Fred bonus: "the Roller Parade is incredibly beneficial for the police..."

02/ON THE BILL by Anne Hustache, Albert Baetens, Fanny Bouvry and Thomas Ghysselinckx photos Arnaud De Cremer and Alexis Haulot ENTERTAINMENT THE BELGIUM ROLLER TOUR KICKS OFF THIS FRIDAY, JUNE 3 FRED BONUS: “THE ROLLER PARADE IS INCREDIBLY BENEFICIAL FOR THE POLICE..." Precise technical gestures, a shaved head, Frédéric Bonus-Plumridge, known as Fred Bonus, is one of those roller kings who, on weekends, traverse the Bois de La Cambre. This June 3, he will take the reins of the Roller Parade staff. The skater tells us the success story of his favorite sport. You seem to have been born with rollers on... Fred Bonus: I started 20 years ago, doing “quad”, the old-fashioned roller skates. Back then, I was a loser, I was 15-16 years old and I skated alone in the streets. Sometimes, I would come across another lost soul, like me. We bought our equipment in a shop on Rue Bara, which sold American products: frisbees, yo-yos, etc. We were outlaws: we couldn't circulate on the street or on the sidewalks. We had to wait until January 2004 for roller skating to finally be recognized as a road user, just like a cyclist. When did you discover in-line skating? I lived in London and California, where I learned a lot. At the time, each country had its own style, its own "skating stroke." I could recognize a Swiss skater from an English one from afar! Today, roller skating has undergone globalization and there are fewer national specificities. One day, in London, I tried the first in-line Rollerblades. I had the sensation of flying. But, in fact, it wasn't really an invention: the wheels of the first roller skates, invented around 1890 by a Belgian, were already aligned! Back in Belgium, you got involved in the Roller Parade... Three years ago, I was one of the most experienced skaters in the capital... Carl de Moncharline, who launched the event, spotted me and asked me to take care of the staff. I then recruited the staff on site, during the first Roller Parade. It wasn't necessarily about choosing the best skaters but those who could keep their cool... and their role. And, today, we have the luxury of being able to select the staff and choose the best ones. Finally, the police officers who supervise the event on skates have also progressed. You also take care of their training... Yes, three months a year, I train volunteers. The police on roller skates must be able to manage the flow of skaters. It's difficult for them because they are in uniform and people are just waiting for one thing: to see them fall... In any case, this Roller Parade is incredibly beneficial for the police. It allows them to get closer to the citizens. And vice versa. 8,000 PARTICIPANTS What memory do you keep of this first parade? A memorable memory. Carl and I had set ourselves a goal: if we gathered 150 people, our mission would be accomplished. Just before the start, Poelaert Square was packed with people. There were a good thousand participants. We couldn't believe it! And how has the parade evolved since then? We reach peaks of 8,000 participants. The level has improved. In the early days, people arrived on Friday evening with new skates that they unpacked on the spot. Today, more and more people skate correctly. It's great, even if we've lost that little underground feel. The staff has also evolved, becoming more professional. We are 135 to supervise the event in turns. IT'S ROLLING FOR THE POLICE Can we then dream of a roller patrol in the police force? The authorities do not object. The police already patrol on roller skates in the Bois de La Cambre. But, the topography of the city of Brussels does not necessarily lend itself to this mode of transport: too many cobblestones, too many slopes... Paris is the Mecca of roller skating, with its wide flat boulevards and its super-conditioned asphalt. What are your favorite parts of this "tourist" circuit? Hard to say... When we pass through the city center, maybe. People on the terraces applaud us. There's a hubbub rising in the street, the friction of the wheels on the ground, the shouts... The atmosphere is friendly, and there's no elitism, unlike other similar events in Europe. And then, a lot of things happen in the procession. Couples form... There was even a wedding! (FB) SMOOTH SAILING This June 3, the Belgium Roller Tour resumes its summer habits: skating enthusiasts will start the first Brussels roller parade of the summer. Every Friday until September 30, it will be the same ritual... The start will be given from Poelaert Square, at 8 p.m., if it doesn't rain. Participants will cross the capital, according to a variable route of about 20 km. Two conditions are required to join the procession: knowing how to control one's speed and how to brake. Children can also take part in the adventure provided they wear protective gear (also recommended for adults!) It is also possible to rent roller skates on site (10€), from 7 p.m., or at the Twin store, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Finally, for those who wish to vary their pleasures, the Belgium Roller Summer Tour makes stops, in July and August, in other cities: Monday in Hasselt, Wednesday in Ostend, Thursday in Namur, Saturday in Mons and four Sundays in Koksijde. Belgium Roller, 02/227.27.24, www.belgiumrollers.com. Twin, chaussée d'Alsemberg 414b, 1180 Bruxelles, 02/346.97.98, www.twin.be Photo: Alexis Haulot 02/June 1-7, 2005 6