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SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING
Short Track Speed Skating, an exhilarating sport at EYOF, combines high-speed racing with tactical strategy on a compact ice track. Young athletes navigate tight turns and sprint to the finish, showcasing agility, speed, and nerve. Experience the intensity and thrill of short track speed skating, where every race is a test of skill and determination!  
BASIC RULES
The Short Track Speed Skating racetrack is set in a 30 m x 60 m ice rink, and athletes compete against each other in a series of direct elimination rounds in which the fastest moves on to the next round. This is a unique feature of Short Track Speed Skating, where the skaters start in groups.  
In EYOF we have the 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and 2000 m Mixed Team Relay races. In the mixed relay, each team consists of four athletes: two girls and two boys. The athletes race in a required order: woman-woman-man-man-woman-woman-man-man.  
Helmets are required because the risk of falling is much greater than in speed skating. The tight curves and speed-to-distance ratio mean that athletes use stiff footwear to help them control their trajectory. The blades are also smaller compared to speed skating blades, which means different training is necessary to teach the athletes to lean more into the curve.

The competition is held on the ice rink, which is 60 m long and 30 m wide. The short-track oval is marked with special signs on the ice (field Red rubber or plastic is placed in a semi-circle at the head and bottom 7-7 discs of color). The length of the oval, i.e. the circumference, is 111.12 m, straight The length of the section is 28.85 m. Skating is allowed only on boards and in the space between the disks. The athlete goes on the field with a helmet, With knee pads, shin guards and neck guards. On a short track it is approx It develops a speed of 50 km/h. Whoever reaches the finish line first wins.

In the relay, each team consists of 4-4 skaters. All team members He will alternately pass the section of the distance assigned to him. An athlete who has been replaced by a teammate (this happens after a hand touch), Immediately leaves the field so as not to create an obstacle for others. skaters They alternate each other in the center of the field on both sides, in a straight oval, 19 m long length, on the section marked with blue transverse stripes. Because of that The space for skating is limited, participants often collide each other Falling on ice does not result in disqualification, but similar After the accident, the skater practically loses the victory opportunity.

HISTORY
In Short Track Speed Skating, athletes compete not against the clock, but against each other. This introduces the elements of strategy, bravery and skill needed for racing.

According to the British version, the short-track was invented by the English in the XIX At the end of the century, but it could not gain a foothold in Britain and Canada spread Canadians reject this version and the founders of the short track They choose the name themselves. In 1905, it was in Canada that the world was held The first national championship in short track. A year later, the same The competition was organized in the USA, and the organizer of the first European competition was Didi Britain was (1914). Later, short track was introduced in Australia, Italy, Belgium, France, New Zealand and Asian countries. this The species is especially widespread in Korea, China and Japan. 1975 This year, the International Skating Union (ISU) formed a short track committee.

NORTH AMERICAN ORIGIN
Short track (or indoor) Speed Skating began in Canada and the United States of America, where they held mass-start competitions on an oval track as early as 1905-1906. The lack of 400 m long tracks led many North American skaters to practice on ice rinks. However, practicing on a smaller track brought new challenges, like tighter turns and shorter straightaways, which lead to different techniques in order to win on a shorter track. These countries began competing against each other on an annual basis. The sport’s rise in popularity was partly thanks to the North American racing rules, which introduced a “pack” style of racing. Capitalizing on this, the organizers of the 1932 Lake Placid Games, with the consent of the International Skating Union (ISU), agreed to follow these rules for the program’s speed skating events.  
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
Countries such as Great Britain, Australia, Belgium, France and Japan deserve a great deal of credit in the development of the sport, since they participated in international open competitions before the sport was recognized by the International Skating Union. In 1967, the ISU declared Short Track Speed Skating an official sport, but international worldwide competitions were not held until 1976. During this period of time, countries kept competing amongst themselves.
OLYMPIC HISTORY
After having been a demonstration sport at the 1988 Games in Calgary, short track speed skating became part of the Olympic program in Albertville in 1992, with two individual events and two relays. The discipline comprises men’s and women’s events. Since the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, the program of this discipline has included eight events.  
It quickly became popular with the public, who are thrilled to watch rapid races on tight tracks. The skaters race so closely to each other that collisions and falls are inevitable, which is why the walls of the speed skating oval are padded.

At the XV Winter Olympics, a demonstration competition in short track speed skating was held, and from the following Games it was recognized as a full-fledged Olympic sport. The debut Olympic program included 4 disciplines. In the program of subsequent Olympics, 2 additional disciplines were included (women – 1000 m, men – 500 m), in 2002 – 2 more (women, men – 1500 m).

From the 2022 Winter Olympics, 9 sets of medals will be contested..

ASIAN EMERGENCE
China and Korea have emerged to challenge North American dominance in this event. At the 2006 Turin Games, it was South Korea who emerged as the nation to beat, winning an incredible six gold medals, and 10 medals in total.
SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING AT EYOF 2025
Venue Disciplines / Events Categories (Age) Athletes Quota (Aa) Team Officials Quota (Ao)
Batumi Ice Arena
https://maps.app.goo.gl/xUsWsvnrEpyEsec76 		Boys
– 500 m
– 1000 m
– 1500 m
– 2000 m Mixed Team Relay

Girls
– 500 m
– 1000 m
– 1500 m
– 2000 m Mixed Team Relay 		01.07.2008
30.06.2010 		2 Boys
2 Girls 		2 Ao