2013 Shanghai Slalom Open (Stream of Thoughts)

The UNOFFICIAL backstage experience of my umpteenth trip to China*...

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

• 2013 SSO DAY 1: Pair Classic, Speed Trials, Junior Classic.
• 2013 SSO DAY 2: Speed Finals, Senior Classic, Slides.
• 2013 SSO DAY 3: Battle, Medals.

► THU. AUG. 1^st : Traveling.

After a 19-hour trip: two planes with a four-hour stop in Dubai --excluding the Bordeaux-Paris train of the previous day, the hour of metro to get to the airport and the two-hour wait to board... and the hour of bus to get from Shanghai airport to the hotel...
AFTER A 19-HOUR TRIP (I don't count the extra, it's too depressing) I'M IN SHANGHAI!

Let's not complain, though: I experienced a long flight in BUSINESS CLASS for the first time in my life. I had already been upgrated once, but for a short trip and didn't enjoy it much. But I could have had champagne if ever I had drunk alcohol.....

Skate Cross in Haining

Last week, I was in China for a Skate Cross competition.

"...A what?!"

I'm sure you derby girls will agree with the concept of the discipline. Actually despite all the differences, there's quite a lot of common points with derby. Despite that...

We use inline skates, no quad-skates.

You're alone against the world, no team.

The competition is unfolding on a street/skatepark, no flat-track.