The 2026 Winter Olympics start this Friday and I am reminded that four years ago I wrote my first column about Eric Heiden and his remarkable success in the 1980 winter games. Some of you may remember that Eric won every men’s single speed skating event in 1980, a feat that has never been equaled. In 2022 it took four men to win the five singles medals. Eric didn’t change speed skating but he did set a record that may not be repeated. Occasionally someone comes along and changes a sport forever. This happened in 1976 at the Innsbruck Games when Bill Koch entered the cross country ski competition.
Prior to 1976 all cross country skiers used the classic ski form where skiers stayed in a grooved track. Bill, born in Brattleboro, Vermont had been experimenting with his own technique, getting out of the track and propelling himself in a method similar to skating. His skis were lighter and differently waxed than the classical style. Bill won the silver medal in the 30 km race, the first American to win an Olympic cross country race in history. You can imagine that there were protests about his style but his medal was accepted and freestyle became a separate medal sport at the 1988 Calgary Games.
There are times when individual athletes develop a style on their own, but exercise scientists also change styles. Wind tunnels have allowed excellent data as athletes move through air. Like cars, skiers, skaters, and jumpers must overcome the resistance to movement through air — called drag. Slippery snow and ice present very little resistance to movement. Drag is the biggest challenge to many winter athletes.
Athletes attempt to reduce drag in two ways. First, most all wear suits that are skin tight, offering no extra material to grab the wind. The fabric of the suits also helps to resist drag. When moving through the air most athletes put themselves into a position, similar to an egg, that reduces drag related to form. Athletes in skating and downhill racing keep their heads down, allowing the air to travel around their bodies without creating turbulence. The longer they can keep their form, the faster they go, no easy task when sliding down a mountain over 60 mph.
Watch ski jumpers get into this egg position as they travel down the steep runway. The goal is to develop maximum velocity upon takeoff; the longer the jumper is airborne, the farther they travel. At takeoff the athlete leaps vigorously into the air, hopefully at the perfect moment. A few years back biomechanists found that using the V style form in ski jumping allows the jumper to go further than the parallel style jumpers used for years. Watch their skis and you will see the V.
Another important factor is lift. As the jumper leaves the ramp they lean forward with head down and slightly curved backside, their body shaped like an airplane wing. The faster moving air on top of the body creates a lifting force that allows the jumper to stay in the air longer. Some athletes do this perfectly and win.
Great technique is the key to success in figure skating. Similar to gymnastics, figure skating scoring is highly related to successful stunts. Regardless of how beautiful they skate, if they can’t do the stunts, they cannot win. The most important stunts are jumps. When watching these skaters leap, forget the pretty costumes and the sequined shirts, you are watching a highly trained, powerful and courageous athlete do something that only a few people in the world can do. Failure is ever present. Successful gymnasts are short because they do somersaults: figure skaters are narrow. Wider skaters spin slower; the greater the radius of rotation the greater the resistance to spinning.
To start a jump, skaters thrust with their legs but also swing their arms vigorously upward just prior to takeoff. Just as they leave the ice they immediately wrap their arms close to their bodies as they begin to spin. They cross their legs at the ankle. This reduction in radius of rotation induces rapid spinning. Upon landing, they do the opposite to stop, throwing their arms wide and one leg wide to stop spinning and a balanced landing. The timing must be perfect. Triple jumps and even quad jumps are achieved as the skaters must balance themselves on blades 3/16” thick. Imagine traveling about 15 mph, leaping, rotating four times (1440 degrees), and landing smoothly, all while smiling.
Jim Johnson is a retired professor of exercise and sport science after teaching 52 years at Smith College and Washington University in St. Louis. He comments about sport, exercise, and sports medicine. He can be reached at jjohnson@smith.edu.