Short Track Speed Skating
Pack-style speed skating on a 111 m indoor oval — bodychecks are illegal, but crashes are frequent.
👥1 per team🌤indoor
What is Short Track Speed Skating?
Short track speed skating is contested on a small 111 m oval marked out inside an ice hockey rink. Four to six skaters race together in the same heat over 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and team relays. The tight turns and pack-style racing produce spectacular tactical passes and dramatic crashes. Olympic sport since Albertville 1992.
Quick facts
Category
Winter Sports
Type
Individual
Players
1 per team
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇨🇦 Canada
Estimated origin
Early 20th-century Canada and USA ("pack style" speed skating)
Olympic
Yes
Popularity
global
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified