what is mass start speed skating

Mass start speed skating is a long-track race where up to 24 skaters start together in a pack and compete over 16 laps, scoring points at intermediate sprints and especially at the final sprint to decide the winner.

What Is Mass Start Speed Skating?

Mass start speed skating is the most tactical event in long-track speed skating, more like cycling or marathon running than a traditional time trial.

Instead of pairs racing the clock, all skaters are on the ice at once, jostling for position, drafting behind each other, and timing their sprint to score points at key laps and at the finish.

Basic Format and Rules

• All skaters (maximum 24) start together on the same track, not in separate lanes.

• The race is 16 laps on the 400 m oval (about 6,400 m in total).

• Skaters can use the full width of the track as long as they skate in the correct direction and complete all laps.

• There are several “sprint laps” where points are awarded, and those points determine the final ranking.

In Olympic-style formats:

• Intermediate sprints usually happen every 4 laps (for example on laps 4, 8, and 12).

• The top three in each intermediate sprint earn a small number of points (for example 3–2–1 or 5–3–1, depending on the exact rules in a given competition).

• The final sprint on lap 16 is worth the most, with large points for the first finishers (for example 60–40–20, plus smaller points for a few more positions).

• Crucially, the first three across the line at the final sprint cannot be beaten by intermediate points; they are guaranteed 1st–3rd overall.

So, mass start is not simply “fastest time wins”; it is “best points from sprints, with the finish sprint being decisive.”

How the Race Unfolds (Lap by Lap Feel)

Coaches and analysts have studied how pacing works in this event, and the pattern is pretty characteristic.

Typical flow:

1. Early laps (1–2) – The pack is relatively slow and controlled as skaters find position and settle in.

2. First sprint lap (4) – Speed spikes sharply as contenders fight for the first points.

3. Buffer laps (5–7) – Pace eases slightly; riders recover and reposition before the next sprint.

4. Middle sprints (8 and 12) – Again, speed rises significantly, and the race can stretch into single-file lines as attacks go off the front.

5. Final phase (15–16) – Speed is at its peak; skaters fight for position into the final corner, trying to launch at exactly the right moment for the decisive finish sprint.

Because points are concentrated at laps 4, 8, 12, and especially 16, skaters often “gamble” which sprints to contest and where to conserve energy.

Tactics, Drafting, and Team Play

Mass start is often called the most tactical race in speed skating.

Key tactical elements:

• Drafting: Skaters sit behind others to reduce air resistance and save energy, similar to road cycling.

• Positioning: Staying near the front avoids being boxed in or pushed wide in the corners, but being on the very front too long wastes energy.

• Breakaways: A skater or small group may attack early to secure intermediate sprint points and force others to chase.

• Alliances and mind games: Skaters sometimes cooperate (even across nations) to bring back a breakaway or control the pace, and there can be bluffing and psychological games over when someone is “really” going to attack.

Olympic champion Bart Swings has described how you “rely on one another”, using the draft and even resting a hand on others’ backs in the pack, which is very unusual to see in an Olympic final but shows how cooperative and physical the race can be even though medals are individual.

What Makes It Different from Other Events?

In classic long-track speed skating:

• Skaters race in pairs, in their own lanes, against the clock. Fastest time wins.

In mass start:

• Everyone starts together, uses a shared track surface, and interacts constantly with one another.

• Rankings are based on sprint points, not pure time, and the finishing order in the last sprint is hugely important.

• Spectators get a more “race-like” experience, with tactics, accelerations, and pack dynamics similar to cycling, inline skating, or marathon running.

Because of this, organizations and commentators often highlight mass start as the “entry point” event for new fans, especially with Milano Cortina 2026 coming up and renewed attention on the discipline.

Latest and Trending Context (2024–2026)

• Mass start has been an Olympic event since PyeongChang 2018 and remains on the program for Milano Cortina 2026, where it is being promoted as one of the sport’s most spectator-friendly formats.

• Recent fan guides and federation explainers from early 2026 emphasize the 16-lap, pack-style nature of the race and the balance between endurance, sprint speed, and race intelligence.

• Scientific studies published in the last few years analyse pacing strategies, showing how skaters manage energy around the points laps and the final sprint, which is becoming a niche topic on coaching and analytics forums.

On forums and fan discussions, mass start often comes up as:

• “The chaotic, tactical one” compared to the cleaner time-trial events.

• A race where “anything can happen” in the last two laps if positioning or cooperation breaks down.

Mini FAQ

Is the winner always the first across the line?
For the very top positions, yes: the first three finishers in the final sprint are locked into 1st–3rd, regardless of intermediate points.

Can someone medal just by winning intermediate sprints?
They can boost their ranking, but without a strong finish, they will usually not win the race because the final sprint carries far more points.

How long does a mass start race last?
It depends on ice conditions and tactics, but with 16 laps and several controlled early laps, it typically runs several minutes, not the very short burst you see in pure sprint distances.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.