What does an Olympic ice master actually do?
The job description is both simple and immense: ensure that the world’s best athletes have the optimal surface to compete on.
From the outside, ice appears straightforward. After all, it’s just frozen water, right?
Wrong.
Ice is a living, temperamental surface that must be carefully managed and perfected. For Olympic ice makers like Moffatt, the role is far more demanding than most realise.
“Our days are at least 12 hours long,” he said. “At the Olympics, it’s usually longer than that. We’re constantly measuring, resurfacing, adjusting. And when things go wrong, believe me, we’re the first to know.”
Then there are external influences to manage: a sudden temperature change, arena humidity that can cause micro-droplets to freeze onto the surface, lighting that gives off heat, and the warmth of a packed crowd can all undo hours of meticulous work.
And with millions watching, there is no room for error.
Moffatt keeps a “little black book” with detailed data on ice temperatures, air humidity, and surface measurements, using it to counter any possible complaints. “As long as I have numbers to back it up, then they’re not going to be able to tell me it’s bad,” he said with a grin.
“It’s hard work,” Moffatt stated simply. “But you have to care”.
Moffatt shrugs off the pressure with a calm confidence that comes from decades in the sport.
“I don’t let it affect me anymore,” he said. “Maybe I get a bit more nervous for the first couple of games, before the ice has been skated on. But once the tournament gets going, no, I don’t think about it.”