Sport and timing
Speed skating: why automatic timing has been used since the last century
· 5 min read
In short
- Automatic timing is mandatory for speed skating at the Winter Olympics—the clock starts with the firing of the starting pistol and stops when the skater crosses the finish line.
- Approved systems combine light beams with a multichannel timer, an electronic starting pistol and a photo-finish camera.
- A speed-skating photo finish records not the competitor’s body but the position of the skate blade that is still touching the ice—which is precisely what decides the result in a close finish.
- Electronic photo-finish systems have been used in international short-track speed skating since the 1990s; the specific technology provider varies by event.
Long-track speed skating is one of the oldest winter Olympic disciplines, and its timing has evolved much like timing in athletics: from handheld stopwatches to fully automatic systems.
Mandatory automatic timing
Automatic timing is mandatory for speed skating at the Winter Olympics. The system starts automatically when the starting pistol is fired and stops when the skater crosses the finish line, without human intervention. Approved systems combine light beams with a multichannel timer and an electronic starting pistol.
A photo finish focused on the blade
A photo-finish camera records a narrow strip of the finish line at very high frequency, assembling the strips into an image with a time axis. The principle is the same as in athletics and horse racing; learn more in Photo finishes in horse racing. In speed skating, however, a different detail matters: not the torso, but the position of the skate blade that is still touching the ice at that moment. That position decides the result in a close finish.
Short track since 1994
Electronic photo-finish systems have been used in international short-track speed skating since the 1990s. The specific technology provider—such as FinishLynx or another homologated system—varies by event, but the same principle also applies to long-track speed skating.
False starts
If a skater moves before the starting pistol is fired, it is a false start and the competitors return to the starting line. A similar principle applies in athletics; learn more in Athletics: false starts and manual timing.
What to take away
Speed skating shows that even in a high-speed sport with relatively short distances, accuracy is achieved through the same principles used elsewhere: an automatic start, an automatic finish and backup timing. You can compare standards across different sports in Timing standards.
Frequently asked questions
Is automatic timing mandatory in speed skating?
Yes. Automatic timing is mandatory at the Winter Olympics. The system starts with the firing of the starting pistol and stops automatically when the skater crosses the finish line.
What exactly does a speed-skating photo finish record?
It records not the competitor’s body but the position of the skate blade that is still touching the ice as it crosses the finish line—the point used to determine the finishing order.
How long have automatic photo-finish systems been used in speed skating?
They have been used since the 1990s, initially at international short-track competitions. The specific technology provider varies by event.
What happens after a false start in speed skating?
Premature movement before the starting pistol is fired is judged as a false start under the rules of the relevant discipline. It may lead to a restart or, particularly after a repeated offence, disqualification; the rules and penalties differ between long-track and short-track speed skating.