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As inline skating has grown in popularity over the years, so too have the number of organized events that are available for you to participate in. Whether a marathon, a competition, or even a festival, the number of skating events that occur each year across the world continues to grow.

 

A large number of events occur each year for aggressive skaters, who have taken inline skating to new heights with dazzling tricks and jumps. Aggressive skaters compete in two types of competitions, Vert and Street. Vert competitions make use of a halfpipe in which skaters will propel themselves in the air while performing a combination of tricks, spins, grabs, and grinds. Street competitions are different in the sense that they do not use a halfpipe, but instead use a variety of boxes, slopes, and rails for the skater to perform similar maneuvers (see image to right).

 

In addition to aggressive skating events, there are also numerous events that take place annually across the United States and Canada. If you know in advance when an event is taking place it is an excellent way to plan a quick weekend trip or vacation. Unless of course the event is in your area, then you can just make plans to participate in it.

 

Information on inline skating events can be found in many different ways including: newspapers, magazines, word of mouth from other skaters, and of course the Internet. The Internet is a great tool to use to find new events and gather information for an event you are considering attending. To help you get started finding events, here is a list of events that take place annually. For more information on a specific event, click on the links provided below: 

Chicagoland Inline Marathon

Chicago Metropolitan Area, IL

 

Skate Boston

Boston, MA

 

Saint Paul Inline Marathon

Saint Paul, MN

 

Big Apple Roll

New York, NY

 

North of the 49 Marathon

Winnipeg, MB, Canada

 

 

3 River Roll

Pittsburgh, PA

 

 

24hrs Inline Montreal

Montreal, QC, Canada

 

 

North Shore Inline Marathon

Duluth, MN

 

 

Athens to Atlanta Road Skate Event

Athens/Atlanta, GA

 

If you are a parent you may have a vague idea of what aggressive skating is. Some of you may not, so we ask that you accept our apologies now if you know much of what is described below. If your child is begging for a pair of aggressive skates and wants to go to a local skate park, it is best that you have a little knowledge of what they are desiring to do. Here’s a little background on the sport:

Shortly after inline skating began to rapidly gain popularity in the mainstream market in the late 1980s, aggressive skating was born. The foundations of the sport began when inline skaters started using their recreational inline skates to perform creative tricks and jumps in natural urban environments. Not long after this phenomenon started, the first inline skates designed for aggressive skating were manufactured by Rollerblade, Inc.

In addition to designing and manufacturing the first aggressive skating specific skate, Rollerblade would also coordinate and sponsor many of the first aggressive inline skating competitions. In 1995, the Aggressive Skaters Association (ASA) was founded and provided aggressive skaters with a platform to showcase their skills at an international level.

Presently, aggressive skating has gained immense worldwide popularity, with countless numbers of skaters in dozens of countries. Numerous aggressive skating events are held nationwide in the United States each year, and many others are held in international competitions as well.

Aggressive skating competitions are held in two distinct formats: Vert Skating and Street Skating. Vert Skating utilizes a Halfpipe (see image to the right), requiring a skater to propel him or herself vertically into the air and perform aerial tricks. Street Skating is much different because it does not use a Halfpipe, but instead uses a series of obstacles (e.g. ramps, rails, slope boxes), which the skater must utilize to showcase his or her abilities.

In all, aggressive skating is a great activity for children of all ages. It requires a great deal of patience and focus on their part to learn the nuances of the tricks, which is very good for the brain. Additionally, it allows them to get off of the couch and get out of the house for some exercise. They also have the opportunity to meet and interact with others who share the same interest. If they get good enough at it, they can begin to enter competitions and from there the sky is the limit.

As a parent, you may consider the sport to be very dangerous and hazardous. While it is quite a daring sport, the protective equipment that is available is designed for the sport specifically. You just need to make certain you buy the equipment and make sure they wear it. Furthermore, the protective gear is continually advancing in design, becoming safer and safer all of the time.