The countdown is on. On March 29th, the iconic Bund Bull Square in Shanghai will once again host the opening race of the World Skate Marathon Tour, and this year, everything is bigger, bolder and more competitive than ever.
The 2026 edition brings a field of 14 teams representing 17 countries, all ready to battle for glory, ranking points and prize money from the very first kilometre. A new season, a new format, and a cast of athletes including both Masters and Amateurs that promises to make this the most spectacular Tour in history.
Names to watch
Felix Rijhnen (Powerslide Vesmaco) dominated the 2025 Shanghai opener, and the German will be the man to beat once again on the Bund circuit he knows so well. Alongside him, Valentina Cano (Simmons Rana World Team) delivered one of the performances of the season in that same race, a breathtaking victory that announced her as a force to be reckoned with at the very top of the women's field.
After a 2025 season that set the bar high, the line-up heading to Shanghai is nothing short of extraordinary.
Metoděj Jílek arrives carrying the most electrifying storyline of the off-season: the Czech skater, already a five-time Junior World Champion, claimed the Olympic gold medal on ice this winter, and now brings that momentum back to the inline circuit with the world watching.
The legend is back. Bart Swings, Olympic Champion, inline skating icon and winner of the 2024 Shanghai race, returns to the Tour after the winter chapter on ice. When Bart is on the start line, anything can happen.
Eyes will also be on Anandkumar Velkumar, the rising star and already double World Champion ( Marathon and 1000m ) whose talent and progression have made him one of the most exciting young names in the global inline scene.
The women's field is equally stacked. Gabriela Vargas (Arena Geisingen – Ka-Li Skate Team), arrives in Shanghai with the hunger of someone who knows exactly what it takes to win.
Aura Quintana (SheaStokes Inline Speed Team) is one of the most decorated marathon skaters of her generation, a multiple World Cup winner whose tactical intelligence and finishing speed make her a constant threat on any course.
Luz Karime Garzón (NL-Racing) with 20 World Championship titles to her name, the Colombian icon remains one of the most dominant and inspiring figures the sport has ever had.
The Course
The race will unfold along one of the world's most breathtaking urban settings: the famous Bund area, opening with a 10-kilometre point-to-point section before transitioning onto a 5.4-kilometre lap circuit.
The Jerseys
Thanks to our clothing partner NOTHING, Green Jerseys will once again mark out the Leading Pro Men and Women, alongside the White Jerseys awarded to the Future Star Men and Women which celebrates the most promising young skaters under 22.
Race Schedule (CST, GMT+8)
- 6:45 a.m. - Pro, Master & Amateurs Men start (42 km / 21 km) BundBull Square(Start Area)
- 6:47 a.m. - Pro, Master & Amateurs Women start (42 km / 21 km)
- 6:49 a.m. - Amateurs start (10 km)
- 10:00 a.m. - Award Ceremonies. BundBull Square (Start Area)
Read the bulletins: WSMT BULLETINS
Follow the live action on worldskate.tv