Yuki's Corner

Today's Topic: Safety Pads for Utah Oval
10-29-08

Brand New Safety Pads installed in Utah's Olympic Oval made a historical achievement in US Short Track Skating! For us to meet right before the World Cup Short Track Salt Lake October 2008 couldn't have been better timing! It is the most updated and improved version of Short Track Safety Pads which reflects the top quality and highest safety standard set by ISU (International Skating Union). The efforts behind this project were initially spearheaded by Guy Thibault, USS (US Speed Skating) Short Track Director and Marc Norman, Utah Oval director supported by USS partnerships with USOC (US. Olympic Committee). The pad system is comprised of a front and back pad that all velcro together. The system also has a strapping system on the back of the pad that it can adjust the amount of movement the pads will allow. The pads themselves are 4' tall and have a combined 42" thickness. One combined pad (front and back together) weighs 200 lbs!

Idaho's Sewing for Sports is a padding manufacturer based in Grangeville, Idaho. We feel very lucky and fortunate for their efforts on this project. The accomplishment of such an investment is indeed historical and significant. Safety issues have been a key factor, and have come along way since 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. I witnessed those facilities first hand, and they did not cover the entire wall. It had a 3 foot wide area of wall and indentations that were uncovered by pads, exposing extremely dangerous corners along the wall of the rink. As you may recall, there were crashes but fortunately no one was trapped at that corner during the Olympics. It was a grossly negligent oversight for the safety and protection of the Olympic athletes in the event of a fall. Calgary Oval had the movable safety pads long before 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, however, the venue at Salt Lake City continued to use these unmovable pads which set on stationary hard back. I was in Vancouver BC for the recent World Cup 2008 and noticed that their movable pads did not seem quite the same as the ones in Utah. I am familiar with the implementation of Calgary's first padding system, but again, I believe that the Utah Oval's units are much higher in quality and will greatly improve the safety of our athletes.

-- Yuki Ohno