A couple of weeks ago, I promised you a report on the world of competitive rollerskiing. That world came to us last weekend in the form of the Toppidrettsveka Rollerski Championships, so I’m here to answer your most pressing questions on the subject.
Is this an Allison sport or a Gavin sport?
This is most definitely an Allison sport.
I like races — both to participate in and to watch. I am drawn to the quiet, contemplative nature of endurance sports. During my Ironman prep, I did all the swim training in a pool, (almost) all the bike training on my indoor stationary trainer, and all the run training on a middle school track. I did not find it boring, and I rather liked tracking my run pace for 48 or 60 or 72 laps. I am not particularly fast, or strong, or agile, but I do have one athletic advantage, and that is that I can do the same repetitive motion for a really long time.
I can also get a sick runner’s high.
Gavin, on the other hand, likes team sports, and games. His current favorite is racquetball, and I’m always curious whether his choice of sport is as representative of his psyche as mine — while I enjoy the slow, introverted, monotony of long-distance endurance events, he has chosen a sport where a ball whizzes past you at top speed and bounces off all six surfaces of the glass cube you’re enclosed in.
He would probably rather be cheering on the Rosenborg Ballklub than watching a rollerskiing race, so thanks for the indulgence, Gavin!
What is Toppidrettsveka?
Toppidrettsveka is a three-day rollerskiing competition in Trondheim and environs. Each day features several events, both sprints and longer endurance races. There are awards for the winners of each event, as well as the overall fastest man and woman.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PcO3fWhumg&w=560&h=315]
We saw the 1k sprint on Friday afternoon. It featured a time-trial qualification round, followed immediately by 10 quarter-final heats, 4 semi-final heats, and 1 finals heat. So, if you made finals, you raced hard four times in about an hour and a half.
The race started and ended at the St. Olav statue in the Trondheim town square, and a 0.25 km course was blocked off such that competitors completed two full laps for each race. If any of you have ever been to a professional cycling race, it reminded me a lot of that.
How did the city of Trondheim prepare for the event?
The city paved over the main cobblestone street in the old town district, which seemed a little drastic to me, until I noticed some kind of heavy plastic sheeting sticking out from the sides of the new pavement. Is there a way to lay pavement down and then take it back up again? I have never heard of this, but it seems like that might be what happened.
Are the participants in it for the glory, or for prize money?
I’m not sure, but I think (hope) it’s for prize money, for two reasons:
- The level of competition is surprisingly very high. The field includes many athletes at the top of the Cross-Country Skiing World Cup and several Olympic medalists.
- It doesn’t seem that glorious. The crowd is small, subdued, and incessantly polite. While there is a bleacher section near the finish line, the rest of the short course is dotted with occasional spectators, and very little cheering.
Our fellow rollerski enthusiasts.
What is the biggest occupational hazard?
It seems like it would be pretty easy to get stabbed. A rollerskier takes up a lot of room on the course, and the double-polling motion sends the very sharp business-ends of the ski poles behind the athlete and out to the sides, making it difficult to pass someone without seriously risking bodily harm.
Hence the lines.
Is there a fanny pack culture?
Yes.
This is Kathrine Rolsted Harsem, currently ranked 13th on the XC Ski World Cup.
Who won?
The Mens 1k sprint was won by Dario Cologna, a Swiss athlete with three Olympic gold medals to his name. He finished 11th overall, behind a Swede, a Finn, a British guy, and seven Norwegians. He is ranked 7th on the XC Ski World Cup.
The Womens 1k sprint was won by Barbro Kvåle, from Lillehammer. She has 11 World Cup medals to her name and finished 6th overall, behind three other Norwegians and two Swedes.
When will you be ready to participate?
Funny that you asked that! After a month of wrangling with the only online retailer of men’s size 15 roller ski boots, Gavin’s boots finally arrived last week. He’s more graceful than I was on my first attempt, but we still have a long way to go.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6etlxSWeVA&w=560&h=315]
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From beginner to professional in one month! I thought that was what this article was about. I believe in you, Allison!