SHORT TRACK – SURVIVAL OF THE "NIMBLEST"

Nick Bikanov, the Short Track Coordinator of the IISF:
"Short track has everything – speed, action, fighting over the track, accuracy and precision"

Short track joined figure skating under the roof of the IISF in the middle of the nineties with the aliya of Olga Danilov who had represented Israel in international short track competitions for several years. There are currently 9 senior and junior short track skaters in the IISF taking part in European and World short track championships and other international-level competitions.

The military conflict of summer 2006 negatively affected the preparation of the short track skaters for the new season. When the conflict was unleashed, most of the short track skaters were sent to the Wingate Camp (of the Wingate Sports Institute), and later to Slovakia, where they received a warm welcome from the Slovakian team headed by Igor Bodo. They spent 6 weeks in Slovakia and returned to Israel. The training in Israel resumed three weeks later, significantly reducing the effect of the fitness level achieved in Slovakia.

In the 2006 -2007 season Israel's short track skaters took part in the following events:

The Alta Valtellina Cup Nov 2006, Bormio, Italy
Vlad Bikanov - 3

Junior World Cup, Jan 10-12, Mlada Borislav, the Czech Republic
Men Overall results (77 participants)
Vlad Bikanov - 33
Alexander Zheleznov - 66
Ladies Overall results ( 60 participants)
Lena Kaplan    38
Valeriya Postrigan 42
Vera Katsov     43

Senior European Championships, Jan 17-19, 2007, Sheffield, the UK
Men Overall results ( 43 participants)
Vlad Bikanov - 40
Alexander Zheleznov - 37
Ladies Overall results ( 35 participants)
Lena Kaplan     31
Valeriya Postrigan  33

Senior World Championships March 7-9, Turin, Italy
Men Overall results ( 56 participants)
Sergei Katsov – 53
Ladies Overall Results ( 44 participants)
Lena Kaplan   32

Nick Bikanov, the Short Track Coordinator of the IISF, is sharing his thoughts on the sport with us:
"Short track skating is a fantastic sport, which has everything – speed, action, fighting over the track along with a complex set of rules requiring accuracy and precision. Short track skaters reach the speed of 42 km/h."

Q: What are the goals you have set for the short track skaters for the new season?
A: The next season is the pre-Olympic season. Our major goal is to qualify for the Winter Olympics. To achieve that, we need to reach the 16th position in at least one of the World Cup series. The second goal is to improve the results and bounce back up from the post-war season slope.

Q: What character trait has been helping you in working towards the goal?
A: I would define it as tenacity.

Q: I have heard quite a few skaters and coaches pointing to that character trait. It looks like it can be really helpful in sports, where you often have to clench your teeth and forge ahead putting the disappointments behind you.
A: Exactly. That's what we are going to do. You are reading my mind.

Q: I hope I am reading the future results as well, which should be much better.
Good luck to you all!
A: Thank you.