Hyperion High SchoolBucharest

English Language CertificateInline Skating

Coordinator teacher: Student: Andreea Sanda Ovidiu Tudoran

2011

Table of contentsArgument……………………………………………...................2

Chapter I : History of Inline Skating

1.1 The History of Inline Skate Development…………….........3 1.2 The National Museum of Roller Skating………………......4 1.3 John Joseph Merlin: Father of Inline Skating………….....6

Chapter II : Inline Skating Styles and Disciplines

2.1 Find An Inline Sport That Is Just Right For You……….......7 2.1.1 Recreational Inline Skating: Discover Social Activities on Inline Skates…………………......7 2.1.2 Inline Fitness Skating: Skate Your Way Into Good Health……………………….............8 2.1.3 Inline Speed Skating: A Sport for Those With a Need for Speed………………..............8 2.1.4 Inline Marathon Skating: Marathon Skaters Are All Over the World……………….............10 2.1.5 Inline Figure Skating: Learn About Figure Skating On Dry Land……………….............11 2.1.6 Inline Hockey Skating: Inline Hockey is a Popular Year-Round Sport…………................12 2.1.7 Aggressive Inline Skating: Three Aggressive Skating Activities…………………………........14 2.1.8 Urban Inline Skating: Skating for Thrilling Urban Transit……………………..................15 2.1.9 Downhill Inline Skating: Downhill Skaters Need Advanced Skating Skills………................16 2.1.10 Off Road and All Terrain Inline Skating: Skating Beyond the Smooth Road………………………................17

Chapter III : Distinguished Athletes and Coaches

3.1 Jean-Pierre Faugère - Inline Figure Coach and Promoter........18 3.2 Linda Wood - USA Roller Sports Inline Racing Coach……….19 3.3 Susie Jackson - USA Roller Sports Adult Inline Speed Skating Champion.................................................................................................20

Chapter IV : Development of Competitive Events

4.1 The Federation Internationale de Roller Sports - Origins of the FIRS Organization…………………………………………………………….22 4.2 Inline Speed Skaters Switch to Ice for Olympics - Inline Racers Slide in Through the Ice Door…………………………………………………..24 4.3 The Olympic Status of Inline and Roller Sports - What Does It Take to Get Roller Sports Into the Olympics?...........................................................25Conclusion……………………………………………............................26Annexes…………………………………………………........................27Bibliography……………………………………………........................31

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Argument

It is said that sport is a good activity to keep you in shape. But what

does it really mean “in shape”? To build a body of envy, beautifully

“carved” with strong muscles such as one can see in ancient Greek

sculptures or Michelangelo’s paintings and sculptures or simply watching

the Olympics? Or could also be a state of mind, a kind of feeling alive,

energetic, and spirited, enjoying life and ready to accomplish your

purposes?

In my point of view both perspectives are important because they

reveal two paramount, inherent characteristics of human nature: man’s

craving for beauty which could be “decoded” as a strong reminiscent

remembrance of the Paradise Lost when man was incorruptible and, at the

same time, his specially designed for moving body. As soon as you have

stopped moving you begin slowly turning into a huge mass of flaccid flesh

oppressing your spirit. And I cannot help thinking of those strange cases

of people who one day, for some reason or another, did not get out of bed

and grew into an enormous bulk of meat encompassing, engulfing the very

bed they laid on within two years or so. This is nothing but an apocalyptic

image for me. Therefore one should never forget that sport is a means for

being in a good form both physically and psychically. Just look up the

word “sport” in a thesaurus dictionary and you will find out its complex

and numerous meanings in English. For example: 1. (Entertainment) – Syn.

diversion, play, amusement, merrymaking, jollification, festivity, revelry,

revel, Saturnalia, carnival, pastime, pleasure, enjoyment; 2. (A joke) – Syn.

raillery, pleasantry, mockery, jest, jesting, mirth, joking, mummery, antics,

trifling, tomfoolery, nonsense, jollity, laughter, drollery, practical joke. 3.

(Athletic or competitive amusement) – Syn. game, competition, contest,

athletic event, amateur sport, professional sport.

Consequently I intend to describe my favourite sport, inline skating,

which is more than a pastime for me, that is to say a life style. Why inline

skating and not another amusement? Simply because it can be

challenging, aggressive, and extreme by pushing your body and mind to

the limit. All you have to do is to practice and improve your skills once you

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have acquired them. It is a way of expressing your inner need of freedom,

feeling alive and celebrating life.

Chapter I

History of Inline Skating

Many technological improvements led to the equipment used by skaters today. Skates

were refined, skating techniques improved and the number of activities grew. These

articles show where inline skating came from and where it is going.

1.1 The History of Inline Skate DevelopmentThe Evolution of Inline Roller Skates - 18th Century Beginnings

Inline skates may have originated in Scandinavia or Northern Europe where ice skating

was an easy way to travel short distances. By the early 17th century, ice skating was a

popular method of transportation for these early Dutch who called themselves "skeelers"

and skated on frozen canals in the winter. They eventually used a primitive form of roller

skate, made by attaching wooden spools to a platform to allow similar travel in warmer

weather. 

The first officially documented inline skate actually appeared in London in 1760. The

progression from transportation, to a substitute for on stage ice skating, to recreational

skating, to fitness skating and eventually to inline competitive sports has been closely

linked to the development of inline skate technology.

Let's follow the developments and technological improvements that have been made to

the original inline skates that lead to the comfortable and sometimes highly specialized

equipment used by inline skaters today. 

1743 

First documented reference to inline or roller skating was left by a London stage

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performer. The inventor of these skates, which were probably an inline design, is

unknown and is lost in history.

1760 

The first known inventor of an inline roller skate was John Joseph Merlin. Merlin was

born September 17, 1735, in Huys, Belgium and became a musical instrument maker and

mechanical inventor. One of his inventions was a pair of skates with single line of small

metal wheels. He wore the skates as a publicity stunt to promote his museum, and from

the beginning, stopping was a problem. It is believed that one of his ballroom stunts

ended in a dramatic crash into a mirrored wall because of this defect. For the next century

roller skate wheels followed the inline design alignment. 

1789

The inline skate idea made its way to France in 1789 with Lodewijik Maximilian Van

Lede and his skate that he called the patin a terre which translates from French to “land

skates” or "earth skates". Van Lede's skates consisted of an iron plate with wooden

wheels attached. He was a sculptor at the Academy Bruges in Paris and was considered

as very eccentric.

1.2 The National Museum of Roller SkatingRoll Through Inline and Roller Sports History

The National Museum of Roller Skating is the home of the largest collection of historical

and antique inline and roller skates, dating back to 1819, in the world. Museum exhibits

showcase people and artifacts from roller skating history. During a trip to the museum

you can walk through the evolution of inline and roller skates.

Museum Collections

The museum collections include patents, medals, trophies, photographs, artworks, films,

videos, costumes, libraries, archives and inline and roller sports memorabilia. There are

approximately 1,500 volumes of roller skating books and periodicals, including over 125

American and foreign titles in the museum's periodical collection. The archives also

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includes over 8,000 photographs; personal papers of individuals prominent in roller

skating from 1800 to the present; programs and archival material for local, regional,

national, and international roller skating competitions; and miscellaneous articles and

images related to roller skating.

Exhibits of interest include:

The first patented roller skate 

Plimpton's first "rocking skates" from the James L. Plimpton family collection

A selection of nineteenth-century roller skate patents

Stilt skates, 2-wheel skates, 3-wheel skates, and even skates designed for animals

The complete evolution of the roller skate since the 1700s

Inline skates dating from 1819 to present

Leading skate manufacturing companies and innovators 

Photographs and memorabilia from clubs, organizations, celebrities and rinks

Speed skating, artistic skating and roller hockey history 

Highlights of roller skating competitions

Roller Sports Hall of Fame

Museum Store and Gift Shop

There is a museum store in the exhibit gallery with souvenirs like tee-shirts, pens,

pencils, patches, postcards and paperweights. Several museum publications are available,

too:

The Evolution of the Roller Skate: 1820-Present

The History of Roller Skating

Awards & Honors of the Roller Skating Association International

The Allure of the Rink: Roller Skating at the Arena Gardens, 1935-1953

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The museum is a little off the beaten path, but Lincoln is a friendly city, the home of

roller sports history and the national hub for current USA Roller Sports activities. The

National Museum of Roller Skating is located at 4730 South Street, Lincoln, Nebraska

68506 and is open Monday through Friday with free admission.

1.3 John Joseph Merlin: Father of Inline SkatingMerlin was an Imaginative Inventor

The first documented inventor of an inline skate, John Joseph Merlin was born on

September 17, 1735 in the city of Huys, Belgium. As a young man he worked in Paris

where he made museum-quality clocks, watches, musical instruments and other delicate

mathematical instruments.

Inlines Were Not His Only Invention

Merlin was a musician, a mechanical genius and an inventor who opened “Merlin’s

Mechanical Museum” when he moved to London in 1760 at age 25. His museum, located

in Hanover Square, was entertaining and became a popular place to visit as well as a

showroom for his mechanical and musical inventions. Guests could play with a gambling

machine, see perpetual motion clocks and mobile bird cages, listen to music boxes and

even try the wheeled chair for few shillings.

In that same year, he created the first roller known skates, which consisted of a small row

of metal inline wheels. It is believed that Merlin wore his skates as part of the publicity

stunts he often used to promote his inventions and the museum. Stopping and

maneuvering were a problem that Merlin couldn’t resolve with skating skill or

inventions, so he exhibited and demonstrated his roller skates but did not patent them. For

the next century other skate designs would continue to follow this inline wheel alignment.

Some of Merlin’s Other Inventions:

Maneuverable sedan-type wheelchair for people with gout

Dutch oven

Perpetual motion machine that ran on atmospheric pressure changes

Weighing machines

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Harpsichord with pianoforte action

Barrel organ

Compound harpsichord

Chapter II

Inline Skating Styles and Disciplines

2.1 Find An Inline Sport That Is Just Right For You 2.1.1 Recreational Inline Skating: Discover Social Activities on Inline Skates

Inline skating styles include recreational, fitness and competitive disciplines, and can

even be used as transportation. Inline skating is a practical choice for anyone in search of

a sport, because it can be done almost anywhere or anytime. And if you have your own

equipment, most paths, parks, courts, driveways and trails make great free training

grounds.

The kind of skating that interests you will determine the type of training, skates and gear

you will need for these roller sports:

• Recreational Skating

• Fitness Skating

• Speed and Inline Racing

• Marathon Skating

• Freestyle Slalom Skating

• Inline Figure Skating

• Aggressive and Stunt Skating

• Urban Skating

• Off Road and All Terrain Skating

• Downhill Racing

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Use this guide for a brief overview of inline skating sports. If you are not sure that your

interests will be dedicated to a specific skating type, start by building a good foundation

in recreational or fitness activities and training.

2.1.2 Inline Fitness Skating: Skate Your Way Into Good Health

No matter how young or old you are or what shape you are in at the moment, inline

fitness skating helps you get or stay in shape and have fun while doing it.

Inline fitness skating combines serious skating for medical, mental or physical benefits

with fun skating for pure pleasure. Fitness skating is a great low-impact replacement for

running, because you can burn lots of calories without wear-and-tear on your joints.

Regardless of your fitness program, fitness skating can be of great benefits as an addition

to your existing exercise routine.

Improve balance and coordination

Weight loss and maintenance

Stress reduction

Aerobic cardiovascular fitness and endurance

Anaerobic muscle development

Inline skating is a great way to participate in a fitness activity that benefits both your

body and your mind and can be done at any location that recreational skating can. It is

one of the easiest to get to, low-impact, high aerobic sports you’ll find. Since it’s fun and

provides opportunities for socialization and networking, most fitness and recreational

inline skaters roll for longer periods of time than participants in other similar activities.

This extra skating time will increase the effectiveness of all of the fitness and mental

health benefits listed below.

2.1.3 Inline Speed Skating: A Sport for Those with a Need for Speed

Regardless of age, speed skating participants share one thing - a desire to fly as fast and

as far as they can on small round wings.

Speed skating began about 1880 when rinks conducted professional quad races to attract

spectators and amateur quad races to attract skaters. In 1937, skaters raced in quads at the

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first Roller Skating World Championships. By 1992, inline skates came into use for

international roller race competitions.

Today, inline speed skates have replaced quad skates, and inline speed skating -

sometimes called inline racing - is a fun and challenging low impact aerobic activity as

well as an internationally recognized roller sport.

Either name describes it accurately, since this is the sport of racing on inline skates -

sometimes at speeds of 30 to 50 kilometers per hour. Inline racing grew from quad

racing, but it is enough like ice speed skating to allow athletes to cross over between the

ice and inline speed skating disciplines. There are even transfer camps to help inline

racers make this transition.

Inline speed skating is an extremely competitive international sport that can be conducted

using short or long distance races. These races can be held on a variety of surfaces

including indoor rinks, sports facilities, outdoor road circuits and banked tracks. In this

inline sport the athletes wear high-tech inline speed skates and aerodynamically designed

skin suits which are both designed to facilitate speed. Safety helmets are always worn and

gloves are added for road competitions.

People choose inline speed skating as their sport for many reasons:

Speed skating is fun

Speed skaters want to achieve fitness goals

Racing has social benefits

Medals can be won and records can be broken

There are many opportunities to travel

Speed skating can be a family activity

Racing is an on-going challenge

Speed skaters can join a team, skate with friends or skate alone. Equipment can be

expensive, but new entry level skates or carefully selected used equipment is

affordable. You should learn the basics first, then enjoy years of skill development

and athletic achievements as an inline speed skater.

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2.1.4 Inline Marathon Skating: Marathon Skaters Are All Over the World

Over 2,490 years ago Phidippides ran 26 miles from Marathon to Athens to alert the city

about a military victory. His trip would have been easier on inlines. The marathon trend

is sweeping the inline skating world. Marathons have appeared and are planned in

locations all over the world.

There are many excellent training programs designed to help athletes prepare to skate

marathons, and many marathons have thousands of inline skating participants. One

interesting thing about marathons is that although they attract many competitive and

professional speed skaters, the majority of marathon participants are recreational and

fitness skaters.

Much like inline speed skating, inline marathon racing is a fun and challenging low

impact aerobic activity and roller sport. Inline marathon skating is an extremely

competitive international sport that is usually conducted using 26 mile distance races.

Some events offer half-marathon events to accommodate newer and younger skaters, too.

These races are usually held on outdoor road circuits through cities, scenic terrain,

farmland or a combination of areas that have clean, safe, paved roads running through

them. In this inline sport the athletes wear high-tech inline speed skates with durable

outdoor wheels and aerodynamically designed skin suits which are both designed to

facilitate long distance speed. Safety helmets are always worn and gloves are added for

these road competitions.

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People choose inline marathon skating as their sport for many of the same reasons that

they choose speed:

Marathon skating is fun

Marathon skaters want to achieve fitness goals

Racing has international social benefits

Medals can be won and records can be broken

There are many opportunities to travel

Marathon skating can be a family activity

Marathon skating is an on-going challenge

Marathon participants can represent a team or sign up as an individual. Equipment

can be expensive, but new entry level skates or carefully selected used equipment is

affordable. You should learn the basics first, then enjoy all of the local, regional,

national and international marathon skating opportunities.

2.1.5 Inline Figure Skating: Learn About Figure Skating On Dry Land

Inline figure skating is a roller sport which includes competitive and cross-training

activities for ice and roller sports enthusiasts.

Inline figure skating is a branch of roller figure skating (often called artistic skating)

which emerged as a competitive discipline very slowly. In the 1880s, ice skating

instructors were hired by roller rinks to teach skating basics to beginners and figure

skating maneuvers to advanced skaters on quad skates. Figure skating on inlines has

appeared at various times since then for ice cross-training, but did not get recognition as a

sport in its own right until 2002, when inline free skating events for women and men

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were included as part of the World Roller Figure Skating Championships in Germany for

the first time.

Today's roller sports include inline figure skating on skate frames that support 3 or 4

wheels in a line with a rubber toe-stop or toe-pick, mounted on figure skating boots. The

popularity of inline figure skating has grown with the development of high quality inline

figure skating equipment and customizations that allow each skater to attempt more

difficult maneuvers.

In this sport, the competitors execute program requirements on inline skates. Many

championships are combined with roller figure skating, since both disciplines can use the

same type of skating surface with similar free skating, dance and creative events. But

there are also inline only events like the Paris Open. Inline figure skating is currently

governed by the Fédération Internationale de Roller Sports, which includes it as an

artistic roller skating sport on inline skates at its world championships. Inline figure

skaters around the world are now performing double and triple jumps, a range of spins,

interesting choreography and all of the senior level dances while using inline skates. Ice

figure skating federation members often use inline figure skating for cost effective off-ice

training. Roller and ice enthusiasts choose inline figure skating for many reasons:

Inline figure skating is fun

Inline figure skating can be done on many surfaces at many locations

Inline figure skaters can achieve cross-training goals

Inline figure has competitive opportunities

There are opportunities to travel

Inline figure can be an on-going non-competitive activity

Inline figure skaters can join a club, skate with friends or skate alone. Inline figure

skates are expensive, but new entry level skates or carefully selected used equipment

is affordable. You should learn the basics first, then benefit from cross-training or

competitive activities in inline figure skating.

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2.1.6 Inline Hockey Skating: Inline Hockey is a Popular Year-Round Sport

Inline hockey is a good recreational or competitive sport for adults or kids of any age. It

can also be used to train for ice hockey during the off-season.

Inline hockey is a form of roller hockey that is a lot like ice hockey. This team sport is

best played on a smooth plastic surface that creates minimal friction for the puck and

good traction for inline hockey wheels. The game is played by two teams, consisting of

four skaters and one goalie, on a rink divided in half by a center line, with a net at each

end of the rink. The game is played in three 15-minute periods. On the competitive level,

Inline hockey follows the rules of a national or international governing body.

Recreational hockey leagues often make rule changes to accommodate local needs like

the size of the rink or timing for periods and penalties.

Inline hockey is a good recreational sport for adults or kids of any age or gender who

want a team activity that requires a combination of speed, maneuverability and quick

thinking. This roller sport can also be used to train for ice hockey during the off-season.

In order to play either recreational, cross-training or professional inline hockey, players

need special inline skates and other gear:

Inline hockey skates

Elbow pads

Helmet and protective gear

Hockey stick

Hockey puck

Inline hockey is a popular year-round sport at amateur, scholastic, and professional levels

in areas that have inline hockey rinks with the correct playing surface. In some countries,

the inline hockey is also played on wooden floors in indoor sports halls. Since it can be

played on any smooth dry surface, inline hockey can be played for fun in almost any

sports center. Inline hockey is known by many names depending on which region of the

world it is played, variations on equipment use and the game surface location.

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Inline hockey

Roller hockey

Long stick hockey

Deck hockey

Road hockey

Street hockey

Ball hockey

Skater hockey

Professional inline hockey has existed in North America since 1993 with teams in the

United States and Canada. In the United States, inline hockey is currently organized by

the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), which is part of USA Roller Sports, and USA

Hockey Inline.

There are two types of governing bodies for inline hockey. Some belong to the rollers

sports community and others belong to the ice hockey community. Inline hockey is

governed on the international level by International Ice Hockey Federation, which

organizes IIHF Inline Hockey World Championships and the Federation Internationale de

Roller Sports which organizes FIRS Inline Hockey World Championships.

2.1.7 Aggressive Inline Skating: Three Aggressive Skating Activities

Aggressive skaters enjoy finding ways to defy gravity in any way humanly possible.

Aggressive inline skating is a form of inline skating where stunts and tricks like jumps,

grinds, slides and flips are the foundation for all of the skating maneuvers. Aggressive

skaters slide on edges and ledges, jump over barriers, fly around and onto structures,

rotate in the air like gymnasts and defy gravity in any way humanly possible. These

maneuvers can be very dangerous, which is what gives this skating discipline an extreme,

sometimes called "X," sport classification.

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There are three types of aggressive inline skating. Vert skating includes aerial stunts and

maneuvers in a half pipe structure that becomes vertical at the top. Street skating is when

city street, plaza and campus objects or architectural elements are used as skating

surfaces and take-off points for aggressive tricks. Park skating uses special areas at

indoor and outdoor skate parks for aggressive stunts.

Aggressive skating and safety are an unusual combination, so more attention should be

given to the use of protective gear for this stunt based sport. Skaters usually wear long

loose jeans which look cool and allow unrestricted movement, but the heavy fabric

weight also provides an extra layer of protection from abrasions. Special skates and boots

have been developed to accommodate sliding the skate surface on rails and ledges. These

stunts, tricks, and maneuvers require a very advanced level of skating skills and a

thorough knowledge of how to fall safely to perform them properly and with some degree

of safety.

Aggressive inline skating activities are attractive to younger skaters and thrill-seekers that

do it for recreation or participate in extreme sports competitions.

2.1.8 Urban Inline Skating: Skating for Thrilling Urban Transit

If your aggressive skating leaves the park and is used more like alternative transportation,

you are an urban skater.

Urban inline skating is a discipline that merges aggressive and recreational skating.

Urban skaters use aggressive maneuvers to travel through cities on a combination of

streets, sidewalks and available structures to reach a destination using the shortest or

fastest methods possible.

Urban inline skating is also called free skating or free riding and incorporates aggressive

styled tricks including sliding, grinding and jumping. They use firm boots for good

support like the aggressive skaters, short frames for maneuverability like slalom skaters

use, but often need bigger wheels for a little more speed since they are really using these

skates for transportation.

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Like aggressive skating, safety and the use of protective gear and protective clothing is

recommended for this stunt based form of transportation. Loose jeans will allow

unrestricted movement, and the denim fabric will provides an extra layer of protection

from abrasions. These stunts, tricks, and maneuvers through the city will require a very

advanced level of skating skills and a thorough knowledge of how to fall safely.

Urban inline skating is a great activity for young or young-at-heart thrill-seekers who can

do it for recreation, transportation and a unique way to get away from urban traffic. It will

also be important for urban skaters to know their own local laws governing traffic and

safety issues for inline skaters, bikes and other human-powered vehicles.

2.1.9 Downhill Inline Skating: Downhill Skaters Need Advanced Skating Skills

Thrill seekers, skiers and speed demons will like downhill inline skating.

Downhill inline skating is a variation of the inline roller sports that is similar to the

Alpine downhill ski racing. The biggest difference is that these racers cover a downhill

distance on paved mountain roads using inline skates instead of skis on a snow covered

mountain.

Technical Downhill

Technical downhill skating requires inline skating down steep city streets. This downhill

discipline is done with or without using ski poles and demands perfect turns on each

curve of the road to prevent skidding.

Downhill Inline Racing

In downhill inline racing, four to six racers start each race at the same time, so drafting

and passing strategies are a very important part of each race. Any athlete who chooses a

downhill inline skating discipline should understand that advanced skating skills are

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required, including turning, braking and balancing at speeds that can easily reach 35mph

and in some cases have gone over 75mph.

Speed enthusiasts, thrill seekers and athletes looking for cross training activities for

skiing are good candidates for downhill inline skating activities.

2.1.10 Off Road and All Terrain Inline Skating: Skating Beyond the

Smooth Road

Off road and all terrain skating is a combination of mountain biking, skiing and inline

skating squeezed into one roller sport.

Off road and all terrain skating is a good activity for anyone who needs a more exciting

inline skating activity without becoming an aggressive inliner. Off road and all terrain

skaters use special skates with over-sized and often pneumatic wheels that allow them to

skate on dirt paths, sand, mountain trails and rocky roads.

Off road inline skating is exciting and fun for people who want to try skating on a variety

of outdoor landscapes.

People who love extreme sports

Skaters who like new adventures

Anyone who enjoys skiing or mountain biking

People who enjoy off-road activities

All terrain inline skates include several types of skate with a soft or hard boot and a

reliable closure system. There are also models that are attached to your shoes or

boots. Most all terrain skates have a long wheelbase and pneumatic wheels that can

roll over many surfaces. Some models even come with a hand activated braking

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system for speed control easy stopping. These off road inline skates ride over smooth

or rough terrain and let you go where inline skating could not go before.

Chapter III

Distinguished Athletes and Coaches

There are many contributors to the inline roller sports. Discover the athletes, coaches and

officials who work hard to support, develop and participate in inline skating events. Find

out how some individuals leave their own mark on our sport.

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3.1 Jean-Pierre FaugèreInline Figure Coach and Promoter

Jean-Pierre is the Founder of G.R.I.P.

As the founder of G.R.I.P., Glace et Roller Inline de Paris, Jean-Pierre Faugère

promotes ice figure skating and inline figure skating as identical sports.

Jean-Pierre Faugère teaches both ice and inline roller figure skating. He organizes

classes and provides private instruction for enthusiasts in both disciplines at

G.R.I.P.

He also promotes inline and ice skating competitions and events for freestyle and

dance skaters.

.

Jean-Pierre Faugère has an impressive figure skating resume:

Ex-Champion - French Professional Ice Dancing

Third Place - World Championship Professional Ice Dancing

Grand Gold Medal - Ice Dancing

Silver Medal - Youth and Sports

Board Member - International Inline Figure Skating Federation

Board Member and Treasurer - Committee of Paris Roller Skating

Board Member - Regional Committee of Figure Skating

Board Member - League of Ile de France Roller Skating

Head of the Technical Commission for Figure Skating and Inline Dance

Skating

Board Member - Office of Sport Movement in the 15th Arrondissement of

Paris

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Jean-Pierre Faugère Loves All Figure Skating:

A pure love of figure skating gives Jean-Pierre Faugère the ability to teach skating

to both ice and inline skaters. He believes that ice skating and skating on roller

blades are compatible and uses his knowledge of both to train skaters of all ages.

Jean-Pierre also promotes figure skating and dance on ice, inline and quads. He is

an important part of the organizational structure for events, competitions and

exhibitions in all of these disciplines.

3.2 Linda WoodUSA Roller Sports Inline Racing Coach

Linda Wood coaches the Triad Racing speed team in Citrus Heights, California and has

many other skating accomplishments.

Linda was the 2007 USARS Developmental Coach of the Year.

She was also the Team USA Speed Coach in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2006.

Linda competed in figure skating for 17 years.

She taught artistic skating for 11 years.

Seminars and Training Services:

Linda and son Josh Wood from California also conduct outdoor speed skating clinics

and teach at inline racing seminars.

Inline Racing and Roller Sports Promotion:

Linda Wood promotes inline racing and roller sports in many ways. Her "Speed

Skating Spectator" site provides a look into the USA Outdoor Racing Championships.

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She writes articles and tips for the Inline Planet and for USA Roller Sports. Linda's

inline speed event photography can be seen all over the web.

Linda Wood is a Lifetime Coach and Skater:

Linda Wood started skating when she was two years old. It was less expensive for her

parents to take her skating with them than it was to pay a babysitter. Skating has been

a part of her life for over 45 years and has given her chance to coach skaters of all

ages.

Linda was a figure skater for 17 years, taught artistic skating for 11 years and now

coaches inline racing. She is currently the coach of the Triad Racing speed team in

Citrus Heights, California, and the mother of three skaters, including Josh Wood. She

coached the 2006 U.S. Junior World Team that competed in the World Speed Skating

Championships in An yang, South Korea and was the team manager in 2005.

Linda's goal is to see roller sports make it into the Olympics. She feels that the sport

and the athletes who participate in it deserve to skate under the Olympic rings.

3.3 Susie JacksonUSA Roller Sports Adult Inline Speed Skating Champion

Susie Jackson is a Dedicated Rink Mom:

Susie Jackson of Canton, Michigan is more than a dedicated USARS inline speed

skating champion. She is a rink operator, consulting coach and skate mom.

Susie Sets Inline Speed Records and a Good Example:

Susie disciplines herself in inline speed skating and sets a good training example for

her teammates as well as her son. Her dedication has resulted in speed skating skills

that have broken records in the past and set new records recently.

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Boot sizing problems didn't slow Susie down in the 2007 season. Her very small sized

adult feet are hard to fit properly, but Susie actually managed to skate in oversized

skates at an important event.

Susie Jackson is married to rink operator and former speed champion, Chuck Jackson.

Their son Nathan is a promising young speed skater, too.

Susie Jackson of Canton, Michigan looks, talks and giggles like just about every other

speed team mom in the rink. Her fun loving exterior isn't overshadowed by her

responsibilities as a USARS inline speed skating champion, rink operator, coach and

skate mom to her son, Nathan, who is also an SS2Racing Team speed skater.

Susie won the Senior Ladies National quad speed skating title in 1987. But she

forfeited a world speed team tryout in 1988 to marry Chuck Jackson and start a

family. She gave birth to her son, Nathan, in 1989 and returned to speed skating in the

mid - 1990s. Inline skating equipment now dominated the speed skating sports, and it

took a while for her to make the transition from traditional quad speed skates to the

new inline skating equipment.

Hard work paid off at the 2007 USARS National Speed Championship where Susie

Jackson skated against many of her peers from the 1987 national speed event and won

the Grand Masters Ladies Inline Speed event. In the seven lap final, she won the start

by more than eight feet and set the record for the event.

Susie Jackson currently skates, does consulting coaching and is a rink operator at the

Skatin' Station 2 Skating Center in Canton, Michigan. The rink that she owns with

husband, Chuck Jackson, is dedicated to encouraging both inline speed and artistic

USARS and world roller sports activities.

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Chapter IV

Development of Competitive Events

4.1 The Federation Internationale de Roller SportsOrigins of the FIRS Organization

The Federation Internationale de Patinage a Roulettes (FIPR) was started as an

international sport organization designed to oversee roller hockey events between the

existing national federations in western Europe at that time. The group had a hockey

focus and originated in Montreux, Switzerland in April of 1924 by two Swiss sportsmen,

Fred Renkewitz, the first President of FIPR, and Otto Myer, who was the International

Olympic Committee Chancellor and four European countries (Switzerland, Great Britain,

Germany and France) were at the first meeting.

The first World Championship organized by FIPR was for Rink Hockey (Ball and

Cane) in 1936, hosted by Stuttgart, Germany.

The next world championship was conducted in 1937 in Monza, Italy for Roller

Speed Skating on the Road.

In 1938 a FIPR World Championship was held in London, England for Track

Roller Speed Skating and in Ferrara, Italy for the second Road Speed Skating

World Championship.

In 1939, the second Rink Hockey world championship for FIPR was held in

Montreux, Switzerland, after which all World roller skating championships were

interrupted by World War II and did not resume again until 1947.

In 1947 Rink Hockey returned with its third world championships in Lisbon,

Portugal.

Artistic Roller Skating conducted its first FIPR World Championships in

Washington, USA also in 1947.

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From that time on, the three skating disciplines of FIPR conducted annual World

Championships and expanded to include all of the continents of the world.

Under the Presidency of Victoriano Oliveras de la Riva (1964 to 1973), FIPR

changed its name to Federation Internationale de Roller Skating (FIRS) and became

officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the mid

1960's as the international governing body for all roller skating. There was a lot of

interest in getting roller sports into the Olympic Games. The IOC recognition was a

first step toward inclusion in the Olympic Games. In the 1970’s, the General

Association of International Sport Federations (GAISF) gave similar membership

recognition to FIRS.

Under FIRS, roller hockey became a Demonstration Sport at the 1992 Olympic

Games of Barcelona. Then, the fourth discipline of roller sports, Inline Roller Hockey

organized the first Inline Roller Hockey World Championship in Chicago, Illinois,

USA during the summer of 1995. The FIRS membership authorized a second title

change for the International Federation, substituting “Roller Sports” for the previous

description “Roller Skating”, at the same time retaining the FIRS acronym, but

replacing the former globe logo with the current logo during the June 2000 Congress

in Zell Am See, Austria.

This early history of FIRS can be substantiated in the book “Roller Skating – History

and Introduction” published by FIRS in 1982. This history was written by Rolf Noess

of Freiburg, Germany, who was then the Secretary/General of FIRS, and Camille

Fetler of Bordeaux, France who served as President of the FIRS Rink Hockey from

1958 until 1976 and was awarded with a FIRS Honorary Lifetime Membership.

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4.2 Inline Speed Skaters Switch to Ice for OlympicsInline Racers Slide in Through the Ice Door

Efforts by the roller sports world governing body, the Federation Internationale de Roller

Sports (FIRS), to earn Olympic status for inline speed skating or any of its disciplines

were limited at the end of the 20th century. FIRS didn’t push the promotional envelope

when quad hockey was a demonstration sport in the 1992 Summer Olympics in

Barcelona. FIRS’ attempts to get Olympic status became most active around 2000, when

inline speed skating was promoted as the most suitable roller sport for the Olympics.

Competition from at least 20 other sports also seeking entry into the Olympics – at a time

when they were trying to reduce the number of participating sports – kept chances of

entry very slim. Since inline racing did not get Olympic status, many inline speed skaters

have successfully switched to ice speed skating to get a shot at Olympic participation.

In 1993, KC Boutiette was the first inline speed skater to switch to ice and skate

in the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.

In 2002, three Team USA inline speed skaters (Derek Parra, Jennifer Rodriguez

and Joey Cheek) won five medals in long track speed skating at the 2002 Winter

Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Chad Hedrick, another American inline speed champion, switched to ice in 2002

and won the World All Around Speed Skating Championships in 2004.

Joey Cheek won two medals (a gold and silver) in Torino at the 2006 Winter

Olympic Games.

Chad Hedrick won three medals (a gold, silver and bronze) in Torino.

Apolo Anton Ohno, who won three medals in Torino (a gold and two bronzes),

also began skating on inline skates.

Now, many other inline racers cross train on ice to open up Olympic opportunities that

may not develop for them in inline speed skating. USA Roller Sports has even offered

inline to ice transition camps to help inline skaters learn skating techniques specific to

competitive long and short track ice speed skating, to explain the similarities and

differences between elite level inline racing and ice speed skating and to provide off ice

exercise programs including dry land, slide board and weight training.

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4.3 The Olympic Status of Inline and Roller SportsWhat Does It Take to Get Roller Sports Into the Olympics?

Every sport wants Olympic status and roller sports (including inline) are among them.

Climbing, bridge, golf, roller sports and surfing are among the sports that are recognized

by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The International Sports Federations that

govern these sports have to make sure that their rules, practices and activities adhere to

the Olympic Charter.

Efforts by the roller sports world governing body, the Federation Internationale de Roller

Sports (FIRS), to earn Olympic status for any of its disciplines were limited at the end of

the 20th century. FIRS didn't push the promotional envelope when quad hockey was a

demonstration sport in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. Now, in the U.K., the

British Inline Skater Hockey Association (BiSHA) is working with other disciplines to

form one governing body with the aim of achieving Olympic status. BiSHA has now

achieved Sports Council recognition and forms part of British Roller Sports Federation

(BRSF) – the governing body for roller skating disciplines.

FIRS' attempts to get Olympic status became most active around 2000, when inline speed

skating was promoted as the most suitable roller sport for the Olympics. Competition

from at least 20 other sports also seeking entry into the Olympics – at a time when they

were trying to reduce the number of participating sports – kept chances of entry very

slim. Since inline racing didn't get Olympic status, many inline speed skaters have

switched to ice speed skating to get a shot at Olympic participation.

Recently, softball and baseball were seeking reinstatement after being voted off the

agenda for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Roller sports joined them in the battle for

two spots on the Olympic program for 2016. Golf, squash, karate and seven-a-side rugby

were the other contenders. All seven sport federations received letters, requesting their

presentations of their sport in October of 2009, when the International Olympic

Committee assembles at Copenhagen. At this time, golf and rugby appear to be the sports

of choice.

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Conclusion

In conclusion,practicing a sport is beneficial for everyone because it makes

you have a healthy lifestyle and a good spiritual state.We always hear on TV that

we have to do 30 minutes of exercises daily and we should listen that

advice.However,many people have an unhealthy lifestyle and they are subject of

high risks in terms of their healh over time.

Many beautiful events are created based on the sport in general and many

people are happy to attend or watch these events.We have some famous

athletes like Nadia Comaneci or Ilie Nastase that made us proud to be

Romanian.

Annexes

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28

29

30

31

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http://inlineskating.about.com/od/competitiveinlineskating/p/faugere.htm

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