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)

But to fully enjoy those winter sports, you need to have the right equipment for the season. Playing on the ice requires skates, while sliding down the snow-covered slopes requires skis – or even a bobsled or luge, for the serious winter sports enthusiast.

All these sports require steel. So let’s take a look at the role steel plays in bringing our favorite winter sports to life.

Slashing Across the Ice with Steel Skates

Whether it’s for ice hockey, figure skating or just a leisurely recreational skate, a pair of skates and a big sheet of ice is one of the most popular ways of having fun during the winter.

Actually, the oldest known skates are around 5,000 years old, and were made from the leg bones of large animals. But around the 14th century, people in the Netherlands started using iron runners, which were attached to people’s shoes with leather straps. Back then, people used poles to push themselves over the ice, but with the invention of double-edged blades around the year 1500, people gained the ability to push and glide directly with their skates. Finally, in the 19th century, steel began to be used for skates, giving them the strength needed for modern winter sports.

For today’s skates, typically the blades use tempered carbon steel that has been heat treated, and then covered in chrome – although some also use aluminum or stainless steel, and others even use titanium. The more high-end blades use better grades of steel than less expensive types. Because an important part of skating well is the blade’s edge, stronger grades of steel help hold the sharpness of the edge longer, so can go longer between sharpening.

Skate blades are thin – for hockey, usually just over 3 millimeters, while goalie and figure skater skates can be a bit wider. Surprisingly, though, the blades are not just a flat piece of metal. In fact, skate blades have a concave groove or “hollow” in them, so each blade actually touches the ice in two spots. This gives each blade an inside and outside edge, making them faster and more powerful.

Skis and Other Downhill Devices

Recently, we looked at how steel has proven pivotal for downhill fun as it is the main material in ski lifts. But in addition to helping people get up those big, snow-covered hills, steel also helps them come down again.

That’s because the serious downhill sports go seriously fast, and that means major stress on the equipment (and on the rider). Skis and snowboards typically have a thin strip of steel around the edge to strengthen the board and help carve the snow and ice better while turning.

In bobsledding, teams used to have a lot more latitude for coming up with their own sleds, so they would experiment with different alloys for the blades. But since 2006, the bobsledding governing body announced a set of standards for the steel blades, so now everyone uses the same type of metal.

Luge and skeleton are two more high-speed sleds, but much smaller than the bobsled. Their frames are made of steel, and brakes are forbidden in the competitive models. Only on the luge do participants start sitting on the sled, whereas for the skeleton and bobsled they take a running start. For luge, they travel feet-first, while skeleton is head first. The luge also comes in one-person and two-person versions.

The sleds do vary a bit in their steel blades, though. Skeletons have tubular steel blades, which have a larger surface area and slow the sled a bit, whereas luge blades are sharped steel, for maximum speed. But for all these sports, steel blades form the connection between the rider and the ice, creating the foundation for their incredible speeds (lugers can reach 140 kilometers per hour).

Snow Machines

Sometimes to get through the deep snow – when you don’t have a big, steep slope handy – you need an engine to power you along. One of the most popular machines of winter, for those living in the great outdoors, is the snowmobile, which can be both practical and fun.

Of course, steel has long been an integral part of the internal combustion engine. In addition, snowmobiles rely on steel for a variety of other parts. The skis at the front of the snowmobile can be made from a variety of materials, including steel. Studs, which go through the track to create traction, are usually made from steel, too, providing strong, durable traction in the snow and ice.

There is also another steel machine that is as slow as the snowmobile is fast, but it is vital for skaters so they can enjoy an ice rink – the resurfacer (commonly known as a Zamboni). Weighing some 2,500 kilograms, a resurfacer needs to carry upwards of 380 liters of water, along with the blades and other equipment it uses to clean the ice and lay down a new coating of water. A resurfacer needs steel for the strength to support such a heavy machine plus the durability in cold conditions.

Winter is an exciting season with a whole range of special games and sports. And thanks to steel, there are even more fun things we can do.

Conquering Mountains with Steel

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Despite security concerns and uncertainty of whether Russia could successful host the 2014 Winter Games, the Sochi Olympics concluded with a grand finale last week including a well-organized closing ceremony that even wittily mocked fun at Russia’s own Olympic ring malfunction. There were moments of victory, anxiety, relief, not to mention controversy.

Image source: flickr

Controversial Judging Drama in Sochi

By now, news over the controversial judging for South Korea’s figure skating queen Kim Yuna is well known.  In spite of a flawless performance by Kim Yuna, the gold medal winner at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the gold medal for women’s figure skating went to Russia’s Adelina Sotnikova.

Image source: flickr

2014 Olympic Games, Sochi, Russia. 20 Feb. 2014. (EPA/Barbara Walton)

Amid the protest and criticism from fans and viewers all around the world, skating Queen, Kim Yuna, maintained her graceful composure and responded by saying, “The most important thing for me is to participate in the Olympic Winter Games…It’s my last competition, and I’m a happy to be here.”

What are skates made of? The science behind the steel skate blades of Olympic athletes

Image source: flickr

Women’s 5000 meter finals at Vancouver 2010 Olympics

While we think Kim Yuna was simply born with the gift of skating and she also invested thousands of hours to practice, another crucial element for Yuna and all other Olympic skating athletes are their steel skate blades.

Blades are essential for skaters and are made of tempered carbon steel and chrome. Skates produced with lightweight aluminum and stainless steel are becoming more popular with skaters.  The stainless steel used for skate blades is the same material produced by POSCO’s steel mills and are advantageous as it does not readily rust or stain with water like ordinary steel.

What is the difference between figure skates, short track skates and speed skates?

Beyond the blade material, the shape of the blades also makes a significant difference for skating athletes.

Images (Left to right): Figure skates, Short track skates, Speed skates

Image credit: POSCO Newspaper

• Toe technology for figure skates

Figure skaters like Kim Yuna are highly judged on their artistic movements and the height of their jumps and vigorous spins. As such, the spikes on the frontal toes are crucial to make this happen. Although figure skates are the shortest in length, they have the thickest blades at 4~5mm. Also, the boot reaches far higher up the ankle compared to other skates in order to prevent injuries from high jumps and spinning.

• Curved blade technology for short track skates

The deciding factor between gold and silver medals for short track skating athletes is how fast one can turn corners as they make their laps. To reach maximum speed while turning corners, short track skates are designed slightly curved and are shorter than speed skates. For safety purposes of athletes skating in close proximity and at high speeds, the backend of these skates have slightly more rounded edges.

• Detachable back-end technology for speed skates

Introduced by Netherland skaters at the 1998 Nagano Olympics with much hype and now adopted by most speed skating athletes, speed skates have a detachable back-end that reduces friction and energy loss. Since the blade is designed to detach from the boot, the blade can remain on the ice for longer even when there is leg movement.

Image source: flickr

Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, 20 Feb. 2014. (Reuters/Alexander Demianchuk)

Queen Yuna’s professional skating career has dawned, but it will be interesting to observe how skate technology advancements continue to evolve. Now that The Games have been declared closed, let the countdown to the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang begin! It will be the first Winter Games hosted in South Korea and 30 years since the 1988 Summer Games were held in Seoul. We’ll be there cheering on our talented athletes. Will you?