Topic - The Wheeled People of
Dorney
Date first posted on eCommunity - 27
October 2011
The Scottish mountains have had a dusting of snow.
Some parts of Norway had
heavy falls last night. Winter seems just round the corner.
Nevertheless for most of us in the UK, and certainly for those of us in
the
south, "cross-country skiing" still needs to be done on pretend snow.
Which is
to say: on wheels. Accordingly, getting ready for the season, I've been
going
out to nearby Dorney Lake every few days, diligently looping round its
5km
tarmac circuit on my roller skis.
I've done this most autumns since we started XCuk. But this year the
activity
seems somehow different - less solitary. This year I'm encountering more
than the usual number - and variety - of other wheeled people. Not all of
them are
skiers, but they are all involved in activities which - because they
combine
physical exercise and balance - look like good preparation for skiing.
ROLLER SKIS
To begin with, there are other roller skiers.
I mainly use classic rollers and I often see other people on classics.
Notable
is the woman on 3-wheelers, one in front and two behind. This
configuration
looks a little retro, but she likes the extra stability it gives her.
Sometimes for variety I use skate rollers and again I sometimes have
company,
especially at the weekends.
For a discussion of the pros and cons of classic and skating styles, see
www.londonnordic.org.uk/london-cross-country-skiers-wr/2010/10/13/thin-wheeled-r\
oller-skis-under-fire.html
CAT SKIS
I haven't actually seen these yet but the woman with the 3-wheeled
classic
rollers has a pair and promises me a demo. She likes them a lot, but
says they
took a lot of getting used to.
The name stands for "Classical All Terrain Skis". The website of their
manufacturer is at www.catskier.com. It claims that "The CatSki works on
grass,
asphalt, sand, dirt paths and pretty much any type of terrain you throw
at it.
It is as safe as walking and the best cardio vascular workout on the
planet."
Catskis received a favourable review in Cross Country Skier magazine in
November
2005. You can find it at www.crosscountryskier.com/2005-06/oct_05_cat_out_of_bag.html. It gives
this
description:
"Available in three sizes, the approximately four-foot-long ski has a
small
wheel at the front that enables the skier to maneuver past
obstacles - long grass
and tree roots. On top of the ski, a platform mounted with a regular
classic
cross country ski binding slides. A bungee cord system attached to the
ski's
back end wraps around the sliding platform. You kick forward with bungee
resistance to glide. "
ROLLER SKATES
Although rollerskiers are growing in number at Dorney we're still
greatly
outnumbered by roller skaters. (Undoubtedly this is because skates are
much
cheaper than rollerskis - and have brakes. Both considerations are
especially
important for families with children.)
Some skaters use the old style models, with two pairs of wheels. These
are now
known as Quads. More common are the modern inline skates, often called
Rollerblades (a brand trademark) which have their four wheels in a line.
For a good discussion of pros and cons of quads and inlines, go to
www.skatefresh.com/quads-skates. (Skatefresh is a company that provides
instruction in London.)
NORDIC BLADING
Occasionally I see people on inline skates using poles for extra
propulsion. The
poles are just like skate rollerski poles. This activity has become
known as
Nordic Blading. As in Nordic walking, the poles produce a more strenuous
physical workout, but they also bring greater speed.
There is a view, expressed for example on Wikipedia, that Nordic Blading
is
"more risky than inline skating as the poles constitute extra
coordination
challenges".
(See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roller_skiing)
However, for a contrary opinion go to the website of the American Nordic
Walking
Association (http://anwa.us/html/40.php).
In their eyes:
"Nordic Blading offers a safe alternative to regular roller blading as
the poles
provide two additional points of support. It is easier and safer to stop
during
rapid blading thanks to the support provided by the poles."
SKATE BOARDING
At Dorney I sometimes see kids on skateboards, but not many. I guess the
track
is too flat for them. But I have seen one man on a board. Rather than
performing
stunts, he was doing entire laps of the lake. To get started he would
scooter
along, pushing off the ground with one foot. When he got up to speed he
would
then put both feet on the board, standing sideways, and sort of wave his
body
back and forward very vigorously.
It seemed to defy the laws of physics, but it worked. He simply flew
along.
I have learned that this is called longboarding.
GOODWOOD ROLLER MARATHON
I don't want to give the impression that there are large numbers of
wheeled
people at Dorney. We come out in ones and twos, shyly, and on some days
you
won't see any of us at all.
For big numbers, you should go to the Goodwood Roller Marathon, an
annual event
held at Goodwood Motor Circuit near Chichester in Sussex. The 2011 race
attracted almost 1300 participants. The race website is at
www.goodwoodmarathon.co.uk. On it you can find a list of the "wheels
used" in
the 2011 race:
Both inlines and quads 1
Chariot (pushed by mummy on inlines) 1
Circa 1984 Roller Boots 1
Inline Skates 548
Landrollers 1
Longboard 30
Quad Skates 700
Roller Skis 1
Scooter 8
Wheelchair 7
TOTAL 1298
Goodwood is a charity event and the organisers are keen to make it as
inclusive
as possible. They say "All skaters are welcome to participate, quad,
inline,
speed, hockey, rollerskis (rubber tipped ski poles only please) and even
aggressive skates if you wish."
Usually the race is in July or August. One for the diary?
Stuart Montgomery
For XCuk
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