Roll, youth!

The good weather is back, and with it, the wild desire to get some fresh air and experience Brussels in summer... Exchange 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 the (preferably) pedestrian-deserted sidewalks, and even, for the most daring, on ramps and stairs. Yes, the roller craze has taken over our capital, as it previously did in Paris, London, or New York, to name but a few legendary cities where skates, quads, in-lines, and other skates have met with success commensurate with the frequency of their tarmac. Far from being a solitary sport, rollerblading is the perfect opportunity to mix social classes and generations. People do it with family or friends, and no longer just in the 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." Tenfold increase in participation The Roller Parade was born in 2002. A night owl and city dweller, close to certain political circles, ambitious and enterprising, Carl de Moncharline pushed 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 extended to other major cities in the country (Hasselt, Ghent, Namur, Mons, Liege, and Koksijde), but Brussels remains, by far, the most frequented. Alain, a passionate skater, explains this success by the combination of different factors: "Scheduled for Friday, 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 ON THE SAME SKATE PEOPLE 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 net, and the different actors on the scene were working on their own, 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 the opportunity to put on the same skate people who probably would never have met without the magic of rollerblading!" A sport that brings generations together. (PHOTO DR) Aurélien lives in Lille. Last summer, he regularly participated in the Belgian parades. "I came to do the rides in Belgium thanks to the Rouliroula forum, I met a lot of people, and the rides allowed me to get to know some people better! I find the Belgian rides more friendly than the French ones. There's more atmosphere, and contrary to popular belief, it's not flat! There are some very nice descents... And some very nice climbs too, by the way!" In less than two years, this activity has become a staple 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! PRACTICAL INFORMATION > On June 4th, the first strokes of the wheels will be given for the Belgium Roller of Brussels, 2004 version. From that date, skaters, young and old, pros and novices, will be able to roam the streets of the capital every Friday of the summer until September 25th. The gathering will take place from 7 pm, Place Poelaert, for a departure at 8 pm. The route is still under wraps, 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