Speed skating on inline skates
Although skating on roller skates already was popular in the 19th century and speed skating on wheels also occurred in the 20th century, speed skating on inline skates started in 1992 and developed even more after the year 2000. In 2003 for example the format of the circuits for skating races was defined. Nevertheless, it took till 2010 till the types of circuits for the world championships were defined.
In contrast with the other speed skating disciplines in inline skating several different forms of circuits are used.
The most common one is the circuit with only two bends like the one used in the other disciplines. Other forms of circuits developed for races on inline skates are:
- a circuit that have more than two bends. The size of these circuits was fixed on less than 600 meters for world championships.
- a circuit between two different points in a country, for example between two cities.
Like in the other speed skating sport races on different distances were organized:
- sprint races of 100 and 200 meters
- races of 500 to 1000 meters
- races of longer distances of 3000, 5000, 10.000 , 15.000 and 20.000 meters
- races over 42 kilometers, so called marathon races
In contrast with the other speed skating disciplines in inline skating several different forms of circuits are used.
The most common one is the circuit with only two bends like the one used in the other disciplines. Other forms of circuits developed for races on inline skates are:
- a circuit that have more than two bends. The size of these circuits was fixed on less than 600 meters for world championships.
- a circuit between two different points in a country, for example between two cities.
Like in the other speed skating sport races on different distances were organized:
- sprint races of 100 and 200 meters
- races of 500 to 1000 meters
- races of longer distances of 3000, 5000, 10.000 , 15.000 and 20.000 meters
- races over 42 kilometers, so called marathon races
For the different races also different procedures were developed to determine the winner.
In case of the shortest distances the most logical approach was to register the time used for the distance by each skater.
For the middle distance and the longer distances other procedures were used.:
- one could provide points for the first arriving after a number of round and at the finish .
- one can also start with a large group of skaters and eliminate each one or two rounds one skater at tail of the group while the skaters left in the race fight for the first place in the last rounds
- one can also perform the race by teams of normally 3 skaters which compete in pairs starting at different sides of the circuit. Such a race can be done on time or in a competition between the winning teams of the different races (team per suite)
- One can also race with only one skater of each team in the track while the skaters of the team change every one or two rounds.
It will be clear that many different combinations can be made of circuits, distances and form of the race. Therefore, a lot of different types of races can be organized.
Although in short track most of these different forms of races also are organized, in inline skating the number of possible races is even larger because of the use of different circuits for the races.
In case of the shortest distances the most logical approach was to register the time used for the distance by each skater.
For the middle distance and the longer distances other procedures were used.:
- one could provide points for the first arriving after a number of round and at the finish .
- one can also start with a large group of skaters and eliminate each one or two rounds one skater at tail of the group while the skaters left in the race fight for the first place in the last rounds
- one can also perform the race by teams of normally 3 skaters which compete in pairs starting at different sides of the circuit. Such a race can be done on time or in a competition between the winning teams of the different races (team per suite)
- One can also race with only one skater of each team in the track while the skaters of the team change every one or two rounds.
It will be clear that many different combinations can be made of circuits, distances and form of the race. Therefore, a lot of different types of races can be organized.
Although in short track most of these different forms of races also are organized, in inline skating the number of possible races is even larger because of the use of different circuits for the races.
Ranking countries and skaters
In order to determine the ranking of the countries participatingt in inline skating championships and also to rank individual skaters with respect to their success, a complex system was developed There are two different types of evaluation of the races in which the winner can either score 90 or up until 150 points.The highest scores (150) can be obtaim¡ned in Top-Class races. In first class races the highest score is 90. The points of Top-Class-races outside of Europe are multiplied by 1.2, whereas the points of the final race of the season are multiplied by 1.4. The points that can be obatined in the different classes are presented in the tables below.
In order to determine the ranking of the countries participatingt in inline skating championships and also to rank individual skaters with respect to their success, a complex system was developed There are two different types of evaluation of the races in which the winner can either score 90 or up until 150 points.The highest scores (150) can be obtaim¡ned in Top-Class races. In first class races the highest score is 90. The points of Top-Class-races outside of Europe are multiplied by 1.2, whereas the points of the final race of the season are multiplied by 1.4. The points that can be obatined in the different classes are presented in the tables below.
The results of the world championships
The results, using this system, for the ranking of the countries is presented below
The results, using this system, for the ranking of the countries is presented below
This table shows the overwelming succes of the Colombia in the world championships up to now in this century.
However, a completely different picture is obtained at the results of in dividual persons in the same world championships.
However, a completely different picture is obtained at the results of in dividual persons in the same world championships.
It seems very contradictory that Colombia, as a country, wins nearly all world championships in this century while on the other hand only three times a colombian female speed skater became world champion.. Perhaps the results came from the men. That can be seen in the next table.
For the male skaters of Colombia the result is the same. Only Diego Rosero became world champion in all these years while in the early years Jorge Botero was also rather succesful. However, the differences between the results of the country and the results of the individual skaters is so big that this requires an explanation.