The ISU ratified their use in competition last June and a few weeks later, everybody was using them. I believe it's a good thing for our sport. Since Dutch peasants first took off their wooden clogs to go skating on frozen canals there have been a number of revolutions in speed skating. In the late 1970s, the introduction of skin suits had a similar effect. Then came the covered rinks, which also led to most records being shattered.
More surprises are just around the corner.
Researchers in the Dutch university of Groningen are busy working on a new slap skate, whose axis is not fixed to the boot but moves forward as the skate opens. They believe their version of the slap skate is significantly faster than the current one.