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| December 1999 Inline Skating Wheels for Style By Alison Yeung Article from
the same section: Inline skating is a sport where people skate with shoes fitted with a line of wheels. It is speedy, be played in whatever style and wherever skaters like. According to Mr. Kenneth Chang, who is a key member in the inline skate team of the Hong Kong Amateur Roller Skating Association, said that it is not fashion that drives him to play inline skating. Said he: “It is a training of persistence, balance as well as physical strength.” Mr. Nadim Samman and Mr. Patrick Lantier, who came from Australia and Canada to be participants in the Hong Kong Action Expo ’99 Asia, skate not for catching up with the trend. According to Mr. Lantier, inline skating is free from rules. Skaters can play whatever they like. In spite of the great fondness the three young men shared in inline skating, there were times when they fell down and got hurt. “I get hurt all the time. But it is worthwhile. When you get better, you know the thing you do and the risk you take. You will practice enough to know how to deal with it,” said Mr. Samman. Despite getting injured and encountering difficulties, the men have never thought of giving up inline skating. “You cannot say you want to quit because you get hurt. Before you start playing the sport, you have to know the consequence. If you fall, it is just part of the game,” said Mr. Samman. “You should not give up so easily once you committed yourself to something,” said Mr. Chang. Nowadays, there are many young people falling into step with inline skating. Mr. Patrick Wan, a staff member in Canton Sports’ Centre, said, “Most of the young people who buy inline skating shoes are between 17 and 25. “They are beginners and they may not have high purchasing power,” added Mr. Wan. Therefore, the price of inline skating shoes, varying from a few hundred to thousands of dollars, is a determining factor for young people to choose the shoes. According to Mr. Eric Lai, the founder of Picnic Table Ltd., which sells inline skating products, it doesn’t matter for beginners to start with a cheaper pair of shoes. Mr. Lai, who has skated for 6 years, said, “It will not be late for players to change their shoes and buy new gears when they reach advanced level. To judge the quality of shoes, apart from looking at the price, Mr. Wan said that skaters should pay attention to the functions, materials and wheel size of the shoes. Concerning the pads, Mr. Lai said, “I strongly suggest beginners choosing the right pads. Wrist guards and kneepads are very important. If a learner gets hurt seriously at the very beginning, one’s future in skating will be greatly hindered.” Besides having good equipment, relaxation is another key factor to play well in inline skating. Mr. Lai also advised young players to start from basic tricks. “Take jumping as an example, skaters should bend on their knees and use all their strength to jump. The technique is simple but yet decisive. If one cannot do this, one cannot play any complicated tricks,” said Mr. Lai. “Most young people want to be professional skaters as in magazines and videos. But all one has to do is to start off with a pair of decent shoes and be dedicated,” Mr. Samman concluded. |
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