Competitors skilled in the use of slap skates are likely to take medals home from the Nagano Games. With conventional skates, the blade and boot form a single unit. With slap skates, the heel of the boot is designed to rise above the blade and move back by means of a spring action. After the skater kicks against the ice, the blade remains in contact with the ice even if the heel lifts. As a result, the energy from the kick can be transferred to the ice over a longer period, increasing the power of each step. This feature is said to be especially effective during long-distance events over many laps. During the 1996-97 season, Dutch skaters wearing slap skates broke so many records that the skates were called "magic skates." The world's best skaters are now working to master the new skates. The problem is that the initial acceleration is slower than with normal skates. Most competitors are likely to wear conventional skates in sprint events, in which even a small loss of time can make the difference between winning and losing.