490 athletes from 51 countries reached Netherlands for the 2018 Inline Speed Skating World Championship!

Heerde and Arnhem will host, respectively, track and road competitions starting from 1 to 8 July. The track in Heerde staged in the past both European Championships and Cups, but the surface has been completely renewed in the last weeks to guarantee excellent performances during the Worlds: it's a fast and hard circuit that will provide great show to the afecionados coming from all over the world. The road races will be downtown in Arnhem, close to the well known "A Bridge Too Far" and to the Inline Freestyle World Championships circuit where competitions will start on 5 July: a village with a roller disco area, music, food trucks and sport side events will complete the Urban cluster following the new philosophy and mood that will be mainstream of World Skate events.

World Skate President Sabatino Aracu opened the preparatory meeting with the team delegates: "This a key year for World Skate: here in Heerde, we will qualify the athletes that will compete for the Olympic Gold in the YOG Buenos Aires. For the first time ever, inline speed skaters will compete at Olympic stage and will have the opportunity to show to the international world, once again, the great appeal our sport has on the youth".

The Technical Commission clarified the Qualifying System for the 2018 YOG in Buenos Aires and explained some changes in the competitions that will be effective starting 2019 with the purpose to make the races even more spectacular: the elimination races distances in 2019 will be 10.000 mt in the track and 15.000 mt in the road and in Barcelona, during the WRG, we will welcome the new 200 mt track pursuit.

In the afternoon, the Opening Ceremony took place in the track: Aracu thanked the Province of Geldernand and the Dutch Federation for the warm welcome to the athletes and for the great job done in organising the Worlds. 

The competitions will be live on www.worldskate.tv

Live streaming schedule

July 1

18.00 – 18.15  500m+D sprint JW/JM Semifinal
18.15 – 19.15 10000m points/elimination JW/JM  Final
19.15 – 19.30 1000m sprint SW/SM Semifinal
19.30 – 20.30 15000m elimination SW/SM Final
20.30 – 21.00 Awards Ceremony
21.00 – 21.15 500m+D sprint JW/JM Final
21.15 – 21.30 1000m sprint SW/SM Final
21.30 – 22.00 Awards Ceremony

July 2

19.00 – 19.30 1000m sprint JW/JM and 500m+D sprint SW/SM semifinal
19.30 - 20.10 10000m points/elimination SW/SM Final
20.10 – 20.40 Awards Ceremony
20.40 – 20.55 1000m sprint JW/JM Final
20.55 – 21.10 500m+D sprint SW/SM Final
21.10 -21.40 Awards Ceremony

July 3

18.30 – 19.10 5000m elimination JW/JM Final A
19.10 – 19.50 5000m elimination JW/JM Final B
19.50 – 20.30 5000m elimination JW/JM Final C
20.30 – 20.50 Awards Ceremony
20.50 – 21.05 3000m Relays JW/JM Final
21.05 – 21.20 3000m Relays SW/SM Final
21.20 – 21.50 Awards Ceremony

July 5

17.15 – 18.45 20000m elimination JW/JM Final
18.45 – 19.15  Lap Circuit Sprint SW/SM Semifinal
19.15 – 20.30 10000m points race SW/SM Final
20.30 – 20.45  Lap Circuit Sprint SW/SM Final
20.45 – 21.45 Awards Ceremony

July 6

17.15 – 17.45 Lap Circuit Sprint JW/JM Semifinal
17.45 – 18.45 10000m points race JW/JM Final
18.45 – 19.15 Awards Ceremony
19.15 – 20.30 20000m elimination SW/SM Final
20.30 – 21.00 Lap Circuit Sprint JW/JM Final
21.00 – 22.00 Awards Ceremony

July 7

19.00 – 19.15  100m sprint JW/JM Semifinal
19.15 – 19.30 100m sprint SW/SM Semifinal
20.30 – 20.40 100m sprint JW/JM Final
20.40 – 20.50 100m sprint SW/SM Final
20.50 – 21.20 Awards Ceremony

Credits Pics: Luis Ramirez