Inline skating, sometimes called rollerblading after the successful inline skate company Rollerblade, is usually considered an activity meant for fun or exercise. But serious skaters have taken to the streets and tracks to set some impressive speed records over short distances and over hundreds of miles. Maybe some of these records can inspire you the next time you slip on your skates and race the wind.
Road Records
Among the many road speed records by inline skaters are those held by American Joey Mantia, who set the world record in the 500-meter sprint with a time of 38.66 seconds on Sept. 7, 2006 in South Korea. On Sept. 23, 2009, Mantia established a world record in the 20,000 meters with a time of 28 minutes and 56.19 seconds.
One of the other great road racing days in rollerblade record-setting was June 17, 1999, in Padova, Italy, when records were set in the men's 1,000, 1,500, 2,000 and 3,000 meter heats. Among the great women's road inline skate record setters is Italian Marisa Canafoglia, who established five inline skating speed records in Grenoble, France, on Aug. 28, 1987. Among those records were the 1,000 meters -- 1:28:014 -- and the 1,500 meters -- 2:14.122.
Track Records
On the track, Mantia is also a record setter, with best times in the 300 meters -- 24:250 -- and the 15,000 meters -- 22:34.644. Both records were set on Sept. 19, 2009. Italians tend to dominate track speed, with six records as of the 2011. On the women's side, Annie Lambrechs blazed her way to records in the 20,000, 30,000 and 50, 000 meters.
Backwards Marathon
The Guinness World Record for the fastest marathon backward on inline skates is one hour 45 minutes and 56 seconds, set by Germany's Werner Fischer on Sept. 23, 2006. The event was the 2006 Berlin Marathon.
24-Hour Speed Record
The longest distance covered by a woman in 24 hours while on inline skates was 283.07 miles by Kimberly Ames in Portland, Oregon, on Oct. 2, 1994.
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