We are less than two years away from the World Games 2021 taking place in and around Birmingham. Alabama NewsCenter is explaining what you can expect to see. Today, we look at Roller Sports.

Roller sports use human-powered vehicles that require rolling, either by gravity or through various pushing techniques. Three disciplines of roller sports are offered in The World Games: artistic roller skating, inline hockey and speed skating.

Artistic roller skating

Artistic roller skating is a sport similar to figure skating, except the competitors wear roller skates instead of ice skates. Two disciplines of artistic are offered — freestyle and pairs — both of which incorporate jumps, spins and footwork into a program set to music.

Artistic freestyle skating incorporates jumps, spins and footwork into a program set to music. (contributed)

Inline hockey

Inline hockey is a team sport played on inline skates, in which players use a hockey stick to shoot a plastic puck into their opponent’s goal to score points. It is considered a contact sport, but body checking is prohibited. There are five players (including the goalie) from each team on the rink at a time. Players skate across the floor trying to gain control of the puck and score a goal against the opposing team.

Speed skating

Speed skating involves racing on in-line skates. There are two categories of speed skating: track and road. In track, the race is held on a patinodrome (an arena for this sport) with banked curves that is 200 meters in circumference. In road, races may be held on regular pavement. The tracks are marked by multiple pylons that create a road course.

Roller Sports have been a part of the World Games since 1980.

To learn more, visit: https://www.theworldgames.org/sports/Roller-Sports-60.