Carl Foster, Ph.D., FACSM, is Professor of Exercise and Sport Science at the
Heather Richardson, a former elite inline speed skater, is competing in the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games in ice speed skating (a similar, but distinctly different sport) and in three different events. While this seems like an unusual transition, it is remarkable in that Heather has only been speed skating on ice for a comparatively short time. However, it is not as unusual as one might think at first. Ever since KC Boutiette became the first “inliner” to successfully transition to ice speed skating at a high level (winning a place on the 1994 Olympic Team), there have been a number of inliners who have successfully made the transition to ice, including Jennifer Rodriquez (2x bronze in 2002), Derek Parra (gold and silver in 2002), Joey Cheek (bronze in 2002, gold and silver in 2006), and Chad Hedrick (gold, silver and bronze in 2006). There have been several other former inliners who have been good enough to make Olympic teams, although not quite getting onto the podium.
Speed skating is, like running, cycling, swimming, and Nordic skiing, an energy-demanding sport, where the main criterion for competitive success is the ability to propel oneself faster than their competitors. As such, it requires a very good physiology in terms of both aerobic and anaerobic energy production. However, speed skating is very much a sport that requires propulsive efficiency, being able to time the push-off to the split second and as well as with the proper form. In that regard, elite inline skaters have some real chance for high-level performance in that they are already very good skaters, and only have to make the adaptation to a steel blade instead of wheels. The dependence on technique also means that athletes like Heather can do multiple events; if you are a good skater, you are a good skater. There are differences in the sports. In ice speed skating the technique is typically more “static” (read “painful for the legs”) and there is no opportunity to skate with your competitor and ride in their draft. In that regard, the sports are very different emotionally; in ice speed skating, you are racing the clock and your nearest competitor may not be in the same pairing.
In most inline events, you are head-to-head with your major competitors. It’s a whole different feel of racing. The transfer of weight and the use of the “rocker” (slight curve) of the skate blade is also very different than the technique of using wheels to transfer energy to the earth. Not every inliner, even the very good ones, can make the transition to ice. However, even with perhaps only 10% of elite inliners able to make the transition, the “wheels to ice” program is one of the major talent pools for U.S. Speed Skating. In fact, until the last year, the program was coached by Derek Parra, one of the most successful athletes at crossing from wheels to ice. Derek is now the long-distance coach for U.S. Speed Skating. So, I’ll be watching with interest when Heather “goes to the start.” Based on the result of other inliners who have crossed over, she might provide a pleasant surprise for American fans.
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