Roll, youth!

Nice days are back, and with them, the crazy urge to get some fresh air and experience Brussels in summer mode... Trade cars and mopeds for skates and scooters. The parade resumes on June 4th. SANDY WELBY For two years now, in summer, beautiful Brussels has been lulled by a new rhythm: that of skates on the asphalt or (preferably) sidewalks deserted by pedestrians, and even, for the most daring, on ramps and other stairs. Yes, roller fever has taken hold of our capital, as it previously did in Paris, London, or New York, to name only these mythical cities where skates, quads, in-line, and other skates have met with success proportional to the frequency of their asphalt. Far from being a solitary sport, rollerblading is the perfect opportunity to mix social classes and generations. People engage in it with family or friends, and no longer just at Bois de la Cambre on Sundays. Thanks to Carl de Moncharline, among others, goodbye exhaust fumes and traffic jams, for a few hours and one evening a week... Brussels streets belong to "pedestrians on wheels." Participation multiplied tenfold The Roller Parade was born in 2002. A night owl and urbanite, close to certain political circles, ambitious and enterprising, Carl de Moncharline opened the right doors and imposed his vision of the city: a city celebrating... as the ranks of the Roller Parade have never stopped swelling. Initially, there were 400 participants. During the last glide, last summer, the streets of Brussels were caressed by nearly 4000 skaters. In 2003, the concept expanded to other major cities in the country (Hasselt, Ghent, Namur, Mons, Liège, and Koksijde), but Brussels remains, by far, the most popular. Alain, a passionate skater, explains this success by the combination of different factors: "Scheduled on Fridays, the parade is an opportunity to relax with friends. In addition, it offers the possibility to visit Brussels, usually congested by traffic, in a way other than by car. The number of participants is also due to a purely mathematical reason: the population density is higher here than in Namur, for example. Finally, the collaboration between the police and the staff is irreproachable, which greatly contributes to the atmosphere!" THE OPPORTUNITY TO PUT PEOPLE ON THE SAME SKATE WHO WOULD NEVER HAVE MET Rouliroula Following this success, a real community emerged, notably through the creation of a website, now the most visited Belgian portal related to this topic: www.rouliroula.com. For Jean Simonis, its creator, "the project was born from the desire to see the Roller Parades continue." An email address had been opened for a petition. "I quickly realized that there was no general website about rollerblading in Belgium. This discipline was poorly represented on the internet, and the different actors in the scene were working independently, unaware of what their neighbors were doing. I enjoyed completing the site with some good tips and events, a directory of shops and roller parks..." In 2003, Rouliroula opened a discussion forum. It was an explosion: "from chats to meetings, Rouliroula was an opportunity to put people on the same skate who would probably never have met without the magic of rollerblading!" A sport that brings generations together. (PHOTO DR) Aurélien lives in Lille. Last summer, he regularly took part in the Belgian parades. "I came to do the tours in Belgium thanks to the Rouliroula forum, I made many acquaintances, and the rides allowed me to get to know certain people better! I find the Belgian rides more enjoyable than the French ones. There's more atmosphere, and contrary to popular belief, it's not flat! There are some beautiful descents... And some beautiful climbs too, by the way!" In less than two years, this activity has become an essential part of our capital's life. In addition to being a healthy and inexpensive leisure activity, it is also an opportunity to see the city differently while developing a passion that is very unifying. Nothing but good, nothing but beautiful, nothing but well! IN PRACTICE > On June 4th, the first strokes of the wheels will be given for the Belgium Roller in Brussels, 2004 version. From that date, skaters, young and old, pros and novices, will be able to travel the streets of the capital every Friday of the summer until September 25th. The gathering will be from 7 PM, at Place Poelaert, for a departure at 8 PM. The route is still a secret, but the program is known: a total of 20 km of asphalt, or two times 10 km to allow newcomers to start gently. @ http://www.rouliroula.com @ http://www.belgiumrollers.com