Olympic Speedskating 2018: Start Time, TV Schedule and Live Stream

Speedskating is among the most easily recognisable and entertaining sports on offer at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, with competitors racing around an oval track in an event that bares some similarity to track at the summer Olympics. 

There are 14 different events in total, and the most popular are the 500-metre, 1,000-metre, 1,500-metre and 5,000-metre races. 

The Netherlands are the nation most likely to flourish in speedskating. They have won a record 105 Olympic medals in the discipline and won 23 in 2014, including eight golds. The Dutch are widely tipped to repeat their dominance this time around.

Here is the event schedule, per pyeongchang2018.com:

Saturday, Feb. 10

Women's 3,000-metre

Sunday, Feb. 11

Men's 5,000-metre

Monday, Feb. 12

Women's 1,500-metre

Tuesday, Feb. 13

Men's 1,500-metre

Wednesday, Feb. 14

Women's 1,000-metre

Thursday, Feb. 15

Men's 10,000-metre

Friday, Feb. 16

Women's 5,000-metre

Sunday, Feb. 18

Men's Team Pursuit (quarter-final)

Women's 500-metre

Monday, Feb. 19

Women's Team Pursuit (quarter-final)

Men's 500-metre

Wednesday, Feb. 21

Women's Team Pursuit (semi-finals and finals)

Men's Team Pursuit (semi-finals and finals)

Friday, Feb. 23

Men's 1,000-metre

Saturday, Feb. 24

Women's Mass Start (semi-finals and final)

Men's Mass Start (semi-finals and final)

The event will be televised on NBC and NBCSN, with NBCOlympics.com providing viewing details.

Here are the live-streaming links: NBCOlympics.com, BBC Sport, Eurosport Player

The biggest talking point of the 2018 speedskating is the introduction of the Mass Start event. For the first time, long-track speedskaters will compete directly on the same track, with up to 24 skaters starting together.

There are 16 laps to be completed with four separate sprints, with each one awarding points to those finishing first, second and third. It promises to be a frantic event, but one the competitors are looking forward to.

"It's a big change," said Dutch skater Ronald Mulder, winner of the 500-metre gold medal in 2014, per Olympic.org. "For me, speed skating is against the clock but the mass start is a fun event.

ARIS MESSINIS/Getty Images

"The excitement is good for the crowd, it's good to watch, everyone is fighting for their spots, getting in a good position before a sprint. It's a different element. It's not just the fastest guy wins."

No British athletes have qualified for the event, but it is worth keeping an eye on Dutch pair Sven Kramer and Ireen Wust. Kramer has won consecutive 5,000-metre gold medals and hopes to add a 10,000-metre gold this year, while legend of the sport Wust, who won five medals in Sochi, is competing in her final Winter Olympics.

Netherlands' dominance of the sport (they won 23 of 36 medals in Sochi, 64 per cent of the total available) could come under mild threat from Japan, whose 500-metre skater Nao Kodaira has a chance at gold.

With a new discipline being introduced and a hectic schedule over 15 days, speedskating is one event you won't want to miss.