1. Assessment of
Marchese
Helmet for
Developmental
Skaters
December 5
2015
Abstract: In September 2015 Marchese sports in the United States introduced a
new short track speed skating helmet for purchase in Canada. When the new
helmet was advertised several referees from both western and eastern Canada
expressed concern over the introduction with no news from Speed Skate Canada.
In late September 2015 the wording “or a complete visor” was added to the SSC
Red Book, D3-100 Equipment, under acceptable eye protection without any
indication of certification. As a result a study was undertaken in western Canada to
address the concerns brought up by the referees in order to determine if the
Marchese helmet, would meet SSC's higher standards for protection of its
development skaters. The one size fits all approach used for the Marchese Helmet
results in inadequate fit for younger skaters and skaters with smaller heads. The
visor results in distorted view for skaters with prescription glasses and contact
lenses. The visor position results in large gaps between the visor and face where
skate blades could protrude.
T.L. Hillis Level 3 Referee,
Member Speed Skating
Canada’s Sport Injury and
Medical Emergency Committee
Speed Skate Canada

2. Introduction
Studies conducted on sports injuries have suggested a link between injury risk is less with the use of protective equipment, but it
is possible that children’s high exposure to the sport and also inexperience may play a role as well (Sherker & Cassell 2002). As
skaters mature more injuries may be related to over/incorrect training regimes, inappropriate preparation prior to high intensity
performance, taking greater risks during high intensity performance, accidents while skating, and stress on injuries not given
appropriate time to heal. Other studies indicate that an improper environment or poorly fitted, improper equipment can lead to
higher potential risk of injury (Quinn 2009). Speed Skating Canada’s Sport Injury and Medical Emergency Committee (SIMEC)'s
Protective Equipment Task Group was created to address safety concerns with speed skating and has been tasked with
monitoring proper use of equipment in developing skaters.
In September 2015 Marchese Sports in the United States introduced a new short track speed skating helmet for purchase in
Canada. When the new helmet was advertised several referees from both western and eastern Canada expressed concern over
the introduction with no news from Speed Skate Canada. In late September 2015 the wording “or a complete visor” was added
to the SSC Red Book, D3-100 Equipment, under acceptable eye protection without any indication of certification. As a result a
study was undertaken in western Canada to address the concerns brought up by the referees in order to determine if the
Marchese helmet, would meet SSC's higher standards for protection of its development skaters.
As a result a study was undertaken in western Canada to address the concerns brought up by the referees in order to determine
if the Machese helmet, would meet SSC's higher standards for protection of its development skaters.
Methods
Twelve development skaters from the T1 group of the Calgary Speed Skating Association (Calgary Alberta) were allowed to try
the Marchese helmet both in a general fit session and during an on ice session. Skaters in the T1 group are made up of skaters
with previous ( 1 to 2 years )speed skating and some dryland experience. This group is for young skaters (ages 11 – late
development age 14) that wish to work on their speed skating skills as they transition from 3 days a week of training to 4-5 days
per week.
Skaters chosen to wear the helmet included; males and females; individuals who were in their growth spurt, or who were not yet
in their growth spurt (as determined by height/proportion measurements recommended by Balyi and Way (2010). Skaters were
also selected who either wore prescription or non-prescription glasses.
Skaters were photographed with permission from their parents with the helmet fitted properly to their heads (tightened using the
ratchet mechanism at the rear of the helmet as much as it would go and straps adjusted to accommodate fit over the ear and
securely under the chin). Skaters were then asked to put their heads in several positions and photographed from the side, front,
head tilted forward and head tilted back. Skaters were also photographed after skating to determine if the position of the helmet
changed and during a falling drill into the mats. Measurements were taken using Mastercraft Digital Calipers (Inside/outside
measuring capability) to determine if gaps existed between the face and the visor and the fitting of the helmet.
All photos were edited in Kinovea 8.15 (Kinovea.org 2013), Kinovea is a software video analysis program specialising in the
sports movement and placed in Microsoft Powerpoint (Microsoft 2010) for placement in the document.
Skaters were then interviewed with a series of questions related to fit, movement of the helmet during skating and during falls
and asked to comment on their overall feelings about wearing the helmet and it’s feeling of safety. Survey questions can be
found in Appendix 1
Results

3. The Marchese Helmet has similar head protection features compared to other helmets currently being worn by young skaters
(Figure A1). The Marchese Helmet has a lower profile which covers the temple a little better than most; however it is longer at
the back of the head, extending out more from the head than other helmets. This could create an issue when skaters fall into the
mats in the proper position (skaters are trained to try to enter mats back first, arms spread to absorb force).
The Marchese helmet also has a removable cover to provide changes in colour options. When removed this piece revels that it
covers venting and air flow through the helmet. Senior skate technicians were asked to comment on this piece and could not
understand the functionality of covering the vents, other than for a colour option and short track technicians commented that by
screwing the piece in may compromise the integrity of the helmet (reduction in helmet strength). The short track technicians also
commented that this piece could potentially break off if hit hard enough (hard enough impact with the ice) Figure A2 in Appendix.
Skate technicians working in the Calgary Oval Skate Shop were asked to model the helmet to determine a baseline for younger
skaters. Figure A3 in Appendix shows the fit on a member of the Oval 1 short track program. Although the helmet showed a
higher profile on the face of the mature skaters, the visor still created gaps.
The Marchese helmet was designed to have a one size fits all, however this was not the case with development skaters. Most
development skaters (n = 10) found that the helmet even when “fit properly” (ratchet tightened, straps adjusted) they were able to
slide their thumbs into the helmet at the temple. This is an approximate 1.5 cm (range 1 -2 cm) gap in the helmet (Figure 1).
The other key selling feature that was tested was the visor. When placed on development skaters the visor ranges from 3 – 5
cm away from the face depending upon whether the skater was junior or below. For T2T skaters the visor averaged 4 cm away
from the face and 5 cm away from the edges of the visor. This was creating an approximate 4 – 5 cm gap between the visor and
the cheek and below the eyes. The results of the stationary test are reflected in Figures 2 and 3.
Figure 1: Example of Side Gap in Fit of helmet on T1 Skater (male aged 12).

4. Figure 2: Stationary fit of helmet on young male, age 12. A = side view, B = front view, C upward head back, D, head
forward
Views from A indicate that although the helmet does extend down over the temple, the visor extends over 6 cm out from the face
with a 1.23 X 2 cm gap in width at the temple. With the visor there is a 5.72 X 3 cm gap at the cheek. When looking from the
front and below the visor extends down to mid cheek, higher over the nose creating a gap between 5 – 4 cm (Figure 2 A,B,C).
When the head is tilted forward there is a 3.5 to 5 cm gap at the temple and cheek respectively (Figure 2, D). Similar values are
seen on a young female pre-growth spurt (Figure 3 A, B, C), although values are higher. Of importance is the movement of the
helmet shown in Figure 3 D, and E.

5. Figure 3: Stationary fit of helmet on young female, age 12. A = side view, B = front view, C upward head back, D, head
forward, E movement forward of helmet in “proper fit”
Skaters were then asked to wear the helmet on ice and perform a series of long slow laps (10 laps slow speed) and short sprints
(400m) that would simulate race distances. Skaters were also asked to perform controlled falls into the mats (part of their regular
training) simulating potential crash situations.
Figure 4 shows a representation of the position of the helmet after skating and a fall. The helmet was fitted properly yet had
shifted from its original position to create a 2.2 X 2 cm gap at the temples and a 4.27 X 4 cm gap at the cheek. The visor had
also moved from cheek level to the chin, the helmet proper hitting the top of the glasses. All skaters regardless of developmental
stage showed changes in the position of the helmet during skating and falls.

6. Figure 4: Demonstration of the position of helmet after skating and a fall on 11 year old skater.
After wearing the helmet both stationary and on ice skaters were given a series of questions relating to the overall fit, style, and
experiences with the visor. The questionnaire can be found in APPENDIX 2. Results can be found in Table 1. Overall skaters
were split in their decisions on the overall fit of the helmet and could not determine a difference between wearing their current
helmet and the Marchese Helmet. However in questions relating to the visor, all skaters regardless of developmental stage and
whether they wore glasses or not did not like the addition of the visor. Of importance are questions relating to skaters who
require prescription glasses; “would rather wear glasses, dizzy with the visor, things kept appearing closer than they were, vision
was more rounded, couldn’t see peripherally because kept seeing the edge of the visor” (Table 1).
All skaters indicated that during movement whether falling or skating the helmet moved a lot, shifted with their strides and that
when they fell into the mats the comments consisted strongly of “the helmet moved and I couldn’t see; It moved when I hit the
mats, I was scared with the visor on (Table 1). Overall when asked if they felt safe wearing the visor all skaters replied that they
did not feel safe wearing the visor (Table 1).

7. Table 1: Responses to questionnaire
Discussion
Like many sports involving high speeds and body contact, head injuries are a concern for short track speed skating athletes and
coaches. While the mandatory use of helmets has managed to nearly eliminate catastrophic head injuries such as skull fractures
and cerebral haemorrhages, they may not be as effective at reducing the risk of a concussion (Vassilyadi et al 2012; Karton et al
2014). The results of this testing indicated overall that the skaters did not feel safe while wearing the Marchese helmet mainly as
a result of the poor fit in smaller individuals and the presence of the visor. The helmet, although providing better coverage along
the temple, was higher at the back of the head than other brands currently available. Because of their smaller heads, addition of
the visor for young skaters created gaps that could potentially cause injury during falls especially if falls occur with multiple
skaters.
Fit:
Children need to be taught to wear proper protective equipment while doing these activities, especially helmets. Many children
indicated that they understood the importance of wearing a speed skating helmet. When asked what would happen if they had a
crash a comment that typified many was: "You could get a concussion, you could suffer brain damage." This is the first study to

8. examine the issue of helmet condition and fit in detail. In this study in a controlled setting, skaters who had not yet begun their
growth spurt or skaters who were smaller as a result of slower development could not fit the helmet properly
By measuring the different components of condition and fit, it was possible to specifically identify the problem areas. There were
3 particular problems: 1) gap in resting position, specifically temple 2) improper strap position and, as a result, 3) excessive
helmet movement from front to back off the forehead and side to side when skating.
All of these factors have the potential to expose all areas of the skull, to head injuries. In a properly fitting helmet, there should be
no gaps between your temples and the brow pads. In skaters who were in their growth spurt, this was not an issue however in
skaters at an earlier developmental stage this is a concern. Gaps of up to 4cm could be seen with skaters with smaller heads,
with the straps fitted as tightly as they could as well as the racket done up securely. Part of the issue could be related to strap
and ratchet placement. Both of the fasteners are lower on the back of the head and more posterior on skaters earlier in
development than on a larger head. Because these are not in the correct position for a skater with a smaller head they will not
secure the helmet correctly. However this also poses a concern for skaters with glasses as a senior skater who wears glasses
tried the helmet on could still place their thumb under the helmet at the temple with it secured to his head.
As a result for skaters who have smaller heads the helmet moved extensively during wearing on the ice as well as completely
changing position during a fall (Figure 4).
Skaters with Glasses
Individuals wearing glasses face particular challenges with peripheral vision, which works to integrate visual information with
vestibular functions and is vital for maintaining a sense of balance and orientation (Cronin and Mandic 2016). Any intrusion on
the wearing of glasses that alters their vision such as peripheral visual flickers that may be mistakenly perceived as movement,
have the potential to cause major safety issues. Skaters in the test who wore glasses did experience very distinct changes in
their vision while wearing the Marchese helmet. Distortion of vision maybe related to too much curvature in the visor. When it
comes to optics, curve = distortion. This is why many prescription-wearers have a tough time getting prescription sunglasses with
a lot of “wrap” or curve. The distortion created by the curve is oftentimes referred to as “the fish bowl effect.” Compared to the
curve of a sunglass/or eyeglass lens, the curve of the visor is even more extreme. Another issue is possible related to the
“vertex distance.” This is the distance between the eyes and the corrective lens, which in this case, visor. The visor sits farther
away from the eyes than would a pair of glasses. This increased vertex distance makes a corrective prescription in a visor
ineffective.
Potential for Injury with Gaps
A typical fall in skaters of these developmental stages is often due to a spontaneous loss of balance. Skaters in developmental
stages that are during growth will often underestimate the attainable velocity and generally have trouble controlling that speed
during a race. Falling in advanced skaters has been associated with travelling at high speed, performing specific manoeuvres in
the curves or interaction with other skaters (Hillis 2013). As developmental skaters are more likely to fall from an inability to avoid
an obstacle (in racing another skater, puck or presence of water on the track) or inadequate stopping capability they are quite
likely to go into the mats in pairs or in a group. On all skaters, the size of the gaps shown in this assessment (Figures 2 – 4;
Appendix 1 Figure 3A) may provide areas that could allow skate blades through. Because the helmet has a tendency to move
regardless of position on the head, the gaps also expose areas, such as the temple, to a potential higher risk of impact. In
individuals who are not in the growth spurt, movement of the visor during skating does have the potential to shift enough to
expose the back of the head and potentially cause impact with the neck (Figure 3).
Compromising Safety or Productivity
Studies indicate that an improper environment or poorly fitted, improper equipment can lead to higher potential risk of injury
(Quinn 2009). Speed Skating Canada’s Sport Injury and Medical Emergency Committee (SIMEC)'s Protective Equipment Task
Group was created to address safety concerns with speed skating. Speed Skate Canada and the SIMEC committee face

9. continued challenges when it comes to PPE compliance. It is important to maintain the higher safety standards for the head,
face and eyes as they make decisions that ensure health and safety are not sacrificed for efficiency and productivity or vice
versa.
Acknowledgements
This study was undertaken with assistance from the T1 Group of the Calgary Speed Skating Association. Thank you to all the
skaters involved. The author would like to thank Dave Thomson and Bruce Thorpe (SSC Referees) for review of the document.
The author would like to thank the Olympic Oval Skate Shop technical staff for their assistance. The author would like to thank
Devault Speed Skating and Ir Diederik Hol CadoMotus for supplying the helmet and its safety specifications and supporting the
study.
References
Balyi, Istvan and Richard Way. 2010. The Role of Monitoring Growth in Long-Term Athlete Development. A Supplement to:
Canadian Sport for Life. Canada Sport for Life Document 30pp.
Cronin, Anne and Mary Beth Mandic 2016 Human Development and Performance throughout the Lifespan 2nd Edition. Cengage
Learning Australia.
Hillis, Tracy 2013 Speed Skate Competition Injury Report Alberta 2012- 2013 Developmental Competition Ages FUNDamental –
Train to Train. Unpub. Report to Alberta Speed Skating Association.
Karton C1, Rousseau P, Vassilyadi M, Hoshizaki TB. The evaluation of speed skating helmet performance through peak linear
and rotational accelerations. Br J Sports Med. 2014 Jan;48(1):46-50. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2012-091583. Epub 2013 Jan 11.
Gregory W. Parkinson, MD, FAAP, and Kelly E. Hike, BA Bicycle Helmet Assessment during Well Visits Reveals Severe
Shortcomings in Condition and Fit PEDIATRICS Vol. 112 No. 2 August 2003
Sherker S. and Cassell E. 2002. A Review of Field Hockey Injuries and Countermeasures for Prevention. Monash University
Accident Research Centre. Available at: http://www.monash.edu.au/ muarc/reports/muarc143.pdf
Thompson DC, Thompson RS, Kaufman A, Rivara FP. Increasing bicycle helmet effectiveness: the importance of proper helmet
fit and wearing position. HMO Pract. 1997 Mar;11(1):25-6.
Quinn, Elizabeth 2009 Essential Safety Equipment for Sports Prevent sports injuries with basic sports safety equipment
About.com Guide
Vassilyadi, M., B Hoshizaki, K Nishizaki, C Karton, P Rousseau. 2012. Head injury protection in short track speed skating. The
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences Volume 39 Number 3 (Supplement 3)
http://www.helmetcheck.org/thefit.aspx

10. APPENDIX 1
Figure A1: Comparison of Marchese Helmet with Evo Helmet typically worn by T1 skaters.
Figure A2: removal of decoration piece on Marchese Helmet

11. Figure A3: Marchese Helmet fit on Stage 4 short track speed skater.

12. APPENDIX 2
Questionnaire for skaters wearing Marchese Helmet
What do you like about this helmet?
1. Fit
2. Style
3. Color
4. Other
What do you dislike about this helmet?
1. Fit
2. Style
3. Color
4. Other
How did it feel to wear the visor as opposed to glasses?
How did you feel about wearing a visor over your glasses?
Did you need to move your head more/less to compensate for visor?
When you slid into the mats how did the helmet feel?
Did it move a little/lot?
How do you feel about wearing this helmet?