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WALPOLE -- On a recent week day night at Iorio Arena, skaters young and old were taking turns racing around an Olympic-sized rink, cruising at speeds that would dazzle your average hockey player.

Rubber markers outlined the 111-meter track as groups of four and five of similar ability did drills to improve their skills and simply have fun.

`` Come on!'' `` That's good!'' shouted their instructors.

Some did 14-second laps, which means they were skating 15 to 20 mph. But when they really turn it on, they can reach 30 mph as they glide around the rink.

This isn't a mere exercise for these ice enthusiasts; it's a sport. Namely, speed skating. And right now, their sport is in the spotlight. Speed skating is one of the premier sports of the XX Win ter Olympics, and members of the Bay State Speedskating Club are riveted to the action in Turin, Italy, particularly because one of their own is competing on the world stage.

Caroline Hallisey, 25, of Nat ick, is participating in her third Olympics, one of just eight Massachusetts residents in the Winter Games.

`` It is great for our mem bers,'' club president Russell Curtis of Bridgewater said dur ing the practice session at the Route 1 rink. `` We are very excited for Caroline. As a club, we are all extremely happy and proud of her. She is a great per son and athlete, and it is a lot of fun to skate with her.''

While speed skating at times has been a somewhat obscure sport, the last several Olympics have sparked a resurgence of interest. That's especially so for the short-track speed skating the club participates in, which was added to the Olympics in 1992. Long-track speed skating has long been part of the Olympics, but short track is more exciting for spectators, club members say.

`` A number of members have gone on to the Olympics,'' Curtis pointed out.

Dan Weinstein of Brookline competed in 1998 and 2002. `` He did very well,'' Curtis said. Weinstein, in his 20s, incidentally, will be doing some commentary on speed skating for this Olympics.

Hallisey is on the women's relay team that has a good chance at winning a medal. She holds the American record for the 500 meter and her team holds the American record in the 3,000 meter. Hallisey's mother, Joanne, a club member and coach, was planning to be in Italy to cheer her daughter on.

`` You can't even put words to it to say how proud we are,'' said Joanne Hallisey, a former Foxboro resident.

Caroline Hallisey, who trains in Colorado, competed in the Olympics at Nagano and Salt Lake City -- where she found herself in the medal round of the 500 meters.

The Halliseys joined the club back in 1982 when Caroline Hallisey was just 2. She began training at an elite level when she was about 14. `` I love the club. It is my second family,'' Joanne Hallisey said. `` It's a family affair.''

Besides the Olympics hitting home for club members, adding to the excitement among speed skaters is the fact that the United States has its strongest field in that sport in years. The team could easily take one or more medals.

Gold medal contender and short tracker Apolo Anton Ohno remains the biggest name among its speed skaters, having won a gold and silver at Salt Lake. However, Chad Hedrick will be chasing after Eric Heiden's record of five gold medals he won at Lake Placid in 1980.

Team USA speed skaters and new events added for the sport at the Olympics could help America break its record of 34 Winter Olympics medals captured at Salt Lake.

Before and after each Olympics, interest in the club skyrockets, members say.

`` It is building now. It is really big when the Olympics hit and after,'' Joanne Hallisey said.

That is how Ben Bavly, 9, of Newton, a club member since he was 5, had his interest piqued. `` He started after the last Olympics. He saw it on TV and wanted to do it,'' his father, Eric, said.

Ben has excelled to the point he will be competing in the nationals in Wisconsin in March.

`` He is phenomenal. He is a speed demon,'' Curtis remarked. `` He has got a lot of energy.''

Dan Ott of Medfield, in his 50s, will be competing in the masters division of the nationals. Ott's 11-year-old daughter, Emily, is also on the club.

`` We generally have three or four go to the nationals every year,'' Curtis said of club members. `` It is the top skaters in your class from all around the country.''

Marie Bober, 28, of Medford, a club member for four years, was also attracted to the sport after watching the last Winter Olympics.

`` I enjoyed the coverage they had on TV,'' Bober said. `` I really enjoy doing it. It is a lot of fun. It is a very unique sport. It is a very good workout.''

Nate Bolton of Gloucester, now 22, started with the club when he was 11, just one year after learning to skate.

`` I love this club. I grew up here,'' Bolton said.

Bolton predicts `` it is going to be a real good Olympics this year'' for U.S. speed skaters, many whom he says have nearly caught up to Apolo in speed. `` It is a real wide-open field,'' he said, adding the international competitors are also strong. `` There are a lot of up-and-comers.''

The club numbers about 75 skaters and has been at the rink since it opened 10 years ago. But its history stretches back decades. It used to skate at the old Boston Garden.

One can find the club at Iorio Arena on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights from September through April, and once a week in other months. On Saturdays there is a learn-to-skate program.

`` We have kids as young as 4 years old and have had people in their 70s. We accommodate all ages and abilities,'' Curtis said. `` You can come out and skate once to see if you like it.''

While most club members are from Massachusetts, a few are from Rhode Island. Some are hockey players who want to improve their skating skills.

The club skates against other clubs every November in a meet usually held in the New England/New York area.

STEPHEN PETERSON can be reached at 508-236-0377 or at speterson(at)(at)thesunchronicle.com.