Koreans welcome mass start at PyeongChang

Speed skater Lee Seung-hoon, front, competes in the mass start event of the International Skating Union (ISU) Speed Skating World Cup at the Taeneung International Ice Rink in Seoul on Nov. 23, 2014. / Courtesy of the Korea Skating Union

By Kwon Ji-youn

Speed skating mass start was among four new events approved by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) executive board for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games. The addition is great news for Korean skaters, who have excelled in that event.

The IOC on Monday ratified the addition of doubles in curling, mass start in speed skating, a team event in alpine skiing and big air in snowboarding. However, the snowboard parallel slalom event was removed in agreement with the International Ski Federation (FIS).

In particular, the addition of the mass start in speed skating, also known as long-track speed skating, is music to Korea skaters’ ears. Olympic gold medalist Lee Seung-hoon medaled at five ISU World Cup mass start events during the 2014-2015 season. He bagged gold in Japan, Germany and Norway, bronze in Seoul and silver in the Netherlands to win the cup.

Mass start refers to a starting format in sporting events in which a large number of competitors are subject to the same environmental conditions, start at the same time and at the same place and proceed along the same course. Speed skating mass start requires at least three competitors to skate 16 laps (tentative) from the middle to the end of the finishing straight. The competitors must skate the first lap in one group without acceleration, and without designated lanes, like in short-track speed skating. In all other individual competition formats, only two skaters are allowed to race at once and they must remain in their respective lanes.

The mass start races are organized with one intermediate sprint, during which the first three competitors gain five points, three points and one point, which count toward the final point tally. A final sprint awards 60 points, 40 points and 20 points to the first three skaters. The final point tally determines the winner.

Lee has said in an interview that skaters who have competed in short-track have an advantage in mass start.

“Short-trackers are better at cornering,” he said. “Those who have only competed in speed skating events often feel their skate boots graze the ice when they’re cornering.”

Short-track gold medalist Park Seung-hi of the women’s team also switched from short- to long-track last year.

On the differences between the short- and long-track, Lee said, “Short-track is a lot faster, so athletes try to outskate each other while cornering. But in speed skating, it’s easier to overtake on the straightaway.”

The mass start was reintroduced for both women and men at the World Cup in Astana in 2011. Only one or two experimental mass start competitions have been staged until the 2014-2015 season, when the mass start was included at all World Cup events. Lee, who competed in short-track until 2009, has both the endurance and stamina needed for the mass start event.

The Korea Skating Union (KSU) said it has been promoting the mass start in speed skating. It will include the mass start as a feature event in all its national competitions beginning this year and as an official event from the 2015-2016 season. In addition, the KSU has appointed separate coaches for short- and long-distance skating and plans to send its mass start prospects to as many international events possible.

The national speed skating team for the PyeongChang Games is currently training through June 15 in the Netherlands, which is a speed skating powerhouse and home to speed skating great Sven Kramer.