Olympic Speedskating Schedule 2018: Saturday TV, Live-Stream Coverage
The mass start events will bring the curtain down on the long-track speedskating schedule at the Olympics on Saturday at the Gangneung Oval in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The venue has played host to some fascinating contests over the last fortnight, although the most enthralling of all could be yet to come in one of the most unpredictable events in the sport. Given this is the first time such an event has been included in the Olympic programme, there's also an opportunity for some athletes to etch their name into the history books.
Saturday will see two semi-finals and a final for both the men and women involved in the competition, making it a perfect day for speedskating fanatics.
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Read on for the latest viewing details for the mass start events and a preview of this inaugural Olympic edition of the long-track discipline.
Date: Saturday, February 24
TV Info: NBC Sports (U.S.), Eurosport (UK)
Live Stream: NBC Sports App (U.S.), Eurosport Player (UK)
Mass Start Schedule (Eastern time)
6 a.m. - Women's semi-final 1
6:15 a.m. - Women's semi-final 2
6:45 a.m. - Men's semi-final 1
7 a.m. - Men's semi-final 2
7:30 a.m. - Women's final
8 p.m. - Men's final
Mass Start Preview
Given this is the first time we've ever seen the mass start at the Games, there isn't a precedent that's been set that may point to what we should expect.
However, this has been on the schedule at the World Championships in the past; the two winners of the event in 2017, Joey Mantia and Kim Bo-reum, will both be in the tussle for gold in Pyeongchang. And encouragingly for the duo, it was at this venue where the Championships were held a year ago.
Given his win in this event in 2017, many cited Mantia as the United States' best chance for a gold medal in the long-track in Pyeongchang.
Here's a look at how Mantia won his medal at the World Championships and what can be expected from a frantic race:
While the American is tipped to be in the shakeup for gold, the form of Lee Seung-hoon, who has already won silver in the team pursuit, makes him an early favourite to take the title.
He was the winner of the 2016 World Championships in the mass start, and despite finishing in fourth position in the 10,000-metres, Lee set a new national record at these Games. It's clear the pace is there for him to trouble the rest of the field if he stays out of strife.
In the women's event, despite the presence of Kim, the Netherlands' Irene Schouten looks like the athlete to beat ahead of the mass start, although Francesca Lollobrigida and Ivanie Blondin are also medal contenders.
Speaking about the event, Blodin suggested viewers will be surprised by just how frenetic the mass start is.
"You can push people down, you can pull on people as you're passing them," she said, per Dan Barnes of the National Post. "You can put your hands on their skates. You can cut people off. It's not developed to the point where there are set rules, and it's not watched closely enough by the referees."
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