Inline Skating Notebook

* Rollerblade MPC Team *
Laura Lardani 1. WIC (Sportvital)	Catherine Penan 7. WIC (Sportvital)	Jana Gegner 6. WIC (Zepto)	Simona Di Eugenio New

Interview Laura Lardani

“I hope to spend some good and succesful times in 2008!”

Vincent Esnault, 24.01.2008

Laura Lardani has been the most titled skaters in 2007, taking five wins in the WIC marathons and the overall personnal and team rankings, as well as many podiums (for example in Seoul and Berlin). After five seasons in the team of Rollerblade World, she also became the oldest member, at the age of 24! In this interview, Laura is coming back on her big season 2007 and her preparation for the coming one.

Buongiorno Laura. And first of all, congratulation for your win in the WIC in 2007!
Thanks! I'm really happy and proud about this result. This is the second time I win the WIC! Of course, the first time, in 2005, it was different: it was a big emotion and a new experience… At the beginning of the year 2007, I could never imagine that I would win the WIC again! This year, it was more competitive and difficult, because I had to wait for the last marathon to take the overall victory. I think that this is the best way to conclude a hard season!

You also won five marathons of the WIC, which makes you to become the most titled athlete of the circuit last year. Did you thought about that in Berlin, after the ultimate stage of the WIC?
When I race, my goal is to win as much races as I can. I really have to thank my team mates and my coach: they supported me and helped me to reach this victory! I think all these victories are the result of a great and hard work of all the team, and of course of a hard preparation at home.

Can you just tell us what was you're easiest race and your hardest one in 2007?
For sure, the hardest race was in Wienfelden: the circuit was really hard because of many uphills and many attacks! The easiest one was in China: the circuit was flat and quite straight… And in the final part, there was a lot of space for the final sprint!

I imagine that after such a season, you need to take a break...
After Berlin, I took some weeks to take a rest! Then, I re-started gradually my trainings, and mainly my studies at the university. At the moment, I really like to stay at home, to have much more time for me, and to do what I like without anything planned – as it is during the season!

When do you feel the moment to take your skates again and to go for training after the winter break?
During the winter, sometimes, I just train because I have to do this. It is not easy to find a motivation to continue to do that! But sometimes, I also need to take my skates and train: it is as if my body needs to do this! Before the first event of the season, I'm never sure about my preparation… I think the best way to be ready is to race as much as possible; like this, I can prepare myself to be competitive!

Is it easier to go back for training after years of experience or is it always a new adventure?
At the end of a season, I always think about my future one and I have to decide to continue or not because I have no further motivation to continue to skate. But I also think that is easier to continue to skate than to stop. I love this sport: it is an important part of my life! For me, each year is different from the past one, so it is every time like a new adventure.

There's one particular situation you will have to confront this coming season: there will be five new comers in the team of Rollerblade World...
Since I'm in the team of Rollerblade World, this is the first time that there are so many new members. I'm lucky, because I know most of them, because they are Italian. The girl team has changed for a half this year, so we need to know each other and rebuilt a new feeling between us, in the races and mainly outside… But I'm sure it will happen soon! Also, I want to say welcome to the new members and I hope to spend some good and successful times with them!

There will also be new teams with big opponents on the WIC circuit: is it something you're thinking about?
I know this, but I just think about my team and to give the best of myself. Like every year, there are many changes in the teams, and this make the races more exciting!

What could we wish to you for this coming season, Laura?
I just hope to confirm the team results and mine… I just hope to have a good season. I really want to give my best and to thank Tamara and Michaela for all the experiences and the special moments we spent together… I found good friends with them! And I also want to thank Tanya for her hard work and for everything she did for the team these past years.

Thank you for the interview, and we also wish you a good season, Laura!

Highlights 2007
1st WIC overall
1st in Basel (with the team), Incheon, Weinfeld, Suzhou and Zug
3rd in Seoul and Berlin
4th in Biel
5th in Engadin
6th in Rennes and Mainz
9th in Mainz

Interview Catherine Penan

“This coming year will be much better!”

Vincent Esnault, 12.02.2008

Catherine Penan came into the team of Rollerblade World last season at the age of 18... And right from the start, she scored on top: 1st in Basel (with the team), 2nd in Mainz, 4th in Engadin and Berlin, 5th in Dijon... And finally 7th of the WIC's overall! That was a promissing first season for the young and talented skater from Chile! But she's only at the begining of her career and she wants more: Cathy talks us about her dreams for the coming season in this interview, as well as the way she wants to achieve them.

Hello Cathy. This was your first real season in the WIC series in 2007 and you performed well from the start to the end!
I think I performed because of my preparation during the off season, which was good, and also because of the help and the support of the team. Both of them were very important for me to achieve such results in 2007!

You had good results in many races which are considered as the biggest of the world, like Basel, Zurich, Engadin or Berlin: what makes your force?
There are many different reasons, and not only one. I don't really have a good sprint, but I'm quite strong on long distances. Maybe it's one of the reasons that helped me in these marathons.

What are you the most proud of: your ranking in Mainz (2nd), Berlin and Engadin (4th) and Dijon (5th) or the one of Basel (1st with the team)?
From my point of view, my ranking in Mainz is very important, because it's my best ranking last season. But our win in Basel was also a great thing, because it was my first race with the team of Rollerblade ever, and because we achieved this result as a team! I feel very proud of my season in 2007, but this coming year will be much better if God wants.

What a skater dreams about at the age of 19?
I trained very hard this winter I guess and I hope to get good results in the WIC and at the World championships. For me, both of them are important: I just want to win on each side!

Now that you have the experience of one season in the WIC series, what did you (or will you) change in your preparation this winter?
Well, for sure I need a better sprint, because my habilities in long distances are good. For this, I just try to train seriously my speed.

That is a personnal question but... Where are you right now?
Right now I'm still in my home in Chile. But I'll have to leave soon to come in Europe. And of course, it's very difficult to be away from my parents for one par tof the year. But to race the WIC's marathon is also one of my goals and skating is my life, I love it...

You were part of the newcomers in the team last season... In 2008, there will be a lot of newcomers: how could you introduce the team of Rollerblade World to them?
I'd just like to say that for me, last year was a very beautiful year. I met people such as Alain (Nègre) and Sämi (Raimann) and all my teammates, who are wonderful people. All the skaters of the team have always be united and very present, at each moment and in whatever you need. That's the team of Rollerblade World.

Is there's one race you would like to perform particularly in 2008?
The marathon I prefear in the WIC circuit is the one of Berlin, because of the ambiance, because there's many people around, who're watching the race. It's the biggest event of the WIC and that's the reason why I'd like to be ready for in 2008!

Thanks again for your answers Cathy and I wish you a good season in 2008!

Highlights (2007)
7th overall WIC
1st Basel
2nd Mainz
4th Engadin and Berlin
5th Dijon
7th Incheon and Zurich

Interview Jana Gegner

« I like fast and hard races! » She’s one of the newcomers in the team of Rollerblade World: Jana Gegner is from Berlin, young (22) and talented.

Vincent Esnault, 10.01.2008

Last year, she won the World Inline Cup marathon of Rennes sur Roulettes and finished third in Zurich and Engadin as well as fifth in Mainz, Biel and Incheon. The sixth skater of the WIC's overall in 2007 has already raced many European and World championships for the German team and is considered as one of the fastest skater on the circuit. In this interview, she's talking to us about her last season and the coming one.

Hallo Jana. It was your first "real" season in the World Inline Cup last year and you already won one race, in Rennes. What does that mean to you?
It was a great aim for me to reach the podium in one World Inline Cup race. This result was very important for me because it is not easy at all to win a race alone. My advantage for the race was to be part of a breakaway: this was one advantage for me because I know that I´m one of the fastest skaters in a sprint, and moreover, I like fast and hard races. After my medal at the World Championships in 2006, it was the biggest victory in my career!

Also you finished sixth of the overall ranking of the WIC and you became the second German skater to reach the Top Ten of the event: is it something you're particularly proud of?
After the years where I mainly skated the track races and the sprints, I decided to be more focused on the road, especially on the marathons. It was my main goal for this past year to finish in the Top Ten at the overall ranking. I´m not especially proud to be the second German skater in the Top Ten: moreover, I'm concentrated on my own goals. The last three years when I skated for Zepto went really great: I started as a good national skater and I became an international top level. I really appreciated to skate with the team of Zepto, but when I finished this last season, I knew that I absolutly needed a stronger team to step further.

You're living in Berlin: is it harder for you to train and to prepare for the season, regarding to the weather for example?
I really like to live in Berlin. It´s the German capital city and you can do so many things around here. Moreover, we have the most important race here with the Berlin Real Marathon, and I like to skate through the streets of my hometown. Together with around 10 skaters, I practise every day. Over the years, this group grew into one of the strongest teams in Germany. Now, we have six skaters, who´ll skate the WIC circuit in 2008. All of them are pretty young and they all are looking foward to every workout. During the off-season, I use to skate into the indoor ice-rink in Berlin to prepare for the next season. We always have the same conditions of weather so that I can practise very well.

You're only 22 and you will go into the team of Rollerblade World: it looks like a normal progression…
Since I was 16 years old, and that I meat for the first time the Rollerblade World Team in Italy, it was always my biggest wish to be part of that team. Now I´m 22, and I worked very hard to come in that position. But it´s never a normal progression to be in a top Team of the WIC.

What kind of marathon do you prefer: fast ones with massive sprints or physical ones with up hills and breakaways?
I like exactly this kind of races ;-) !

What will be your role into the team? What can we wish to you for this coming season?
I want to help the team to become the best team in 2008 again. I´ll do whatever my team wants me to do in the races!

Highlights (2007)
6th WIC overall
1st in Rennes
3rd in Zurich, Engadin
5th in Mainz, Biel, Incheon
7th in Suzhou
10th in Sursee

Interview Simona di Eugenio

“It is exciting to compete with the best skaters of the world!”

Vincent Esnault, 11.02.2008

Simona di Eugenio is one of the four Italian skaters of the team of Rollerblade World this season. But with one particularity: the athlete from Martinsicuro has not raced that much marathons in the past. It will "only" be her second season in the WIC after the one of 2006, but she's very young (22) and promising (just take a look at her first answer of the interview). She will certainly be one of the forces of the team in 2008. She will come with her freshness in the WIC and her will to achieve high level results.

Buongiorno Simona. You're mostly known as a traditional race specialist…
Yes I am… I'm racing at an international level in the traditional races since 2002 (I was 17 when I participated to my first European championships). Since then, I was European champion, expected in 2007, as well as Italian champion. So usually, I'm racing on the traditional distances, but I also was part of one team of the WIC in 2006, the team of Luigino. At a world level, I was World champion in 2005 in Suzhou (10km point/elimination) and I took one silver and one bronze in 2002, 2003 and 2004. At least, I'm the current holder of the 5km road since 2003: I took the record in Padova and it is 7'40''53. The CONI (the Italian Olympic Committee) awarded me with the gold, the silver and the bronze medal for all these results.

What is the kind of race you prefer the most?
There are a lot of chances that I will give my best on long distance races, either if it's on the track or on a road circuit!

What gives you some forces when you are at a European or at a World championship?
To be part of the national team of Italy, to wear the blue skin suit, the "maglia azzura" as we say, and to represent my country at the international competitions: this is a great honour for me. I'm satisfied when the public is around and gives me some forces, and I like to compete with the best athletes of the world: it is exciting; it gives me a lot of joy. I really appreciate to give back this feeling to the people who are around me, who are supporting me…

Is it the kind of atmosphere you want to live this coming season in the marathons?
My wish has always been to be part of one of the best teams of the world, one team which would be important and well organized. I raced for Luigino in 2006: it was a positive experience talking about results, but not that much talking about the organisation of the team… This year, Rollerblade offered me the possibility to come into the team, and, for sure, I will give my maximum to concretize the trust they gave to me.

Do you consider as an advantage that the Italians are the best in the WIC and that there will be many Italians in the team of Rollerblade?
The presence of many Italian skaters in the team is without a doubt a positive point: we will be able to understand ourselves very well. The presence of the Italians as the best of the WIC is also a positive point, either for Italia, or for the WIC! You don't have to forget that Italian skaters are part of the best of the world: maybe, that's the reason why the overall ranking of the WIC was won by Italians these past seasons…

What will be your role into the team? What can we wish to you for this coming season?
I already don't know my role into the team of Rollerblade World: it will be a decision that the team manager will take in the future. I can just confirm that I will be ready for the team, and if I get the possibility to win a race, I will skate straight to the gold!

Grazie Simona, and we wish you a very good season in 2008!