Clap skate

This allows the blade to remain in contact with the ice longer, as the ankle can now be extended toward the end of the stroke, as well as for more natural movement, thereby distributing the energy of the leg more effectively and efficiently.

Clap skates were developed at the Faculty of Human Movement Sciences of the Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam, led by Gerrit Jan van Ingen Schenau, although the idea of a clap skate is much older; designs dating from around 1900 are known.

[1] In 1985 Ron Ket was the first to ride the clap skates in an officially timed setting, a 500-meter sprint on the Jaap Eden baan, clocking in on a promising 40.65.

[1] For the 1994–1995 season, 11 skaters from the South Holland 14–18 age category started using the clap skate competitively.

[4] In the following years the clap skate started to dominate the long track speedskating landscape.