About this blog- not so fast(ahem…)I’m still writing it… Source linkContinue reading: Introduction
I was wondering what that sound was…. until I realized Paul was “Commentracing” while skating just a few meters behind, following us in full speed and providing real time narration as we raced the 3000 meter course in the Ken Sutter Memorial competition… Seems like this amazing feat was noted by others… Originally posted on Cadomotus blog ::: Paul Byrne (AUS), Masters Speedskater and eldest brother of Australian World Team skater Mick Byrne, took live commentary to a new level this weekend in Melbourne… for Australia at least.Between his own races, Paul was providing expert comments for the InlinePlus TV program – which was taping the Sunday races for later broadcast on Australian Channel 31. Not enough to raise eyebrows… until the Masters skaters hit the track for their own races. Byrne’s commentary continued, as spectators realized he was making full use of his radio mic by commentating on (and in!) his own race. No headset, just a standard microphone and enough input from Paul to ensure his fellow racers tactical thinking was being broadcast live to air. Picture: Paul Byrne (AUS, Eltham) – commentating – trails Andrea Winzor (AUS, Bayside) in the Masters event of the Ken Sutter Memorial competition in Melbourne, Australia:: Picture Courtesy Jon Evans Images Source linkContinue reading:: Comment-racing
For Newton it may have been ‘that’ apple, but for our own Dr climate the heat was on at the Big Apple – when he took part in the 2007 New York 100K skate marathon… ::: Finding myself in the US while my skate mates were doing marathons across Europe, I came down with a severe case of marathon-envy. The solution to this soon became obvious when I discovered that I would be in New York city the same weekend as the NYC skate marathon and New York 100k. The 100k race offered the chance to pack two and a half marathons into one and thus seemed the value for time and money event. Let’s quickly get the usual disclaimers over and note that I had not trained for a 100k race, nor had I spent much time on skates this year.Since I was on holidays and enjoying the moments, I could happily forget about all preparation for the race until race eve. I stayed with mates in Brooklyn who just happened to live two blocks from Prospect Park, where the race takes place. That meant I could skate to the start and try out the new blister-protector sock inserts that Yaki put me on to. They seemed okay. The circuit in Prospect Park is excellent. The surface is smooth and wide. The inner lanes are given over to the normal park rec users and the races use the outer lanes. From the perspective of a Melbourne flatland skater, the…Continue readingDr Climate puts on the heat
Here is an a excerpt of a longer post I originally sent to the Eu07 tour blog- typed on a crazy French keyboard with as many typos as a non qwerty layout will allow in a short time. The story covers some of our skating in France. It proved popular enough to be considered as a stand alone piece, with some pictures added… ::: For those who have never experience this- the Paris Friday night skate is a weekly event with between 5000- 8000 skaters! doing a 30 KM tour of Paris- starting at 10PM and concluding just after 1 AM at Montparnase metro. We arrived on time and after listening carefully to he instructions for that nights ‘course du skate’ (the route changes every week) which were in French and which we understood totally (NOT) we asked one of the crew and he told us this will be a new course which was never tried before- a climb to Montmartre and a super downhill- cobblestones and all- yeah great…Montmartre is certainly one of the more elevated spot of Paris, mmm, so off we went just after 10.15 escorted by police on skates, 2 ambulances, and about 50 crew from the organization. I cannot find words to describe the incredible sight of 8000 skaters flying at a good pace thru the streets of Paris- the police stopped the traffic at intersections and we all came flying past, traffic and crowds at a standstill, many people cheering, and the skaters moving…Continue readingFast Company: :: Totalement français
