Glide enhancement for use of ice equipment on non-ice surfaces

A method and apparatus for controlling glide of a solid skate blade on a support surface involves holding a glide-controlling insert in a recess disposed between first and second edges of a bottom portion of the skate blade such that a contact surface of the glide-controlling insert extends laterally between the first and second edges of the blade and longitudinally along the bottom portion of the blade. The contact surface is caused to contact the support surface when a downward force is applied to the blade such that interaction between the contact surface and the support surface is primarily responsible for determining friction forces between the blade and the support surface. An insert may also be used on a curling stone and a puck may be provided with a special coating to decrease friction on a synthetic ice surface. Also disclosed is a roller skate blade that provides improved gliding on a synthetic ice surface through the use of metallic rollers, having a concave running surface with sharp edges.