The Ice Cross Downhill World Championship is in Wagrain, Austria, ahead of the second Riders Cup event of 2015.
Canada's Scott Croxall skates out of the gates during Thursday's training session.
Switzerland's Derek Wedge - the world champion from 2013.
This is the second of four Riders Cup events which are organised by the athletes themselves.
The current world champion, Marco Dallago, a native of Graz, has organised the event in his home country.
The track is designed to challenge the skaters, with world championship points up for grabs.
Skaters from all over have travelled to Austria ahead of Saturday's race.
Training continued even as darkness descended.
Many of the sport's elite athletes are competing as they try and improve their world championship points tally.
Canada's Kyle Croxall won the first Red Bull Crashed Ice of the season in Saint Paul and will have his sights set on extending his lead in the world championship.
