Q 01/05

How long is a standard long-track speed skating oval?

A) 200 m

B) 400 m

C) 333 m

D) 500 m

Answer · why

B) 400 m

The ISU standardised the distance in 1892, along with the classic championship distances of 500, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 metres.

Q 02/05

A short-track speed skating oval measures approximately how long?

A) 150 m

B) 111 m

C) 200 m

D) 250 m

Answer · why

B) 111 m

It fits inside an ice hockey rink, which is one reason the discipline is growing faster than long track.

Q 03/05

In which direction are speed skating races run?

A) Clockwise

B) Counter-clockwise

C) Alternating each lap

D) Decided by coin toss

Answer · why

B) Counter-clockwise

In long track, skaters must swap lanes every lap so both cover the same distance; the skater moving to the inside has right of way.

Q 04/05

The International Skating Union, founded in 1892, was the first international federation for what?

A) Any Olympic sport

B) Any winter sport

C) Any team sport

D) Any Dutch sport

Answer · why

B) Any winter sport

Fifteen national representatives founded it at Scheveningen in the Netherlands.

Q 05/05

The first speed skating race known in any detail was held in 1763 on the Fens of which country?

A) Netherlands

B) England

C) Norway

D) Scotland

Answer · why

B) England

John Lamb of Wisbech won 20 guineas racing to Whittlesey; a Scot had designed the first iron-bladed skate back in 1592.