Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1893 — HOW THEY SKATE. [ARTICLE]

HOW THEY SKATE.

I'be Dutch, English and Modern Racing Style. The three most distinctive styles of skating, says Joseph P. Donoghue, in Harper’s Weekly, are the Dutch, English and modern racing style. In Holland the skaters are divided into two classes—those of Friesland and those of South Holland. The method of the latter is known under the name of the ‘'Dutch roll.” On slightly curved blades the South Hollander avoids the necessity of keeping an upright position or maintaining a straight course, and in easy and graceful curves he swings from side to side, riding on the outside edge, and leaning far over to one side or the other. He seems to put off striking the ice as long as it is possible to enjoy the roll, and then finally gives a short quick stroke backward, throwing himself on the outside edge of the other skate. The Friesland style is more adapted to short-distaßoe races. Elass Hanfe, the champion short-distance skater of Holland, dashes off, swinging his arms from side to side with great vigor, and bringing his skates down upon the ice with sudden jerks. In the quarter-mile race at Heerenveen, in 1891, Hanfe took 158 strides of only three yards one foot each. He uses the famous Friesland skate invariably. The blade is about fifteen inches in length, projecting well forward of the foot and curving high up in front. The blade does not run as far back as the end of the boot, but stops at the centre Of the heel, It is set in a very light wood top, the whole being fastened to the foot by leather thongs. The inside edge of the blade is ground to an acute angle, which cuts the ice like a knife. The Frieslander can skate in his stocking feet, and I have seen boys skating along the canals in Holland holding a large wooden shoe under each arm. The English or Fen style is confined to that district of England known as the Fens, a name given to a low and marshy territory filled with many small streams and canals. The Fen skater starts off very slowly, swinging his arms fore and aft, and keeping time with his strokes. He brings his foot forward and puts it down on the outside edge with the toe of the skate pointed in, and then thrusts it slowly forward. The general course of the stroke is a curve inward at the beginning, then a straight line for a short distance, ending with a sharp curve outward. The English maintain that they follow a straight line better than any other skaters; but, although I have watched them pretty closely, I have failed to find this to be the fact An English skate is similar in appearance to the Dutch just described. It is about the same length, with the high curve in front, but the blade is half an inch higher at the heel than at the toe. Their idea in this is to enable them to continue longer on their stroke. The modern racing style of skating is being generally adopted all over the world. The skater starts off, swinging his arm until he has gained headway; then he places his hands behind his back and clasps them loosely. He then leans well forward, and bending low from the hips, brings bis foot welbup under him and thrusts it sharply forward, trying to follow a straight line as nearly as possible. At the end of the stroke he brings the other foot well up under him and repeats the movement. In distances under a mile the arms are called into play and are swung rapidly forward and backward. or sometimes from side to side. The skates now used by all of the fastest skaters are similar to those used by Hagen.