Skater management and attendance

The following document has been prepared based on years of experience skating and organizing events and it is intended to provide guidelines to help managing events and skaters more effectively. In addition to the aforementioned, it also provides answers to many questions asked.

At all times, included but not limited to skill, the skater must to comply with agreement waiver and release of liability.

While it would great to have everyone in all events, such is not practical in order to make the event enjoyable for everyone when skill, equipment and available time, is different for everyone.

There are 4 main components that we are all affected by and that need to be considered when participating in an event:

1. Attendance
2. The skating equipment used by the skater
3. The skill level of the skater
4. Time available to complete the event in regards to distance

Attendance

When responding to an event it is important to understand that the organizers and or hosts are counting on the skater's presence and may be waiting for the skater, since the skater RSVP'ed with a YES. It is also understandable that life happens and sometimes the skater may not be able to attend after the positive RSVP is done. If the skater cannot make it, it is then expected that the skater updates the RSVP to a NO to let organizers know of the change. Simply not showing up, delays the event, and some events have limited RSVP's available and someone else in the waiting list could have attended.

• Skaters that notoriously have a trend of not showing up (No shows) after a YES RSVP, will be removed from future events.
• 3 no shows and never skated with the group will be excluded from the events for the rest of the season/year. Possibly from the group too.
• Unused accounts that have not been active for a long time and we never got any update from the skater, will be excluded from the group due to regular maintenance.
• Not respecting the code of conduct or the waiver will be a reason to remove the skater from an event and or group. (ie: drugs, harassment, bad or unsafe behavior, etc)
• Skaters that never skated with us and or vanished for a long time, may also be removed from the group due to digital maintenance.
• If you are part of kommunity, you are expected to skate 1 to 3 times a year to maintain your membership in the group.

Depending on the situation, a skater that becomes inactive may to rejoin the group once becoming active again.

Skating equipment

Generally speaking, the wheel size of a skate will determine the proficiency of the skater in regards to the type of event and activity to occur. Therefore the following must be considered when participating in an event. The following examples will give you an idea.

• On a speed or long distance event, bigger wheels will always be faster for longer periods of time and requiring less effort to maintain speed. In other words, on a 15 km trail, someone on 72 mm wheels will be left behind by a skater who is using 100 mm or 125 mm wheels. Long distance events typically start on 80 mm wheels to 110 mm. If you have a smaller wheel, you are either the road runner or you will be Wile E. Coyote and fall behind quickly.

• On slalom events, the 72/76/80 mm wheels will have the upper hand in agility and maneuverability while a skater with 4 x 110 mm or 3 x 125 mm will not only fall sooner or later as it will be unable to perform most if not all maneuvers. Keep in mind that skates with heel brakes usually result in falls due to the brake being in the way of the feet maneuvering.

• On aggressive skating events, the smaller the wheel the better is the performance and easier it becomes to perform tricks while bigger wheels such as 4 x 110 mm or 3 x 125 mm typically mean injuries assured. Is it also important to note that aggressive skates are built very different from all other types of skates in order to be able to perform the tricks and aggressiveness of the activity.

Prior to respond to an event, please see the event descriptions, equipment recommendations and or requirements.

Skill requirements

• On trail events the skater is expected to be able to maintain a specified average speed, to keep up with the group and not be left behind.
• Typically an intermediate skater is expected to maintain a speed around 15 km/h and the advanced skater above 15 km/h.
• Speed skaters are expected to maintain and go above 15 km/h. Ideally maintaining an average of 20 km/h.

Q: Do you wait for slower skaters? 

• Only within reason such as equipment fail or injury but the short answer is no.

Explanation:

• On a 15 km length event that is suppose to be done within 1 hour at an average of 15 km/h, a slower skater ends up by delaying the event, 20 to 30 minutes extra.

This will cause delays on everyone personal schedule and breaks the group as well as the event.

• Some skaters leave the event before it is finished due to their time constraints.
• Slower skaters feel bad that they delayed the group and the event and stop coming to future distance events.
• Faster skaters will stop showing up for future events because they are in it for speed and can do the distance in less time alone.

Skater removed

Q: Why was I removed from an event or the group?

Reasons include but not limited to:

• Responded to an event saying yes but never showed up and does it on a regular basis.
• Skill limitations
• Equipment limitations
• Fail to respect the code of conduct
• Fail to abide by the agreement waiver and release of liability