History of Speed Skates
Speed skating is a popular winter sport and among the most watched Olympic events. The history of speed skates can be traced back centuries and some scientists speculate that it originated in northern Europe several thousand years ago. The material used for speed skate blades has evolved since then and recent changes in the design of skates have made them more efficient.
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Bone Skates
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The earliest known skates come from Scandinavia and northern Russia and date to at least 1000 B.C. They were made from animal bones (horse and cow bones were frequently used). Most pairs have one polished side and holes pierced through them, which may have been used to tie them to skaters' feet. Bone skates continued to be used through the medieval period and into the 18th century, when metal blades were introduced.
Wooden Skates
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Scandinavian sagas--epic poems composed during the 10th through the 13th centuries--describe skating on wooden plates. None of these skates have survived, however.
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Iron Blades
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By the 16th century speed skating had spread to England and Scotland, and a Scotsman invented skates with iron blades in 1592. In 1642 the Skating Club of Edinburgh, the world's first official skating club, was born. In 1763 the first recorded speed skating race was held using iron-bladed skates. The race, held on the Fens in England, covered more the 24 kilometers.
Steel Blades
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During the 19th century speed skating became popular in the United States and Canada. The first speed skates with steel blades, which were both stronger and narrower than iron, were made in North America. When speed skating became an Olympic event at the 1924 games, steel blades were used.
Skates with Boots
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For most of history, speed skates consisted of a blade that was either tied directly to the skater's foot or, after metal blades were invented, mounted in a wooden platform that was then tied to the skater's foot. In 1885, Norwegian skater Harald Hagen built a skate with a steel blade supported on steel tubes and a fixed, specially designed boot. This design became the standard for competitive speed skating for the next century.
Clap Skates
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The most recent innovation to speed skates came in the mid-1980s when a company called Eaton Sports developed a speed skate that attaches to the skater's shoe with a hinge at the toe but is not attached at the heel. Because a skater can lift his heel, the blade stays in contact with the ice for a longer period, making each stroke more efficient. These skates are named for the clapping sound the skater's boot makes when it hits the top of the blade.
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References
- Photo Credit antique ice skates image by ennavanduinen from Fotolia.com
