2003 Amsterdam Workshop

Amsterdam, Netherlands ILQ Workshop, June 27-29, 2003
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Long live hardrijders! Hardrijden, or speedskating, is as Dutch as it gets. Wooden clogs, windmills, licorice, bicycles, rijstafel, and pancakes combined don't even add up to the culture of thrilling fun that speedskating in the Netherlands inspires. If you want to get so skate crazy that it oozes out of every pore, then riding hard in Amsterdam, Holland, is for you. Holland is the birthplace of speedskating on planet earth. Even the double push originated in Holland, where you can't help but get swept up by all the excitement.

Navigators and traders, the Dutch have always had contact with many countries, and speedskating is no exception. The workshop was a multi-cultural phenomenon with a common dynamic language. Skaters from the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Germany, England, New Zealand, Venezuela, and the U.S. lent the workshop a truly international flavor. Savor the flavor!

The workshop had special significance for the coach, who was delighted to find himself near where his career all got started in the first place. Frequent references were made to Dutch races and Dutch skaters to help illustrate technical and strategic points. To the delight of the all, former Dutch inline champion Edward Hagen even made an appearance on speedskates of his own fashioning.

"We signed up by accident but had a great time anyway," said one aggressive skater. "Hey, this stuff really works!" said someone else. "I learned more tips in 5 minutes than in three years of skating," exclaimed another. "This workshop exceeded my wildest expectations," confided a third. "Count me in for next year," said yet another.

Special thanks to TWINCAM, ILQ-9, Wigwam, Bobward, Barrie, Roces Speedskate Team Netherlands,Raymond Verdaguer artwork, Andre and Ted, Explore. and Dutch wortels.

Classic form	Fire and Ice	Persian Express
Pootje over	Under limbs	Tired technique
Starts	Sneltrein	Togetherness
Hup hup!	Turn style	Locomotion
Underpush King	Hawk!	Finish flourish
Underpush King	Hawk!	Finish flourish

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