Roller Speed Skating Spirit : CIC-Roller.com

The fitness skating is perhaps the most developed of all speed disciplines with more than 50 million people in all five continents participating. Roller Skating is a means of entertainment and ecological and extremely healthy transport for the present young society. Every day more and more fans are rolling in streets, avenues and park in the big cities all over the world.

The Inline Downhill is one of the most attractive disciplines of the skating family and was born just a few years ago when the inline skating replaced the rink skating. This type of competition consists of free speed downhill on circuits ranging from 1600 to 2000 meters in length with a high degree of corner difficulty. The athletes can reach speeds of more than 100 km/hour.

The most spectacular and exciting competitions in speed skating is perhaps the bank track races which are contested on a 200m banked track and include both individual and group events. Individual event is the 300m time trial and group events range from 500m to 15,000m elimination. Teams of 3 athletes compete in 3000m relay events.

The Freestyle is the latest activity incorporated under the banner of the CIC. It's a modern and youthful discipline growing all over the world. Diffferents modalities comprise the Freestyle Skating including:

Freestyle Slalom: The object for Freestyle Slalom skaters is to perform a run of 1m 30s to music. The run is then judged by IFSA Official judges on 4 criteria: Technique, Style, Management and penalties.

Speed Slalom: Is the fastest event in the Freestyle competition in which skater crosses as quick as possible 20 cones separated each other by 80 cm. The athlete start is located 12 meters away from the first cone. Actually some athletes are able to complete the circuit in less than 5 seconds.

Free Jump: Consists of jumping from ground level over a stick which starts at 70cm for women and 1metre for Men. The stick increase by10 to 10 centimeter for the first 3 steps and then 5 by 5.

High Jump: The aim of this sport is to jump over a stick located at lease at 1m60mm (for Women) or 2m for Men. The skaters jump using to a jump board.

Road competitions first appeared in public places such as avenues , parking lots , and parks . Road venues consist of an asphalt road circuit a minimum of 400m in length and of asymmetric design. Some athletes can reach speeds of more than 60 km/hour. Short medium and long distances events are held similar to those held on the track.

In the last decade Inline Marathons have become very popular and are held in the streets and city centres of major cities all over the World. The Marathon distance is 41.195kms which can include downhill, uphill, open corners, tight corners and many other obstacles. The race is competed in all weather conditions and competitors need to be extremely fit and strong to race in these events. Incheon (Korea) has the record for participation with more than 14,000 skaters competing.

Indoor events are generally competed on indoor circuits of between 100 and 120 meters in length . Indoor competitors need to possess very precise technique to be able to negotiate the small tracks which are generally between 100 and 120m in length . The most popular surface is parquet however other surfaces can be used . Indoor skating is very popular in the United States but is also gaining momentum in Europe.