SPEEDSKATING

Speed skating has been part of the Winter Olympics since the first Games were held in Chamonix Mont-Blanc in 1924. Originally only men competed, but women’s events began in 1960 at Squaw Valley. Speedskating features two competitors going head-to-head, counterclockwise, on a 400-meter track in heats called pairs.

People to Watch

Bonnie Blair and Dan Jansen have retired. As a result, the United States has only one realistic chance for a gold medal.

The United States’ best young skater is Kirsten Holum, a 17-year-old high school senior from Waukesha, Wis.

Her mother is Dianne Holum, who won four Olympic speedskating medals in 1968 and ’72 and coached Eric Heiden to five gold medals in the 1980 Winter Olympics.

Kirsten became the youngest U.S. all-around champion at age 16 in 1996, won the 1997 world junior all-around title and is considered a medal contender in Nagano in the 3,000. She could become the best women distance speedskater the United States has ever produced.

Except that she’s retiring after the Olympics.

Inside Info:

Clapskates were invented by the Dutch, so it’s no wonder their skaters have benefited most from them. Their men, such as Jan Bos, Rintje Risma and Ids Postma, had great success last season, as did one of their women, Tonny de Jong.

However late last season, Germany’s Gunda Niemann, who initially rejected the skates, finally relented and won the 1,500 meters, the 3,000 and the 5,000 at the World Championships.

The U.S. team wasn’t even fully supplied with the skates until June.

But if you want to see the United States win speedskating medals, tune in to the 2002 Winter Games.

Gerard Kemkers, the national team’s all-around coach, admits his young skaters are using Nagano as a “steppingstone” to Salt Lake City.

Of the 16 team members, five have Olympic experience. None has placed higher than 19th.

That doesn’t mean there are no medal contenders. Nick Thometz, the team’s program administrator, mentions Chris Witty in the women’s 1,000, Holum in the women’s 3,000 and K.C. Boutiette in the men’s 1,500. Witty could win a gold.

There also is hope beyond 2002. Blair, married to U.S. sprinter David Cruikshank, is expecting their first child in July.

The Skates

Clapskate: In 3,000 years, skates have evolved from elk horn tied to the bottom of a boot to the most recent development: the clap skate, a design allowing the skater to increase speed by pushing off the ice longer. Blade attaches to a hinge-and-spring mechanism under ball of foot, allowing heel to lift. As foot lifts off ice, blade snaps back onto heel, making clapping noise

Normal speedskate: Molded to foot and reinforced in ankles to counteract centrifugal force caused during sharp turns; the longer the blade, the faster the skate

The Track

In Nagano, the inside lane curve radius has been increased by one meter (1.94 yards) to reduce course width from five to four meters (4.37 yards). For the first time in the history of Olympic speed skating, the 500-meter event will be raced twice with the skater starting once in the inner lane and once in the outer. Ranking will be determined by total time.

Lanes: Divided by markers; skaters not allowed to cross lane markers while in the curves

Crossover: Skaters change lanes on back straight every lap; racer in outer lane has right-of-way

Length: 400 meters/437.6 yards (same as in track and field)

Inner curve radius: 26 meters/28.4

Outer curve radius: 30 meters/32.8

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Distances

Men will skate 500, 1,000, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 meters.

Women will compete in 500-, 1,000-, 1,500-, 3,000- and 5,000-meter races.

Equipment

Hard shell helmets

Cut-proof gloves

Skin-tight uniform reduces air resistance

Knee pads

Neck guards

Shin guards

Protective eyewear guards against ice in eyes

Armband: inside lane skater wears white, outside skater wears red

Rules

* Race starts side-by-side or staggered depending on distance

* Each skater allowed one false start before disqualification

* If one skater is disqualified, opponent skates alone

* Collisions may cause disqualification; injured party may re-skate.

* Race finishes when skater has touched or reached finish line with his or her skates as recorded by an electric eye beam

* Winner has lowest time, measured to 1/100th of a second, after all pairs have raced

Sources: U.S. Olympics and U.S. Speedskating Federation; Researched by APRIL JACKSON/Los Angeles Times