▁outer ▁l ane ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁final ▁curve ▁if ▁they ▁are ▁not ▁able ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁inner ▁curve , ▁as ▁long ▁as ▁they ▁are ▁not ▁inter fer ing ▁with ▁the ▁other ▁sk ater . ▁In ▁mass - start ▁races , ▁sk aters ▁will ▁usually ▁be ▁allowed ▁some ▁physical ▁contact . ▁ ▁Team ▁races ▁are ▁also ▁held ; ▁in ▁long ▁track ▁speed ▁sk ating , ▁the ▁only ▁team ▁race ▁at ▁the ▁highest ▁level ▁of ▁competition ▁is ▁the ▁Team ▁purs uit , ▁though ▁athlet ics - style ▁relay ▁races ▁are ▁held ▁at ▁children ' s ▁compet itions . ▁Rel ay ▁races ▁are ▁also ▁held ▁in ▁short ▁track ▁and ▁inline ▁compet itions , ▁but ▁here , ▁ex changes ▁may ▁take ▁place ▁at ▁any ▁time ▁during ▁the ▁race , ▁though ▁ex changes ▁may ▁be ▁b anned ▁during ▁the ▁last ▁couple ▁of ▁la ps . ▁ ▁Most ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁races ▁are ▁held ▁on ▁an ▁o val ▁course , ▁but ▁there ▁are ▁exceptions . ▁O val ▁sizes ▁vary ; ▁in ▁short ▁track ▁speed ▁sk ating , ▁the ▁r ink ▁must ▁be ▁an ▁o val ▁of ▁ 1 1 1 . 1 2 ▁metres , ▁while ▁long ▁track ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁uses ▁a ▁similarly ▁standard ized ▁ 4 0 0   m ▁r ink . ▁In line ▁sk ating ▁r inks ▁are ▁between ▁ 1 2 5 ▁and ▁ 4 0 0 ▁metres , ▁though ▁bank ed ▁tracks ▁can ▁only ▁be ▁ 2 5 0 ▁metres ▁long . ▁In line ▁sk ating ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁held ▁on ▁closed ▁road