Memorial/Marathon/Rollers...

FOCUS SPORT Memorial/Marathon/Rollers... DIFFERENT LOCATIONS DIVERS ENDROITS VARIOUS LOCATIONS Michaël Bellon Marathon Marathon of Brussels/Marathon de Bruxelles/Brussels Marathon & Brussels City Run (21 km), ING Kids Run (1 km) & mini-marathon (3 km), 28.8 011-45.99.97, info@ingrunningtour.be Rollers Roller Parade Summer Tour 2005, > 30.9 vr/ve/Fr 19.00, pl. Poelaertplein, Brussels/Bruxelles 02-227.27.24, www.belgiumrollers.com Memorial 29th Memorial Van Damme, 26.8, King Baudouin Stadium/Stade Roi Baudouin, av. Houba De Strooperlaan, Brussels/Bruxelles 02-478.20.25, www.memorialvandamme.be N It is possible that the Eddy Merckx Grand Prix will not be organized this year because the organization of the individual time trial became increasingly expensive, and negotiations to organize the event together with Paris-Brussels have fallen through. But that does not mean that there is nothing else to experience sportingly this summer. For the Belgium Rollers, everything runs smoothly, for example. They gather every Friday at 7:00 PM at Poelaert Square for a twenty-kilometer ride through the city. Everyone can participate for free without registering. Safety regulations must of course be observed; for children, protection for wrists, elbows and knees is mandatory. New participants' technique is also tested beforehand. True beginners can go to the Terkamerenbos every day at 5:00 PM for free roller lessons (Info: 02-346.97.98, info@twin.be, www.twin.be). At the start, material can also be rented, and motorists can park for free in the parking garage under Poelaert Square. The most prestigious sporting event of the summer remains, without a doubt, the Memorial Ivo Van Damme. Last year, the Brussels leg of the Golden League circuit of the International Athletics Federation was again named the best athletics event in the world. It is the favorite meeting of many athletes who can truly appreciate the special atmosphere in the stadium. Tickets are often sold out long in advance. Those who wish can order them now on the website. The definitive list of participants will only be announced after the World Championships in Helsinki, but it is already certain that Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva, and world and Olympic 10,000-meter champion Kenenisa Bekele will come to the King Baudouin Stadium. Isinbayeva will try to set a new world record, just like last year. Looking for the finish line Most of you probably still remember the hilarious and at the same time sad images of Kenyan athlete John Ekiru Kerai who, in the last hundred meters of the Brussels Marathon, was desperately looking for the finish line on the Grand Place. Mayor Thielemans called that the most embarrassing moment of the year. This year, the Brussels Marathon will take place on August 28. The program also includes the existing Brussels City Run (21 km), the ING Kids Run (1 km) and a mini-marathon (3 km), which last year took place at the end of September. The start will be in the Jubelpark, and the finish is again on the Grand Place. 20 AGENDA