VOL. 1 NUMBER 6 OCTOBER, 1981 A News Journal For Indoor Speed Skaters Amsterdam, Netherlands Short Track Referrees' Clinic a Success! Referees from Canada,USA,Australia,Great instructors presented several questions to Britain,Belgium,Finland,Austria,Germany, the participants,based on situations that Japan and the Netherlands participated from actually happened in the past or could August 26th until August 28th at the Crest happen in the future. The contribution of Hotel,Amsterdam,Netherlands in the first these test cases to the seminar was good. It seminar for short track speed skating. showed how the rules,and especially the The object of the seminar was to get all spirit behind the rules must be applied and short track referees to have the same in interpreted. terpretation of the rules. The discussions also resulted in several The seminar was organized by the I.S.U.'s remarks directed towards to I.S.U. Short Short Track Technical Committee with finan Track Technical Committee as to where the cial support from the I.S.U. in co-operation rules need either to be clarified or im with the Royal Dutch Skating Association of proved. , the Netherlands (K.N.S.B.). WILLIAM MARKLAND Continued on Page 13 of Champaign,111.,U.S.A. was the Chairman(he represented the Short Track Committee) and Japan demonstrates was joined by three instructors,namely:RENE MARLEAU(Canada);JOHN HALL(Gt.Britain)and Short Track to China RENTER OOSTHEIM(Netherlands). In late September the National Skating Union Each of the instructors gave an explanat of Japan sent a team of four senior men to ion on a section of the Special Regulations demonstrate short track speed skating to the for Short Track Speed Skating, the General skaters of China under the auspices of the iRegulations and the "Memorandum for Short Winter Sports Federation of the Peoples Track Championships". Republic of China. Special attention was drawn to the Compet The Japanese tead was headed by RYOHEI itors Steward procedure, according to ISHIKAWA (Manager and a member of the I.S.U. which the drawing and seeding in Champion Short Track Committee), accompanied by his ships will take place. Also,the official charming wife YOKO. HIROSHI SHIRAKAWA was* I.S.U. Protocol (necessary for World Record the Team Leader with MIKIHITO KAWABARA as application) and other work of the Referee Coach/Competitor along with HIROSHI TODA, that is not mentioned in the rulebook,was KEICHI SUGIO and YASHUHIKO HONMA. explained. These explanations resulted in several Starting with their arrival in Beijing on interesting discussions contributing to the September 21st, the group moved to Harbin in the north-east territory. September 23rd. to object of this seminar. the 25th some leisure and lectures in Question period Harbin. After going through all the theory,the Continued on Page 5 Page 2 SHORT TRACKERS October,1981 • At Harbin, China - Japanese skaters demonstrate short track techniques with the assistance of Chinese translators • the rink at Harbin is outdoor and the Chinese skaters are most interested in short track• a large number of female skaters are also in the pro« t gra V f • To our readers - Under the staff listing on Page 4 we show the rates for subscrip tion. Enclosed you will find a new subscription form for the 1981 A -1982 season. This reflects new rates due to postal rates being increased here in I •' Canada. M M This issue. Volume 1,Number 6 is the last one in the vol- s-ss INDOOR SKATES IMMEDIATE DELIVERY SIZES 36-42 43-44 AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 1981 £95 PLUS SHIPPING SCHENK ADJUSTABLE SKATES PATENTS PENDING BLADES ONLY £58 PLUS SHIPPING ALL INFORMATION AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST VING SENIOR COMPETITION SKATES NOW AVAILABLE, LATEST MODEL WITH 1.3mm. BLADES - PRICE £95 The new SSS skates have been specially developed after extensive testing over the past six months by Scotland's best skaters - resulting in a very acceptable competitive design. We can't help relating the first instant success story of these skates:- Robert Blair, the youngest member of the Scottish National Team damaged his skates in training, two days before the Annual Scotland/England International Competition, and got a new pair of the latest skates, sharpened them and but for 4/10ths of a second would have set a new track record a Birmingham in the First 800 Metres of the Competition when he led from start to finish. SCOTTISH SPEED SKATING UNION Hartley House, Racecourse View, AYR, Scotland Telex: 779064 Telephone:0292-61081 Complete catalogue of Indoor equipment now available October,1981 SHORT TRACKERS Page 3 Oval vs Double Radius camps and international competititions on the oval?. On cannot say that Canada is successful In Canada in the World Championships merely because by Jack waiters BSC. of using the double radius. There are many reasons, the most important being the Canadian National Coach hard work and dedication of the skaters but also other reasons such as,club,prov • JACK WALTERS was a North Am- incial and national training and compet erican Indoor and Outdoor Mass ition programs, good facilities,special '"i - p Start champion during his skat- "LABERGE" skates, coaching at various ing career and for many years levels and a strong pride in the team.One he was CASSA's Technical Direct- other reason may be the double radius or and later National Coach m track. Over these years he has pushed through many new inovations and is highly regarded as one of the best "youn Delegates agree ger" coaches in the World today • Certainly All the delegates at the annual meeting Canada's successes can be largely credited appear to agree that the double radius to JACK WALTERS • track has one or more of the following ad vantages in the development of skaters: In the last issue of the SHORT TRACKERS, 1. Safety:it is a fact that the sliding there was reference to the Canadian distance from the track to the boards in Amateur Speed Skating Association's con the case of a fall favours the double sideration of the oval track for domestic radius track. With thousands of individual competition.(currently Canada uses a 100m. races each year in Canada,the probability double radius track). While this is tech of injury must be considered. nically true, it could be slightly mis 2. Agility:the double radius track en leading in suggesting there is widespread courages many passes during a race,more so support for the oval track. on the oval. Through the years of develop During the 94th Annual General Meeting ment, skaters gain confidence in their of the Association, delegates from all of passing ability and gain at a faster rate the Provincial Associations,the Board of on the double radius track. Directors,special committees and even in 3. Technique:indoor technique requires a dividuals through their provincial assoc complete awareness of the relative posit iations may propose changes to the rules ions of skates and the centre of gravity. of the Association.There was a submission The ability to consciously or unconscious this year from one individual for a change ly react to centrifugal force and moments to the oval track. Last year there was of inertia. With a variable radius,the also such a proposal,with the double rad skater learns to feel and control these ius track being approved 37 to 2. This aspects to a higher degree on the double year the vote was 35 to 2 in favour of radius track. maintaining the double radius track. Simplicity:the 100m. double radius track uses the same starting and finish Boucher and Baril give support lines for all common distances. It is interesting to note that the 5. Quickness;the double radius track skater representatives GAETAN BOUCHER and promotes quickness,the ability to accell- erate, to pass quickly. The constant reg LOUIS BARIL voted in favour of the double radius track and World Champion,BENOIT ularity of the oval certainly doesn't dim BARIL who attended the meeting but was not inish maximum speed but may retard that voting is also in favour of the double little extra accelleration when it is radius track. These skaters were 1st,2nd needed to pass. and 4th in the last World Championships All these points are primarily subject and fully realize that the World Champion ive and can probably never be scientif ships will be held on the oval track. ically proven, however, they are among the Why does Canada continue to use the reasons why Canada continues to use the double radius track for domestic competit double radius track for its own domestic ions while conducting special training Continued on Page 14 Page 4 SHORT TRACKERS October,1981 mi) The SHORT TRACKERS is published five times a season by RYOHEI iSHiKAWA Of Tokyo, Japan and issued from 46 craystone Cdns., Toronto, M8Z 3C4, Ontario, Canada (Telephone:(416) 233-6813). PUBLISHER Ryohei ishikawa MANAGING EDITOR John Hurdis STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Brian Thususka Soenar Chamid CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Australia Dane Sharp Belgium Staf verbist Great Britain ian Gooch John Hail Holland Relnier Gostheim Hedman Bjiisma HOW NOT TO RELAY YOUR TEAM-MATE... Japan Hiroshi Shirakawa PAVEL SALNY of Aviemore photographed GAETAN Norway Christian Steen BOUCHER In an obvious relay infringement in tagg Scotland Cien Henderson ing team-mate LOUIS BARIL, Dutch skaters behind U.s.A William Markiand this "relay" are rightfully "scared" at such a Copyright © 1980-81 by the SHORT TRACKERS. Ail rights move! • the Canadian team were disqualified. reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced in any form without the permission of the SHORT TRACKERS and the logo may not be used under any circumstances.