competitors in each race and a mass start.

3000 m Women's relay

27 laps with four competitors in each heat. The skaters take turns leading at the front and setting the pace. Each skater typically leads for up to two laps.

5000 m Men's relay

45 laps with four competitors in each heat. The skaters take turns leading at the front and setting the pace. Each skater typically leads for up to two laps.

Disqualification Rules

Athletes can be disqualified based on the following:
  1. Obstructing opponents by pushing or blocking
  2. Two false starts
  3. Skates crossing the inside of the track
  4. Interfering with opponents' skates
  5. Unnecessary slowing down of speed/tempo
  6. 'Friendly walking' - athletes are not allowed to agree on how the race should be skated
  7. Endangering opponents through their own skating style
  8. It is not allowed to throw oneself over the finish line.