========================================================
ABOUT INLINE SKATING
Newsletter for http://inlineskating.about.com
Issue #2001-12
March 26, 2001
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CONTENTS:
* NEW FEATURE - How to Navigate the New FIRS Web Site
* NEW FEATURE - A Scale for Evaluating Skating Surfaces
* Kathie's Trips in 2001 (so far)
* More from Kathie
* From my Bulletin Board
* Recent Feature - Indoor Speedskating 101
* Types of Skating:
* Events in the next two weeks: ar/be/de/dk/hr/it/fr/us
* Chat Schedule: Sunday and Wednesday, 7-8 pm PST
* Something Fun: How to play the air guitar

----------------------- New Features -----------------------

NAVIGATING THE NEW FIRS WEB SITE
On March 15, the world governing body for roller sports
unveiled the beta version of their new Web site. Here is how
to navigate your way around this completely redesigned site.
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa010322.htm

A SCALE FOR EVALUATING SKATING SURFACES
Joakim Wassberg introduces a system for evaluating the
suitability of a surface for inline skating. This new system
was developed by Lars Lison Almqvist of the SSSK, an ice and
inline skating club in Stockholm, Sweden.
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa010323.htm

---------------------- Kathie's Trips --------------------

After I included a note in my newsletter about some of the
trips I am planning this year, I received several requests
for more information. Here are more details, and I hope
some of you will join me in these places.

SPAIN - MALLORCA (April 21 - April 29)
This is not an organized tour, but quite a few skaters will
descend on the northeast coast of Mallorca the last week in
April. So far it is me and 40 Swedes I have never met!
Actually I did meet several of them briefly last summer, and
we have become good friends on the Internet. Anyway, if you
want a fun and relaxing holiday in April, you can book your
own flight and any hotel in the Alcudia area, and let us
know when you will be there, and where in Alcudia you are
staying. You can send email to johan.cerne@... and
kathie@....
http://www.sssk.se/mail/hjul/2000/msg00582.html (in Swedish)

RUSSIA - ST. PETERSBURG (8 days starting June 12)
I am booking a Russian tour offered by the Dutch skate
tour company, Skate-Tours.com. This is an 8-day trip from
Amsterdam (cost=635 Euros), and it includes air travel,
room, breakfast, and perhaps a few other things. The
reason I am booking this tour is because it is led by my
good friend, St.Petersburg translator Oleg Vigodsky. You
are welcome to join us. I think we need 8 or 9 more
people to fill this tour. This is not a "hard workout"
skating tour. It is more of a "sightseeing on skates" tour.
Some of the activities will be on skates and some on foot.
http://www.skate-tours.com

BELGIUM - FLANDERS (August 10-12)
I will probably be in Europe for longer than 3 days, but the
main purpose of this trip is to attend the 34th annual
Flanders Grand Prix near the seaport town of Ostend.
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa-vlaanderen-club.htm
http://users.pandora.be/zwaantjes/home.html#D

SOUTH AFRICA (September 10-17)
The main reason for this trip is to attend South Africa's
first inline marathon, the Southern Cross Marathon, at the
Gerotek Auto Testing Facility near Pretoria. While I am
there I will stay for a fabulous 1 week adventure tour.
All levels of skaters, from recreational skaters to world
class champions, are invited to skate in this marathon.
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa010128a.htm

--------------------- More From Kathie -------------------

MY PHOTO IS ON THE FIRS WEB SITE (COOL)
Take a look at this article on the new FIRS Web site. It's
about my meeting last week with FIRS president Isidro Oliveras.
http://www.rollersports.org/article.php?sid=416

5 PAIRS OF SKATES IS NOT ENOUGH
Guess what I did this weekend. I bought ANOTHER pair of
skates! Now I have 6 pairs, and I think that is *almost*
enough. Expect more details and photos next week.

NEW EVENTS ON MY CALENDAR:
I added quite a few events to my calendar this week, and
here are a few of them:
- Festival del la Sante (Montreal Canada)
- Midnight Marathon (Serpa Portugal)
- Roll and Skate 2001 (Kiel Germany)
- A Verducci Speed Workshop in Germany
- Caravan Racing Series (Maryland USA)
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-calendar.htm

MY NEW "SKATE TOUR" CALENDAR
I have been trying to think of a way to highlight all the
great skating tours being offered this year without
cluttering up my calendar (not that I consider those tours
clutter!). Here's what I came up with. Let me know if I
left any organized tours off my list.
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-calendar-tours.htm

WHEN IS THE WINE COUNTRY ROLL?
Some people are confused about the date of the Napa
to Calistoga Wine Country Roll in Northern California.
Note that there are 2 separate "California Wine Country"
skating events this year:
JUNE 14 - Wine Country Classic in Santa Rosa (PIRS #5)
JUNE 24 - Wine Country Roll (Napa To Calistoga)

SPEEDSKATING WORKSHOPS:
Most speedskaters are familiar with the workshops offered
by Eddy Matzger and Barry Publow, but there are some new
players offering speed workshops this year. Chad Hedrick
and Derek Downing are doing a series of workshops in Germany,
Tom Ashton is doing a workshop in Detroit Michigan, and Jay
Etheredge is doing a series of workshops in Scandinavia.

MEET ME THIS FRIDAY IN SANTA MONICA
This week I will be at the Santa Monica Friday Night Skate,
so please join us if you will be in Southern California that
day. We meet a the northwest corner of Ocean Avenue and
Colorado Avenue, and we start skating at 8:30 p.m.
http://www.fridaynightskate.org

--------------------- From My Bulletin Board ---------------

WHY ROLLER SKATING IS NOT IN THE OLYMPICS
"It's easier for them to say "no" to new sports than it is for
them to kick out one of their old friends. What sport do you
think could be dropped from the Summer Olympics?"
http://forums.about.com/ab-inlineskate/messages/?msg=653.1

WHERE CAN KIDS GET FUNDING FOR A SKATE PARK?
"As could be expected, they've "dissed" the local businesses
so often, they'll never get support from there."
http://forums.about.com/ab-inlineskate/messages?msg=650.1

WHEN DOES YOUR NIGHT SKATE WAKE UP?
"Some of the night skates around the world shut down during
the Winter, and some of them are starting up again this week.
I know the Washington DC and Frankfurt started up this week."
http://forums.about.com/ab-inlineskate/messages?msg=652.1

INLINE SKATING BULLETIN BOARD:
http://forums.about.com/ab-inlineskate/start

---------------------- Recent Features ---------------------

PHOTOS OF ME WITH THE PRESIDENT OF FIRS
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa010317.htm

INDOOR SPEEDSKATING FOR BEGINNERS (SPEEDSKATING 101)
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa010314a.htm

A SAN FRANCISCO SKATER AT THE DRESDEN FRIDAY NIGHT SKATE
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa010316.htm

A MEDIEVAL FUN ROLL IN SWEDEN
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa010320.htm

DIRK MAY, LEADER OF THE FRANKFURT TUESDAY NIGHT SKATE
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa010308.htm

ROBIN COUSINS' ROLLING THUNDER
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa010304.htm

PHOTOS OF KATHIE'S SKATES
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa010223.htm

ALL OF MY ARTICLES (CHRONOLOGICAL)
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/mpreviss.htm

ALL OF MY ARTICLES (BY TOPIC)
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-articles-by-topic.htm

HOW TO SEND ME STUFF
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-sendmestuff.htm

HOW TO ADVERTISE AT ABOUT.COM (your questions answered)
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-ads.htm

-------------------------- Newsletters ---------------------

FIRS NEWSLETTERS
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-nl-firs.htm

ALL OF MY NEWSLETTERS
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-newsletters.htm

NRpatin NEWSLETTERS
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-nl-nrpatin.htm

INLINE DOWNHILL NEWSLETTERS
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-nl-inlinedownhill.htm


-------------------- Types of Skating ----------------------

http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-aggro.htm
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-artistic.htm
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-fitness.htm
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-hockey.htm
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-rec.htm
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-scooters.htm
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-speed.htm

------------------ Upcoming Events ------------------

EVENTS IN THE NEXT 2 WEEKS:
April 01: GERMANY - Bonn Marathon
April 1-3: FRANCE - Troi Piste
April 5-8: USA - United States Cup #4 Philadelphia PA
April 07: DENMARK - Danish Indoor Championships - Odense
April 7-8: BELGIUM - R.S.C. Wuustwezel
April 08: ITALY - Napoli Roller Marathon - RWC #1
April 08: ITALY - Sudtirol Marathon in Italy
April 13-14: ARGENTINA - Torneo Nacional de Clubes #2 Neuquen
April 13-15: USA - Cheesehead Invitational Watertown WI
April 13-16: CROATIA - Fun Downhill Pula
April 14: GERMANY - Paderborner Osterlauf Paderborn
April 15: USA - Pataskala Half Marathon Ohio
April 15: WORLD - Earth Car Free Day (skate to work)
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-calendar.htm
(links to the above events and many more)

SKATE TOURS IN 2001
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-calendar-tours.htm

PAST EVENTS:
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-calendar-past2001.htm
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-calendar-past2000.htm
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-calendar-past1999.htm

--------------------- Chat Sessions ------------------------

We have scheduled chat sessions in Chat Room #1 every Sunday
and Wednesday night from 7 to 8 p.m. Pacific Time.

CHAT ROOM PHOTO ALBUM
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-chatters.htm

ADULT CHAT ROOM
http://inlineskating.about.com/mpchat.htm

TEEN CHAT ROOM
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-chat-teen.htm

------------------ Elsewhere at About -----------------

HOW TO RIDE A BONGO BOARD
http://skateboard.about.com/library/weekly/aa031601a.htm

HOW TO TALK UNDERWATER
http://scuba.about.com/library/weekly/aa031001a.htm

HOW TO WATER SKI BAREFOOTED
http://waterski.about.com/cs/tipsbarefooting/index.htm

------------------- Something Fun ---------------------

HOW TO PLAY THE AIR GUITAR
Click on the right-facing guitar pick at the
bottom of the page to see the next lesson.
http://mirrorimage.com/air/page02.html

FUN LINKS FROM PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/bl-something-fun.htm

--------------------------------------------------------

Kathie Fry
Inline Skating Guide, About.com
URL: http://inlineskating.about.com
Email: inlineskating.guide@...


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