The Association is the govern- ing body of speed skating SPEED SKATING REQUIRED EQUIPMENT (both long track and short track) in the province of Ontario. Ontario Speed Skating Association MANDATORY EQUIPMENT: We are a member organi-  Speed Skates - owned or rented zation of Speed Skating from member clubs , an ISU organiza- Do you have a need for speed and  Hard Shell Helmet (for short track) tion. excitement?  Bib Style Neck Guard OUR CLUBS Do you love skating but would like a sport King Oakville Barrie that promotes competitiveness and fun, team  Cut Resistant Gloves Kingston Brampton work and individual accomplishments?  Soft Knee Pads / Shin Pads Burlington Kitchener/Waterloo Portland  Clothing that is snug to the body and Cambridge Lakefield Quinte Do you want to have a hobby that offers great snug to the ankles (elastic style sweat Clarington London Sault Ste. Marie value for the entire family? pants or leggings) Durham Markham St. Lawrence Milton Sudbury Do you have aspirations of Olympic dreams?  Safety Glasses with straps Gloucester Hamilton Newmarket Thunder Bay  Kevlar Ankle/Calf Protection Then speed skating is the sport for you! Kawartha Niagara Toronto

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT:  Speed Skating Suit Speed skating is a competitive form of ice  Elbow Pads skating in which the competitors race each other in travelling a certain distance on  Kevlar Protective Undergarment skates. In fact, it is well documented that speed skating is the fastest that a human can possibly move without mechanical assistance.

Types of speed skating are long track speed skating and short track speed skating. In the , long-track speed skating is usually referred to as just "speed skating", while short-track speed skating is known as "short track". In Ontario, you can participate in both long and short track speed skating.

With over 27 member clubs and 2,200 214 Bond Street East, Oshawa, Toll Free Phone and Fax: members across the province, speed skating Ontario L1G 1B5 844-677-OSSA (6772) is one of the larger winter sports in Ontario. [email protected] Competitions

Short Track Speed Long Track Speed Ability Meets, skaters are grouped to- gether according to their speed. Groups Skating Skating will have boys and girls of different ages that all have a similar speed. All skaters Short track speed skaters train and Long track speed skaters train and race four different distances having a heat race on a 111.1 or 100 metre track, compete on a 400 meter oval track. and final for each distance usually over laid out on a hockey ice surface. In Long track Olympic style racing has two days of a weekend. For beginners races the athletes compete against only two athletes on the track racing these are the preferred meets to attend. the clock and up to 6 other ath- against the clock. The equipment for letes. Skates are molded out of long track skating is much the same Age Class Meets, skaters are in groups carbon fiber with blades that are off as short track but a key difference is according to age and sex based on Pro- set to allow great leaning on the that usually a soft cap is worn, not a vincial and National categories. These sharp turns at high speed. The hard shell helmet. A key difference meets have time standards and are the blades are hand sharpened and as well is that the competitors rarely qualifying competitions for the Provincial have a bend in them so the skaters touch as they are not racing against Championships at the end of the season. can stay in control going around each other but against the clock. Skaters race four distances each distance the corners. having a heat and final.

Other Meets, these are held in different cities across the province during the skat- ing season. These meets are usually hosted by member clubs throughout the skating season which typically runs be- tween September to March of the follow- ing year. In addition, there are extra- provincial and USA meets that skaters can participate in.

Most meets in Ontario will be sanctioned by Speed Skating Canada, which is the governing body of speed skating in Can- ada. This organization is based in Ottawa and determines the Canadian Olympic speed skating teams that are sent to the Winter Olympics.