Planet News Archive ... ... for the week of Feb. 12 - 18, 2006 Monday
(Feb. 13, 2006)
Inline Gold Rush! ... Joey Cheek's Will to Win - For  former inline skater Joey Cheek, it was never a question of whether he could make it on ice—just how long it would take. That's part of what we learned when we talked to the new gold medalist's first ice coach, Kent Thometz. (Go to the Planet story.) Great EsSkate Runs Hot and Cold - Two days of  perfect weather followed by a cold snap. That's how the weekend's Great EsSkate in Miami may be remembered. But it was still a blast—at least, that's what Skate Coach Kathy McSparran tells us. (Go to event photo and recap.) Skate Alliance Looks for Structure - The recently  formed North American Skating Alliance is trying to figure out how to structure itself to foster its goal of fortifying the inline industry. Meeting Saturday in Miami during the Great EsSkate, the group formed a committee to consider its structure and other issues, including whether it should adopt bylaws and how to choose leaders. The committee is expected to report back to the full group, through its newsletter, in a few months, said founder Allan Wright of Zephyr Adventures. (Go to more skate industry news.) Tuesday
(Feb. 14, 2006)
Gator Brake Ready to Roll - Gatorback  Skate has released its new bolt-on brake for speed skates. The $50 brake can be fitted to most 100mm frames. It is designed to be used with the GatorLeash, which attaches to the frame and provides extra power for stopping. Inventor Mark Farnsworth says that the Gatorback system allows skaters to stop as quickly as cyclists. (Go to Gatorback announcement.) (Feb. 14, 2006) Wednesday
(Feb. 15, 2006)
USA's Inline Double Dip -  What explains USA's position at the top of the speed skating universe? Gerard Kemkers, coach of the Dutch Olympic team, gives the nod to inline skating. "Because of the influx of inline skaters, they are able to draw from two wells," Kemkers says. (Go to the AP story.) (Go to the Planet's Olympic coverage.) Thursday
(Feb. 16, 2006)
Hedrick Makes Transition to Comedy - Inline-to-ice  champion Chad Hedrick collected another honor last night: He presented the Top Ten List on the Late Show with David Letterman. The topic, not surprisingly, was "Good Things About Winning a Gold Medal." (No. 9: "For one week, the government won't tap my phone.") Hedrick, the sudden superstar, delivered his lines with a big smile. He was videotaped in Turin earlier in the day. (Read the Top Ten List.) NBC Affiliate Salutes Inline  - NBC 11 News in San Francisco paid homage to inline skating last night in a piece titled, "Speed Dreams: How one of the Olympics' most popular sports caught on." The story details inline's contribution to the U.S. Olympic team and features interviews with three-time a2a champion Kim Perkins and D. Miles Jr. of the California Outdoor Rollerskating Association. The two-minute piece points out that the U.S. speed skating team is "dominated" by former inline skaters. ... Sure, we knew that. But it's great to see the message spreading. (Go to the video.) Skaters Join Tour de Cure - Skaters will  join cyclists in this May's Tour de Cure Santa Monica. Participants can choose from three distances: 5 miles ("short, sweet and flat"), 25 miles ("relatively flat") and 50 miles (on the beach bike path). The tour (May 13th) raises money for the American Diabetes Association. Everyone is invited to a kickoff reception next Tuesday (Feb. 21st) at the Viceroy Santa Monica hotel. (Go to press release.) (Go to Planet event calendar.) On the Forum
Can't Find Cants - Comprex is looking for a U.S. source of canting strips. Know of any? (Go to his post.) Lowering the Deck -  Gatorback is coming out with a 100mm frame with an unusually low deck. He's looking for skaters who want to test it. (Go to his post.) | 
