the inline speed skate scene
Downhill inline speed skating is by far one of the most incredible disciplines in the wild world of downhill gravity speed racing. The competitors are few, literally, only three speed inliners in history to have made their mark and gone down in the history books officially as inline's fastest of the fast. And no wonder, it takes a special breed to hurtle themselves down an 18% grade reaching speeds that have now eclipsed 80 plus miles an hour while riding on the smallest wheeled platform in gravity speed racing, the inline skate! The first official inline world record happened in 1999. That would stand until 2016. From there, the following two years would see the world record reset twice. Incredible speed achievements by these inline speed merchants!
Gabe Holms at the 2016 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge
the first inline world record
In 1999, the first official inline downhill speed record was recorded. Graham Wilkie (GBR), a former downhill speed ski world record holder, would set a Guinness world record at Fountain Hills, AZ. Graham while riding on a pair of street ski/inline skates would be the first in the gravity history books recording a speed of 103.03 km/h 64.02 mph. Graham Wilkie had become the first true inline speed merchant. This world record would stand and remain unchallenged until the early 2016 by Sandro Bovo of Italy, nearly 17 years later! GO FAST
1999 Graham Wilkie 103.03 km/h 64.02 mph
Sandro Bovo shatters 17 year inline record
Arguably not only one of the tallest competitors in gravity speed racing, but also the nicest, Sandro Bovo (ITA) would shatter the existing 17 year old inline record that was recorded by Graham Wilkie in 1999. On February 21, 2016, Sandro would make an all out speed assault on a quiet stretch of road in Teutonia, Brazil. Bovo would make three runs for the record. The following is Sandro's run sequence results.
Run 1. 119.60 km/h 74.31 mph Run 2. 127.66 km/h 79.32 mph Run 3. 126.76 78.76 mph
Sandro would set a WGSA inline world record of 127.66 km/h 79.32 mph. Rewriting the previous world record by more the 24 km/h 15 mph! He had just missed being the first person in history to break the 80 MPH barrier by less than 1 mph! Guinness world records would average his three passes and record a world record of 124.67 km/h 77.46 mph for the Guinness books. Sandro was now the fastest downhill inline skater in the world. The following September, Bovo would travel to the 2016 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge in Quebec Canada, to defend his WGSA world record and raise the speed bar in the process. Sandro Bovo, one of gravity speed racing's true champions. GO FAST
Run 1. 119.60 km/h 74.31 mph Run 2. 127.66 km/h 79.32 mph Run 3. 126.76 78.76 mph
Sandro would set a WGSA inline world record of 127.66 km/h 79.32 mph. Rewriting the previous world record by more the 24 km/h 15 mph! He had just missed being the first person in history to break the 80 MPH barrier by less than 1 mph! Guinness world records would average his three passes and record a world record of 124.67 km/h 77.46 mph for the Guinness books. Sandro was now the fastest downhill inline skater in the world. The following September, Bovo would travel to the 2016 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge in Quebec Canada, to defend his WGSA world record and raise the speed bar in the process. Sandro Bovo, one of gravity speed racing's true champions. GO FAST
Sandro Bovo 2016 WGSA Inline World Record Holder 127.66 km/h 79.32 mph
the 2016 inline battle on the big hill
The 2016 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge saw two competitors on the big Canadian hill. Sandro Bovo (ITA) was there to hold on to his WGSA world record and hopefully racket it up a bit. Gabe Holm (USA), well known in the inline world, was there to claim the record and take top speed honors for inline at the event. This event road has proved to be the fastest gravity speed racing hill on the planet and this would be the first time on the hill for the inliners to attempt a speed blitz on the WGSA world record. This would play out to be one of the great gravity speed duals between Gabe Holm and the existing WGSA world record holder, Sandro Bovo.
Friday's Inline Speed Session
Friday, the two inline speed merchants spent acclimating to the hill. Sandro was the fastest the first four passes, increasing his speed with each run. Gabe was also finding MPH and was now closing in on the WGSA world record holder. The 5th run, Sandro had slowed some and Holm rocketed on to a 115.13 km/h 71.53 mph lap and would run the same on his sixth pass. Bovo on his 6th and final run would not find anymore speed to speak of. Holm would be the fastest for the Friday session.
Saturday's Inline Speed Session
Saturday was a great speed dual between the two inline titans. Sandro again was the fastest for the first lap, then the tables turned. Gabe had found some speed on the hill. Bovo would give a great chase but just couldn't get around Holm. The session's fifth lap was the fastest for both competitors. Sandro would run a 113.92 km/h 70.78 mph. Gabe would stop the timers with a pass of 118.51 km/h 73.63 mph, holding off the world record holder and this speed would go to be the event's inline top speed!
Sunday's Inline Speed Session
The Sunday's session was a blow out. A cold front bringing wind and rain dashed any hopes of Sandro making any attempts to overtake Gabe for the day. Gabe Holm had won the event's inline speed honors, while Sandro Bovo emerged still the reigning WGSA world record holder. While both skaters speeds were off pace of the world record, the event still boasted some phenomenal speed runs between these two on the big Canadian hill. Watch for these two inline champions to meet up again for another gravity speed contest. GO FAST
Sandro Bovo 2016 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge
Gabe Holm sets new 2017 WGSA inline world record and milestone
The 2017 L'Ultime Descente Speed Challenge would prove to be the fastest gravity speed race in history. The world's two fastest downhill inliners, Sandro Bovo (ITA) and Gabe Holm (USA) were in attendance to be a part of it. They were also joined by a newcomer on the hill, Shaun Condon (AUS) who was here with the intention on becoming part of gravity speed racing history. This promised to be another classic matchup between Bovo and Holm with Condon in the mix.
Sandro Bovo at speed at the 2017 L'Ultime Descente
Friday's Speed Session
The inliners were on the hill with the first couple of laps just to get the feel of the incline and looking for the right line. Sandro Bovo, the current WGSA world record holder, got started with a 113 km/h pass, Shaun Condon ran a respectable 89 km/h on his very first rookie pass on the hill, Gabe Holm who won this event in 2016, laid down a 101 km/h pass. On run #3 of Friday's session, Holm had figured it out and never looked back. Bovo was giving chase increasing his speed with each pass however, Gabe was increasingly laying down bigger MPH, indicating he was going to be very hard to catch. Condon was cautiously running clean lines and coming to grips with the monster hill. He would increase his speed with every lap on Friday finishing with a respectable 97.56 km/h 60.62 mph run. Gabe would stop the timers with a 122.44 km/h final lap on Friday with Sandro in pursuit with a 118.68 final for the day. Holm was fastest for the session and had run his personal best. Saturday's weather forecast called for a cold front pushing thru creating a possible gravity speed racing dream day. Tailwinds!
Saturday's speed Session
Saturday turned into just that. With tailwinds right down the pipe, there was the strong possibility of the current record falling and someone becoming the first thru the 80 mph barrier. Condon was on a mission to run a personal best this session. While running the hill smart and safe, he continued to up his speeds for the session. Shaun was in the hunt for a 100+ km/h pass. Sandro was running 114 to 115 laps the first three then fell off to a 91.68 km/h 56.96 mph pass on his fourth. Gabe Holm, now in the zone on his fourth pass of the session breaks the timing beams recording a jaw dropping speed of 132.02 km/h 82.03 mph! He had just set a new WGSA world record and became the first inline skater in history over 80 mph! Bovo now has to literally throw caution to the wind and go for it to catch Holm. This pass and the following, Sandro would run 127.35 km/h 79.13 mph. He could not break the grip of the 120's. Holm would go on to run 131.38 km/h 81.63 mph for his next pass and on his sixth and final lap of the day, he would bump up the WGSA world record again running a mind numbing speed of 132.19 km/h 82.13 mph! Shaun Condon had finished up the session with a very respectable 103.84 km/h 64.52 mph personal best. Mission accomplished! That pass would make Condon officially the third fastest inliner in the world! A truly incredible day of speed for the three fastest inliners on the planet!
Sunday's Speed Session
Just like the event in 2016, Sunday's speed sessions were basically blown out due to heavy crosswinds and turbulence on the hill, the possibility of any world record attempts were next to impossible. Sandro would now have to wait for the next speed challenge to try to reclaim the WGSA world record. The gravity history books were now rewritten. Gabe Holm is the new WGSA Inline World Record Holder and the first and only downhill inline skater to date over the 80 mph milestone. Gabe also had taken the top speed inline accolade for the event. A truly incredible speed performance by one of the inline greats GO FAST
The inliners were on the hill with the first couple of laps just to get the feel of the incline and looking for the right line. Sandro Bovo, the current WGSA world record holder, got started with a 113 km/h pass, Shaun Condon ran a respectable 89 km/h on his very first rookie pass on the hill, Gabe Holm who won this event in 2016, laid down a 101 km/h pass. On run #3 of Friday's session, Holm had figured it out and never looked back. Bovo was giving chase increasing his speed with each pass however, Gabe was increasingly laying down bigger MPH, indicating he was going to be very hard to catch. Condon was cautiously running clean lines and coming to grips with the monster hill. He would increase his speed with every lap on Friday finishing with a respectable 97.56 km/h 60.62 mph run. Gabe would stop the timers with a 122.44 km/h final lap on Friday with Sandro in pursuit with a 118.68 final for the day. Holm was fastest for the session and had run his personal best. Saturday's weather forecast called for a cold front pushing thru creating a possible gravity speed racing dream day. Tailwinds!
Saturday's speed Session
Saturday turned into just that. With tailwinds right down the pipe, there was the strong possibility of the current record falling and someone becoming the first thru the 80 mph barrier. Condon was on a mission to run a personal best this session. While running the hill smart and safe, he continued to up his speeds for the session. Shaun was in the hunt for a 100+ km/h pass. Sandro was running 114 to 115 laps the first three then fell off to a 91.68 km/h 56.96 mph pass on his fourth. Gabe Holm, now in the zone on his fourth pass of the session breaks the timing beams recording a jaw dropping speed of 132.02 km/h 82.03 mph! He had just set a new WGSA world record and became the first inline skater in history over 80 mph! Bovo now has to literally throw caution to the wind and go for it to catch Holm. This pass and the following, Sandro would run 127.35 km/h 79.13 mph. He could not break the grip of the 120's. Holm would go on to run 131.38 km/h 81.63 mph for his next pass and on his sixth and final lap of the day, he would bump up the WGSA world record again running a mind numbing speed of 132.19 km/h 82.13 mph! Shaun Condon had finished up the session with a very respectable 103.84 km/h 64.52 mph personal best. Mission accomplished! That pass would make Condon officially the third fastest inliner in the world! A truly incredible day of speed for the three fastest inliners on the planet!
Sunday's Speed Session
Just like the event in 2016, Sunday's speed sessions were basically blown out due to heavy crosswinds and turbulence on the hill, the possibility of any world record attempts were next to impossible. Sandro would now have to wait for the next speed challenge to try to reclaim the WGSA world record. The gravity history books were now rewritten. Gabe Holm is the new WGSA Inline World Record Holder and the first and only downhill inline skater to date over the 80 mph milestone. Gabe also had taken the top speed inline accolade for the event. A truly incredible speed performance by one of the inline greats GO FAST
Top km/h Speed Friday Saturday Sunday
Gabe Holm WGSA Inline World Record Holder 80 MPH Milestone 2017 L'Ultime Descente Inline Top Speed
132.19 km/h 82.13 mph
132.19 km/h 82.13 mph
Gabe Holm 132.19 km/h 82.13 mph
Sandro Bovo 127.35 km/h 79.13 mph
Shaun Condon (AUS) Sandro Bovo (ITA) Gabe Holm (USA)
Top Three Fastest Inliners in the World 2017
Top Three Fastest Inliners in the World 2017