News Archive

May 7-13, 2006

Sunday

(May 7, 2006)

Italians Dominate in Rainy Rennes

World Cup newcomer Simona Di Eugenio escaped with four others and won the sprint in today's Rennes World Inline Cup in France. MMCmicro Salomon's Massimiliano Presti made it two for four with a victory in the rain-soaked men's race. (Go to the Planet story.)

Monday

(May 8, 2006)
Put Yourself on the Map!
One of the most fun things you can do on skates is roll with a crowd. Group skates are a great way to meet people, see the sights, and get a workout. To make it easier to find one, we've posted up our Group Skate Mapper. But we're going to need your help. So far, we've only added four group skates. Help us out by adding yours! (Go to the Group Skate Mapper!)

Smith, Foley Finish on Top at NIRA Nationals

Hyper's Jessica Smith, 22, dominated the women's racing over the weekend at NIRA Nationals in Canton, Mich. Team United's Todd Foley won the men's individual title. The meet is a warm up for the U.S. outdoor national championships later this month. Noticeably absent were last year's Team USA stars Joey Mantia and Brittany Bowe. (Go to more Racing News.)

Skate Bytes ...

Skating Blind: Ben Underwood doesn't let a little thing like blindness stop him from skating. The 14-year-old relies on echolocation (like a dolphin) and his keen hearing to guide him. (Go to Sacto Bee story.)

Around the World: Fast skaters are needed to help Skate Around the World in 24 Hours (May 20). It's a fund raiser. For each kilometer skated, one euro will go to UNICEF. (Go to web site.)

Tuesday

(May 9, 2006)

Skate Bytes ...

Group Skate Mania: Eight new group skates were added today to the Group Skate Mapper. Look for them in Houston, Chicago, Phoenix, District of Columbia and Palo Alto, Calif. And keep those group skates coming! (Go to Group Skate Mapper.)

Wednesday

(May 10, 2006)

Growing Skating One Kid at a Time

Rollerblade's Skate in School program hits a new milestone: 3 million students served. "I've never seen our kids so excited to be in PE class," says one school administrator. (Go to the Planet story.)

Skate Bytes ...

Chantilly Race: A half marathon and free learn to skate clinic will be part of the Skate of the Union event on June 11 in Chantilly, Virg. (Go to more info.)

More Map Mania: Six more group skates added today: You'll find 'em in Austin (2), Detroit, Nashville, Salt Lake City and St. Petersburg. (Go to the Group Skate Mapper.)

Thursday
(May 10, 2006)
Skate Bytes ...
More Map: Another six group skates landed on the map today: You'll find 'em in Atlanta, Baltimore, Dallas, Sacramento, San Francisco and Liverpool, N.Y. (Go to the Group Skate Mapper.)

Friday
(May 12, 2006)
Salomon: On the Way Out?
Salomon's new owner is considering getting out of the inline market as it tries to transform the French company into a money maker. (Go to the Planet story.)

World Cup Returns to Biel
The World Inline Cup is moving to Switzerland this weekend. And apparently, so is the rain. Showers are forecast tomorrow in Biel, site of the fifth stage of the 2006 race series. Some 2000 skaters are expected for the 36K race through the city best known for clocks. Last year, 10,000 spectators lined the road course. (Go to the Planet's World Cup coverage and come back tomorrow for a story about the race.) (May 12, 2006)

Skate Bytes ...
The 50k Crystal Springs Inline Marathon is Sunday in San Mateo, Calif. It's the second stage of CORA's Dan Burger Point Series. Dana Eads is the current leader. (Go to more info.)

Saturday
(May 13, 2006)
On a Roll
The Rollerblade women made it two in a row today collecting all the medals (gold, silver and bronze) in the rain-soaked Biel World Inline Cup in Switzerland. Powerslide's Alexis Contin of France won the men's race. Right behind him were Shane Dobbin (Rollerblade) and Pier Davide Romani (MMCmicro Salomon). (Go to results.)

Skate Bytes ...
The Group Skate Mapper keeps growing. Look for new additions in Minneapolis, Boston, Cambridge, Devens, Mass., and Oakland, Fla. And help spread the word by adding your group skate or training session to the map! (Go to Group Skate Mapper.)

Go to the News Archive for a week by week index of news from the Inline Planet.