How does the team pursuit work?
I · Intermediate · Team, mass start and combined events · 1 of 3Two teams start together on opposite sides of the track and chase each other. A team's time is taken when its third skater finishes, so at least three must cross the line. In knock-out rounds, a team that catches the other team's third skater wins at once. Olympic races are 6 laps for women and 8 for men.
How it works
- Teams: three or four skaters.
- Start: both teams at once, mid-straight on opposite sides.
- Lane: one competition lane.
- Time: when the third skater crosses the line.
- Fewer than three finish: the team is disqualified.
- Catching the other team: in knock-out rounds, an instant win.
- Olympic distance: 6 laps for women, 8 for men.
- Armbands: white, red, yellow and blue for skaters 1 to 4.
The glossary has the team pursuit, the draft, the pace-making, the armband, the official time and the lap.
Tricky cases
One skater drops off the back. Does the team carry on?
Yes. A team of four needs any three to finish; a team of three needs all three.
Who counts as "caught" in a knock-out?
The overtaking team's third skater passing the other team's third skater.
Can teammates lead each other?
Yes. The pace-making ban does not apply within a team, unless a skater has been lapped by their teammates.
One skater is disqualified. What about the team?
The team is disqualified too.
Why the rule exists
Timing the third skater makes the team only as fast as its slowest finisher, so teams must stay together. The catch rule rewards a dominant team without finishing the race.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Olympics | Knock-out format; finals decide places 1 to 8 | ISU 265 (5)(c) |
| World Single Distances | Times only, no knock-out | ISU 265 (5)(d) |
| Team sprint | Third skater skates the last lap alone | ISU 256 (2) |
From the rule book
ISU, Sports Rules: Speed Skating (as of 12 June 2026), rules 202, 255 (3), 256 (1), (4) and 265 (5). Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the ISU Sports Rules, updated each season with ISU Communications.