1 1 . 1 2   m ▁o val ▁track . ▁Dist ances ▁are ▁shorter ▁than ▁in ▁long - track ▁racing , ▁with ▁the ▁longest ▁Olympic ▁individual ▁race ▁being ▁ 1 5 0 0 ▁meters ▁( the ▁women ' s ▁relay ▁is ▁ 3 0 0 0 ▁meters ▁and ▁the ▁men ' s ▁relay ▁ 5 0 0 0 ▁meters ). ▁Event ▁are ▁usually ▁held ▁with ▁a ▁knock out ▁format , ▁with ▁the ▁best ▁two ▁in ▁he ats ▁of ▁four ▁or ▁five ▁qual ifying ▁for ▁the ▁final ▁race , ▁where ▁med als ▁are ▁awarded . ▁Dis qual ifications ▁and ▁falls ▁are ▁not ▁un common . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁variations ▁on ▁the ▁mass - start ▁races . ▁In ▁the ▁reg ulations ▁of ▁roll er ▁sports , ▁eight ▁different ▁types ▁of ▁mass ▁starts ▁are ▁described . ▁Among ▁them ▁are ▁elim ination ▁races , ▁where ▁one ▁or ▁more ▁compet itors ▁are ▁elimin ated ▁at ▁fixed ▁points ▁during ▁the ▁course ; ▁simple ▁distance ▁races , ▁which ▁may ▁include ▁pre lim inary ▁races ; ▁end urance ▁races ▁with ▁time ▁limits ▁instead ▁of ▁a ▁fixed ▁distance ; ▁points ▁races ; ▁and ▁individual ▁purs uits . ▁ ▁R aces ▁usually ▁have ▁some ▁rules ▁about ▁dis qual ification ▁if ▁an ▁oppon ent ▁is ▁unf air ly ▁h inder ed ; ▁these ▁rules ▁vary ▁between ▁the ▁discipl ines . ▁In ▁long ▁track ▁speed ▁sk ating , ▁almost ▁any ▁in fr ing ement ▁on ▁the ▁pair mate ▁is ▁pun ished , ▁though ▁sk aters ▁are ▁permitted ▁to ▁change ▁from ▁the ▁inner ▁to ▁the