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The length of a curve is $L(\alpha )={\int }_a^b\Vert {\alpha }^{\prime }(t)\Vert dt$. Its arc length parameter is $s(t)={\int }_a^t\Vert {\alpha }^{\prime }(u)\Vert du$. Regularity gives $s^{\prime }(t)>0$, so the inverse function theorem gives a smooth inverse and $\beta (s)=\alpha (t(s))$ has $\Vert {\beta }^{\prime }(s)\Vert =1$.

Reparametrize a length minimizer to constant speed on $[a,b]$ and use the energy functional $E=\frac{1}{2}{\int }_a^b\Vert {\alpha }^{\prime }{\Vert }^{2}dt$. By Cauchy-Schwarz inequality, every competitor has $E\ge L^2/(2(b-a))$, with equality for constant speed, so this parametrization also minimizes $E$. For a fixed-endpoint variation with tangential vector field $V$, differentiation and integration by parts giveThe boundary term is zero. Arbitrary smooth tangential $V$ of compact interior support are realizable by the stated variation fact. Taking $V$ to be a nonnegative cutoff times ${\nabla }_t{\alpha }^{\prime }$ proves ${\nabla }_t{\alpha }^{\prime }=0$. Hence a length minimizer is a geodesic after constant-speed reparametrization. The original parameter need not be affine: arbitrary varying-speed parametrizations preserve length but have nonzero covariant acceleration. This qualification is necessary for the literal wording.

For distinct nonantipodal $p,q$ on the punctured unit sphere, there is a unique shorter great circle arc, of length $d=\arccos (p\cdot q)<\pi$. A minimizing curve exists exactly when that shorter arc avoids the removed north pole. If it avoids the pole it attains the spherical lower bound. If it passes through the pole, arbitrarily small smooth detours have lengths tending to $d$, but equality would force the unique shorter arc, which is unavailable. Thus the infimum is not attained; the longer great circle arc is not a substitute minimizer.

For antipodal $p,q$ in the punctured sphere, one can choose a great circle semicircle avoiding the north pole; it attains length $\pi$. Thus every admissible antipodal pair has a minimizer. If identical endpoints are included despite the earlier distinctness stipulation, the infimum is zero, but no smooth regular curve attains it; only a nonregular constant curve does.