There are 12 speed skating events (sometimes referred to as long track speed
skating) on the Olympic program – six for men and six for women. Team
Pursuit events for Men and for Women were introduced at the Turin Games in 2006.
500 metres
The 500 is the only Olympic event in which the skaters skate two races, with the final results based on the total time of the two races. This all-out sprint begins with an even start and consists of one and a quarter laps around the oval, with the finish line at the end of the straight.
1000 metres
This two-and-a-half-lap race begins in a staggered start and finishes in the middle of the straight.
1500 metres
Beginning with a staggered start, the skating pair completes three and three-quarter laps around the oval and crosses the finish line at the end of the straight.
3000 metres
This race is unique to women and consists of seven and a half laps around the oval, with the finish line at the end of the straight. The race begins with the pair lined up in a staggered start.
5000 metres
Part of the men’s and women’s program, the 5000 is speed skating’s version of the marathon for women. The race begins with a staggered start and consists of 12 1/2 laps, with the finish line at the end of the straight.
10,000 metres
A true test of endurance, the men’s marathon consists of 25 laps around the oval, with the finish line at the end of the straight. The race begins with the pair lined up side-by-side in separate lanes
Team Pursuit
Organised with a set of elimination phases so that the final race will be a deciding race for the Gold and Silver medals. While racing a team consists of 3 athletes but a country may compose their pursuit team differently for the different rounds included in the event. A maximum of five different skaters for the complete set of races can be used. Only those who have raced will be eligible for a medal.
The event starts with preliminary “time trials” to establish a ranking for the teams as a basis for the heats in the elimination phase (the quarter-finals).
A team is “overtaken” when its third member is passed by the third member of the other team. Competitors change lanes on the back straight every lap. Skaters in the outer lane have the right of way when crossing over.
