Welcome to rollersports.org.
What is this site about?
This is the official site of the International Federation of Roller Sports. This section is dedicated to inline speed roller skating. This is only a presentation page. In order to have more information and news about speed roller skating go to FIRS home page.
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What is Speed Roller Skating?
Inline speed skating is the sport of racing on inline skates. It is often called inline racing by participants. Although it primarily evolved from racing on "quad" roller skates, the sport is similar enough to ice speed skating that many competitors are now known to switch between inline and ice speed skating according to the season.
Speedskating is the branch of Rollersports that can be conducted in a variety of areas, including Indoor Rinks, purpose built bank tracks and road circuits in enclosed areas.
Also racing conducted on closed off open road circuits, car parks, also where groups of netball & tennis courts are together, so therefore speedskating is able to be practiced in many countries , with 51 countries represented at the last World championships, to show we have a World wide presence and true Olympic contendors.
This is a very fast and exciting sport, with most events conducted between 30 to 50 KMPH. with very similar events and tactics to track and road cycle racing.
Described by many sporting experts, as an excellent foundation sport for children, to gain the required engrediants to be successfull in later life in a wide variety of other sports, as they develope some very important strengths and skills.
The Current super powers of the sport include Colombia, Argentina and Chile ( South America ) Italy, France and Switzerland ( Europe ), Korea and Taiwan ( Asia ) United States America (North America ) and New Zealand ( Oceania), with the strength spead thoughout the world.
With the FIRS involved with encouraging developement of the African continent, as South Africa have been the flag bearer for African nations in recent years, to see skaters from such renowned athletic ability countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Tunisia competing, in our World events.
Our sport continues to rapidly grow in 2006 we welcomed Russia, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and an impressive Iran, to compete in their first World championships held in Korea.
Between April and September the World Inline Cup series is held, this is the Official marathon series of the FIRS, 15 marathon events conducted in such famous destinations as Seoul and Incheon ( Korea ), Suzhou ( China ), Berlin ( Germany ), Rennes France, St. Moritz and Zurich (Switzerland). This year we will see many new skaters from around the World, gain spots in sponsored teams in this great competiton, Russia, Ukraine, Chile, Singapore, Japan and Canada, will have strong representation in 2007, after previously only had minimal involvement.
With Annual National, Continental and World championships held, there is plenty of scope for skaters to compete Internationally, with very popular early season European events tres Pistes in France, Bologna Italy & Gross Gera Germany attracting many International skaters.
Currently the South American countries of Colombia, Argentina and Chile control the female side of our sport, only really challenged by USA, Korea and New Zealand in 2006, such is the power of Colombia, that 8 senior ladies World champions over the past two years, plus 3 Junior World Champions, but now senior, will be vieing for a maximum of 8 places for their World team in 2007. With the home championships in Cali in August, its a daunting task facing female skaters seeking World titles in 2007, in the endurance races there men will be very strong, but have yet to come up, with a favoured sprint option in the seniormen.
While our sport is stretching its wings World Wide, with Asia a developing giant at present, we still have to work very hard in many areas, with a big focus on coaching. Colombia is one coutry with a very good depth of coaches, but very few have that luxury, with experienced coaches like Argentina Coach Carlos Lugea having coached Argentina, Venezuela, India and now Spain, New Zealander Bill Begg New Zealand, Australia, Colombia, Germany & now Switzerland, plus many other coaches off shore helping other nations develope.
Italy as a Nation has always sent coaches to developing countries and actively promotes International coaching seminars, one just recently completed, with Colombia also being very active in the developement of coaches. Its well recognized that Highly skilled and Motivated Coaches are the most needed people, to enable our great sport to reach its maximal potential.
While many think speed is not as Technical as other branches of our sport, I personall rate that for skill & Technique, I would have a performance factor of 60% as far as the ultimate result is concerned. The famous Chad Hedrick double push technique is still the most sought after method for male speed skaters, with the differing Q Angle making it much more difficult for females to achieve this technique.
Sometimes we can become bogged down being too technical, when often its a case of reverting to simple basics, in order for the good technique to develope, I find that six basic areas need worked on, to develope effective technique.
If you work on these basic areas, with correct co - ordination, you will get on good edges, with the double push, comming as a result of getting the basic movements correct.
Bearing sizes have been standardized around the 608 series, though some manufacturers have tried 688 series or smaller in hopes of reducing weight. These smaller bearings have been met with limited success due to frame design issues and the need for proprietary design wheels. Bearing precisions run from ABEC-1 to ABEC-9. While the ABEC system characterizes most bearings, some quality bearings do not have an ABEC rating. Rather, they may simply be described as "Swiss" bearings. Additionally, bearings with ceramic balls have been marketed since the late 1990s. These presumably do not have the potential corrosion problems of metal ball bearings, but they come at a significantly higher purchase price. Ceramic bearings are also considered more fragile and less durable than metal bearings.
Wheels made for inline speed skating tend to have a higher durometer, so they are harder than recreational wheels but less hard than aggressive wheels. The higher durometer contributes to less wear and greater speed, but also less resistance, a factor that can increase a skater's endurance. Different wheels types are designed for particular skating conditions, such as indoor or outdoor, road or track, wet or dry, and rough or smooth surfaces. Preferable conditions (dry, indoor, smooth) lend themselves to harder wheels and higher speeds.
Although clap skate frames similar to those used in long track ice speed skating have been designed for inline racing, they have so far not proven to be superior to the normal fixed frame that inline racers use. In the past, most speed skaters used either four or five 80 mm wheels. Beginning in about 2002, elite inline speed skaters began employing fixed-frame "big-wheel" skates which have recently become the standard. These frames hold four or five wheels that may be from 84 mm to 110 mm in diameter.
A somewhat different form of inline speed skate uses a monocoque design. The boot and frame are made as one piece of carbon fiber material and offer noticeable savings in weight. They are, however, not widely used because they cost about four to five times the price of a high-quality standard boot-frame combination and require custom casting of the skater's feet, which is a costly and laborious process. (From Wikipedia.org)
How can I get more information about roller speed skating?
If you need more information about speed roller skating or about the world of roller sports go to FIRS (Federation Internationale de Roller Sports) home page and you will get all information you need. Including rules, international committees, championships, tournaments, stages, trainings, regulations, competitions, contests and whatever you need to know about speed roller skating.