2013 WFSC World Champs UNCENSORED

For more journalistic write-ups on the competition itself, check out the REPORT TRILOGY on worldslalomseries.com by yours truly:

• 2013 WFSC DAY 1: Speed Slalom & Pair Classic
• 2013 WFSC DAY 2: Freestyle Classic
• 2013 WFSC DAY 3: Freestyle Battle
• 2013 WFSC DAY 4: Slides & Medals SOON
  

MIXING WITH THE ARTISTIC WORLDS

speaker to the left of me, stage to the right,
here I am, stuck in the middle with food ♫

The 7th WFSC were held in Taipei from November 5 to 8, 2013, at the second level of an arena also hosting the 58th WORLDS of ARTISTIC SKATING at the first level. We were treated to a common OPENING CEREMONY, or should I say : We were tolerated, on our third day of competition, to attend the Artistic's opening ceremony, which was convenient as we added national flags to their list of participating countries. All the freestyle banners had been previously removed and no freestyle VIP was invited to get on the stage where were sitting the Artistic officials.

We also had the opportunity of sharing a COMMON BUFFET at dinner on our first day of

competition... which turned into a shameless (or shameful, depending on the end you place yourself) karaoke night for artistic skating VIPs. The least to say is that the shock of cultures was hardcore. Nevertheless, it was an interesting insight into the various levels of socially acceptable behaviours according to the different cultures. More practically, having to endure 60-year-olds bellowing Asian songs out of tune and wiggling on a stage 2 meters from me and my plate tends to put me off my food.

I broke my plate!

"...doing street rollerdancing..."

 

After only 8 days -- i.e. a bout, four derby practices and half a rollerdance session.

So I went to the skateshop... and this is when the real sh*t began.

• I asked not to have the same model in exchange because I didn't trust the plates anymore. Ok... but they had no other derby plates in size 4. Damn!
• And what about Lazer plates? Not my size either.
• Artistic plates seemed the only option left: designed for jumps, they wouldn't break. But: 1) The thread for the stops is specific to artistic, so I'd have to wear (big) artistic stops and 2) Bearings size 7 only, whereas I can have bearings size 8 for free.
• I dropped the option when they found a Dynapro Powerdyne plate size 4 hidden in a corner. Woot woot so happy! Until we tried to put them on my boots. My feet are too small and the stops jutted out from the boots. Well.
• As there was nothing satisfying, I asked them to give me the same model I had broken, at least to have provisory plates for the bout against Stuttgart the following weekend, and not to have to drill new holes in my boots for plates I wouldn't like -- which I would change eventually (and make a new set of holes for the final plates). Unfortunately, they didn't have my size in stock, at all.
• Back to the only option left: the artistic plates! I had to pay them and they will refund me the price of the plate I broke. I had no choice anyway. 

My Babies are back...

...after a little plastic surgery!