“Not everyone can get on a motorcycle that doesn’t have brakes.”

Dmitry Koltakov is a man who first got on a motorcycle at the age of eight. The young man came to ice speedway at the age of 14 and still devotes a huge part of his time, energy and patience to this business. Dmitry told “Championship” what ice speedway is and what are its peculiarities.

Ice speedway: what is it?

Simply put, it is motorcycle racing on ice. But the difference from the usual motocross is not only in the track on which athletes ride, but also in the motorcycle itself. It has no brakes at all, no power as in a car, and it weighs a little lighter than usual – about 110-112 kg.

In order not to slide on the ice, the wheels are equipped with spikes in a very interesting way: most of them are on the left side, since the racers rush only counterclockwise.

How fast does a motorcycle go?

In this sport, motorcycle racers stick to speeds of 120-140 km / h on a normal stadium and up to 180 km / h on the speedway. Such indicators are somewhat lower than in conventional motorcycle racing, but from this ice speedway does not become less extreme. According to the athlete himself:

This sport is very manly. Not everyone can get on a motorcycle that has no brakes!

What kind of equipment do the competitors usually wear? Are there any specific differences?

In order to maximize protection from spikes and ice, gladiators pay due attention to their overalls. Racers wear back and chest protection under their overalls. There are also special motoboots, with a road motobot with carbon fiber protection on the left side where the leg must bend.

– When you put the bike down, the left leg becomes the third point of support,” said Dmitry. – It’s also how you control the bike.

On top of the inner kneepad you put on the outer one, in which the leg slides on the ice and does not get damaged. Otherwise, in principle, the equipment in this sport is similar to the usual motorcycle equipment.

Where do ice gladiators ride and what to do in the summer?

For motorcycle racing on ice, ordinary stadiums are poured. In Russia, according to Dmitry, it is easier to do this, so athletes skate on natural ice. And abroad – on artificial ice, which is used by skaters.

– The ice season starts in November: training camps, training sessions. At the beginning of December the first competitions. And then – competitions every weekend, traveling from city to city, to different countries. We drive our own cars. And so until April.

This year the final stage of the competition was held on April 1 and 2. The question arises: what to do in summer? In the “ice-free” season gladiators maintain their physical shape in motocross and ride on dirt tracks.

Major competitions: which ones and how are they organized?

The first in the series of large-scale competitions, of course, is the world championship, held in several stages. This year there were 10 stages in five cities. The first stages are always held in Russia, and the rest – abroad.

In addition, among the most high-profile events of ice speedway there are also the World Team Championship and the Russian Championship.

Among the countries where ice speedway is developed, Russia is considered the strongest.

Now about how the racing competitions are organized. In each race there are 4 people. In the competition in general, 18 people are declared (16 main and two substitutes). At the Russian competition there were 5 series of heats. Each athlete meets with each other according to the made table, and who gains more points, the one in the race and wins.

For the first place 3 points are given, for the second – 2, for the third – 1, for the fourth place no points are given.

– And at the stages of the World Championship the first 8 people, who scored more points in 5 races, are divided into two semifinals. After these semifinals two leaders from each get to the final. In this race it is found out who will be the strongest. And each point is summed up in the overall championship, – explained Dmitry.

Where is ice speedway most developed?

Among the countries where ice speedway is developed, Russia is considered the strongest. Our athletes have long been the first at the main seasonal starts. For example, this year at the World Team Championships, where Dmitry was competing together with Igor Kononov und Dmitry Khomitsevich, the Russian participants went through the distance without any losses. Racers from Austria, Switzerland and Germany are considered strong contenders.

Accessibility: where to turn if “I want to do it too”?

– This is a sport for men. Scars do not adorn girls, and in ice speedway they are inevitable – it is not to be feared. Otherwise, everything depends on the desire.

Sports schools exist in different cities: a strong school in Togliatti, Shadrinsk, Lukhovitsy. In Moscow you can apply to CSKA. Despite the fact that as such a school of ice speedway in the capital there is no, but to get the basics of motocross on the basis of CSKA can be, and then – to try on the ice, to acquire techniques and hone skills to achieve results.

Speaking of equipment: it takes a lot of time to prepare it, and it’s hard to do it at your own expense.

– You need to attract the attention of sponsors,” advises Dmitry. – Monster Energy und Motul are helping me now. We have been working with them for the first year, and they made a big contribution to this victory.