Come In and Try!

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Safety in the sport is very important so there must be no exposed skin. (Singlets are out sorry). Because the idea is to go as fast as you can crashes happen frequently but if you are dressed appropriately they are irrelevant. The corners are lined with mats so if you are fast enough to slide into the wall you will have a soft landing.

The Club offers Two Free Come and Try sessions for anyone interested in the sport. All that is required is an ability to skate on ice without falling over and a desire to go fast.

The following items are also required but are available from the club for novice skaters:

• Helmet
• Gloves
• Shin pads
• Neck guard
• Speed Skates (!!)

Yes the skates that we use are different to figure or hockey skates. The blades are longer and they are sharpened FLAT. This can unsettle people at first – they feel odd when you first step onto the ice because you do not immediately have two edges gripping the ice. However once you start skating you will find that they build up speed very quickly and they also hang onto the ice at much steeper angles of lean. So when you do start skating at reasonably high speed you will feel quite at home on them.

So if you wish to come and along and try the sport contact the club so that we are expecting you and turn up before 6 pm so that we can fit you out with appropriate equipment. In fact – come along with your friends. This is your chance to settle the arguments over who is the fastest skater without any children pushing penguins in the way to slow you down.

About Us

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The Roos Short Track Speed Skating Club has been based at Acacia Ridge since speed skating first became a sport. Since it was the home of Stephen Bradbury it became the default Home of the National Squad as any fast skaters from around Australia gathered here to train with Australia’s fastest skaters. In February 2010 a new skating complex was opened in Melbourne and the National Squad relocated to Melbourne taking most of the Roos Club with it. However the original Roos Club remains at Acacia Ridge and Stephen Bradbury’s name still adorns the doorway to the Acacia Ridge ice rink.

Short Track Speed Skating is the most exciting form of Ice Racing. In long track skating there are only two skaters on ice at a time and they compete against the stop watch. Short Track is much like cycling road racing where slip streaming and tactics play a huge part in the race. The top speed skaters reach 50 km/h so wind resistance plays a huge part in overall speed. Of course the best tactic of all is simply being fast enough to stay with everyone else. You never know – one or skaters in front of you might fall at the last corner!!!

So if you enjoy the sound of wind rushing past your ears and the feeling of excitement as you turn steeply into a tight corner at speed then you will enjoy Short Track Speed Skating. We skate on Saturday nights between 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm. (Except the Last Saturday of the Month).

Upcoming Events

Event One

Event Two

Event Three

Gallery

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