Inline figure skating is a roller sport which includes competitive and cross-training activities for ice and roller sports enthusiasts, often called artistic skating, which grew into a competitive discipline very slowly.

The History of Inline Figure Skating

The birth of inline skating can be traced to Scandinavia or Northern Europe as a transportation method in the early 17th century. But inline skates eventually became a somewhat awkward substitute for ice skates on stages and other dryland surfaces.

By the 1880s, ice skating instructors were hired by roller rinks to teach skating basics to beginners and figure skating maneuvers to advanced skaters on the amazing Plimpton quad skates. But inline skating returned as an off-ice training alternative for ice hockey and figure skaters, as inline skate technology improved.

Figure skating on inlines has appeared at various times since then for ice cross-training, but did not get recognition as a competitive sport in its own right until 2002, when inline freeskating events for women and men were included as part of the World Roller Figure Skating Championships in Germany for the first time.

Today most national and international roller sports governing bodies including USA Roller Sports (USARS), have aligned with the Federation Internationale de Roller Sports (FIRS) in recognizing inline figure skating as a form of artistic roller skating on inline skates. These governing bodies include inline figure skating freestyle competitions in their local, national and world championship events.

Many of the participants at these events are also quad roller skaters. Inline figure skating is currently governed by the FIRS which includes it as an artistic roller skating sport on inline skates at its world championships. The FIRS championships are combined with roller figure skating, since both disciplines can use the same type of skating surface with similar free skating, dance and creative events.

But, there are also inline only events like the World Inline Figure Skating Association (WIFSA) governed Paris Open. WIFSA was formed in January of 2010 at a meeting of coaches, skaters and figure skating club officials at the 5th Paris International Open Inline Figure Skating event. This governing body recognizes inline figure skating as a complete and independent sports discipline in itself and includes dance, freestyle and pairs events at many skill and age levels with a combination of training, test and competitive programs. 

Inline Figure Skating Equipment

Today's inline figure roller sports are done on skate frames that have 3 or 4 wheels in a line with a rubber toe-stop or toe-pick, and professionally mounted on figure skating boots. The popularity of inline figure skating has grown with the development of high quality inline figure skating equipment and customizations from manufacturers like Snow White Inlines, PIC® Skates and Custom Inlines that allow each skater to attempt more difficult maneuvers.

Inline Figure Skating Activities 

Inline figure skating competitors execute program requirements, dance requirements and artistry on inline skates. Inline figure skaters around the world are now performing double and triple jumps, a range of spins, interesting choreography and all of the senior level dances while using inline skates.

Some of the ice figure skating federations, such as the International Skating Union (ISU), recognize the value of inline figure skating as cost effective off-ice training method. Many ice figure skating coaches have become qualified and certified inline figure skating and dance coaches to make good use of this cross-training potential.