Rollerski courses
New Alpina boots
Opening race report and results
Flic & Katya in Scotland, video
Alan in Australia
Rollerskiers' Antarctic challenges
Other stuff

Rollerski Newsletter, May 2011

ROLLERSKI COURSES

I've added an extra Hyde Park 4-week Skating beginners' course, to begin on Tuesday 21 June, 18.15.  Hopefully this will have a few takers - please spread the word.  Booking is here.   Other than this, the main Hyde Park 4-week courses start back in September.

The next Dorney course is on Sunday 21 August.  This will be an all day course, with beginner and intermediate groups, and you can book this here.

Also, the regular Hyde Park Saturday morning beginner sessions - http://rollerski.co.uk/class.html - and private lessons continue through the Summer..

Earlier this month we introduced for the first time, purpose-built Alpina rollerski boots.  These provide excellent comfort for rollerskiing in the summer, and throughout the year.  Although they are based on Alpina's top racing boots, they are finished more like running shoes, which makes them very breathable.  You can read more on these here.

We've also introduced a new racing rollerski, the Swenor Equipe R2.  These skis have ceramic bearings, and are very fast. I made my return to rollerski racing earlier this month on them, and can vouch for their speed.  See here.

Two of our instructors, Felicity and Ekaterina, made it up to a very special coaching course in Scotland last weekend.  This was led by Norwegian coach Øyvind Olstad of NTG Geilo, who has been training some of the juniors of the British Nordic Development Squad.  The BNDS, which ran the course, has strong ties with Norway, and courses like this help us to tap into what's going on in the Norwegian system. 

This NTG Geilo video gives some strength ideas -

Also, exercises from Norwegian skier, Øystein "Sausage" Pettersen -

ALAN IN AUSTRALIA

Our instructor Alan has headed off for the 'Winter' in Australia.  If you are in Australia, you can get good skiing (when there's snow) at Lake Mountain resort near Melbourne, see here. 

Alan will be joined this year by Felicity until the Autumn.  In a typical day, the cross-country ski school can process up to 1,000 skiers, making it Australia's largest cross-country ski resort - and a serious logistical challenge.  Alan manages a team of about a dozen cross-country ski instructors, which teaches groups ranging from tourists to school kids.  Australia hosts the season's first 'World Loppet' ski marathon race, the Kangaroo Hoppet, see http://www.hoppet.com.au

ROLLERSKIERS' ANTARCTIC CHALLENGES

Two rollerskiers are preparing for very different South Pole challenges.  James Hooley, an officer in the Parachute Regiment, is aiming to be the youngest person to ski unsupported to the South Pole, see - http://south-solo.co.uk  James will be raising funds for Help for Heroes (for whom he raised over £30,000 last year) and the Afghanistan Trust.

Yoyo Scheppers, is a mother of three teenage children, and is preparing to race to the South Pole later this year, see http://www.extremeworldraces.com/teams/team-yoyo/  Yoyo has been training on rollerskis in Richmond Park, and will be raising funds for the UWC International College.

2011 Summer Biathlon courses in Aviemore
LRNSC Summer Rollerski courses in London

Here's an article on Petter Northug -
http://fasterskier.com/2011/05/why-northug-was-the-king-of-the-worlds/
Here's some advice on training at this time of year -
http://www.nordicskiracer.com/news.asp?NewsID=5613

Best regards, Iain

E: iain@rollerski.co.uk
T: +44 (0)20 8348 2540
M: +44 (0)7968 286129