Roller sports championship attracts skaters nationwide

Men's Track Race. Photo by Peter Wayne

When you think of roller sports, what comes to mind? Roller skating? Roller derby? Roller sports are actually high energy, high skill events using a skate with 4 high performance in-line wheels. Events are held on a circular track or a road circuit. The sport has earned a place within Team USA's array of sports. Though not yet an Olympic event, Team USA Roller Sports recently petitioned  the International Olympic Committee to have roller sports events starting at the 2016 Olympics.  Otherwise, national and world roller sport competitions continue to occur in many countries across the globe.

Last week, the Inline Speed Skating National Outdoor Championships were held at the Olympic Training Center's velodrome track in Colorado Springs. The event was held over five days to accommodate the multiple race types, distances and age categories. Age range was surprisingly broad, starting with juniors at age 10 to masters at 55 plus. The competitors traveled from all parts of the country to lay claim to a championship title. The race was also a qualifier for the World Championships being held in Haining City, China this September.

The event feature a number of distance track races, time trials and a day of road racing. There are 3 overall race types: heats, points with elimination and points only. Heats are won by fastest time over a fixed distance. Point races are won by the accumulation of points that are tallied for each lap over fixed distance. Two points and one point is award respectively to the first and second leads for each lap. The finishing lap awards 3,2 and one point for first second and third place.  Elimination/point races have the added penalty of eliminating the last racer during specific laps. This is actually very practical, as a leader could catch up to the last place racer causing a hindrance to the race. Competitors are divided into their respective age categories which include Junior, covering competitors under 18 years old, freshman for ages 18 - 24 and master age groups for 25 and above.

Team USA's world roller sports team was announced today, consisting of 24 men and women who will compete against other countries in September. Decision for roller sports being an event for the 2016 Olympics should also be known by the time the world game starts. 

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