WAVES, KICKERS, SPLITTERS and banked turns. Gobbledigook, six weeks ago. Today, words that taunt me.
Somehow – because of a love of figure skating (watching, not doing; figure, not speed) – I became embroiled in a The42 and Red Bull Ireland project which will see me hurtle down the track pictured above wearing ice skates.
As part of the inaugural visit of Crashed Ice to Belfast, the Red Bull team decided to teach the unteachable, train the untrained and trust the infallible. They have three journalists – yours truly included – preparing to go down the same course the pros will use for the competition.
It should look something like this:
Meanwhile, me:
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Despite protestations from those in The42 that it would be funnier to see us fall down inexpertly, the sports enthusiastic brand has given us some of the best training possible – with former Belfast Giant and Crashed Ice star Graeme Walton.
So, we’re a few weeks in. And here’s what I see when I close my eyes.
Easy, right?
The intense regime brought us to Helsinki for the second stop on the world tour, where we embarrassed ourselves in front of a beautiful fashion model and a number of adroit kids at an outdoor ice rink (you don’t know how attached to barriers you are until they’re taken away).
We’ve managed to master some important elements of skating, such as figure eights and stopping. Stopping is a weirdly exhilarating feeling when you’re on ice skates.
There were also some intense happy feelings as Graeme explained some technical terms which I’ve been familiar with since I fell in love with figure skating as a nine-year-old girl.
Along with this newly-gained knowledge and some tips from Helsinki winner Scott Croxall, we’re better placed for this Friday’s competition.
Maybe. Hopefully. Gobbledigook.
Watch more of my exploits here but let’s leave you with how it should look.
One of our journalists will race this terrifying Belfast ice track on Friday
WAVES, KICKERS, SPLITTERS and banked turns. Gobbledigook, six weeks ago. Today, words that taunt me.
Somehow – because of a love of figure skating (watching, not doing; figure, not speed) – I became embroiled in a The42 and Red Bull Ireland project which will see me hurtle down the track pictured above wearing ice skates.
As part of the inaugural visit of Crashed Ice to Belfast, the Red Bull team decided to teach the unteachable, train the untrained and trust the infallible. They have three journalists – yours truly included – preparing to go down the same course the pros will use for the competition.
It should look something like this:
Meanwhile, me:
Despite protestations from those in The42 that it would be funnier to see us fall down inexpertly, the sports enthusiastic brand has given us some of the best training possible – with former Belfast Giant and Crashed Ice star Graeme Walton.
So, we’re a few weeks in. And here’s what I see when I close my eyes.
Easy, right?
The intense regime brought us to Helsinki for the second stop on the world tour, where we embarrassed ourselves in front of a beautiful fashion model and a number of adroit kids at an outdoor ice rink (you don’t know how attached to barriers you are until they’re taken away).
We’ve managed to master some important elements of skating, such as figure eights and stopping. Stopping is a weirdly exhilarating feeling when you’re on ice skates.
There were also some intense happy feelings as Graeme explained some technical terms which I’ve been familiar with since I fell in love with figure skating as a nine-year-old girl.
Along with this newly-gained knowledge and some tips from Helsinki winner Scott Croxall, we’re better placed for this Friday’s competition.
Maybe. Hopefully. Gobbledigook.
Watch more of my exploits here but let’s leave you with how it should look.
To see the event live at Stormont on 20 and 21 February, get tickets here. You might even get to see me fall over a few times. And I’ll come say hi!
More: We’re training for Red Bull’s ‘Crashed Ice’ event so you don’t have to
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