Zen 10 Questions: Alain Gloor
My web stats tell me that there are many readers of this blog out there, from all over the world (50+ countries just this may alone) but I have absolutely no idea who most of you are as individuals. It’s hard to imagine numbers like that, I prefer to always think of people.
Therefore I love it when blog readers email me out of the blue. Recently I had a fascinating email conversation with Swiss speedskater Alain Gloor. He is currently 3rd overall in the Inline world cup, racing for the powerhouse Athleticum Rollerblade team, and also he competes on the Dutch ice marathon circuit for schaatsteam.nl (in american vernacular, this qualifies him for “stud” status)
Alain is a perfect example of what I call an “ALLSKATER”, someone who skates everything, ice and inline, and is better for it.
I asked him a few questions, and our email conversation developed into this blog entry. Enjoy!
1 .Who inspired you to try ice?
First it was actually my friend Robert Goossen who was the first in Switzerland on inline skates. His parents are from the Netherlands, so it was obvious he also did ice skating. So I started, just for training, trying hard with those soft, soft Viking shoes in Basel on a 250m rink (three hockey fields opened for one “big” lap).
But I never actually thought I would do competitions. “No, no, I’m concentrating on inline skating, thanks.” Was my standard answer on people approaching me, telling me that I “have” to do competitions!!
Why did I end up in competitions then anyway? In the summer of 2004 I met my girlfriend Nienke. Yes, she’s from the Netherlands and that’s obviously why. She asked why I wouldn’t want to try the ice in the Netherlands and live with her? Yes, ok, sure, why not?! I stopped with my studies (history, german literature and media science) and went to live with her in a very small village in Friesland near Thialf, Heerenveen. She organized all the contacts to a Marathon team and got me involved with them. That’s how I ended up doing a full season (over 30 marathon races and natural ice races in Sweden and Austria), quite successful and having a lot of fun.
2. What is the inline scene like in Switzerland?
Yes, it definitely is big in Switzerland. We do have all the strongest skaters here in Switzerland, a pack of about 100 Skaters that have high skills is very normal. Switzerland used to be a very small country concerning Roller Speed Skating, an underdog.
But through the fact that we got the best skaters coming to Switzerland since about 1999, the level of skaters in Switzerland is now very high and we are known as skaters that are physically very strong and always try to attack. The level is now that high that my sister Nadine and me started to win our first medals in the history of the Swiss Federation, at Worlds in China.
The marathons are organized very professional and a lot of people attend them. The “Iguana Think Tank” organization works with the following concept:
- Professional Skaters
- Recreational Skaters
- Party!
That’s the philosophy of their every event. And it seems to work, although people started to worry now inline speed skating did not make it to the Olympics again.
What is ice racing like in Holland?
It definitely is huge, huge, huge. Coming from Switzerland where we do not even have one oval apart from the natural ice rink in Davos, it blew me away. Constant tv coverage, a big knowledge about sports in society and a big love and passion for sports is normal in the Netherlands. It’s perfect to live in the Netherlands as a sportsman.
It’s per example as big as all people, and I literally mean all, from young to old, know Shani Davis, Dutch tv brought their own cameras into the ice stadium at Olympics the follow every step of the stars.
And, it’s huge business in the Netherlands, really huge…
What are your skating goals?
For now my season on inline skates is going very well, I’m now third in the World Inline Cup rankings. But this will be very difficult to hold on to until the end of the season, but I will try with my strong team Athleticum Rollerblade in my back.
As I won two silvers at Europeans my goal will be to get European Champion. Probably in a points race on long distance.
I probably won’t attend the Worlds to allow me to get a good preparation for the ice season in the Netherlands in marathons. I will be in the same team, but in the A grade, where the level is pretty high, but it’s a very fascinating sport. All 16 races will be live on television! I will be accompanied by my fellow inline skater Roger Schneider in the same team, also from Switzerland!
As for long track, for sure I will try a bit. But for the moment I’m more fascinated with marathon racing (tactics, skating with the team etc.). I did one 5k in my life, and managed to almost crash twice in the first corner. I did a time of 7.00. People say it’s good for the first time…
So maybe one day my main goal will be to attend the Olympics for Switzerland.
What are the obstacles/advantages you have as Swiss athlete?
As I said, one big advantage is that we have all the professional inline skaters competing and living here. But for any other support it is very hard. The organization with teams and sponsors is very good and we can be very happy with how things are in the inline world in Switzerland.
But as soon as you would like to get support by the Olympic federation or the state, it gets very difficult and virtually impossible.
In the Netherlands it is very nice to have the “bonus” as a stranger i.e. “the Swiss that tries to ice and manages to do good, actually!” It is also attractive for sponsors to have someone with a profile of course, and a story to tell.
What is it like to be a Swiss athlete racing on a Dutch team?
It’s great. I found new friends there and managed to learn Dutch in a few months, that makes things a lot easier. Everything is very professional there and very well organized and people just love sports. Your trainer/manager will do everything for you that you have a good feeling/life as a sportsman, what I appreciate very much in the Netherlands!
Thanks Alain for a fascinating interview!! and a glimpse into European ice & inline culture. I hope to meet you in person someday!
I am intrigued by the principles of the “Iguana Think Tank”, and how they might be applied to different facets of ice and inline racing in the USA.
Are there even Iguanas in Switzerland? I guess that these days, there are some very smart ones, who put on some fine races.
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6 Responses to “Zen 10 Questions: Alain Gloor”
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Andrew
I always love it when yo interview one of our ’skating friends’ from abroad, it’s inspiring, although i also have a fleeting moment of depression when i remember how much fun it is to skate in holland, [compared to here, in general] and can only imagine what Swiss skating is like!
thanks, Alain
Andrew
Your blog, especially this last one, really inspires me to someday try out speedskating in Holland. Conceivably, that could happen sometime in the next season or two. Or perceivably, in 2008, when the Richmond Oval is open, as the Fraser Valley has a substantial concentration of the Dutch. Perhaps, too, I can have my own little piece of Holland.
Great interview as per usual Andrew; really wish we had some better coverage of the ice marathon circuit over here, and / or some better english coverage on the web.I am learning alittle Dutch and Swedish. I hope to go to Weissensee or
at lest Sylvan Lake next winter. Skating in Holland (any type) is on the agenda for sure. I had a banner natural ice season here (30 days or so)and inlined as well through the whole winter. Mainly focused now on the inline marathons coming up soon.
We do have a good group practicing short-track ice under Jondon Trevena now at EPIC(about 20-30 kids!!)A few of us older skaters are practicing at other times during the public sessions (not many figure skater practicing this time of year) to get more ice-time. Bob Berkley is leading the Boulder group, now that Rex is gone. I am leading the indoor / outdoor inline group at Rollerland / FC Speed with Jondons help.
Thats not completely off the ground however, but I am trying and am optimistic about it.
I know of some other new short track groups around the country, so things are not going too bad. I do not think the Olympics produced the huge upswing in public interest for ice (and certainly not for inline) that many had hoped, but that was not realistic. It is clear that the
whole Winter Olympics does not hold the power over the American imagination it once did,..
I personally think things will grow more slowly and reasonably,..bike racing and triathlons seem to be growing exponentially around here at the moment (at the expense of inline and ice). I take consolation in the fact that those of us in these skating sports right now are the dyed -in -wool skater type, really passionate about it. I sometimes wonder what would happen here if, say, inline did explode in popularity(I see alot of negatives; speed limits on bike paths,more conflicts between skaters and pedestrians). I sometimes think it is better that these skating sports do grow more slowly and do not get too big.(Probably not much chance of that anyway).
Well, enjoy your training, and keep me posted on SLC ice clinics and inline events that you think would benefit me.
DE
How about a ZEN 10 Question with Jen Rod?
Hi M.Love,
Do you know what Alain Gloor is up to theses days? Has he given up skating completely?
thank-you
I found this laughable: “Bob Berkley is leading the Boulder group”. Saying he was leading it is a big stretch. Bob’s involvement was limited to trolling the participants with the hope of acquiring more people who would pay him to coach. He never dispensed advice to people not paying him but was quick to criticize those who were doing their best to help the novice skaters. From what I heard, he got into arguments about technique with the likes of Caroline Hallisey and Lester Pardoe, eventually driving them away. His antics turned a lot of people off who simply stopped coming, and frankly, he is likely no small part of the reason the program in Boulder is no more.