▁international ▁champion ships . ▁The ▁IS U ▁later ▁organ ised ▁its ▁own ▁World ▁Cup ▁circuit ▁with ▁mon et ary ▁pri zes , ▁and ▁full - time ▁professional ▁teams ▁developed ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁which ▁led ▁them ▁to ▁a ▁domin ance ▁on ▁the ▁men ' s ▁side ▁only ▁challeng ed ▁by ▁Japanese ▁ 5 0 0   m ▁rac ers ▁and ▁a ▁couple ▁of ▁American ▁all round ers . ▁ ▁Racing ▁ ▁All ▁races ▁are ▁held ▁in ▁pairs , ▁for ▁which ▁two ▁lan es ▁on ▁the ▁track ▁are ▁used . ▁Sk aters ▁wear ▁bands ▁around ▁their ▁upper ▁arm ▁to ▁identify ▁which ▁l ane ▁they ▁started ▁in . ▁The ▁colours ▁are ▁white ▁for ▁inner ▁l ane ▁and ▁red ▁for ▁outer ▁l ane . ▁At ▁the ▁back ▁straight , ▁the ▁sk aters ▁switch ▁lan es , ▁which ▁causes ▁them ▁both ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁same ▁distance ▁per ▁lap . ▁When ▁both ▁sk aters ▁emer ge ▁from ▁the ▁corner ▁at ▁exactly ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁the ▁person ▁currently ▁in ▁the ▁inner ▁l ane ▁will ▁have ▁to ▁let ▁the ▁outer ▁l ane ▁pass ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁him . ▁This ▁usually ▁does ▁not ▁cause ▁any ▁problems , ▁as ▁the ▁person ▁in ▁the ▁inner ▁l ane ▁will ▁generally ▁move ▁much ▁faster ▁than ▁the ▁person ▁in ▁the ▁outer ▁l ane . ▁ ▁Occ asion ally , ▁quart et ▁starts ▁are ▁used , ▁for ▁the ▁p rag m atic ▁and ▁practical ▁reason ▁of ▁allowing ▁more ▁sk aters ▁to ▁complete ▁their ▁races ▁inside ▁a ▁given ▁amount