POSCO started supporting the team last year after CEO Ohjoon Kwon watched the team take the bronze medal at the 2017 World Championships. As shown in the documentary, the athletes were playing on insufficient sledges that would often break down and cause injuries. Some players were fixing their own sledges between matches, others made do with what they had. CEO Kwon knew POSCO had the solutions for the team and started a project with sledge-maker Massive Blade to revamp the sledges for the team. Now, ahead of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Paralympics, the team is equipped and ready with the world’s leading technology.

SEE ALSO: How POSCO’s Advanced Technology Gives Speed to Korea’s Para Ice Hockey Team

Parallel: A Documentary

Parallel was directed by Kyungman Kim in 2012. He wanted to make the movie to document the para ice hockey players’ endurance and grit in overcoming their physical limitations through the sport. “However, as I started editing the footage and putting it all together, I noticed how happy the players looked on the ice. That’s when I decided the documentary was going to be about happiness – what it really means to be happy. That’s what I want to share with viewers,” said director Kim.

Director Kim couldn’t help but notice the smile on the players’ faces. (Source: Taehung Pictures Naver Post)

That’s exactly what the movie delivers. Of course, the players face challenges every day due to their injuries and physical conditions, but the interviews in the documentary reveal the players to be genuinely happy and grateful for their sport. Seunghwan Jung, one of the players, says, “I used to wish I had legs all the time, but when I started playing hockey, the thought just never crossed my mind. In a way, the sport has allowed me to accept myself… understand myself.”

One of the players take break from intense training. (Source: Taehung Pictures Naver Post)

For many of the players, playing para ice hockey has been a healing process, but it doesn’t end there. The team is as competitive as any other Olympic team, and even with a lack of spectators and interest in the sport, the national team has produced impressive results. In the 2010 Vancouver Winter Paralympics, the team placed 6th, and then 7th in Sochi in 2014. This is even more remarkable given the poor equipment, especially the sledges, they were using at the time.

POSCO Gives Ice Sledges a Technological Makeover

In order to qualify as a para ice hockey player, a person must have a physical impairment in the lower part of their body, but this can come in many different forms. As a result, one of the biggest challenges teams face is finding sledges that fit, protect and enhance each player. Before POSCO signed on as a sponsor, the Korean National Team relied on expensive imported sledges from Canada that were heavy and susceptible to structural damage from harsh contact. On average, 5 to 7 sledges required repair work during a single game. In an attempt to produce the first domestic sledge, POSCO’s researchers jumped on board to provide sledge-producer Massive Blade the materials for a lightweight, strong and corrosion resistant sledge.

Researchers at POSCO’s Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology (RIST), came up with a way to use magnesium as the main material for the sledge frame. Magnesium is one of the lightest materials available as it is one third lighter than aluminum, but it is extremely hard to treat and bend into shape. RIST not only developed the technology to treat magnesium, but also applied it to sledges for the first time in history. POSCO also provided its advanced high-manganese anti-vibration steel and stainless steel to finish off the new sledges, fit for a national team.

RIST researchers developed a processing technology to increase the moldability of magnesium.

Outfitted with the new sledges, the team beat out strong European teams in the 2017 World Championships to place 3rd, and just last month, they won a four-nation friendly tournament in Japan. Now, they have their eyes on an Olympic medal in PyeongChang.

Regardless of the results, POSCO will continue to support the Korean National Para Ice Hockey Team so they can continue doing what makes them and others around them happy.

Cover photo courtesy of Hello PyeongChang.

So, what do these athletes from all over the world competing in various different sports have in common? They all rely on steel to enhance their performance and keep them safe while they compete for the highest honors in their profession.

Here are some of the most prominent ways steel plays its part in winter Olympic sports:

Blades/Edges of Steel

Ice Hockey

Ice hockey is easily the main attraction of winter Olympics as hockey finals are usually the last events of the Games. The same can be said of para ice hockey as well. Athletes glide through the rink on specially-made sledges, or sleds, and have as much, if not more, full-contact than regular ice hockey.

Stainless steel is the material of choice for ice hockey skate blades. (Source: FXBX)

There are several pieces of equipment that enable hockey players to perform at their best, including their skates and sleds. The deciding factor in the quality of skates comes down to the type of steel used in the blades, or runners. Harder types of steel are preferred for less wear and tear and so that athletes do not have to sharpen the blades too often.

That’s why most opt for stainless steel, for its high-strength, hard, ductile and corrosion-resistant qualities. For para ice hockey players, their sleds make or break the game, and materials like magnesium, high-manganese anti-vibration steel and stainless steel give them the edge they need.

SEE ALSO: How POSCO’s Advanced Technology Gives Speed to Korea’s Para Ice Hockey Team

Figure Skating

Blades on figure skates look similar to that of hockey skates, but are longer and heavier. Figure skate blades also have the thickest type of blades at 4 to 5mm. These blades were most commonly made of tempered carbon steel coated with chrome, but lighter materials such as stainless steel are becoming more common. At the professional level, many athletes wear skates with high-grade steels that are much more expensive than common skates. A distinct characteristic of these blades is the spiked front toe which gives figure skaters the traction they need for rigorous jumps and spins.

Figure skates have spiked toes to assist jumps and spins. (Source: Bend Source)

Short and Speed Skating

Like blades for hockey and figure skates, short track and speed skates are also made of stainless steel. Short track skates are slightly curved and shorter than speed skates, with slightly rounded backends for safety.  

Figure skates have spiked toes to assist jumps and spins. (Source: International Skating Union)

Speed skates are different from those for short track because the back-end of the blade is detached from the boot. this reduces friction and energy loss. Also, the detached blade allows the blade to remain attached to the ice longer than attached blades.

Skiing and Snowboarding

Steel also plays a crucial part in the construction of ski and snowboard edges. With high-quality steel, athletes can sharpen the edges more frequently, and sharp edges are crucial for carving and turning on snow. Edges are most commonly made of stainless steel, and they are inserted into the body of the ski or snowboard via “teeth” or T-shaped ridges. Most edges have a Rockwell 48 hardness.

Ski and snowboard edges are made of steel to achieve maximum sharpness. (Source: YouTube)

Rock-hard Skeleton, Ultra Sharp Blades

Bobsled

There are several variations of bobsled events during the Olympics: 2-man, 4-man and women’s doubles. No matter how many people are on a team, each bobsled has a steel chassis or skeleton and four steel blades attached to the bottom of the sleds. Every team must use the same type of steel for blades used in competition. Much like a car, materials that make up the bobsled must be lightweight yet strong so the athletes have the freedom to steer through the track. During competition, sleds slide through at an average speed of 150 km/hr.

Ski and snowboard edges are made of steel to achieve maximum sharpness. (Source: Lake Placid)

SEE ALSO: Ask an Expert: How POSCO GIGA STEEL Frames the G4 Rexton

Luge

The luge is considered to be the most dangerous winter Olympic sport due to high speeds and sharp turns of the track. After push off in a seated position, the person or pair lies flat on their backs and steer the sleds with their bodies. Sleds have a pair of steel blades attached to the bottom. Olympic rules prohibit teams from heating the blades before competition as it would decrease friction against ice. Instead, athletes try to maintain the sharpest blades possible.

The Luge is one of the most dangerous winter Olympic sports. (Source: Team GB)

Skeleton

Opposite of the luge, skeleton athletes race flat on their stomachs, with no brakes. Instead of starting on the sled, the athletes have to sprint for about 40 meters before hopping on. All skeleton sled frames must be made of steel, and blades are usually made of high-quality stainless steel. As for all the “sliding” sports, there are strict rules for the size and weight of the sleds.

Skeleton athletes sprint 40 meters before jumping on their sleds stomach first. (Source: MPR News)

The Korean National Para Ice Hockey Team playing against the U.S. national team in 2014 (Source: Aljazeera)

Para ice hockey, previously called ice sledge hockey, may not be common to everyone, but many consider it the highlight of para-athletic events. A team is composed of athletes who have a physical impairment in the lower part of their body, so instead of wearing skates, they glide through the rink on ice sledges (also known as sleds).

Watch any para ice hockey match, and it will be surprising to see that there is as much, if not more physical contact than regular ice hockey. Although these athletes may be limited in their everyday movement, on ice, they appear to be flying on their sledges.

The thrill and intensity of the sport are just some of the reasons why steel-company POSCO continually supports the Korean national team and para-athletics in general. It is also why POSCO joined the mission to create specially-made sledges for the Korean National Para Ice Hockey Team.

Ice Sledges Make or Break the Match

Due to the nature of the sport, the sledges have to withstand various forms of physical contact such as body checking. They also have to move in complete unison with the players, almost like an additional limb, because it determines the player’s’ steering and control of direction.

So, the sledges have a direct impact on performance.

Some members of the Korean national team have been playing for over 18 years, and they know better than anyone the importance of their sledges in relationship to performance and results. Ideally, a sledge has to be light yet strong, able to absorb shock from external contact and fit the athlete’s body perfectly.

A Korean National Para Ice Hockey Team player fights for the puck during a game against Japan.

All of the sledges the Korean ice hockey team used were previously imported from Canada. The sledges were heavier and often could not withstand harsh contact. On average, 5 to 7 sledges were damaged during a game and required repair work.

That’s why Massive Blade, a company that specializes in ice sports equipment, decided to make the sledges domestically in Korea. When POSCO heard that Massive Blade was looking for a light and strong material to build the sledges out of, researchers jumped on board the mission to produce these new and improved sledges.

The First Domestic Sledge, Built with POSCO’s Technology

This first-of-its-kind sledge was made with POSCO’s new high-strength magnesium alloy, high-manganese anti-vibration steel and stainless steel. Meaning, they replaced the heavy aluminum alloys that made up the previous sledges with POSCO’s advanced materials.

Magnesium

Magnesium has a high specific strength (also known as the strength-to-weight ratio) and is about two-thirds lighter than aluminum. The downside is that it is challenging to mold, so it is not widely used despite its phenomenal lightweight and specific strength qualities. This is where POSCO’s Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology (RIST) stepped in to provide a solution

RIST has been researching magnesium and its production technology for application in mountain bike frames and car frames for 3 years. As a result, RIST also owns the necessary equipment and machinery for processing and producing magnesium parts. In order to develop their technology for processing magnesium, RIST researcher Lee Mok-Young said they had to first identify the characteristics of the material, maintain the proper heat treatment temperature and optimize the accompanying tools for molding magnesium. The molding tool is a new, innovative technology that ultimately decides whether magnesium can be shaped into the necessary parts.

RIST researchers came up with a processing technology to increase the moldability of magnesium

When the processing technology is applied to magnesium, it results in a material that is approximately twice as moldable as regular magnesium. As a result, magnesium was able to be applied to sledges for the first time ever.

High-Manganese Anti-Vibration Steel

High-manganese anti-vibration steel is another material that helped enhance the sledges. They applied it to the parts of the sledge with the most exposure to contact such as the front bar and bucket brackets to prevent injuries as well as to minimize structural deformities. High-manganese anti-vibration steel is widely used in buildings for shock absorption, and according to Kim Sung-Gyu, director of the Gwangyang Steel Commercialization Promotion Team, the anti-vibration properties of the steel make it possible to contain vibrations from external force within the metal. This means less shock is transferred to the players, minimizing the risk of injury.

A technician applies high-manganese anti-vibration steel to the front bar

Stainless Steel

Finally, POSCO’s stainless steel was applied to the sledge blades. There are two blades at the bottom of every sledge, and each blade is 3mm thick. It is important to use high-strength steel so that the thin blades can stay sharp and carry the weight of the sledge and player throughout the whole game. Plus, the blades have to hold the frame 8.5cm to 9.5cm above the ice so that the puck can pass through freely under the sledge. The length of the blade also cannot exceed one-third of the total length of the sledge.

Stainless steel blades are sharpened and reattached

That’s a lot of work for just two blades, and that’s why POSCO’s stainless steel was applied. Besides the fact that it has optimal high-strength, hardness and ductility qualities, stainless steel is corrosion resistant, an important factor for blades constantly exposed to water and ice.

Korea’s National Para Ice Hockey Team Gets Wings

Aside from choosing the right materials, POSCO’s RIST researchers spent the most time trying to understand the difficulties and discomfort the para-athletes face on the sledges. It is true the sledges have to be light and strong, but there are further limitations to gauge precise movement and direction during an intense and dynamic game.

That’s why the researchers scrapped the project in its final stages multiple times to start over. During the process, they made numerous models and constantly talked with the players, coaches and the director. Not only that, the RIST researchers also consulted POSCO’s engineers about technical issues related to the materials. The finished product is really the accumulation of intensive research and running back and forth between the rink, the RIST research lab and POSCO offices.

National team members are adjusting to the new, upgraded sledges

The result of their collaboration is a sledge that is 34 percent lighter and capable of absorbing greater shock than the previous sledges.

The players are already adjusting to their new equipment and it won’t be long until they can test them out in an actual match. POSCO will continue to support para-athletes and the Korean National Para Ice Hockey Team so they can focus on their intensive training without worrying about sledge malfunctions and injuries.

TO (a safe) VICTORY!

Cover photo courtesy of Team USA Hockey.

POSCO hopes the team will be able to fully invest in training and perform to the best of their ability at the upcoming games.

The Rise of the Korean National Para Ice Hockey Team

While the Korean National Para Ice Hockey Team is now receiving more funding and exposure, their journey was not always smooth-sailing. As seen in the 2014 Korean documentary Parallel, the Korean para ice hockey athletes have faced many difficulties along the way. But, in facing their adversity with hard work, perseverance, and determination, they have found success as they prepare for the upcoming 2018 Winter Games.  

2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, Canada

Until 2010, sledge hockey at the Winter Games had been dominated by Canada, the U.S., Norway, and Sweden. Starting at the Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010, the world started to notice the potential of Korean para-athletes as they finished in 6th place in their first Winter Games. Following the Vancouver Winter Games, the team continued their success from 2011-2013 at multiple international tournaments. These wins helped add momentum and build expectations for the team as they prepared for the Winter Games in Sochi.

Korea defeated Sweden 4-2 in the 2013 Para Ice Hockey Qualification Tournament held in Torino, Italy (Courtesy of Svenska Parasportförbundet Sveriges Paralympiska Kommitté)

2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia

In 2014, Korea’s ice sledge hockey team returned to the Winter Games. In their first match, Team Korea defied expectations with a 3-2 defeat of the hometown team and ultimate silver medalist, Russia.  However, after that monumental win, multiple team members suffered a series of injuries that helped lead to subsequent losses to the US, Italy, and the Czech Republic. Although the team won their 7th place match 2-0 against Sweden, players could not hide their disappointment.

Dongshin Jang, who scored the final goal in the match against Sweden, cited the team’s many injuries as one of the reasons for defeat adding, “We tried our best to win the medals in order to be recognized and get the support we need. We did well considering our conditions, but I cannot hide my disappointment.”

2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang, Korea

In 2018, Team Korea will have a home rink advantage as the games come to PyeongChang. As they prepare to participate in the 2018 Winter Games, they have shown great progress. Just one year after their humbling defeat at Sochi, Team Korea defeated Poland 15-0 at the IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships, the most points ever scored in a World Championship game.

Korea’s ice sledge hockey team pose for a team photo at the 2013 Para Ice Hockey Games held in Torino, Italy. (Courtesy of Luc Percival)

Team Korea’s training is in full swing as they are aiming to be one of the top five teams in the 2017 World Championships A-Pool. Trials will be held in Gangneung, Korea, from April 11-20, 2017. If Team Korea takes one of the top five slots, it will directly qualify for the PyeongChang 2018.

POSCO is supporting Team Korea to allow them to focus on their training for 2018. Team Korea has already succeeded far beyond expectations and POSCO is honored to be supporting such a talented team.   

Skating on Steel Sledges

Para ice hockey began at a rehabilitation centre in Stockholm, Sweden, during the early 1960’s. It was started by a group of Swedes who wanted to continue playing hockey despite not being able to skate anymore. Para ice hockey made its official debut on the world stage during the 1994 Lillehammer games.

Sledges for para ice hockey, made of steel, are set on two blades usually made of tempered steel. (Courtesy of Randykwapis)

Instead of skates, players use double-blade sledges that are typically made of steel. They are 0.6m to 1.2m in length with a curved front end and a seat for the athletes. The sledge was modified to be set on two 3 mm blades, which are usually made of tempered steel that allows the puck to pass underneath the sledge. Players use two sticks to propel the sledge over the ice and to hit the puck. The design, weight, and strength of the player’s equipment are critical. The ability for the sledge to withstand the weight of the players and strong impacts is critical. The steel used in the sledge can make a crucial difference to their performance as it impacts control on the ice and the durability of the blades.