Take about 10 cm thick and long enough pole to put through an hole on an icy pond. Once the pole has frozen and is supported on the bottom on shallow bottom of the pond, cut the top of the pole to about 1.5 metre height. On the top attach a bolt with a link of heavy duty chain. Now a skater can attach a piece of rope into the chain link and other end of the rope to a climbing harness. Then you can skate as fast as yo can and centrifugal force allows you the skate close to the ice because of the tether rope. If you fall, and because you are close to the surface of the ice, it is less likely to hurt yourself.
-- Pellepeloton, Dec 20 2008

Could you also have the ice sculpted into a bit of a bowl shape, for a 'wall of death' effect?
-- pertinax, Dec 21 2008


I'm sure there's a "spirograph" pattern variation on this idea.
-- xenzag, Dec 21 2008


Spirograph and hypotrochoid skatinng patterns would be for the more advanced skaters.
-- Pellepeloton, Dec 23 2008


I think you can use roller skates and your mum's washing line pole, then you do not have to wait for winter. Which with the hotter future environment may never come again!

I was also hoping that this idea, from its title, would involve something like skating around the icy moons of extra solar planets, however it appears to be a purely terrestrial pursuit.
-- eight_nine_tortoise, Dec 23 2008


hehe, I like this- Maypole skating! +
-- xandram, Dec 23 2008



random, halfbakery