The history of the development of skates. Interesting facts about skates (2 photos). When did figure skating begin?
The oldest mention of the term "skate" is found in the Anglo-Dutch Dictionary. In international sports, the word "skates" came precisely from the Russian language. Usually, the front of the runners was decorated with a wooden horse's head. So they called it - "skates".
But of course, skates are far from the first devices for moving on ice. In archaeological excavations and from ancient literature, scientists have discovered that the first such devices were made from animal bones. By the way, skates are one of the most ancient human inventions. When there was ice on the ground, ancient people carved skates from wood or bone and attached them to their boots. The inhabitants of Siberia rode on the ice on the tusks of walruses, and the Chinese on bamboo trunks. The British Museum has in its exposition bone skates that were used for skating almost two thousand years ago. And they were found only in the last century. Only in 1967, on the banks of the Southern Bug River near Odessa, archaeologists dug up the oldest skates ever found. They belonged to the Cimmerians who lived in the Northern Black Sea region 3200 years ago.
ancient skates
The emergence of figure skating
Scientists are digging into the very distant past to find the first facts of figure skating. Most historians believe that the birthplace of figure skating is Holland. After all, it was in this country that the first iron skates for ice were created in the 13th-14th centuries. In the Dutch book Lidwina's Life, you can even see what a skate with an iron blade was like. On the engraving depicting a group of skaters near the city wall, we see the skates of that time.
"St. Lidvina, who fell on the ice "(1498)
Many do not agree with the championship of Holland and believe that it is difficult to name the discoverer, because skating began at about the same time in different countries. The creation of skates according to a new type made it possible to develop figure skating in general. But at that time it was different from the sport we know today.
Initially, figure skating was the ability to draw various intricate figures and patterns on the ice, and at the same time try to keep a beautiful pose. This was what attracted many people of art. A passionate admirer of skates was, in particular, the great German writer J. W. Goethe. Even paintings have been preserved that captured the poet on ice, sliding in an exquisite pose. In general, there are not so many paintings, prints, drawings and even caricatures devoted to any sport that exists to this day, as skating and figure skating.
Fun on the ice in front of the gates of St. Géry in Antwerp (Halle, 1553)
The first rules for skating were first published in England in 1772. Lieutenant of the English artillery Robert Jones wrote a "Treatise on Skating", which described all the main patterns known at that time. Since all the obligatory figures were described in Great Britain, therefore, it was in this country that the first skating clubs were created and the first rules for competitions in this sport were drawn up.
Ice Skating in New York's Central Park in Winter, in an 1862 painting
Development of figure skating
In 1882, the first international competition in Europe was held in Vienna.
In the development of figure skating as a sport, figure skaters from Austria, representatives of the Norwegian school, as well as Swedish, German, English and American, contributed.
The popularity of figure skating in Europe and in Russia, according to historians, was made possible thanks to a figure skater from America. The American Jackson Haynes (in another transcription Heinz; 1840-1875), a dancer and skater, combined both of his skills, and got his own style of skating: riding to music, dance moves and “tops” on ice. withstood such loads, then Haynes, one of the first, screwed them tightly to his boots. However, this style was not accepted in puritanical America, and in the 60s of the XIX century the artist went on tour to Europe.
Jackson Haynes
When the artist toured European skating rinks, he aroused the admiration of ice skating enthusiasts. Historians call him the founder of the modern style of figure skating.
February 1890 was marked by the 25th anniversary of the St. Petersburg Yusupov ice rink and was organized sports competition. Skaters from Europe and America were invited to this competition. Given the scale and composition of the participants, this could actually be called the first unofficial world championship. For three days, 8 participants competed to determine the best of them, and in all types of skating, the winner was Alexei Pavlovich Lebedev, a talented Russian figure skater.
The success of the completed competition in St. Petersburg accelerated the organization of the first European and World Championships, and also largely helped to create International Union speed skaters (ISU) in 1892
In 1896, for the first time, the International Skating Union announced its intention to hold a world championship. To honor the merits of Russia in this sport, the first official international championship was held in St. Petersburg. Only 4 participants skated their programs on the ice: Austrian G Hugel, German G Fuchs and 2 Russian figure skaters G Sanders and N. Poduskov. The victory in that competition was won by the German.
Participants of the First World Championship in St. Petersburg, 1896.
At the dawn of the twentieth century, famous and talented skaters tried to invent their own unique and beautiful jumps on ice. Masters such as Salchow, Lutz, Rittberger, Axel Paulsen came up with their original jumping techniques, which to this day bear names derived from their names and surnames.
In the 1960s - after a half-century hiatus - Russia reappeared on the world stage. The first to inscribe their names in the annals of history were Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov. However, Soviet books preferred to remain silent about their merits - in 1979 they became "defectors". Irina Rodnina (with two different partners) became a 10-time world champion and a 3-time Olympic champion.
The end of the 20th century passed under the complete dominance of the USSR and Russia in figure skating. In pair skating, Russia was generally out of competition, having received "gold" in all the Olympic Games from 1964 to 2006. However, having a huge advantage over the rest in pair and dance skating and strong men, the USSR never won a single gold medal in women's skating. Kira Ivanova came closest to the coveted title (silver in the World Championships, bronze in the Olympic Games). Already in post-Soviet Russia, the women's world championship was won by Maria Butyrskaya and Irina Slutskaya.
And for men, Alexei Urmanov, Alexei Yagudin and Evgeni Plushenko became Olympic champions, world and European champions.
History of speed skating
Speed skating has a very ancient history. Information about the first races of the Dutch on skates along the frozen canals of the country dates back to the 13th century.
In the middle of the 16th century, skating competitions began to be held in the Scandinavian countries.
As a sport, speed skating developed in the second half of the 19th century. In 1867, the first official speed skating competitions were held in Norway, organized by the Christiania Skate Club. This sport became widespread in various European countries; in the 70s of the XIX century, national championships began to be held.
Norwegian runners A. PAULSEN and K. WERNER designed tubular cross-country skates in 1880. The front and back metal platforms were screwed to the sole of the boot with six and four screws, respectively. This was a revolution in speed skating.
A great contribution to the development of the form of skates was made by the Russian runner, an employee of the Nikolaev railway, Alexander Nikitovich Panshin (1863-1904). In 1887, he made elongated skates according to his own model - all-metal, long skates with a narrow blade and a slightly curved toe - the prototype of today's cross-country skates. For many decades, the model of tubular cross-country skates has not undergone fundamental changes.
Alexander Nikitovich Panshin
In 1889, the first (unofficial) world speed skating championship was held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. A.N. became its winner. Panshin.
In 1892, the International Skating Union ISU was formed - ISU He declared the competition, held in 1889 in Amsterdam, professional and held in 1893, in Amsterdam, the first official world championship, which was won by Jaap Eden from the Netherlands.
Dutch speed skater Jaap Eden on the ice. 1890-1900.
Already in those days, the program of such competitions included four distances that became classic in this sport for many years - 500, 1500, 5000 and 10,000 m. However, the conditions for winning the title of world champion then differed from the later rules of the classic all-around. Until 1908, in order to receive the title of world champion, it was necessary to win competitions at least three out of four distances. In connection with such rules in 1894, 1902, 1903, 1906 and 1907, the winners of the world championships were not identified.
Speed skating competitions were held, and are now held, on a closed track, consisting of two straight lines and two turns. The classic length of such a track is 400 m. The skaters participating in the competition run in pairs.
Dutch athletes Lijkle Poepjes and B. van derZee at the start of a speed race in Leeuwarden (Netherlands)
Among the strongest in this sport in the first or second decades of the 20th century, the Norwegian Oscar Mathisen achieved the greatest success. He won world championships five times - in 1908, 1909, 1912, 1913 and 1914. Twice - in 1910 and 1911 - the Russian skater Nikolai Strunnikov became the world champion.
Strunnikov Nikolai Vasiliskovich (1886-1940)
Since 1926, a system has been introduced, according to which the champion and the owners of all subsequent places were determined by the sum of the all-around points awarded to each skater at each of the four distances, depending on the results they showed.
Since 1936, the world speed skating championships have been held not only among men, but also among women. Their championship in the all-around was determined by the sum of points scored by each athlete in competitions at four distances - 500, 1000, 1500 and 3000 m. The first world champion was US speed skater Kitty Klein. Then on women's championships The World Cup was won by the Norwegian Laila Shaw-Nielsen in 1937 and 1938, and the Finnish athlete Verne Leshe in 1939 and 1947.
In 1956, Soviet skaters for the first time entered the start of the VII Winter Olympics and won 7 medals. Maria Isakova became the first Soviet world champion, she won the world championship three times in a row, won three Olympic awards.
Maria Isakova
In 1957, at the XV World Women's Championship, held in Imatra (Finland), Soviet athletes won 13 prizes out of 15 possible.
In the capital of the 1964 Olympics, Innsbruck, Lydia Skoblikova won all four distances, setting world records in three of them, and in 2010 she is the only 6-time Olympic champion in the history of speed skating.
Lydia Skoblikova
In the mid-1980s, the first fully covered ice skating rinks appeared.
In 1997, a new type of skates began to be massively used - clap skates, which made it possible to increase running speed.
Clap skates
Variants of this type of skate have been known since 1900. In modern competitions, they were periodically used by various athletes since 1984, but without much success, and were perceived with skepticism, until in the 1996/1997 season, the Dutch women's team, speaking in this model, beat everyone as standing. Starting next year, all athletes gradually began to switch to “claps”. Today, all athletes in all top-level competitions perform only in clap skates. The classic model with a fixed blade is used for setting up running for beginners and sprinters.
History of ice hockey
The history of ice hockey is one of the most contested of all sports. Traditionally, Montreal is considered the birthplace of hockey, although more recent studies point to the championship of Kingston (Ontario) or Windsor (Nova Scotia).
There is evidence that games resembling hockey (more precisely, field hockey) have existed since ancient times. Some believe that this game originated in Persia, where polo once appeared. According to other sources, the ancient Greeks also had a game reminiscent of hockey, which was even included in the program of the Olympic Games. She was called Freininda. In Athens, the bas-reliefs of the famous Themistocles wall, which is over 2400 years old, depict young people playing what is very reminiscent of modern field hockey. A similar game was played in the 16th-17th centuries in England and France. In the 16th century, a game with a ball on ice appeared in Holland - "bandy".
Scene on Ice (Henrik Averkamp, early 17th century)
Then, similar games appeared in Scandinavia, where later in the 19th century they were transformed into bandy on ice. Still, they knew such a game in China, five and a half centuries ago. The ancient Indians were also fond of hockey fights. Evidence of this are the frescoes exhibited at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. They depict athletes playing a small ball with curved sticks. Some sources claim that the birth of ice hockey is associated with the life of the Indians of the far north of America, who competed on ice in the game with sticks.
And if you resort to the help of linguists, you can find out that the word "hockey" - French descent. "Hoke" - this is the name of the shepherd's staff with a curved handle in French.
But, despite this, Canada is still considered the birthplace of modern ice hockey.
There are many versions of the origin of hockey in Canada. One of them is that field hockey first appeared in Europe. When in 1763 Great Britain conquered Canada from France, the English arrows brought it to Halifax, whose inhabitants were carried away new game. Since Canadian winters are very harsh and long, the area has always welcomed winter views sports. Attaching cheese cutters to their boots, English and French speaking Canadians played the game on frozen rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. At first they played not with a puck, but heavy ball, and the size of the team reached 50 or more players on each side. In Nova Scotia and Virginia, there are old paintings of people playing hockey.
The first formal game was held in 1855 in Kingston, Ontario, by teams drawn from the Royal Canadian Fusiliers of the Imperial Army. And the first official match took place on March 3, 1875 in Montreal at the Victoria rink, information about which was recorded in the Montreal newspaper Montreal Gazette. Each team consisted of nine people. Played with a wooden puck protective equipment borrowed from baseball. For the first time on the ice put a hockey goal.
1st hockey team McGill University
In the 1870s ice hockey in Canada was a compulsory game for everyone sports holidays. In 1877, some students at Montreal's McGill University invented the first seven hockey rules. In 1879, a rubber puck was proposed for the game. After some time, the game became so popular that in 1883 it was presented at the annual Montreal Winter Carnival. The Amateur Hockey Association was founded in Montreal in 1885.
Hockey at the McGill University rink, 1884
The first official rules for the game of ice hockey were published in 1886, which have been preserved to the maximum to this day. According to them, the number of field players decreased from nine to seven, the goalkeeper, the front and rear defenders, the center and two forwards were on the ice, and the rover acted ahead across the entire width of the field - the strongest hockey player, best of all throwing pucks. The team played the whole match in the same line-up, and by the end of the game the athletes were literally crawling on the ice from fatigue, because it was allowed to replace only the player who was injured (and even then in the last period and only with the consent of the opponents). The Canadian R Smith became the author of the new code of rules. In 1886, the first international meeting was held between Canadian and English teams.
In 1890, Ontario hosted a four-team championship. Soon indoor skating rinks with natural ice appeared. To prevent it from melting, narrow slots were cut in the walls and roofs for the access of cold air. In 1899, the world's first indoor ice hockey stadium with an artificial ice rink was built in Montreal, designed for an unprecedented number of spectators - 10,000 people. In the same year, the Canadian Amateur hockey league.
Montreal's 1894 Stanley Cup team
The game of hockey became so popular that in 1893, the Governor General of Canada, Lord Frederick Arthur Stanley, bought for 10 guineas a cup that looked like an inverted pyramid of silver rings - to be presented to the country's champion. This is how the legendary trophy, the Stanley Cup, was born. At first, amateurs fought for it, and since 1910 - professionals.
Team Montreal Victoria 1896
In 1900, a net appeared on the gate, made for the first time from fishing net, it allowed to accurately determine whether a goal was scored against the team. After that, disputes about the scored puck that sometimes reached team fights stopped, it became much more convenient for referees and hockey players to follow the goal. Then, a metal net was hung on the gate. It was durable, but after hitting the puck flew back and sometimes injured the goalkeeper or the player who was at the gate. This shortcoming was corrected by a second rope net stretched inside the gate to soften the blow. Today's network combines these two networks. The referee's metal whistle, which stuck to his lips from the cold, was replaced with a bell, and soon with a plastic whistle. At the same time, the puck throw-in was introduced (earlier, the referee used his hands to move the sticks of the opponents to the puck lying on the ice and, having blown the whistle, moved to the side so as not to get hit with the stick).
The first professional hockey team was created in Canada in 1904. In the same year, hockey players switched to a new system of play - "six by six". Was installed standard size platforms - 56 x 26 m, which has not changed much since then. Four seasons later, there was a complete division into professionals and amateurs. For the latter, the Allan Cup was established, which has been played since 1908. Its owners subsequently represented Canada at the World Championships.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Europeans became interested in Canadian hockey. I Congress, held May 15-16, 1908 in Paris, founded International Federation Ice Hockey Group (LIHG), which originally united four countries - France, Great Britain, Switzerland and Belgium. From the birth of the game, until 1903, Europeans played on natural ice The first artificial ice appeared in London, after which the improvement of skating rinks and the construction of new ones began. And soon the UK was able to develop hockey to a professional level, but not for long... The war on hockey, like all other sports, had a great negative impact...
To increase the entertainment and speed of the game in 1910, the replacement of athletes was allowed. In the same year, the National Hockey Association (NHA) arose, the successor of which was the famous National Hockey League (NHL), which appeared in 1917.
Hockey match, 1922
In 1911, the LIHG formalized the Canadian rules for hockey.
In 1920, the first meeting took place in official tournament- at the Olympic Games, which were simultaneously considered world championships - between the teams of the Old and New Worlds. Canadians have confirmed their glory as the strongest hockey power in the world. The Canadians also won the Olympic tournaments in 1924 and 1928. In 1936 Great Britain won the title Olympic champion, taking it away from the Canadians, who owned it for 16 years.
A lot of innovations belong to the hockey players brothers Patrick - Frank and Lester (the latter became a well-known hockey figure). On their initiative, each player was assigned a number, points were awarded not only for goals, but also for assists (the "goal + pass" system), hockey players were allowed to pass the puck forward, and goalkeepers were allowed to take their skates off the ice. The game has since gone on to last three periods of 20 minutes each.
Goalkeepers did not wear masks until 1929, when Clint Benedict, who played for the Canadian club Montreal Maroons, first went on the ice in it, but it was not officially approved immediately. In 1934, the free throw was legalized - shootout. In 1945, multi-colored lights were installed outside the goal to more accurately record goals scored ("red" means a goal, "green" means no goal was scored). In the same year, triple judging was introduced: main judge and two assistants (linesmen). In 1946, the system of judicial gestures for specific violations of the rules was legalized.
In 1952, the USSR was accepted as a member of the International Hockey Federation (IIHF) and from that moment until 1991, the USSR national ice hockey team was the strongest in the world. She took part in 30 world championships, 19 of which she won. Participated in 9 Winter Olympics hockey tournaments, 7 of which won. It is the only team in the world that has never returned from the World Championships and the Olympic Games without a set of awards.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the baton from the USSR team was taken over by the Russian team, which did not have such success as its predecessor. Speaking at 5 Olympic tournaments, the team only once became a silver and bronze medalist, never winning the tournament. Participating in 21 world championships, 4 champion titles were won and 4 more times the team was in the prize-winners. But in last years Russian hockey players revive the glory of Soviet hockey, becoming world champions 3 times in the last 5 years.
Good day to you, our dear readers.
The New Year holidays are almost over. They flew by, to put it mildly, quickly. Well, at least for me.
Winter is an amazing time. In winter, despite the frosty weather, we play snowballs, go sledding, skiing and skating. At this time of the year, even adults feel like children. And not only because of the wonderful holidays, but also because they themselves can return to childhood for a while.
My friends love to go to the skating rink in winter (and sometimes in summer too). And who even came up with the idea of flooding the playgrounds with water and inviting people to go ice skating. Where did skates come from?
It turns out that ancient people already used them. Well, of course, they don’t look like modern skates at all. They were not made of iron, but of animal bones. And they found them for the first time in Northern Europe.
Skates, it turns out, are very old. Ancient people often used them to move on slippery surfaces. They were made either from bones (as noted above), or from wood, which were attached to shoes with ropes. Our Siberian ancestors rode on walrus tusks, while the Chinese used a bamboo trunk. Interesting specimens made of horse bone were found in Kazakhstan. One of them is kept in the London Museum.
In 1967, scientists near Odessa discovered the oldest skates, which are about 3,200 years old. These amazing products belong to the nomadic tribe of the Cimmerians. It turns out that they were already used in the Bronze Age.
The first skates were more like skis - there were no pointed ribs. Repelled by sticks. They were made (as noted above) from the bones of domestic animals.
In Russia, bone skates appeared about 3 thousand years ago. Most often they were made from the bones of horses. Three holes were made in them - two to tie the product to the toe, and one to hold the heel.
From the 13th to the 18th century, skates, as it sounds not funny for a modern person, were a means of transportation on ice (rivers, lakes and other water bodies). From the middle of the 14th century, they improved: they began to be made of wood with a metal strip for more comfortable sliding. At first, bronze strips were fastened, and then steel was used.
By the way, our famous emperor Peter I was the first to combine shoes and skates. After that, the skates, in principle, did not change their design. The length of the metal strip and the material from which all this miracle is made have only slightly changed.
Then skating and skating became not so much a means of transportation as a means of entertainment and recreation. The era of speed skating has begun. In Russia, the first speed skating club was opened in 1864 in the then capital of our country - St. Petersburg. It was opened, by the way, by our famous and popular compatriot at that time, Alexander Pashnin, who became the first world champion in speed skating.
After some time, figure skating also began to develop, which gained immense popularity.
By the way, on January 7, 1876, the world's first artificial skating rink was opened in London. The British were enthusiastic about this, but only a day later they discovered that the skates had doubled in price, although they were only skids with laces.
Currently allocate Various types skates.
They differ from the rest in that they have a convex blade shape and have special teeth at the front end.
Hockey skates. They have a removable and non-removable blade. The length of the blade and boot are the same.
pleasure skates . They are similar to the first two types, but more comfortable compared to them. The women's version looks more like figure skating skates, while the men's version is more massive - like hockey skates.
Ice skates. These are special skates for those who are professionally involved in speed skating. Their design is slightly different from the previous ones. They have a longer blade length, a larger blade radius. And the biggest difference is that they have a movable blade.
Well, that seems to be all I wanted to tell you.
On behalf of myself and our entire team, I would like to congratulate all of you on the past holidays. Spend more time on outdoors- walk, ride sons and skate - such ancient and one of the most amazing inventions of mankind.
Figure skating is a popular and beautiful sport that is widespread in Russia. There is a lot of snow and ice in this country, so there is nothing surprising in the victories of the Russian team. It is probably impossible to tell everything about figure skating and its origin. It has a long, eventful history. This art has gone through many changes.
There are many interesting facts about figure skating. The sport begins its history in the Bronze Age. During archaeological excavations, prototypes of modern skates were found. They were made from animal bones.
More familiar to contemporaries, art appeared in the 12th-14th centuries in Holland. Then, blades for skates began to be made of metal. The sport quickly found followers and eventually spread to the United States, Britain, Canada, and then to the whole world.
The first society of fans of this sport was formed in the middle of the XVIII century in Edinburgh (Britain). This society first created the first rules for the competition.
At the end of the 19th century, figure skating was recognized as a sport discipline. A few years later, the first sports competition was held.
At the beginning of the 20th century, this art became part of the Olympic Games. The time difference between the first and second competition during the games was 12 years. Both times it was summer games. Only in 1924 did this art enter the program of the Winter Games.
At first, competitions were held exclusively among men, but after 10 years they began to be held among women.
History of origin in Russia
Sports discipline in Russia was introduced by Peter 1. He delivered the first prototypes of modern skates.
At the end of the 19th century, the famous skating rink in Yusupov Park was opened for public use. From this moment, figure skating ceases to be just entertainment, a sports discipline begins to take shape.
On this rink happened, significant for history sports discipline, moment. Previously, the competition was amateur, but high level training of athletes, the complication of the elements performed, led to the fact that the discipline began to acquire a professional character.
Russian athletes are favorites in figure skating. Many victories were achieved during the existence of the USSR. The Russian school of figure skating was formed.
Types of figure skating
During the time that this discipline has existed, many changes have occurred in it. She grew and developed. There were school formations. Yes, formed modern views figure skating. Now, they are part of the programs of competitions, championships, the Olympic Games.
Each type is regulated. Competitions are held in 2 stages. For each type there is a clear list of mandatory elements. The criteria for evaluating athletes are different, only the quality of movements execution remains the same.
Men's and women's singles
One participant. He shows sports elements. The degree of complexity, purity and technique of performing the element are evaluated. There are other criteria as well. The judges evaluate the performer's artistry, aesthetics, plasticity, and completeness of the performance. The more difficult and better the performance, the more points the athlete receives.
On the first day of the competition, a short program is demonstrated. It must be completed 7 mandatory elements. The second day is creative. The free program is shown. It should include jumps, steps, rotations.
Pair skating
In this type of skating, two people take part: a woman and a man. When evaluating the performance of the participants, he evaluates the synchronism of the execution of the elements. Athletes must feel each other and move in unison.
There are a number of elements characteristic of this species. Their implementation is main feature. The competition takes place in exactly the same way as for singles, in 2 stages. The requirements are similar.
Dance Sport
There are two participants. More attention is paid to artistry, entertainment performance.
Present a large number of dance steps and positions. The choreographer plans the dance in such a way that the athletes spend as much time together as possible during the performance.
The competition consists of 2 dances: short dance and free dance.
During the short dance, one or two of the required elements must be completed. During free program attention is paid to the purity of the movements performed, the literacy of dance positions, the coherence of the work of partners, and artistry.
This the only kind a competition in which a vocal musical composition may be used.
Synchronized figure skating
A team of 16-20 people performs. Everyone can participate in such skating, regardless of gender.
Speakers behave as a single organism, carrying out the program. Group figure skating has specific elements that are unique to synchronized skating. But there are also restrictions on the execution of elements: you can not perform any type of support, intersections in the form of a spiral, jumps of more than 1 turn.
The presentation includes 2 types of performances: short program and showcase.
Rules and Equipment
170 seconds are allocated for the performance. During this time, the speaker must show the program. It must meet the standard, contain certain movements. The complexity of these elements is determined by the coaches, choreographers and the athletes themselves.
Much attention is paid to the rink. The ice must be clean and level. High quality ice is achieved through the use of special equipment. Roughness above the ice surface should not exceed 5 mm.
The standard area of the rink is 30x60m. Sides plastic, mobile.
Sports equipment is very important. Skates are the main part of the costume, on which most of the performance depends. Skaters spend many hours a day in them.
Often, skates are made to order. Individual measurements of the feet of athletes are made so that the shoes made are comfortable to wear. Boots are sewn from thick durable leather, have a tongue. The lacing of the boots is high.
The blades are made from carbon steel. The blade consists of two parts:
- teeth on the nose - necessary for pushes, performing some elements;
- concave beard - needed for maximum sliding on ice.
Athletes' costumes are bright. With the help of them, the spirit of the performance is conveyed, it helps to reveal the idea of the program. Suits are made to order. Elastic fabric is used, which stretches well. Dresses are sewn with short skirt, trousers are narrow enough to avoid accidental injury during performance.
Basic elements of figure skating
There are certain elements of performance in figure skating. They have developed historically, their implementation is mandatory in short performances. They have varying degrees of difficulty.
Steps
This is the main element of skating, it is a push.
Steps are used as a transition from one element to another, linking them together. Used to gain speed before jumping.
There are many types of steps. They are divided into 4 groups:
- steps without changing foot, direction and edge;
- without changing legs;
- with a change of foot;
- with a change of foot and direction.
When the steps follow each other, this is called a "sequence of steps." It is mandatory for a short speech.
There are combinations of steps. The steps are done in exact order. The combinations have names. Popular: Waltz Troika, Jackson, Rittberger Troika.
Spirals
It is a position in which the athlete stands with one foot on the ice, and the other is above the level of the hip. It is counted if the execution time is over 7 seconds. The most popular execution is the "swallow". It has 4 levels of difficulty.
Rotations
One of the most spectacular elements. It consists in the rotation of the athlete around its axis. Rotation, skaters perform from a different position: standing, sitting, from the “swallow” spiral.
The element has many types. Usually, the rotation is done counterclockwise. In this case, relying on left leg. When rotating clockwise, the support is on the right foot.
jumping
A colorful and spectacular element. Compliance is mandatory for all disciplines, except for ice dancing.
The most common types of steps are:
- Costal - the push is done from the edge of the ridge of the supporting leg: salchow, axel, ritteberger.
- Prongs - support when jumping on a prong: lutz, sheepskin coat, flip.
The complexity of the element is constantly increasing. Strong athletes perform jumps with 4 revolutions. Performing a complex element gives an advantage over rivals.
The most difficult jump to perform is the Axel.
How to avoid injury
The risk of injury while skiing is high. Falls are unavoidable. First of all, it is necessary to decide for what purpose they are skating. When teaching a child, you need to decide for what purpose he goes to the section: for general development or to engage professionally.
Professional sports have a strong impact on overall health: the body experiences increased physical exercise.
For fans, it is enough to adhere to safety precautions. Inexperienced and just starting to ride can use protective equipment: knee pads, elbow and wrist guards.
You need to pay close attention to skates. Products must be sharpened, not have traces of rust on the blades. Before going out on the ice, the laces must be tied tightly.
A sharp blade is dangerous. No need to perform, learn the elements of skating in the crowd, near other people.
Figure skating is an exciting, spectacular sport. This good way to spend time with benefit, to perform the physical activities necessary for the body. The main thing is to enjoy both classes and watching competitions.
The very first shoes for skaters appeared near the city of Odessa. It was made from horse hooves. However, it was not possible to ride on such shoes. After all, for the manufacture of professional skates it was necessary to use iron.
In general, it is believed that figure skating as a form of sports activities originated in Holland. After all, it was there that the first boots with an iron blade appeared. Thanks to this, it began to develop at a fairly rapid pace. Figure skaters were those athletes who knew how to perform tricks of incredible beauty on the ice.
Interestingly, the very first rules regarding figure skating were created in England. The first clubs for skaters and the first professional elements appeared there.
The best athletes from different countries of Europe took part in it. The hosts then deservedly won. Since then, many countries of the world have tried to do everything possible to develop the sport of ice skating.
Many sports schools where the craftsmanship was taught by the real professionals in their field.
A big mark in figure skating was left by the representative of the USA Jaxon Heinz. He has gained fans all over the world. And experts studying the history of figure skating unanimously recognized him as the legislator of the current sport. This athlete is now a legend.
The first competition lasted three days. 8 athletes competed for victory in single skating, doubles and ice dancing.
In general, figure skating is not only beautiful, but also a complex kind of sports activity. In order to be called a professional, an athlete must work from an early age.
Buying skates is important, but not the most important thing.. You also need to take care of comfortable clothing and details that protect certain parts of the body from damage. In addition, it is very important to approach the choice of a specialist who can be trusted with a child with responsibility.
However, even this is not enough to achieve high results. Perseverance in figure skating, as in any other sport, plays a very important role.
Figure skating pretty ancient view sport with its own history.
That is why there are many interesting and unknown facts that will surely surprise fans. For example, the famous Russian figure skater Alexei Yagudin, who is a repeated champion of Europe, the world and Olympic Games failed to win the championship in his native country.
It is also interesting that in addition to commenting on the course of the competition, the announcers talked about the athletes' costumes. And small skirts were in vogue among figure skaters at the very beginning of the development of this sport.
In general, figure skating is a wonderful sport.
It is very popular among both adults and children. Now you can meet a lot of people on the skating rinks different ages. Some go there for pleasure, others for health, and some do it professionally. Such people can be considered real heroes. After all, they spend an insane amount of time on skating rinks and in gyms. And all this in order to achieve positive results.
Ice skating is a great way to build willpower., acquire beautiful figure and of course achieve serious sports results. After all, those who do it for real, not sparing themselves, become not only a first-class athlete, but also a wonderful person who leads the right way of life and can determine its main values. That is why, if the child is already in early age shows interest in skates, it is worth giving it to the skating rink without hesitation.
From time immemorial, people have appreciated beauty, grace, elegance. In our modern, progressive world, it is impossible to imagine a person who would not know what figure skating is. Someone calls it a sport, someone calls it “art”, but ice skating became possible thanks to the appearance of “skates” in the world, and in our homeland to the one who brought skates to Russia.
Man has always been able to adapt, to adapt to the conditions of life, the environment. Not surprisingly, many scientists find it impossible to determine the exact year and place where ice skating shoes were first invented and used. It's also hard to say who invented skates. In the ancient world, climate conditions were harsh, people often had to settle where it was cold. To survive, they were engaged in hunting, fishing, production of provisions. Probably, then someone resourceful and gave out the idea that it is better to slide on the ice, and not to wander.
The objects established as the first prototypes of skates are found by archaeologists all over the world. These are the Netherlands, China, England, Switzerland, Bavaria, Kazakhstan, Siberia, Scandinavian countries. It was very difficult for people in ancient times to overcome such huge distances, therefore, people could come up with shoes for walking on ice at different times.
Some scientific minds claim that the first skates were made from animal bones. This can only be partly true. Not everyone had the opportunity to use such material as a blank. Someone carved skates from wood, mainly from a Christmas tree, some took bamboo as a basis, even walrus tusks were used. Holes were made at the base of the workpiece, through which a leather cord was threaded. They attached the device to the leg.
Interesting to know! The earliest historically documented reference to winter ice shoes in literature can be found in the Anglo-Dutch Dictionary of 1648.
At the moment, the most ancient skates are bone adaptations found in 1967 in the vicinity of the northern part of the Black Sea coast. According to scientists, they are about 3200 years old. It is assumed that they were made by the Cimmerian tribes in order to conveniently glide along frozen rivers. The shape of the bone did not allow to develop greater speed and maneuverability. I had to use more sticks. However, even then it was a significant progress in human life. Prior to this, seekers of antiquity found ancient shoes, which, according to rough estimates, are more than 2000 years old. An antique contained in a British museum was found in 1839.
It has been established that from the 13th to the middle of the 18th centuries, ice shoes were used only as a means of rapid movement along frozen rivers, lakes, and canals. In addition to wood and bone, from which the first skates were made, strips of bronze and iron began to be used in products to improve the design.
skate inventors
It is impossible to determine exactly who came up with the brilliant idea to make ice shoes. But the names of people who worked on their improvement are known. These were not only scientists and designers, but also those who simply loved to slide on the ice.
Interesting! The front of the skates was often decorated with a figure in the shape of a horse's head. Because of this, the device got its affectionate name - "Skates".
Innovations in the creation of ice shoes began in Europe at the beginning of the 14th century, when craftsmen began to insert iron plates into wooden skates, and later they were replaced with steel tubes. It wasn't long before the first all-metal devices began to appear in Holland. Ancient alloy skates were short, heavy, with a curved toe.
Due to the impractical design, it was inconvenient to fasten the shoes to the foot. The sole did not fit snugly against the sidewall, the straps slipped off. Here the genius of the Russian Tsar Perth I came to the rescue. It is believed that, being in Holland on state affairs and carried away by ice skating, the ruler thought that it would be good to combine the blade with the shoe into a single whole.
Although people have been fond of ice skating for a long time, it gained great popularity closer to the middle of the 19th century. The popularity of this hobby has led to the emergence of various disciplines in sports related to skating and skiing. This gave impetus to the rapid development of the design of sports shoes, new models began to be manufactured and produced by well-known companies.
For the first time, the old tubular skates were invented by Norwegian runners. The blades were screwed to the shoe with four and six screws. Experiments with the form of cross-country skates were carried out by the Russian speed skater A. Panshin. In 1887, he achieved considerable success, starting to create elongated models with a thin blade, curved at the end. For many decades, the original structure remained practical and did not change.
Interesting! You don't have to be an engineer to create a new skate model. Any boy could grind off the blade of the skate in front and behind, having received the so-called "Canadians", suitable for both beautiful gliding and high-speed racing.
Currently, athletes use a model of a skate made of a steel tube with a skid inserted into it. The development was carried out by the Norwegian H. Hagen. He achieved success in 1892, making his name in history winter sports. 1996 introduced new ice shoe options to the world. This happened at competitions of different levels, when the Dutch and Belgian athletes successfully started the season. The development was carried out by the Viking and Raps firms, and the new model was called the Slepskate.
Ice skating became so popular that it appeared completely the new kind shoes - plastic, roller skate. There was no need to invent something completely new. His principle was to replace the metal blade with wheels. This made it possible to ride not only on ice. This entertainment is especially popular among children and teenagers.
Gaines Skate
Dr. Gaines is the man who invented and implemented the idea of \u200b\u200bSnow Maiden skates. In the 60s of the XIX century, he decides to make "snow maidens", which had a wide blade, a toe bent up without teeth. Their absence allows you to slide even on hard, rolled snow. Such equipment is suitable for teaching beginners, with it they learn to ride using the ribs of the skate. Further changes in the model were not fundamental, but introduced some innovations. So, the Swedish figure skater U. Salkov came up with the idea of adding teeth to the toe. The innovation made it possible to perform more complex figures, jumps, stops, pirouettes on the toe, compasses, steps, pushes. N. Panin helped to strengthen the strength of the model. He added a rack, now there are three of them.
There were no more significant changes in the Snow Maidens. The length and thickness of the blade varied, depending on the application. For example, for ice dancing, the shortest length is provided so that the partners do not hurt each other. The blades of their skates are 2-3 mm thick, for comparison, the predecessors were 5-6 mm thick. The height is 40-50 mm. The skid is rounded so that when the body is tilted, it slides in an arc.
Who brought skates to Russia
Fashion for ice skating in Rus' was brought by Peter I. He really liked this kind of entertainment. The tsar even ordered to start producing skates in Tula when he returned home. But after his death, the popularity of skates declined. It is believed that the very first skating club in Russia was founded in 1864 by A. Panshin. Skorokhod and skater opened it in St. Petersburg.
Interesting! More than 300 years ago, the English diplomat Carlyle visited Moscow. He later wrote: "Beloved winter fun Muscovites - skating.
In February 1890, the St. Petersburg Yusupov skating rink celebrated its 25th anniversary. On this occasion, they decided to arrange a grandiose ice competition. Athletes from America and Europe were specially invited to participate. The scale of the event, the stellar composition of the participants give the right to call these competitions the first unofficial world championship. The success of this competition has accelerated the holding of world-class competitions. This event also served as an impetus for the creation of the International Skating Union 2 years later.
