Owing to the great area and cold winters of Canada and the northern United States, the sport of skating is indulged in to a great extent. Charles June was considered the best American skater from 1838 for many years, and his place of residence, New burgh, N.Y., on the Hudson river, became the headquarters of American speed skating. This city also is the birthplace of the Donoghue family, who may be called the Smarts of America. The most noted members of this family were Mr. T. Donoghue and his two sons, Tim and J. F. Donoghue, each in his day the fastest skater in the world, Joseph Donoghue winning every event at the international championship meeting at Amsterdam in 1891. There is very little professional skating in America, and the only American who has appeared in important international races in recent years until the Olympiad of 1928 is C. Jewtraw, who won the 500 metres race in the Olympic skating at Chamonix in Skating received a great impetus during the last decade of the 19th century, profiting both by the growing devotion to athletics and by increased facilities of communication, which led to inter national competitions and the institution of skating clubs in Switzerland and elsewhere, especially those of Davos, St. Moritz and Grindelwald, where ice is available every winter. Although skating instruments are so simple, the evolution of the skate has advanced considerably, contributing to marked improvement in the skater's skill. In speed-skating an epoch was marked, first, by the almost universal adoption of the Norwegian type of racing skate; and, secondly, by the institution in 1892, at an international congress held in Holland, of annual races for the championships of Europe and of the world.
The Norwegian skate, introduced and perfected (1887-1902) by Axel Paulsen and Harald Hagen, is constructed with a view to lightness, strength and diminution of friction. The blade, of specially hardened steel, is set in a hollow horizontal tube of aluminium, and connected by similar vertical tubes with footplates riveted to a closely-fitting boot with thin leather sole. It is 161— 19M. (42-48cm.) long, according to the height of the skater, and thick (i.e., .019—.157in.) the average employed for hard ice being often thinner towards the heel. This thickness is suitable for hard ice, but for softer ice or fin. is preferable. The blade is nearly flat on the ice throughout, except for a few inches in front ; this flatness distributes the weight, and with the extreme thinness of blade, reduces friction to a minimum. At the same time the very slight curve to which the blades are built permits flexibility of stroke. This curve is such that when the blades are placed against each other, touching in the middle, the distance between them at the front stay should be about imm. and at the back about 1mm. only. The edges are right-angled and should be kept sharp. A special machine has been invented for this purpose.
The skater's style has been modified. The blade, when planted
on the ice with weight upon it, describes a nearly straight line, the last few feet only curving slightly outwards as the skate leaves the ice. Hence the stroke of the best skaters of the famous Peder Oestlund's period (c. 1900), was almost, if not entirely, on the inside edge, a gain in directness and speed, the outside edge being used for curves only. Since the World War there has been a tendency to revert to rather thicker blades than the very thin lmm., making it possible to travel for several feet on the flat of the skate, or even on the outside edge as long as there is no appreciable weight yet transferred to that foot. This, however, at once increases the slight curve in the stroke, and the loss of directness must be compensated by more frequent striking. The length of stroke has tended on the whole to diminish. Contrasted with the 12-18 yards' stroke attributed to the old English cham pion, W. "Turkey" Smart, on the wooden fen "runner" which began decidedly on the outside edge, the modern racing stroke rarely exceeds 1 oyd., and is usually nearer 6 or 7. Particular in stances vary with conditions of ice, etc., but at St. Petersburg, in 1896, Eden's stroke in the io,000 metre race averaged about 71 yd., that of P. Oestlund at Davos, in 190o, the same (for one lap, 8yd.). J. F. Donoghue's stroke in 1891 was computed at about 9 yards. The general effect has been vastly increased speed, and a conjoint cause is the stricter training undergone before important races, together with the gradual improvement in skates and espe cially in race-courses.
The races held annually since 1892-93 for the championships of Europe and of the world, under the auspices of the I.S.U., have assembled representatives from the skating countries of Europe. The races are four in number, over distances of 500, 1,500, 5,000 and io,000 metres, and the winner at three or four distances be comes champion; failing this, the decision is by points on an elaborate system of marking. In addition, each country, when possible, holds its own championship races.
In England races are still skated, with rare exceptions, on straight courses, with a sharp turn round a post or barrel, the distance prescribed for N.S.A. championships being i with three turns. The international system involves a course with straight sides and curved ends of such a radius that no slackening of speed is necessary. In both instances the competitors race two at a time on a double track, and the time test is used. Each skater must keep his own course, to prevent either from using the other as pacemaker or wind-shield. The international regulations (Eiswettlauf-Ordnung) prescribe that, if a single track be used, the hindmost skater must keep at a minimum distance of 5 metres from the other, on pain of disqualification. The advantage of inner curve on a Continental course is given alternately, and a space left open between the tracks at one point for the skaters to cross.