Three different athletes crashed on the exact same corner during the short track speed skating competitions at the Olympics. Their nearly identical wipe outs create concern about the ice conditions.
A scheduling crossover with figure skating might be the cause of soft spots.
The ice management team at the Olympics will be forced to address the issue as these two different competitions continue to overlap. It was catastrophic for the United States on Tuesday.
Crashes galore in short track speed skating!
Team USA had the biggest issue on Tuesday. The first disastrous spill took place during the third heat of the women’s 500-meter competition.
American speed skater Corinne Stoddard was in great position. She was out in front of Wang Xinran of China, Rika Kanai of Japan and Arianna Sighel of Italy. And then she fell coming out of the far corner as she raced back toward the line. Her crash also took out three of her opponents— but not the Canadian skater, much to the delight of the Canadian men’s hockey team in the crowd.
the canadian mens hockey team reaction to americas crash in mixed relays 😭🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/q0W1iCvFa8
— chabot account (@chabotornothing) February 10, 2026
Julie Letai suffered a similar fate in the mixed team relay B final not too long thereafter. The American short track skater also slipped on the same spot as Stoddard and also went flying into the wall.
The United States ultimately finished fourth in the event behind Italy, Canada and Belgium. It was a disappointing one-two gut punch for Team USA, which expected to be on the podium.
However, they were not the only ones to hit the deck!
British short track speed skater Niall Treacy started well. He edged his way into the early lead, only to be derailed by a crash with Steven Dubois of Canada. The umpires ruled the wreck as “shared responsibility,” which meant that both athletes were at fault. They both missed out on the next round.
Ice conditions are a concern at the Olympics.
Three different falls took place on the exact same day on the exact same corner in the exact same way during the short track speed skating competition. That obviously raises concern about the quality of the ice.
At the Olympics, short track skaters share the same ice as figure skating. That means the ice management team builds the ice up and shaves the ice back down every single day. Speed skating happens on the same ice in the morning as figure skating at night. The ice is different every day.
And for the first time ever, skaters are not getting to warmup on the ice before their races. As a result, they are taking the ice not knowing what to expect.
Without that knowledge, they are unable to identify any potential soft spots. Soft spots wreck a skater’s speed in a matter of milliseconds.
Imagine it as rollerskating in a parking lot. The second you hit that fresh tar spot, the speed stops. The jarring change of pace throws you backward.
That is even more problematic on ice.
Such a stark variation in speed makes it nearly impossible to stay on your feet. All it takes is one edge to turn the wrong way and you’re in the wall— like Stoddard, Letai and the others.
Short track speed skating competition at the Olympics will continue through next week. Figure skating will follow a similar schedule. The overlap is now a storyline to watch. Ice conditions, especially in that one corner, could continue to cause problems.