The Races
The races became international and the need for serious supervising grew. Around 1985 the European Rollerski Federation was established and the first European Championships were organized in the Netherlands in 1988.
The growth of the rollerski sport caused the FIS (Federation Internationale de Ski) to notice the rollerski sport. In 1992 the congress decided to incorporate the rollerski sport. After the first World Games in The Hague, in 1993, the first World Cup races where held in that same year. In 1998, in Prague, the congress decided to grant the rollerski sport the official FIS World Championships. On 30 August- 3 September 2000, these competitions where organized in the Netherlands.
The races are very well differentiated: from only uphill, to flat to undulating tracks. From relays, sprints (typical 200 metres) and team races to individual races and pursuit races. On flat tracks the speed can be as fast as 50 kilometres per hour (30 miles per hour). Average speed on flat tracks in World Cup races can easily be 30 kilometres per hour (almost 20 miles per hour). As in regular cross-country skiing, the rollers compete in classic and free style. Helmets and protective eyeglasses in competitions are mandatory.
Read more about this topic: Roller Skiing
Famous quotes containing the word races:
“I am obliged to confess that I do not regard the abolition of slavery as a means of warding off the struggle of the two races in the Southern states. The Negroes may long remain slaves without complaining; but if they are once raised to the level of freemen, they will soon revolt at being deprived of almost all their civil rights; and as they cannot become the equals of the whites, they will speedily show themselves as enemies.”
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–1859)