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Skating
Updated: 2006-02-10 14:21 Now somewhere between art and sport, skating on
ice was, for hundreds of years, a rapid form of transportation across frozen
lakes, rivers and canals, and the oldest form of skate (a length of bone
attached to sandals with thongs) dates back to 20,000 years B.C..
The Dutch were some of the early pioneers and as far back as the 13th century
maintained communication by skating from village to village along frozen rivers
and canals. Skating spread across the channel to England and soon the first
clubs and artificial rinks had begun springing up across the country. Before
long the sport had spread right across Europe and had reached North America .
Several kings of England, Marie Antoinette, Napoleon I, the great German poet
Goethe and Napoleon III all loved to take to the ice.
The Olympic Winter Games present three disciplines of skating: Figure
Skating, including singles for Men and Ladies, pairs (a man and a lady) and ice
dancing, Speed Skating, and Short Track Speed Skating for Men and Ladies.
LIST OF DISCIPLINES
This sport includes several Olympic disciplines. Discover the sport through
its competition format, equipment, glossary and history.
Figure skating
Short Track Speed Skating
Speed skating
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