I.

Introduction

Ice Skating, gliding across an expanse of ice while balancing on steel runners that have been affixed to the bottom of special boots designed specifically for skating. People skate on artificially created ice at indoor and outdoor rinks and on frozen lakes, ponds, rivers, or streams. Recreational ice skating is most prevalent in countries with long, cold winters, although the growing number of indoor rinks has made ice skating popular in warmer regions as well.

As a competitive sport, ice skating takes two main forms. Figure skating blends athletic and artistic skills, requiring physical stamina and imagination. Speed skating denotes racing on ice skates around an oval track. The sport of ice hockey also requires skillful ice skating. This article covers figure skating and speed skating only; for information on ice hockey, see Ice Hockey.