A controversial track at the World Roller Games

The track competitions at the World Roller Games came to end on Thursday in Barcelona. The popular opinion concerning the success of the event is divided due to the controversial track the athletes competed on. 

By Jackob Savard

Photo: Skateworld Backstage

With the goal of having every discipline of the World Roller Games based in Barcelona, World Skate built a removable metal track which had never been tested before for the inline speed skating competitions. The skaters were not too vocal about the track while training on it prior to the competition and most of them talked about working on adapting their skating. When the event began, many started sharing their true feelings about the track.

Tom Herzog, the Austrian team coach, was one of the first to share his thoughts publicly: ‘’World Skate, the best trained athletes in the skating world - including world champions - look like total beginners on this unworthy and slippery track at the World Roller Games. You are not only wasting our time, but damage the reputation of roller sports. How should inline speed skating ever become an olympic sport if we provide a picture like this to the world?’’

This declaration was followed by another one from multiple-time world champion Gwendal le Pivert from France: ‘’What can I say except than World Skate doesn’t respect the athletes. Inline speed skaters from all around the world train hard, wake up early to chase a dream, a goal. Some are far from their family. Some members of this international federation like Erika Zanetti or Francesco Zangarini were incredible speed skaters and know the difficulties of being an elite athlete. But just for the show they built a removable metal track. Something completely different from what we normally use.‘’ This declaration from the French sprinter was also shared by many other skaters on social media. 

The Colombians were the one who performed the best on this track winning close to half the titles available for the senior and junior categories combined. You can read our track races recap HERE.

Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter, follow our Facebook page, our Instagram account and our Twitter account for daily news and results about speed skating.