skaters must have speed skates, a spandex skin suit, protective helmet, specific cut proof skating gloves, knee pads and shin pads (in suit), neck guard (bib style) and ankle protection. Protective eyewear is mandatory. Many skaters wear smooth ceramic or carbon fiber tips on the left hand glove to reduce friction when their hand is on the ice at corners. All skaters who race at a national level must wear a cutproof kevlar suit to protect against being cut from another skater's blade. 'Long track For long track skaters the same equipment should be worn as short track racers but with the exception of a helmet, shin pads, knee pads, and neck guard which are not required; along with their blades. Long track skaters skate on what are called "clap blades". These blades have hinges under the boot towards the back. It is described in more detail above. Protective eyewear is not mandatory. The suit also does not need to be kevlar. Long track skaters wear a hood that is built into the suit. See also Speed skating rink List of speed skaters List of world records in speed skating List of Olympic records in speed skating Adelskalender (skating) Fen skating Kortebaanschaatsen Inline speed skating References and notes Further reading Dianne Holum: The Complete Handbook of Speed Skating (1984), USOC: A Basic Guide to Speed Skating, Griffin Publishers - Torrance, Ca. (2002), Barry Publow: Speed on Skates, Human Kinetics Publishers - Champaign, Ill. (1999), Matthias Opatz: Taschenfibel Eisschnelllauf (Pocketguide Speedskating''), Lotok Publ. - Stedten-upon-Ilm, Germany (2005), External links Roller Sports C. I. C. - Sport regulations, regulations of inline speed skating International Skating Union Winter Olympic sports Individual sports Sports originating in the Netherlands Sports originating in Norway Dutch inventions Ice skating Ice skating sports Articles containing video clips