Italian Official Endorses Clapskates

Clapskates apparently are here to stay.

Ottavio Cinquanta of Italy, head of the International Skating Union, said at a news conference that he did not view the innovative skates used in speedskating as mechanical and backed their continued use.

The skates have been controversial since the Dutch introduced them last season, both because they were considered mechanical aids and because they were not available to everyone. American skaters, in particular, have been critical, both of the skates and their distribution.

“The only thing we do not want to allow is a mechanical support, and the [clapskate] doesn’t give a mechanical help,” Cinquanta said.

The spring-loaded clapskates allow the skater’s heel to lift from the blade at the end of a stroke, then the blade springs back into place at the start of the next. That allows skaters to maintain longer blade contact with the ice.

Critics maintain that the new skates allow marginal skaters to go faster while penalizing good skaters used to traditional skates.

Cinquanta compared the skates to cross-country skis, which also allow a free heel.

“I think that [skaters] should be allowed to use all possible systems,” he said. “[But] everybody must be in a position to use the same equipment.”