Those of you skating at speed, performing or attempting jumps and other moves should also wear a helmet. Get any injuries checked out and treated. Speed skating is a non-contact sport, which means you are not allowed to push, grab or be rough with other skaters in the race. However, due to high speeds and close racing, skaters often have spectacular crashes. All competitors must wear pads and a safety helmet to stop them being hurt.
Races vary in distances from short sprint races to marathons.
There are 22 Skating clubs in New Zealand, eight of these specialise in Speed Skating. If you are just starting out a club will provide you with expert coaching and lend you skates until you want to buy some of your own. Lots of competitions are held for Junior skaters too. These range from Regional Club Championships to World Championships. Skating Championships - check out what she's doing to get there.