A breath of fresh air Everything is rolling smoothly Belgium falls for inline skating fun

In the past you had roller skates, but in the last ten years inline skating has become enormously popular in Belgium. Touring Magazine offers you an overview of everything that is possible on wheels. Not only in Belgium, but also across national borders. Have fun skating! Skating in cities It already existed in major foreign cities: skating through the city. In Paris, every Friday evening, thousands of skating enthusiasts gather on the Place d'Italie to skate through the streets accompanied by "rollercops". In Berlin, New York, London, and Barcelona too, streets have been closed off to allow skating enthusiasts to roll through the city. In Belgium, 'Brussels Rollers' took place for the first time last year: in five parades, more than 30,000 skating enthusiasts strapped on their inline skates. This summer, the activities are expanding to numerous other cities under a new name: 'Belgium Rollers'. The cities listed for July and August are as follows: Hasselt (every Monday), Namur (every Tuesday), Ghent (every Wednesday), Liège (every Thursday), Brussels (every Friday), Mons (every Saturday), and Koksijde (only Sunday July 20 and August 24). For more info, you can visit the website www.belgiumrollers.com. Tour of Belgium Rolling through a city on your skates is fun, but long, beautiful routes in nature or in the countryside certainly have their charm too. Numerous tours are being organized all across the country. For a good overview, it is best to contact the Belgian skating federations. In Flanders, that is the Vlaamse Rollerbond (www.rollerbond.be, tel: 016/81 62 42): they offer a clear overview of all events taking place throughout Flanders. In Wallonia, there is the FBFP (Fédération Belge Francophone de Patinage). You can find their details on the site www.geocities.com/federollerbe, phone: 064/65 09 05. Skatefit is also recommended: every week they go out on skates and afterwards enjoy a cozy 'glazen boterhammeke' (a glass of beer). Info: www.skatefit.org. Also handy: the book 'Skaten door België, de mooiste parcours voor de inline-skater in België' published by Lannoo. 168 pages thick, 14.75 euros. In addition to practical tips and a list of useful addresses, you can find 24 routes through Flanders and Wallonia in it. If you prefer rolling on a track without cars or other traffic nearby, you can visit numerous locations. The following website gives a good overview: users.pandora.be/nike.dierycx/inlineskating/belgische%20pistes.htm. Very special is speed skating on the circuit of Terlaemen in Zolder. This is possible from May through October. For more info, call Jan Celis after 7 p.m.: 0477/72 23 54. On holiday with your skates You can also take your skates abroad. There are organizations that arrange special skating holidays or day trips. The Dutch 'Skate-a-round' is a very professional organization that organizes many outings, both domestically and abroad. You can join them to Barcelona, Berlin, Switzerland... You name it. In the Netherlands, they also organize the Eleven Cities Tour on wheels. For more info, visit www.skate-a-round.com or call 0031/20/4 681 682. 10 tips for safe skating fun • Protect yourself against falls with knee, wrist, and elbow pads • Wear a helmet in a halfpipe or in heavy traffic • Take a proper skating lesson before you begin: that way you learn to ride AND brake properly • According to the law you are a pedestrian, so stay on the sidewalk or bike path • Be extra careful when the road surface is wet: best to avoid skating • Practice in quiet places, not in heavy traffic • It is best not to wear a walkman while skating • Watch out for oil spots, loose paving tiles, potholes, and other unevenness on the asphalt • The direction you look is the direction you skate • Make yourself clearly visible in the dark