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There are three different relays in Short Track Speed Skating: the two traditional distances – the women’s 3000m and men’s 5000m, which have been contested for decades, and the Mixed 2000m relay, which is a relatively new discipline, first contested at Olympic level at Beijing 2022.

The relays are 18 laps (Mixed 2000m), 27 laps (Women’s 3000m), and 45 laps (Men’s 5000m) respectively.

Xandra Velzeboer (NED) competes in the 3000m Team Relay Final A race during the ISU Short Track World Tour © ISU

Each team comprises four athletes from the same country, and there are usually four teams on the ice at the same time. With 16 racers out there, it can seem chaotic and difficult to follow.

The skater who is ‘active’ in the race at any particular time stays on the track, while the other racers tend to stay inside the inner racing oval, skating alongside the active skater, waiting for the changeover.

Team Canada celebrates after winning gold in the 2000m Mixed Team Relay at the ISU Short Track World Tour - Montreal © ISU

The active skater changes every few laps, so that teams can conserve energy and keep speeds as high as possible. The changeover happens whenever two skaters from the same team touch each other.

This usually involves skating in front of the current active skater, and receiving an almighty push, to get a fast start to their laps. However, if a skater has fallen, the two races often just touch hands to indicate a transfer.

Everything is carefully orchestrated: for example, in the women’s 3000m, the starting and finishing athlete does five exchanges, while racers two and three do four exchanges.

Good positioning and exchanges are often the key to winning. Tactics vary, with some sides preferring to lead from the front and minimise potential collisions, and others liking to chase. Teams put their strongest athlete to race the final two laps, which must be skated by one athlete.

The Mixed Relay was introduced in the 2018-19 season by the ISU, and at Beijing 2022, home nation China won the inaugural Olympic medal in the discipline. Canada won the men’s relay and Netherlands won the women’s.

Republic of Korea have dominated the women’s relay over the years, winning six of the nine golds in the Olympics since 1992. The men’s race has been more open, with Canada (four times), Korea (twice), Hungary, Russia and Italy all winning titles.