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 The Eddy Matzger Workshop stormed into Vancouver, B.C. and struck two dozen skaters with out-of-control skating mojo. With its blend of technique drills and games, the workshop touched off fires of skating passion within all its participants, including the sparky 7-year-old Noah Coor. The Indy car speedway along the Vancouver waterfront provided an ideal venue for recreational bladers and speedskaters to burn it up and hone their skills in a non-competitive, mutually supportive environment. "As a coach, you not only taught us so much but you really renewed our spirits," gushed one satisfied student. "A big grinning thanks for the workshop," wrote another. "I learned a ton, and it's always heartening to be reminded that there are people like you on the planet. You are nothing short of grace in motion . . .and that expands way beyond skating." There was no end to the audible feedback at the workshop. Each advancement in understanding had a corresponding hoot or howl, and by the end of the weekend skaters were hoarse from so much hollering. The Eddy Matzger Workshop has toured the world since 1995 and is the premiere name in skating instruction. The workshop has a well-deserved reputation for being as grueling as it is fun. Kicking off with a friendly Friday night roll, the weekend encompasses stretching, classic stroke, crossovers, the double push, pack racing, a stage race, and an awards ceremony. Eddy carries a video camera at all times (often skating backward at full speed while talking and filming). Within days of completing a workshop, participants can see action shots of themselves on Eddy's website, www.skatecentral.com. Participants receive generous skating equipment packages including Salomon palm sliders, blinkie lights, and souvenir shirts, TWINCAM ABEC-5 bearings, Explore 80mm race wheels, Transpack packlets and prizes, Wigwam socks, and Raymond Verdaguer skate design t-shirts. As famous for his ebullient personality as for his superlative technique, Eddy Matzger is the world's best known inline skater. He has dominated inline racing since 1988, excelling at distances ranging from sprints to the grueling 85 mile Athens-to-Atlanta Ultramarathon, which he has won five times. The Berkeley, Calif. resident has skated up (and down) Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Fuji, China's Great Wall and Egypt's pyramids, earning him entries in the Guinness Book of World Records and coverage on The Travel Channel, Outside magazine and numerous international media outlets. For information on inline skating in Vancouver, contact workshop host Lorne Milne at 604 709-9827. For more information on the Eddy Matzger Workshop, contact workshop@california.com. |