Mass-start event on a banked track
Image from the Roller Speed Skating World Championships courtesy Peter Doucet - SpeedSkateWorld
In the competitive Speed Skating arena, there are plenty of event formats to suit everyone.
These include:
- Time Trials – race solo against the clock for 200 or 300 metres
- Straight Races – race through heats, quarterfinals and semifinals before competing as a finalist in a mass-start race from 500 to 5000 metres
- Points Races – race over a fixed distance of between 3000 and 10,000 metres, accumulating points through a series of intermediate sprints
- Elimination Races – race between 5000 to 20,000 metres, as the rearmost skaters are eliminated in a series of intermediate eliminations
- Combination Races – challenge yourself as Points and Elimination formats are used together in one event, awarding points to the leaders and eliminating the rearmost skaters
- Relay Races – be part of a team of 3 or 4 skaters racing other teams over a fixed distance, ‘relaying’ or changing skaters on the course every 1-2 laps
- Criterium Races – exercise a number of tactical racing strategies as you contest a time-plus-laps format race
- Marathons & Half-Marathons – test yourself and race your friends over the traditional Marathon and Half-Marathon distances of 42 and 21 kms
Skate Victoria explains more about race meets & competitions
Learn more about Race Courses
