"In Team Pursuit, two sets of three skaters will race against each other lined up on opposite sides of a 400-meter track. At the sound of the start gun, each set will round six laps the men do eight mere inches from each other in a low-profile crouched position. "You should be as close as humanly possible to the gluteus maximus," Birkeland clarified with a grin."
"Topping speeds of about 30 mph, each skater needs to be in "complete sync" as they push one another around the track by putting their hand on the rear of the skater in front of them, Birkeland said. "And so what you really should be seeing is only one skater. All lined up and then all pushing throughout the race.""
American women's Team Pursuit roster includes Giorgia Birkeland, Brittany Bowe, Mia Manganello and Greta Myers with an alternate. Team Pursuit features two sets of three skaters racing on opposite sides of a 400-meter track for six laps, with men racing eight. Skaters hold a low-profile crouch at speeds near 30 mph and maintain inches of separation to draft effectively. Riders place a hand on the rear of the teammate ahead to push and stay in complete sync so the formation reads as one skater. U.S. Speedskating commissioned an aerodynamic study that produced an AI-powered simulation tool to minimize airflow, reduce drag and shave fractions of seconds.
Read at www.npr.org
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