Skaters contest the men's marathon event ©Luis Ramirez/World Skate

Germany's Felix Rijhnen and Chinese Taipei's Ho Chen Yang claimed the respective marathon titles on the final day of the Inline Speed Skating World Championships in The Netherlands.

The 42.195 kilometres mass start races took place over seven laps on a city centre course in Arnhem which includes sections over the "Bridge too Far" made famous by a 1944 World War Two battle - and subsequent film.

Rijhnen won the men's race in a sprint finish in a time of 1 hour 2min 15.607sec.

Ecuador's Jorge Davide Bolaños Villacorte crossed second in 1:02:15.626 and Belgium's junior sensation Jason Suttels was third in 1:02:15.988.

The women's marathon race was also held ©Luis Ramirez/World Skate
The women's marathon race was also held ©Luis Ramirez/World Skate

Ho enjoyed a similarly narrow success in the corresponding women's race.

She triumphed in 1:10:33:435 to win a thrilling sprint by just 0.005 seconds over Italian champion Francesca Lollabrigida.

Colombia's Maria Camila Guerra Guevara finished third in 1:10:33.602.