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This is the "Week on Wheels" free weekly London skating email newsletter. Sign up to receive it in your email inbox each week.
From: Week on Wheels <wow /at/ lfns.co.uk>
Subject: [wow] Great Skates! (3 this week) Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2007 15:51:15 +0100 This week, on wheels * This week: St John’s Wood and Bayswater * Last week: Moorgate and Battersea Park * Speed on Skates: Canadian Style * Lost and found * What say our lawyers == THIS WEEK == On this week’s LONDON FRIDAY NIGHT SKATE, lead marshal Markus takes us ‘Into the Void’ or St John’s Wood and back, on a route that snakes through Mayfair, across Oxford Street and into Regent’s Park, where we skate the first half of the outer circle. The faster, black route on the second half, takes us through Maida Vale, Bayswater, the Kensington Church Street downhill, Gloucester Road and Brompton Road before heading back to Wellington Arch, our start point. http://www.lfns.co.uk/route.php/20070817 On the SUNDAY STROLL this week, Alan leads us along ‘The Northwest Passage’. Not a trip to India, despite the anniversary; but a gentle wander round the north-west edges of Hyde Park, via Mayfair and Paddington to Bayswater, then back almost the same way. Ideal for first timers. http://www.lfns.co.uk/route.php/20070819 On tonight’s LONDONSKATE, we ‘Bridge the Town’ again, crossing four bridges and skate the whole length of the Embankment from Tower Bridge to Parliament. Skaters meet on Serpentine Road at 7:30 for an 8pm departure. == LAST WEEK == Edd's 'Under London' route lived up to its name as we zig-zagged our way through more alleyways and underground car parks than you could shake a set of broken bearings at. The route was as noticeable for its steep turns and hairpin bends as it was for its ups and downs, dramatic as these were. We hope that the group of Hong Kong hockey skaters who joined us for the first half enjoyed a different tour of London from the one they get on the coach trips! Despite the ups and downs and twists and turns, it was a pacey skate to a pacey sound track. There was a good crowd. Any first time skaters (not from Hong Kong) who finished and want to tell us about it, then do get in touch. If you write something interesting and are happy for us to publish it, we will. Thanks to Sylvester de Koster for the photos and video. http://qurl.net/1Xr http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2428429031722945268&hl=en-GB It was slightly cooler and slightly faster this week as the SUNDAY STROLL headed south-west through Chelsea and over the Thames to Battersea Park. Half time was by the boating pond, complete with gelato cones - though you had to be quick to line up, buy and eat them! Well done to Zoe and to the others who completed their first skate. Photos are up on the LFNS website. http://www.lfns.co.uk/route.php/20070812/01 == CRASH! BANG! WALLOP! OUCH! == Isn't it strange how when the skate gets to a junction, there's always marshals there to warn the traffic, even though those marshals get left behind as the skate passes through? How do they do it? They do it by constantly overtaking the skate by travelling fast (some of them very fast) up the right. Which is why we ask you to keep left. On Friday, one marshal was travelling fast up the skate on a wide stretch of road where she could reasonably expect people to be well on the left. The skater in front of her probably thought they weren't that far out to the right. Until they fell over. Now the marshals go on special courses that include advice on jumping over the guy who falls in front of them. (This is actually true - at least for some of them.) But the whole 'jumping over the prone skater' bit is easier in theory than practice and on Friday the marshal who had to try to swerve and stop in about two inches went down. Which entailed a lot of blood and a helmet damaged enough to need replacement. (Yes, we do recommend helmet use.) Obviously the guy who fell didn't mean to and we hope he isn't hurt. But you can understand that we are a bit concerned about the marshal involved. So, yet again, PLEASE keep to the left, and leave a corridor free to your right to let the marshals past. == SPEED ON SKATES, CANADIAN-STYLE == Barry Publow, Canadian inline speed champion and world-class coach, hadn’t experienced anything like the LFNS, which he joined last Friday. He said ‘I could not believe the level of energy by the second set of lights. I was expecting every one to be dead by half time, but you were all still going at the end. After a ride on the FireBrox after the skate, he’s vowed to make his own! Barry came over to London to hold a weekend workshop in speed skating technique, for a group of skaters including LFNS marshal SimonG. With a background in bio-mechanics, Barry’s explanations of how the body works when we’re skating and why we should skate in the demonstrated way were fascinating. Warm-up exercises, land-based drills and a full-body skating workout were covered in detail. One of the more controversial parts of the course was the double push, an advanced technique giving a powerful speed injection. The explanations of what it is, why it works and how to do it were clear - now all that’s needed is some time to practice! The London workshop was billed as a one-off, a few LFNS marshals have attended Barry’s annual week-long speedcamp in Majorca, and a few more have copies of his book ‘Speed on Skates’. www.barrypublow.com == LOST AND FOUND == If your battered (but, we guess, much loved) Roces skates were left on the pavement outside the Vic after last Friday's skate, dry your tears. A kind person handed them in to Chris and they are behind the bar, waiting for you. == AND LASTLY == We've been sending out Week on Wheels for just over a year and already the audience is growing fast. But we'd like it to grow faster. If you have friends who are interested in skating, why not forward them this mail (no spamming, please, we're British) and let them know how to subscribe and get their own copy. Comments? Questions? don’t reply to this mail: it'll bounce. Use the feedback form on our site. To unsubscribe, use the link in the mail footer - right at the bottom after the copyright notice. http://www.lfns.co.uk/feedback.php#contactus Small print: Material in this email is protected by copyright; it may be reproduced unchanged in full provided that credit is given. All trademarks are acknowledged. -- Sent from the London Friday Night Skate - http://www.lfns.co.uk/ Check out any time - see http://www.lfns.co.uk/unsubscribe.php?list=wow |
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