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.  

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?