Abstract
Although the record of speed skating has improved worldwide in recent years, the analysis of skating techniques at the international competitions has not progressed. The purpose of this study was to identify the skating technique of the world's leading male speed skaters during the curve of the track in a 1,500-m race. Thirteen skaters who participated in the men's 1,500-m race for the World Cup were selected, including the medalists in the race. Skating motion during the inner curve at the second or third lap was captured using 3 high-speed video cameras. The three-dimensional coordinates of the body were used to calculate the angles of the lower limb joints, the positional relationship between the body center of mass (CM) and the blades, and the heel elevation angle at the instant of the blade-off. All the parameters were analyzed for the correlation with the official time, and the velocity averaged in the section. In result, the characteristics of skaters who held better official time and higher section velocity were as follows: 1) the angular displacement of the right ankle dorsiflexion during gliding was smaller, 2) the angular displacement of the right hip extension and ankle plantarflexion during the push-off and the right heel elevation angle at the instant of the blade-off were smaller, 3) the direction of the right blade horizontal velocity vector was more consistent with that of the CM vector during the right stroke, and 4) the backward displacement of the blade relative to the CM during the right stroke was smaller. These results suggested that in the 1,500-m race the right stroke motion of the world's leading male skater was efficient and easy way to obtain a large centripetal force.
