From: kimon@iat.holonet.net (Kimon Papahadjopulos)
Newsgroups: rec.skate
Subject: Laguna Seca Challenge- 11mi inline race
Date: 7 Apr 92 21:59:48 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: HoloNet (BBS: 510-704-1058)

debbie@concannon.llnl.gov (Debra A. Callahan) writes:

>My husband and I are fairly new to inline skating.  This weekend,
>our city (Livermore, California) had a fitness day that included
>5k and 10k runs and a 10k "Rollerblade" event.  We found this to 
>be a lot of fun and are wondering how to find out about these kinds
>of skating events.  

Skate racing is very fragmented.  There are people putting on races all
the time.  The best way to find out about them is to be in contact with
a race organizer, or keep in touch with a group of skate racers...

Reading rec.skate is a good start.

In San Francisco, the ORA (Outdoor RollerSkating Association) is a good
place to call.  (415)-864-5819.  They do the Kryptonics Championship
Series and other races, and have a good idea of what races are going on in
the area.

BTW, I was just about to post this:

April 11:  Laguna Seca Challenge.

The second annual Laguna Seca Challenge will be held at the famous
Laguna Seca International Raceway, Monterey California.

(From a race flyer)
In-line Skate Races:

The In-Line Skate Races will be conducted on the world famous Laguna Seca
Raceway on Saturday, April 11.  Registration opens at 7:30am.  Novice
races start at 8:00am, expert races start at 8:00 open to skaters with
prior race experience.  The length is 11 miles, the course is hilly.
Novice races are open to everyone and will be conducted on a flat
portion of the track.  All skaters are required to wear helmets and wrist
guards.  Novice racers should wear knee and elbow pads.  The total prize
list for experts is $750 in cash, gift certificates and merchendise.
Novice racers will be awarded ribbons and merchendise.

I was talking to the promoter, and he says most of the course is as smooth
as glass, and parts of it are very challenging.  According to him, on one of
the downhill portions skaters "casually" reach speeds of 35mph, and
need to brake hard coming into the slightly banked turn at the bottom.  (He
says they will put bales of hay around on corner).  He believes that
the race will be one or lost at this point:  those that can safely handle
the speed will gain a lot of distance.

The race is five laps around the track.

K's wheel and frame recommendation:

(Disclaimer:  These are only guesses.  Speculation is the name of the game
here, no hard physics.  Your best combination may be different.  And
I haven't seen the course, only had it described to me.)

It all hinges on the downhills.  I am assuming that for most of them,
the bottom is clear enough so that you can use the speed.

Wheel Hardness:
If the course is as smooth as advertised, hard wheels seem like the
way to go: 78's or harder, perhaps a combination of 78's and 82's.  Of
course, this will give less traction on the hard turns, and I haven't seen
the track, so it's hard to know for sure.

Wheel Size:
With the track so smooth and with the downhills, I have to reccomend 80's.
I seem to like 80's better than a lot of people, but if you can push
full speed on most of the downhills, they should help.  Perhaps more
importantly, with an ultra-smooth course, each stroke will be easier
and the skaters will be stroking faster.  As long as the hills don't
tire the racers out too much (a BIG assumption), the extra power should
be benificial, even on a somewhat lengthy 11 mile course.

Frame Size:
Considering the speeds atainable on the downhills, a long frame is probably
a good idea.  The stability will be needed.

Kimon Papahadjopoulos
From: hjohnsen@hpcuhc.cup.hp.com (Al Johnsen)
Date: Fri, 10 Apr 1992 15:03:51 GMT
Subject: Re: Olympic demo sport
Organization: Hewlett Packard, Cupertino