The city of Paris is making an exposition about skating – life, culture, sport. One reception has been given. Some speech…
It took place in the city hall, old & nice building. I was on some pictures 🙂
This World Championship was my main date of the year. Rendez vous with sport & performance. Actually I discovered new Russian skaters, high performance I did not expect so good. Some Russian skaters, I expected, were missing (Andrei from Piter, Pavel from Vladivostok, others from Moscow..). We had a new hotel, close from the competition, very convenient. Those who came once want to come everytime 🙂
After the event, I stayed there further days with my friends Olivier, Skali, Christophe. Skating in Pobedy Park, enjoying Moscow, meeting Russian friends. Nice time.
Video link from Russia
This is the 3rd World Cup of the year. 58 competitors from France & Italy.
The organization done by the club of Nice Roller Attitude was good. This is my club actually.
Sunny days, skating & swimming in the blue sea of Nice.
The show was on in Shanghai CiCi Club, last 29th June. Girls singing & public voting + Break dancing & Slalom skating. I didn’t understand more as my Chinese is not that fluent. We spent some 3 days previously, shopping & skating. Meeting with Twincam. Checking the downtown & the new town. Testing the local skaters slalom spot & speaking with Chinese players. Asian days in China.
PS : Thanks to Dalang for the 5 pictures displayed here.
This competition in Milano has been hot, as last year. Sun, Sun, Sun. New skaters from Spain & New skaters from Italy joined. The organisation of Poligessate hosted the event, very well located for Italian skaters and accreditated by the FIHP.
Roscoff – West France – 7 hours motorway with Severine THOMAS & Hakim NAIT CHALAL. After qualifications in SaintMedard, we were skating for 2 days of Championship. Many performances of jump & slalom.
For me it was the Freestyle Slalom, I scored 1st on Saturday & 1st on Sunday. It is my 6th title of French Champion of Freestyle Slalom.
I have been invited to Rollerblade Headquater in Italy. Great time to meet everyone & speak about skates. I didn’t know what to expect.
Finally I made a show, I presented the Twister 2009, dicussed with Director, Product manager, Designer, Marketing …
Well, life of the skate company.
As usual, I am back with some pictures, these will be online within a few days. A short confidentiality delay is required.
We skated 2 shows in Barcelona this year : 1 in a women
jail prison + 1 in Montjuic for the Fiesta of the wheels.
Invited by Rodats, Christophe Flinois & I performed
& gave slalom course for Spanish Skaters which level
is increasing. Sounds good for the next World Cup Barcelona
in September…
This is the first World Cup of the year. New location for new skaters. Actually I met skaters from Belguim, skated on their local spots, but few took part to the competition. My friend Walid organized a nice week end around this competition.
About the competition, as always level was high for freestyle slalom & speed slalom. New transitions, New Tricks. A great delegation from Italy, some skaters from Belguim, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, and many French for these performances. The indoor place is very large, the floor is grippy, sound system loud, all accomodations available : good start for Belguim events organization.
This is a contest organised by « les rollers marseillais ». Marseille is a famous place for agressive skating, but also freestyle skating. Former groups organised IFSA competition & French cup… The place remains on the area of « Borely » along the sea.
Skaters came from Montpellier, Paris, Marseille, Toulon, Grenoble, Lyon, Toulouse… mostly south of France. That Sunday morning was rainy, so after a barbecue party offered by the organisation, the contest took place in the afternoon. The floor was wet but provided enough grip to perform, so we did. Caroline ranked 1st for the women – I ranked 1st for the men.
The French Federation organizes many national competitions of freestyle skating – the French Championship is the main. It also hosts 1 international competition for the IFSA. This week end, the club of Rollerbug welcomed skaters of every ages – for high performances. Very nice performances including a record of speed slalom : 4.92 seconds by Yohan Fort
We performed a show in Nîmes – Saturday night before a competition of speed skating (FIC). On the programm : 5 Skaters to present slalom skating : Skali, Clochette, Christophe, Olivier & Vinz. Skaliweb.com & Rollerenligne.com will propose some pictures of this show later… maybe a video ?
Sunday in Montpellier we made some further tricks of Christophe & I.
The video of the show by RollerEnLigne =
http://www.rollerenligne.com/fr/news.php?id=5384&pratique=11
About 30 students from France, Italy, Spain, Finland & Brazil joined. It was organized by the MUC Roller, including Skali&Clochette. I was instructor with Skali, teaching the rules, making exercices, meeting new people. These people are very important for the sport, they are committing in the developpment of freestyle activities. Without judges, there wouldn’t be any competition. Without judges, no competitors. These people are yearning
to serve the sport, they are studying & graduating for this aim.
Sinceres thanks,
6 days in Bologna, 5 show per day : such a good time in Italy with slalom skaters I met years ago. Pier Paulo who developped basis of IFSA for Italy, who organises the Modena Skipass & promotes Rollerblade. Elena Minelli who trusted the top rank of Lausanne, who developped that trick called the « Italian ». Elena Pescarini, Etore, Augustino. On Saturday, a famous TV presentator came to introduce & warm up our shows. Slalom, Jump, Choregraphie … check the pictures
World Inline Cup of speed skating, then Marathon for runners. Saturday was the skating day & the rainy day too. All had to go on, so all went on, everyone skated as if the sun was on. End of the day, special party among hundreds of skaters & awards ceremony. FIRS officials gave prizes. For me, Berlin WIC happened thanks to Rollerblade invitation. I performed 2 shows with Christophe Flinois. It was quite difficult to take pictures while skating. It took place on the finish line some minutes before the racers finished the marathon. Many people & media in spite of the weather. We also checked the 2008 skates, all but Twisters. Sunday we visited the city … on wheels & invited some cones to join the monuments.
31st August Qualifications
1st 2nd September Finales
(click the picture to access the gallery)
+ 3rd IFSA competition : Huge organisation, giant stadium, and many skaters coming from everywhere. This was held by RollerClub, Russian Federation in partnership with the Russian Olympic Comittee. Do you know Vladivostock is some 9000km from Moscow ? Some Russian need to travel twice more than I did to join Moscow. Freestyle was on Saturday, I then had time to take part to speed slalom. I met new skaters about 70 participants for freestyle slalom only. Organisation was sharp, on time. Nice competition & I scored 1st for Freestyle Slalom.
In Spain, siempre. In between 2 World competitions, I had some time with friends skating in Bilbao for a show for the skaters of Zona Verde. Olivier & Chritophe joined the show. Carlos & Ana (from Barcelona) took part to the exibition as well.
IFSA competition : This competition was over 3 days, including unsual qualifications on Friday (which I won). On Sunday for the finales I performed 2nd. So finally, Tiziano from Italy won that step of the World Cup.
Bordeaux : Since long weeks, weather was cold, wet, and cloudy, over that 3 days the sun was on : so hot, almost bad. The organisation of the competition was good as usual, and the skaters confirmed a high technical level.
+ 1st IFSA competition : Time to qualify, Time to start the cup, Time to meet the other skaters, see the new runs, the new tricks, check the new songs. Russian, Italian, French, Spanish are improving. The tricks 2007 improved since 2006.
+ Barcelona : the right place « siempre ». Summer, Sun, Heat, Fodd & Drinks. I always enjoy this city.
Freestyle was on Saturday, I then had time to take part to speed slalom, & even to slides open contest. I met new partners. Organisation was on time. Free Drinks were offered to the skaters. This week end was a great time for skating, meeting skaters & I scored 1st for Freestyle Slalom.
Fin de Semana en Espana para hablar y patinar, comer y bailar 🙂 Nice Week-end in Barcelona.
Back home but looking forward to be back there for the 1st IFSA competition 2007. Living there… a true question.
2 Shows + 1 video session + 1 training session : video will be produce & display later 🙂
Nice sunny week end in Paris, Extra week end (3days). Some usual mates were away. Some usual mates were at Invalides, free mind and ready to play. Dim & Alex had pro cameras on. Here are those from DIM.
Pictures from AlexF [Serial Riders] :
Place Invalides HomeTown, Paris
TV calls for show, TV calls for Artists. Artist, well I am rather practising sport, but I ve gone for promotion stuffs in a limited space, limited time, and on a moving floor. Easy tricks, because TV managers & Video DJs prefer crazy than screw. This is about marketing & promotion for Freestyle Slalom. TV does remain the main media to broadcast, present & promote my sport.
December is about Christmas time, Time for Kids & Show Time. So we did, performing 6 shows, 2500 spectators each. Slalom was once part of a whole : dance, freestyle, horse riding … for a whole kid story.
Check the funny faces & let freestyle slalom be part of the show.
Many people are wondering about equipment. So here some informations & pictures about the latest wheel I get. The +Grip Family is about wheels, and next year a new TechGrip is expected 🙂
The +Grip Family :
* The former Hyper +Grip
* The Hyper +Grip
* The Hyper Concrete
* The former Hyper TechGrip
I took off from Paris with Luc. We met the skaters from Taiwan, skated in indoor skatparks over 2 level & outdoor rink (so warm there). We performed freesession, video recording & TV shows ; skating cones & halfpipe. All the week was managed by DSP team 🙂 Last 3 days we were on duty for the Taiwanese official sport body & the IFSA, running judge course for international purposes as well as national ones, or even training coaches.Well, developping freestyle skating as an official sport, working for its recognition in Taiwan.
Taiwan is a nice place to skate, a bit hot maybe … but they have air conditionning indoor skateparks. They also have good skaters performing difficult tricks. Video report about this trip from the organization : Taiwan2006 by Keybo + Tawain2006 video by VinZ ( or streaming link).
Back in Spain with Oliver : because we love it. New public for slalom. This latest developpment sounds good. Spanish skaters are some year older than French skaters. They are just enjoying so much, kind of Californian spirit over Cantabria. So this week end was about teaching cone skating + performing a show for a large public.
Here are some pictures, video links = high quality 69Mo – low quality 23 Mo.
The finales of the IFSA Championship & Cup did took place near Barcelona, in Terrassa. Many skaters skating better & better did represent : France, Italy, UK, Russia, Korea, Nederlands, Spain. Even Indian skaters joined but finally did not compete. The finales are always special, as more competitors are joining. In Terrassa public was little, but this was the only solution to organise the IFSA finales in August. Special Thanks to the organisation for this.
During these few days, I stayed with 2 other French competitors in Barcelona (Christophe Flinois & Olivier Herrero), taking good care of Twincam special guest & friend (Yu Dajin). I did perform 4th of the championship and 3rd of the cup. Full results on : www.ifsasports.org
This is a special news about my bearings partner Twincam . This partnership is successful for many freestyle skaters over the world : 2 from UK, 2 from France, 2 from Italy, 2 from Russia and 1 from Korea. Twincam has developped special bearings for slalom and provides lots of bearings to each skater, so they can train safe all year long. They also invested further money for communication onto skaters such as Tshirts & Travel Bags.
Recently this brand is even investing more money on freestyle sports, by inviting some members of its team to freestyle competition in Barcelona. Actually by funding the skaters, they give them the chance to take part : Naomi GRIGG, as well as the young korean champion Dajin YU. Katja DIKUSHINA will be sponsored for this trip as well. This kind of promotion is really usefull. Therefore I am glad about this brand, not for myself, but for these freestyle skaters invited & the other competitors who will find more opponents.
This UK competition planned at first in Eastbourne, finally took place in London – Southwark Park. Since some partners came late, it began a bit late, suffered the rain, but was finally driven fairly over these 2 days by the organisators & the judges. Skaters from UK, France, Italy, Russia & Nederlands joined. Performances were good, many Skaters from London came to see and try for the first time. Freestyle skating is definetly growing up in UK.
Injured for this event, I managed to save my knee, but finally took part to freestyle slalom competition and came 3rd. Full official sport results on www.ifsasports.org
ISPO is the buisness meeting about InlineSkates industry. Main brands but also unknown producers are presented products for the retail market or the OEM. During these 2 days, we made some slalom shows for the visitors of ISPO + I had the chance to visit a bit of the city, thanks to Mischa, and discover the skate parade. Nice time, feel like joining again.
About Rollerblade Twister, the sample presented was actually the 2006 Twister. I suggested some improvement for 2007, let’s wish it will come true within the next few months…
Toulouse, south of France, is called the « pink city ». The association « RoulezRose » is mainly concerned about Friday night street skating, but is also involved in promoting skating. They organised a great event under the sun of Toulouse at first, and rain at last. We went there, 2 slalom skaters + 2 jump skaters : Oliver & Me + Benjamin (author and skater of ROB) & Stephane (5 time French Champion Freestyle Jump), more people joined the event (from Bordeaux, Montpellier, Colomier). We have been welcomed carefully, we enjoyed, special thanks to the team of RoulezRose !
This meeting is taking place every year, basically to let fitness skaters join the skate throw the streets of Bilbao, and have 1 or 2 days together. Enjoying their common sport. Since few years shows of Freestyle Slalom are taking place, the skaters are starting enjoying doing their first tricks. Spanish life, easy, always 🙂 I actually twisted one of my knee, but had a great time with Spanish friends, Naomi & Olivier.
The French Championship is taking place for more than 10 years, organised by the French Federation Roller Skating, it is the Freestyle competition in France to go to. For some 4 years, it is also a step of the IFSA championship. International skaters are taking part, trying to qualify for the finales of the championship or to score points for the cup.
In 2006, it took place in Dijon. This was also an important competition of speed skating, part of the WIC. Shows of halfpipe was run also. But let’s back to freestyle : competition is getting difficult as many players are training hard for it. It has been one of my main goal for 2006, being French Champion Freestyle Slalom, once more. I am really glad I succeed, for the 5th time (2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006). It has been all but easy.
Sport regards to all skaters from France, United Kingdom, Italy, Russia & India
Last week end, Olivier & I went for a show in Vitoria. We actually had 3 shows : 2 indoor. In the new shopping center of Vittoria, perfect floor, a bit too smooth actually, many people over 3 floors ! Incredible atmosphere – For both of us, one of the best experience about presenting freestyle. Spanish people made it great : caliente.
3rd show was in the very center of the city. In Spain, it is a square place, floor is not so perfect, but hundreds of people joined for the show, coming from 5 different cities for this meeting. After this skate experience, we all together went in a restaurant to celebrate the joy we have to skate & meet different culture. Very nice time. Gracias por todo, Gracias a todos. Un beso.
The video link : here 51Mo
Last week end, 2 skaters came from Germany in order to skate on Paris, and drive around some cones.
They made that video as a souvenir of this week end. It is not intending to display the best of what can be done, but the happiness about skating and meeting other skaters : simply.
Check their website : Pierre : www.sk8club.de ; Christian : www.devil3006.de.vu
Follow the link and load the video from their host : here
The French Federation is organising the French Championship. This year it also organises 3 other competitions, for French skaters only. An opportunity for young skaters to run competitions. This one took place near Paris, organised by a new club. Many quad skaters used to take part to former competitions, some were back last week end for the jump events. Check those rollerskates home made or self customed.
After 2 days training near Bordeaux with the French Team, I went to Moscow for the IFSA Competition. Many people took part, about 82 : Russian, French, Ukrainian, Bielorussian, Israelian. The competition was about Freestyle slalom, Speed slalom, FreeJump, Shuffles. The organisation of Rollerclub is still very good. Russian skaters have been very nice, and this meeting is great opportunity to get in touch with those who do not travel to western Europe.
Moscow : white snow & freezing wind, heavy traffic & metro, restaurant & night club ……. but no bears !
Very good travel. I recommand. 3 video links from Russia
Every year is taking place the International Marathon of Marrakech. No freestyle show took place for 2006, as speed skating seems to remain the only concern of the organizers. Meanwhile the skaters there are slaloming & jumping.
Local skaters have great difficulties to skate. Police does not let them do, their skate can be taken by the police. The skaters can not get skate over there – they need to receive skate from Europe. If you have spare skates / old skates, whatever the size, the Moroccan will use these and enjoy ! And they will progress faster 🙂 Feel free to contact these skaters on line.
They recently started to set blogs, about skating as well as their lives. (not so easy as they do not have their own camera). Here are some pictures from 3 blogs, some have been edited by Rollerenligne.com which reported about the race recently. These skaters also made a small slalom video available on Rollertrip.com.
Here we were for a sport shop opening : The demo was about break dance, skate, basketball dunk + music by Mister J.
Here is a local contest in France, taking place in western France near La Rochelle and the ocean. It is the 4th edition, organised by one of the major freestyle club in France – « Les Sauterelles Liversoises » and its employee P.Celat . Intending to remain easy, unformal, it also used to be focused on young skaters.
So basically, it is about Speed Slalom, Freestyle Slalom, High Jump, FreeJump, Wheeling, Shuffle … I have been invited to judge the main sports + I took part to fun activities (Wheeling Contest).
French Federatiobn has selected its best skaters to built the French Freestyle Team. These Skaters are representing France during some competitions, but they are also presenting Freestyle in France through shows.
That one was the first, taking place in Tours, some 200 km south Paris.
St Medard was hosting the IFSA Championship, which is actually also the last competition of the IFSA Cup 2005. Skaters and spectators from many countries meet there for the last event. The Russians performed very well : congratulations to this team. I also have discovered some very good Italian skaters. Official Results : Championship and Cup
The organisation of this event was a challenge : it succeeded : Congratulations. We had a very good time, being proud of our sport, being happy to take part, willing to go ahead, feeding the passion.
Report & Pictures by Francesco Pictures by the Organisation Team Another Gallery
TF1 is the channel number one of French TV, Big Dil used to be a popular programm.
It is a leisure programm. People are intended to play games. Some sport men are invited to practise their sport (more or less). Actually we went there and discover it was about jumping not slaloming … it was fun anyway.
We came, 2 of us : Mathieu & Me. We knew about this rewards and just plan to share it, so we could enjoy the game for fun :). The show was quite fast, but the whole programm required us to spend about a day there : check the videos link.
First IFSA competition in Asia : Shanghai IFSA Competition. Back to Shanghai, but as competitor. The sport challenge was great, but we coped with it. About 80 skaters taking part from many provinces of China, but also Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore … and some Europeans. Official Results : here
Good Results for me with Freestyle Slalom & FreeJump, but also many good contacts found there. Just meeting people and making sure we share the same interest about skating, skating & skating.
Picture link Longwen – Picture link Gyro – Picture Link Serial Riders – Video Link
This competition is a special step of the IFSA Championship & Cup 2005. It is actually the national championship of France run by the French Federation of Roller Skating. In France, freestyle skating is going on for 10 years. Skaters are competiting by sex & age categories.
Meanwhile as any IFSA step, skaters from any country did join : Switzerland, Wales, Italia, Russia …
The sunshine was very hot, competiting difficult, pressure was high. In the middle of mountains area, the sea has been a real haven after the competition. Thanks to the whole organisation, it has been a successful event, including many different sports about roller skating.
SkateLondon is an event runned by skaters
for skaters. It linked speed skaters & freestyle skaters.
This competition part of the IFSA Championship & Cup 2005
welcomed skaters from England, Wales, France, Switzerland,
Russia … with international judges of course.
In England, freestyle skating competition
started recently and since the number & the level of the
skaters keep increasing. Congratulations to Naomi who took
part to many event and the High Jump 🙂
Back in Spain, for competition now. International atmosphere with skaters coming from England, Wales, Italia, France, Spain … Actually many did travel to join this competition as well as to enjoy Spain. Even for a competition, Spanish life remains Spanish life with Spanish time & rythm : different but so cultural. We enjoyed !
Here are some pictures of these 2 days including many skaters about slalom & jump : Christophe, Skali, Francesco, Katja, Severine, Naomi, Olivier, Hakim … You ll notice that this competition took place in a famous area of the city : a pleasure for such an event.
Back in Spain, how great. Life is slow, easy, enjoyable 🙂 Hora, hablo un poco mas de espanol.
Iwas there for a show with another skater from France : Christophe FLINOIS and 2 English skaters : Naomi GRIGG and Max FREEMAN. We had to present freestyle, enjoy the party and have fun with Spanish skaters : what a difficult job !
Invited for a show in Spain, I went there with Olivier HERRERO. We met skaters and performed 3 introductions to freestyle / shows. We had time to promote freestyle with skates and words : Pero hablar espanol estubiera muy difficil por nosotros 😉
Many skaters came from many cities of Spain, just for fun with lot of happiness about discovering, practising and playing. Spanish life is so enjoyable … I guess I’ll be back there !
On duty for IFSA in China, we have been running a 120 trainees judge course. Organisation in China is very official. Communication in english is not easy … in chinese neither. We made it and 11 new International Judges have been graduated : more
By the way, we had also 10 days & nights to meet skaters from all China, as well as tasting this very different culture and discovering Shanghai city. Life is different there, that’s the point !
Pictures and report here : CRSA ; click on « vinz » or « vincent »
35 first pictures sent the 8th april :
Agressiv skating scene is getting organised on an international level. I took part to this creation as an actor of international skating development. Many skaters from all the world took part (Europe, Africa, South America, North America and Russia). All joining to create an international association of stunt skaters : president Arlo Eisenberg has been elected.
It was the first time I went in California. I took some time to visit Venice beach : it represents for me the myth of inline skating. The very birth of our inline sports. Dance on Venice is such a myth, I wish I had more time there … People there, are all but stressed up, life seems so easy, people so young and peacefull. ( former slalom in Venice).
After the meeting we had an evening in one of the major agressive skating place : Woodward California.
It s been also a great opportunity to skate with vert skaters, stunt skaters and even present them what freestyle is about 🙂 I came with a pro-rider from France : Nicolas Mougin. I met Fabiola Da Silva and Marco from Brazil, Arlo Eisenberg from USA … But also Kathie Fry & Jonathan from California.
Disney Channel is 1.8 millions customers in France.
It used to present half pipe show on its programm with Taig Khris. It then thought about Freestyle skating for a show live & explanations about what it is, which equipment is required… Presenting Freestyle on TV is a good promotion for new skaters development.
For this circonstances, I introduced a friend of mine, Christophe Flinois.
The show was fast, unexpected and fun : check the videos link.
Rollerclub used to send Russian skaters on international competitions ; in 2005 it has organised the 1rst IFSA competition in Russia. The sport level was very high, many skaters took part, even skaters from Siberia. On a sport point of vue, very good news for me :
– 1rst Freestyle Slalom Men => qualified for the IFSA championship
– 4th Speed Slalom Men => qualified for the IFSA championship
Being in Moscou is about skating, but also discovering the city and the people. The buildings, the metro, the places, the ice-ring …. it does really worth spending many days discovering : I wish I had more time. Russian people have been so nice and helpfull : I wish I’ll be back there.
The competition was very difficult : check the videos link . Other pictures are available here.
M6 is one of the major TV programm in France.
It was fast, I did it once at 8 o’clock and once at 9 o’clock : check the video link.
Pictures from RollerBlade Team Photo Session – Annecy 2004
