its ▁until ▁the ▁sk aters ▁have ▁stopped ▁moving . ▁Finally , ▁the ▁ref eree ▁wa its ▁for ▁a ▁random ▁duration ▁between ▁ 1 ▁and ▁ 1 . 5 ▁seconds , ▁and ▁then ▁fires ▁the ▁starting ▁shot . ▁Some ▁argue ▁that ▁this ▁inher ent ▁timing ▁vari ability ▁could ▁dis adv antage ▁athlet es ▁that ▁start ▁after ▁longer ▁p aus es , ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁alert ing ▁effect . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁only ▁non - ind ividual ▁competition ▁form , ▁the ▁team ▁purs uit , ▁two ▁teams ▁of ▁each ▁three ▁to ▁four ▁sk aters ▁are ▁allowed ▁to ▁race ▁at ▁once . ▁Both ▁teams ▁remain ▁in ▁the ▁inner ▁l ane ▁for ▁the ▁duration ▁of ▁the ▁race ; ▁they ▁start ▁on ▁opposite ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁r ink . ▁If ▁four ▁sk aters ▁are ▁racing ▁one ▁sk ater ▁is ▁allowed ▁to ▁drop ▁off ▁and ▁stop ▁racing . ▁The ▁clock ▁stops ▁when ▁the ▁third ▁sk ater ▁cross es ▁the ▁finish ▁line . ▁ ▁Equ ip ment ▁ ▁Speed ▁sk ates ▁Speed ▁sk ates ▁differ ▁greatly ▁from ▁hockey ▁sk ates ▁and ▁figure ▁sk ates . ▁Un like ▁hockey ▁sk ates ▁and ▁figure ▁sk ates , ▁speed ▁sk ates ▁cut ▁off ▁at ▁the ▁an k le ▁and ▁are ▁built ▁more ▁like ▁a ▁sh oe ▁than ▁a ▁boot ▁to ▁allow ▁for ▁more ▁an k le ▁compression . ▁The ▁bl ades ▁range ▁in ▁length ▁from ▁ 3 0 ▁to ▁ 4 5   cm ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁age ▁and ▁height ▁of ▁the ▁sk ater . ▁Short ▁track ▁bl ades ▁are ▁fixed ▁to ▁the