Wheely interesting spectacle aimed at new fans

Featuring thrills without chill, roller skiing is defying seasonal odds to attract urban spectators at the World Cup series opener in Beijing.

Built for the 2008 Summer Games, the Olympic Park in northern Beijing seems the least likely location for winter sports in July, but the arrival of an international roller skiing event has turned it into a sizzling summer showcase for the snowless version of cross-country skiing.

The three-day opening leg of the International Ski Federation's roller skiing World Cup series kicks off on Thursday with 131 athletes, including 42 locals, competing in three disciplines ranging from a 200m sprint to a 22.7km endurance race on a track encircling the Bird's Nest and Water Cube, two iconic 2008 venues.