Women may face some daunting challenges on in-line skates, but usually these challenges have nothing to do with capability or desire. The challenges they face may be as simple as finding the time to exercise their love of skating, as complex as learning to overcome their own inhibitions, or as age-old as standing up to entrenched notions about how a woman should or shouldn't integrate into a new sport.

All over the world, there are women who proudly dare to channel volition and expand their possibilites by skating in-lines, boldy stripping fear and smashing stereotypes in the process. Whether it's fast and furious or slow and steady, it's women who eternally blaze the most elegant path.

Supermom
The Southland's Helle Carlson nearly won a race outright on in-lines at the March 28 Cañada Road Race at Crystal Springs reservoir in Northern California. Carlson destroyed many a skater's ego by finishing fourth overall in a time of 1:31:55. Helle can keep it redlined longer than most males, and has twice won the women's division of the 100K New York City Skate Marathon. Whenever anyone shoots off the front on a breakaway attempt, male or female, nine times out of ten it's Carlson who does the work to inexorably reel the break back in. The particular challenge Helle faces is not from the guys but from her kids. A master at time management, Helle touts her four kids as part of her success.

Natural Talent
While the boys spurt and sputter like cars stuck in traffic, Siska plugs away steadily evenings in the garage. In a process like alchemy, Siska spins speedskating into art. That she only skates a few occasions per year matters not, because Siska skates intuitively, with an inner sense of effective body movement. She flows like water, never forcing anything, always searching out the path of most grace and least resistance.

Because of her fluid consistency, Siska ends up turning more laps in the garage in one night than any of the guys, then wonders the next day why she's so sore. The particular challenge that she faces is not the lavish admiration that gets heaped on her by the guys, but the fact that she's got too much talent. Her quest is simply to find the time to practice just one of her many skills.

Dynamo
Neither size nor gender keeps Kimi Butler from coming to the fore at the races. Pint-sized and only 15, Kimi has nevertheless been paying her dues for years with the big boys. She holds her own at a variety of venues, from the USOTC banked track facility in Colorado Springs to the streets of Modesto. At a recent 20K road race, Kimi finished in the thick of things and gave a big scare to many of the top men.

Kimi's greatest challenge is racing against the egos of male racers who can't handle the fact that she can trounce them. Kimi tempers the ire of vanquished males with an irresistible sophomore smile.

Flower Power
Mèarii has got the winning attitude about skating. A native Polynesian, Mèarii proves when she skates that it's not about winning or losing, but about looking good and having fun while you're out there. During the Tahiti Marathon last February, Mèarii was a sight to see on skates, attractively adorned with fragrant blossoms while rolling on the smooth roads of an earthly paradise. Her powerful presence prompted spontaneous shouts of "Vahinè!" (Woman!) from the sidelines.

Mèarii may have been the last-place finisher of the Tahiti Marathon Fun Skate, but she wore the biggest smile. Her biggest challenge was remaining upright after throwing her arms skyward across the finish.

Winning Hearts
Since the marathon, other Polynesian women have been bitten by the in-line bug. Valentine and Tiarè are two talented tiki dancers on Moorea who daily haul their skates out to the road to practice for the February 20, 2000 Fire in the Sky Marathon. Valentine started slowly at first on the tile floor of the restaurant, relying on tables and chairs for lurching support. Because of her innate athleticism as a dancer, she quickly overcame balance issues and was soon hell-bent on getting out onto the road. In spite of a good bump on a hilarious first foray, Valentine grew more and more determined and soon was making runs to the store and back. Her small but measurable successes inspired Tiarè to try for herself.

Tiarè stood up at once on leather speedskates with exquisite balance. When women are timid, as Valentine and Tiarè are, they dance to overcome their public shyness. Now they have discovered another medium for outing their inhibitions.

Workout Tips for the Woman in You
o Remember Aesop. Joan Armatrading sings a modern variation of an old fable:
"Some people move quickly and, though they can stand the pain, others move slowly and get there just the same." The story of the tortoise and the hare is repeated in real life all the time. If you take off humping fast, you'll find yourself pooped out by the side of the road before long, watching the others stream by. Stay cool like a sea reptile and go at a constant pace until you feel you can make a run for it.

Furthermore, going at evolutionary pace teaches your body to burn a richer mix of fat to fuel-firing muscles, as opposed to redlining at high heart rates and only using high-octane carbs.

o Don't be self-conscious. There's no reason to be afraid of being seen skating in public. Be assured that even should you look or feel goofy, people will admire you simply for trying. Plus, with practice, you'll soon improve so much no one will even recognize you anymore!

o Go beyond yourself. Don't worry about the person in front of or behind you. Strive, rather, to improve yourself each time you skate. This may mean spending a few minutes before taking off stretching and visualizing yourself skating along with perfect form. Or it may involve working on balance drills before going for your usual skate. Measure your progress against yourself. o Skate intuitively. Get in tune with your body on wheels and how it fits into space. Gain confidence in what you're doing by unlacing your skates and making up for lack of support with better balance. Or get a better feel for your form by taking away one sense to heighten another, like skating at night.

o Don't stand up suddenly. If you throw your arms up and stand like Mèarii did across the line at the Tahiti marathon, you will raise your center of gravity and abruptly send yourself tipping backwards. The best option is to keep your knees bent and skate it out slowly to a stop.

o Keep at it. In general, women are determined learners. At intensive weekend workshops, it's usually the males who give up first on a difficult drill, then sit back and admire their female counterparts forging ahead. When you keep at it longer, breakthroughs occur sooner.

o Find the skate that fits. The more women make their particular needs known, the more the market responds. There are already several in-line manufacturers out there that cater specifically to the anatomy of a woman's foot. If you have a hard-to-fit foot, go to a local ski shop and check out their selection of in-line specialty skates and foot comfort solutions like arch supports and custom footbeds.

In preparation for the Fire in the Sky Inline Marathon on February 20, 2000, Eddy Matzger is seeding French Polynesia with Salomon skates. Along with TWINCAM bearings, Explore wheels, Transpack, and Wigwam, Eddy and Salomon are visiting schools and identifying candidates for Team Tahiti 2000. Find out more at http://www.skatecentral.com