LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Duckman · Joined: 04 Jul 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Melbourne, Australia

Hello from Australia!
Seven or eight masters skaters (four from Melbourne and three or four from Sydney) are making the long trip to Europe to skate in the Berlin marathon and the FIC Pontarlier marathon. The Melbourne contingent are returning to France to skate in the Les Herbiers marathon on 1 October.
We're entered for the Berlin marathon, but are keen for any guidance anyone has on entering the French events. At present, one web site has some information (in French) and the other has virtually no information.

tanya g · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:48 pm Subject:

My experience of the FIC is very varied. Lille was great, Paris awful. U sometimes need french accounts to make payments (sometimes not). Someone might be able to help more but my advise is probably just to register on the day!

Berlin is fanstastic and the germans run the events very efficiently, no problem registering online for these events.

P.S Welcome and I might see u all at two of those three at least Smile

Gav · Posted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:55 pm Subject:

I don't like FIC races. The organisation is crap, and the courses are not as good as the german ones. However, if there's no other option Wink

Fred and Hans have the most experience with doing them.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

French organisation is not quite an oxymoron but it is rather different from others. The request for med certs/racing licenses is unusual compared to other places I have been. It is generally down to the event as to how you register for each event (which is true in all countries with the possible exception of Switzerland where all SIC events are organised centrally) French German and UK races are all organised by local organisations in their own way so it's difficult to be specific.

However, we have language skill in this club for most European countries and it you are having difficulty understanding anything in French, many of us would be able to help you out. Just don't wait until the last minute.

I have only ever been to Dijon and Le Mans for races in France so I can't really say anything about the two events you are going to. Might see you in Berlin though but there will be 9,000 skaters there so we may miss each other.

roger · Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 528

I can't tell you about racing in France, but there are another couple of events around Berlin time that you might consider.

An option for before Berlin is the Rotterdam marathon (Rotterdam on Wheels) on 10 September. I enjoyed it last year. Its well organised on a flat and fast course, though you do have to do 4 laps.

Also, after Berlin there is the European Masters marathon in Italy on 8 October - if you want to race with other masters athletes!

You can enter online for both the above events.

Duckman · Joined: 04 Jul 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Melbourne, Australia

Thanks for the feedback. Some of the other events suggested sound good, but won't work for us, as we are there a limited time (although one of our number is staying for the European Masters).
The Les Herbiers Marathon has information on its site, but only in French. Any useful information extracted bya French speaker would be appreciated. - www.vendee-roller-marathon.com Pontarlier has only a flyer on the web at the moment.

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

Some useful bits on the Vendee
Online Registration is not open yet. Literally "there is no active registration" when you click on the Inscription en ligne link.
English seems to be planned as there is some text "Informations in English" but there is no link

Programme
Saturday 30th Sep from 4pm to 7pm
Help desk opens and you can get your race numbers. At Place de la Gare - probably a square by the railway station.

Sunday 1st Oct @ 9:30
The "roller village" opens. This will an area where demonstrations are taking place artistic, aggressive, also some hockey. Kids race takes place here and people are probably selling stuff from stands thought that may be outside the "village" area.

Début des inscriptions de la randonnée - start of registration for the street skate.

10h00
Début des épreuves du Roller Challenge Jeune - Kids race
Départ de la randonnée - street skate starts

12h00
Fin des inscriptions de l’Open et du marathon - closure of registration for the open race and FIC marathon

12h20
Remise des récompenses du roller Challenge jeune - podium for the kids

13h30
Départ du Roller ag2r (minimes, cadets, senior, V1 et V2) - Start of the open race

14h45
Remise des podiums de l’Open ag2r - podium for the open race

15H30
Départ du Marathon International - Start of the full marathon

16H45
Remise des podiums du marathon international - podium for the marathon

17h00
Clôture de la manifestation - Closed demonstration - probably a demo of something or other..

It doesn't say when registration opens. I recommend going to it every week or so and clicking on the Inscription en ligne link to see if anything changes.

Christophe · Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 1621

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

Thought it might be that but having been to Dijon where they did slalom demos on the course after the race I wasn't quite so sure. Makes more sense that way.

Duckman · Joined: 04 Jul 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Melbourne, Australia

1 hour 15 minutes for a marathon is going to be pushing it for me!

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

Podium might take place while the race is still going on for others but perhaps not. Other option is to do the open. It'll only be about 30km so 1h15 is more doable.

FIC marathons are only open to licensed racers and the field is smallish and rather competitive. If you are not licensed by your national federation then you probably won't be able to do the marathon anyway. From my experience of Dijon the open courses have a competitive field too. No point blowing yourself our on a FIC race when you need to be in top condition for Berlin.

Duckman · Joined: 04 Jul 2006 Posts: 4 Location: Melbourne, Australia

Thanks Rick.

The four of us are all Masters B skaters who represent our state in National competition here - I guess we have the equivalent of a "licence". We can do a marathon under 1.5 hours.