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Putting exercise on a glide path

2014-08-08 16:39 Shanghai Daily Web Editor: Wang Yuxia
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While people like to cool down in the hot summer, many make an exception and work up a sweat to join the roller skating craze that is sweeping the city.

With the ongoing 2014 Shanghai Slalom Open, the excitement has picked up. Attended by more than 400 skaters from 23 Chinese provinces and another 200 contestants from 20 countries, the annual event that runs through Sunday is an international gala for both professionals and fans.

A highlight this year is shifting the main competition to the Bund, which should make an ideal scene as skaters display their skills along the Huangpu River, set off by the city's skyline.

In the event, skaters zigzag between obstacles. Freestyle slalom skating, which might be the most popular event, involves performing tricks along a pair of straight lines and equally spaced cones. The most common spacing between the lines used in competitions is 80cm, with larger competitions also featuring lines spaced at 50cm and 120cm.

In recent years, this highly technical sport has captured the spirit of small children and young people.

You can spot them on skate wheels, swiftly gliding, jumping and spinning in parks, on the street and in open areas.

Roller skating, which requires speed and skill, can be a solo act or group fun.

"You can practice on your own or play with a group of people. It can be a very relaxing activity for people to escape from heavy studies and work," says Zhu Xiaokang, a liaison officer from the Shanghai Roller Skating Association.

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