Inline speed skating is a sport practiced both indoors and outdoors, with competitions ranging from local events to world championships. To ensure that competitions are always safe and, of course, fair for everyone, the sport has certain rules.
With this in mind, we’ve put together an article on the main rules of inline speed skating! Find out all about the competition venue, race duration, scoring, number of skaters, infractions and penalties, and much more.
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Inline speed skating rules: complete list
- Competition area;
- Duration;
- Score;
- Skaters;
- Equipment;
- Match;
- Infractions and penalties;
- Security;
- Modalities;
- Tie.
Inline speed skating rules: competition area
The inline speed skating rink can be of two types: indoor oval and road.
Indoor rinks have dimensions standardized by World Skate, measuring 200 meters in length and a minimum width of 6 meters. They must be completely flat, with sloping curves to allow for high speeds in the turns.
Road competitions, on the other hand, take place on temporary or permanent circuits, with distances that vary greatly. These circuits need to have high-quality asphalt and smooth curves to ensure the skaters’ safety. Road widths also vary, but must allow for safe overtaking.
Inline speed skating rules: duration
The duration of inline speed skating competitions can vary depending on the type of event.
Competitions can include short distance races (sprints), medium distance and long distance. Read more:
- Sprint races generally range from 200 meters to 1000 meters;
- Middle-distance races can range from 1500 meters to 5000 meters.
- Long-distance races usually range from 10 km to 42 km marathons.
Inline speed skating rules: scoring
The calculation of scores in inline speed skating depends on the format of the competition. Check it out!
- In individual races, the winner is determined by the fastest time.
- In points races, skaters accumulate points in intermediate sprints or by final position.
- In elimination races, the last skaters to cross the finish line at certain times are eliminated, and the remaining skaters compete until only one winner remains.
Inline speed skating rules: skaters
The number of competitors in an inline speed skating race can also vary. In official competitions, for example, there is a maximum limit of skaters per race.
- In track competitions, this number usually varies between 10 and 30 competitors, depending on the size of the track.
- In road competitions, the number can be higher, especially in marathons, where hundreds of skaters can take part.
Inline speed skating rules: equipment
Inline speed skating equipment includes speed-specific skates, a helmet, tight-fitting clothing, gloves, knee and elbow protectors.
The speed skates have larger wheels, as well as a more aerodynamic design that allows for greater speed and control.
Helmets are mandatory in all competitions to protect against falls and collisions. Clothing must be fitted to the body to minimize air resistance, and gloves help protect the hands in the event of a fall.
Inline speed skating rules: start
At the start of the competition, skaters must line up at the start line and wait for the referee’s signal, which can be an audible signal, such as a horn, or a visual signal, such as a light.
Departures before the warning are penalized and can result in warnings or disqualifications. Skaters must remain motionless until the signal and, in the event of a false start, the line-up process is restarted.
Inline speed skating rules: infractions and penalties
There are various infractions that can occur in inline speed skating. When committed, they result in penalties such as warnings, disqualifications and suspensions.
Some of the common infractions are: hindering other skaters, pushing, cutting off the track and false starts.
Penalties are applied by the referees, whose job it is to observe the race from different vantage points.
In cases of serious infractions, skaters can be disqualified from the race or even suspended from future competitions.
Inline speed skating rules: safety
In addition to the mandatory use of helmets in inline speed skating, event organizers need to ensure that the track or road is in safe condition for the competition.
To do this, they need to check the quality of the asphalt, clear away any obstacles or debris, and prevent falls.
Skaters are also encouraged to wear additional protection, such as mouth guards, knee pads and elbow pads, especially in long-distance races where fatigue can increase the risk of accidents.
Inline speed skating rules: modalities
Inline speed skating includes several competition disciplines. The main disciplines are:
- Sprint races;
- Endurance races, such as marathons;
- Combined races, such as sprints and endurance.
In addition to the individual races, there are relay competitions. In these, teams of skaters take it in turns to complete the race to the end.
These competitions require a lot of coordination and strategy, as skaters need to pass a stick or simply touch a teammate to complete the exchange.
Inline speed skating rules: draw
In rare cases, an inline speed skating competition can end in a draw. When this happens, the referees analyze the finish images to determine the exact order of the skaters.
If the race still ends in another tie, the referee can resort to a photo finish, when high-speed cameras are used to check which skater crossed the finish line first.
If the tie cannot be resolved by the images, both skaters can be declared winners.
Inline speed skating rules: complete list
- Competition area;
- Duration;
- Score;
- Skaters;
- Equipment;
- Match;
- Infractions and penalties;
- Security;
- Modalities;
- Tie.
If you enjoyed learning more about the rules of inline speed skating, take the opportunity to continue browsing the site and keep up to date with everything that’s happening in the world of sport!
