Complete Guide to Short Track Manager

How Short Track Manager Works

Build a team of real short track speed skaters, earn points from actual competition results, and compete for the top of the leaderboard. New to the sport? Start with the basics below.

1
Draft Your Squad
2
Earn Race Points
3
Make Transfers

Why every race matters

Short Track Manager turns the real World Tour into your game. Draft a squad of real speed skaters, and every time one of them podiums in a live competition, their result is banked as your points.

Every result affects your team.Follow your own athletes through every heat, semifinal, final and relay — real results become your points automatically.
Outsmart other managers.Spot form, discover hidden value and make smarter transfers throughout the season.
Challenge your friends.Compete in private leagues and prove who is the best manager after every race weekend.
New to short track? Start here
Short track speed skating
Indoor oval-track ice racing. Several skaters share the same heat and race for position — first across the line wins.
Podium, DNS, DNF, DQ
A "podium" finish is 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place. Not starting (DNS), not finishing (DNF), or disqualification (DQ) all score 0 points.
World Tour, World Championships, Olympics
The three competition tiers your athletes race in — rarer, higher-stakes events weight athlete prices 2x and 3x a World Tour result.
The three relay formats
Mixed Relay (2 men + 2 women), Men's 5000m Relay, and Women's 3000m Relay — each its own roster slot with its own price and points.
Your team vs. a league team
This guide mostly describes your one global team on the main leaderboard. You can separately join private leagues, each with its own roster and standings.

Complete game guide

Everything you need, without the information overload

Read the essentials first, then open the detailed explanations only when you need them. Use the search field to find a specific rule instantly.

Step 1

Build Your Team

Every manager starts with a budget to fill 13 roster slots:

5 Male Athletes
Individual competitors
5 Female Athletes
Individual competitors
3 Relay Teams
Mixed, Men's 5000m, Women's 3000m

Each athlete and relay team has a price. You must keep your total spend at or under . There is no minimum spend — find the best value to maximise your point haul.

Core rule:

Your total team value may not exceed . A valid team needs every one of the 13 positions filled.

How do I choose a balanced squad?

You can invest heavily in established winners, spread the budget across consistent finalists, or combine stars with lower-priced value picks. There is no single correct structure: your choices determine both your upside and your risk.

  • Stars usually offer a higher scoring ceiling but consume more budget.
  • Mid-price athletes can offer consistency across several distances.
  • Cheaper athletes create budget space, but may have less predictable entries or results.
  • Relay teams can produce substantial points and should not be treated as leftover selections.
What should I check before confirming my team?
  • All 13 positions are filled.
  • Your budget is 100M or lower.
  • Your athletes are expected to compete in the upcoming official event.
  • You have considered recent form, event entries, injuries and relay participation.
  • You are comfortable keeping this lineup once the competition locks.
Step 2

Athlete & Relay Prices

Every athlete and relay selection has a value from to . That value is not arbitrary: it is linked to a rolling total of ranking points, so consistently successful selections cost more of your budget.

The current price shown in the team builder is always decisive — prices are recalculated after each competition weekend and apply when the next transfer window opens.

How is an athlete's value calculated?

The game uses a rolling sum of ranking points. Recent World Tour results form the base, while the biggest championships carry extra weight:

Latest World Tour results
The athlete's latest four World Tour results, each counted at face value.
Latest World Championship
The latest World Championship result counts twice in the rolling total.
Latest Olympic Games
The latest Olympic result counts three times during the Olympic season and the following season.
rolling value = latest 4 World Tour results + (latest World Championship × 2) + (latest Olympics × 3, when applicable)

This rewards both recent form and performance on the biggest stages. A strong weekend can move an athlete or relay into a higher price tier; as older results leave the rolling window, the value can also fall.

Which ranking total belongs to each price?

The applicable rolling ranking total places the athlete or relay in one of the following tiers:

TierRelative pricePrice
Dominant
Champion
Superstar
Elite
Strong
Mid-tier
Competitive
Fringe
Entry
Base

Relay Team Prices

Relay teams use the same rolling-window formula, but on a separate, lower-capped scale — a relay only scores one event per competition instead of three distances, so its price ceiling is , not .

TierRelative pricePrice
Dominant
Elite
Strong
Mid-tier
Emerging
Competitive
Fringe
Base

A higher price therefore signals a stronger rolling results profile — not a guarantee of future points. Managers still need to judge current form, race entries and value for money.

How are prices used in my 100M budget?

When you add an athlete or relay team, its displayed price counts toward your total team value. You can combine any available selections as long as all 13 required slots are filled and the total stays within .

Illustrative budget example

5 male athletes38M
5 female athletes39M
3 relay teams23M
Total100M

This is only an example. You may distribute the budget differently as long as your complete roster remains valid.

Why can a price rise or fall?

After a competition weekend, new ranking points enter the calculation and older World Tour results can leave the four-result window. A major championship result may also carry its 2× or 3× weighting. The revised total can therefore move a selection into a higher or lower price tier.

Price changes do not alter fantasy points already earned and do not retroactively change what you paid. They affect the price shown for future transfers.

What happens when I sell and buy?

A transfer removes one selection and adds another using the prices available in that transfer window. Your updated team must still fit the budget and satisfy every roster requirement.

Step 3

Points Scoring & Bonuses

The winner earns 100,000 pts and each subsequent place earns approximately 85% of the one above — rewards extend all the way down to last place. Both individual and relay events use the same formula.

points for place n = 100,000 × 0.85^(n − 1)
PlacePoints
1st
100,000
2nd
85,000
3rd
72,250
5th
52,201
10th
23,162
20th
4,560
30th
898
50th
35
68th
2

Every place is worth 85% of the one above it — a single ×0.85 geometric curve from 1st (100,000) on down the field, fading to 0 by around 77th. DNS / DNF / DQ earn 0 points.

Which results count?

Scoring is based exclusively on ISU World Tour and ISU Championship competitions. Points are processed from the official result and added automatically to the athlete or relay team in your lineup.

Which performance bonuses can I earn?

On top of placement points, athletes and teams can earn bonus points for exceptional performances in a single competition. Multiple bonuses can fire in the same competition.

Per-Athlete Bonuses
World Record+300,000 pts

Set a world record — awarded once per athlete per competition, and stacks on top of a sweep bonus

Hat Trick+100,000 pts

Finish in the top 3 in all three distances (500m, 1000m, 1500m)

Top-5 Triple+50,000 pts

Finish top 5 in all three distances (only if the Hat Trick is not earned)

Top-10 Triple+20,000 pts

Finish top 10 in all three distances (only if no higher sweep bonus is earned)

The three sweep bonuses are graduated and mutually exclusive: an athlete needs a result in all three distances to qualify, and only the highest tier they reach is awarded — never two at once. A world record is separate, so it stacks on top of whichever sweep bonus an athlete earns.

Team Bonuses
Team Podium+150,000 pts

4 or more podium finishes (top 3) across your 10 individual athletes

Team Top-10+100,000 pts

7 or more top-10 finishes across your 10 individual athletes

Both team bonuses can fire in the same competition. Relay teams do not count towards team bonus thresholds.

What about DNS, DNF, penalties or disqualifications?

A selection that does not record a scoring result receives 0 points for that result. This makes availability and reliability an important part of team selection.

Are points live?

Standings may update as official results are processed. Treat the finalized official result as authoritative, especially when a result is reviewed or amended.

Step 4

Transfers, Windows & Team Locks

You can adjust your roster between competitions. Once the next competition goes live, your lineup locks.

Basic: 2 transfers
Available per competition window.
Pro: 7 transfers
More flexibility per competition window.
Locked during racing
No lineup changes after the competition lock.
What counts as one transfer?

Replacing one athlete or relay team with another selection counts as a transfer. Every change must leave you with a valid roster within budget.

Do unused transfers carry over?

Plan each competition window around the transfer allowance shown in your account. The in-game transfer counter is the authoritative indicator for the number of changes still available.

When should I make transfers?

Useful signals include confirmed entries, injuries, recent form, distance programs, relay selection and price changes. Avoid waiting past the published lock moment.

Step 5

Leaderboard

There are three different leaderboards in the game — each ranks you on something slightly different.

Season Leaderboard

Ranks every manager by cumulative points across the whole season. Rebuilt after every competition finalizes, and shows your rank, rank change, total points, and latest-competition points.

View Leaderboard
Per-Competition Leaderboard

Ranks managers by points earned in one specific competition only — a different, narrower view than your season rank, found on that competition's detail page.

League Leaderboard

Standings within a private league, based on league-team scores rather than your global team. See Private Leagues below for how leagues work.

My Leagues
Global leaderboard

Every eligible manager is ranked against the full player field. Your position changes when new event points are processed or official results are corrected.

Competition and season views

A competition view shows performance for a specific event, while the season leaderboard reflects accumulated performance across the season. Use the event view to evaluate one weekend and the season view to track the overall race.

What happens when managers have equal points?

Managers with the same displayed score may share or be ordered within the same points position according to the game's active tie-handling logic. The leaderboard displayed in the app is authoritative.

Why can my rank move after racing has finished?

Results may still need to be processed or finalized. Penalties, reviews and official corrections can affect athlete points and therefore manager rankings.

Step 6

Earn and Collect Badges

As you manage your team, strong performances and special achievements can unlock badges. These rewards highlight milestones reached during the season and show what kind of manager you are.

Season Champion
1st place overall at season end
Century Burst
Scored 2,000,000+ points in a single competition this season
Consistent Contender
Top 10 in 3 consecutive competitions this season
Rocket Climb
Biggest rank climb in one competition
Sneak peek: WT1 Vancouver medals
The top 3 managers in each World Tour, European, or World Championship competition earn a medal badge like these, shown on your profile and public team page.
How do I receive a badge?

Badges are awarded automatically when your account meets the relevant achievement conditions. You do not need to claim them manually. Once unlocked, they become part of your manager profile and achievement collection.

What can trigger a badge?

Badge conditions can be linked to season rankings, event scores, consistent leaderboard performance, large ranking improvements or efficient use of your budget. Each badge represents a different type of managerial achievement.

Do badges add fantasy points?

Badges are recognition rewards and do not replace the normal scoring system. Your leaderboard position continues to be determined by the fantasy points earned by your roster.

Where can I see my badges?

Your unlocked achievements are displayed in the relevant profile or achievement area in Short Track Manager. Newly earned badges appear after the qualifying result or milestone has been processed.

Step 7

Private Leagues and Rivalries

A private league gives a selected group its own standings without removing anyone from the global leaderboard.

Want the full picture? See the Full Private Leagues Guide →

Joining is free
Use an invite code to enter a league.
Creation requires Pro
The league owner needs an active Pro plan.
Up to 15 members
One Pro-created league per subscriber.
What's the difference between Standard and Draft leagues?

A Standard League lets you build your roster freely via the Team Builder, with a transfer window opening after each competition — same window timing and no-fee mechanic as your global team, but every member gets a flat 3 transfers per window regardless of subscription tier. A Draft League uses a snake draft to assign rosters instead of free picking, with free-agent draft windows between competitions replacing regular transfers.

Does a private league use different points?

No. The same team and fantasy points are used. The private league simply filters the standings to its members.

Do all league members need Pro?

No. Only the manager creating and managing the league needs Pro. Free players can join with an invite code.

Can I still appear globally?

Yes. Joining a private league does not replace the global competition; both standings can be followed at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Account or billing question instead? See the Support FAQ.

Do I need to already know short track speed skating?

No — that's what the essentials in Why every race matters (above) are for. Everything else on this page builds on those few terms.

Am I picking real skaters?

Yes. Every athlete and relay team is a real, currently-competing ISU athlete or national team, and your points come from their actual competition results.

What happens if my athlete doesn't compete, or DNS/DNFs?

That roster slot scores 0 points for that competition — real risk in athlete selection, same as the real sport.

Is it free to play?

Yes — the Basic tier is free forever. A Pro subscription unlocks more transfers per window and private league creation. See Pro plans.

How do I get started?

Create a free account, then head to the Team Builder to draft your first squad.

Ready to pick your squad?

Create a free account and build your team in minutes.