An Iceless Ice Rink?!

[SynchroSk8r114]

This interesting article greeted me on my Yahoo! homepage:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/nhl_experts/post/Goodbye-Zamboni-Japanese-debut-iceless-skating?urn=nhl,83652

What do you guys think of this?

[FSWer]

I couldn't see any artical. Though I must say,somebody needs to get their head examand if they think you can ice skate without ice. LOL.

[flippet]

Dana, there are synthetic skating surfaces, made out of plastic. This is one of those. :)

[FSWer]

How do you skate on Plastic?

[Sessy]

There was some talk about putting an artificial ice surface at our ice rink, which is only open 6 months a year. I think they ran out of money, though.
But maybe we'll get lucky after all.

[tidesong]

Artificial ice has been around for quite a while now, from various reports in this forum, it seems there is a general consensus is that the feel of it is just too far different from real ice for it to be any kind of long term viable option. Now... if they make any astounding progress in the technology I'd pretty much welcome it given how hard it is to maintain real ice in a hot country like mine.

[kayskate]

Based on the interview w the man who said kids want to learn to skate but can't b/c there is no available ice, this may solve that problem. I can see artificial ice being a viable alternative for beginners and for stroking and basic skills practice. I have never skated on it, but I'd imagine it is probably as much like real ice as picskates. More friction, etc.

Kay

[FSWer]

Ice is slippery. Which is why we glide and skate. But how do you skate on plastic?

[Clarice]

The plastic ice surface has some kind of oily coating on it, to make it easier to glide. It's still supposed to be harder than on real ice (I've never skated on plastic). It's also supposed to be a lot harder on your blades - they need to be sharpened a lot more frequently.

[smelltheice]

You can't stop using an edge on this stuff. I have seen shows done on this plastic ice and the skaters usually have to get their blades sharpened DAILY or at least every other day. I have a friend who did one such show that ran for 3 weeks and needed new blades after she was done. You need really sharp edges to skate on it and push much harder and use the toe to stop!!

You see them alot in the UK at Christmas, when the city council announces they are opening a temporary ice rink for the holiday season and then you find out it is plastic!!! Cheapskate (no pun intended!!!) bloody politicians!!

[Isk8NYC]

Now... if they make any astounding progress in the technology I'd pretty much welcome it given how hard it is to maintain real ice in a hot country like mine.That's a good point, but your international ice sport competitors* would have to have SOME real ice so they can prepare properly.

* Hockey, figure skating, speed skating, curling, etc.

Last summer, Skate@Delaware wrote her first-hand account of skating on that surface. the thread is here:
http://www.skatingforums.com/showthread.php?t=23481