Skater Profile: Sabrina Gaudesaboos (BEL), CadoMotus National Ladies

Sabrina Gaudesaboos
CadoMotus Ladies National Team

Age: 18
D.O.B: 20.02.1989

Country: Belgium
Town/City: Varsenare
Home skating club: Rolschaatsclub Wuustwezel

Pro Team: CadoMotus National Netherlands

Single/Boyfriend/Married: Single
School/Work:
School, Economics- Modern Languages, in Bruges (for this year)
Are there other skaters/athletes in your family?
Yes, 1 brother (Robbie Gaudesaboos) and one twin sister (Jessica Gaudesaboos - also a member of the CadoMotus National Ladies Team).

Can twins read each other's minds? It certainly seems so with these two. A conversation that includes both Sabrina and Jessica will almost always have sentences being started by one of the girls, only to be finished by the other - with a transition between the two of them that is so seamless, you barely even notice... and the girls certainly don't include a pause!

How did you get started with skating?
When we were little we skated a lot in our street. Our neighbor had also skated and she said there was a club in Bruges, so very close. We went there to see if we liked it, and yes, we liked it very much. We started with the recreants for a little less than a year and then tried to skate competition. We liked it very much, so we just kept going on with skating.

Yes, it is hard to tell them apart...
Sabrina (left) and sister Jessica (right) at the Belgian Championships, 2007
What are your ambitions/goals in skating?
For the moment, the only goal I have is to get back to my old level of skating but I still have a long way to go. If I have my old level of skating again, I want to improve, as everyone I think. I also would like to combine this with my further studies, if I can do this, I’m really happy. But for now, I just hope that I can keep on skating without being injured.

Why do you choose to do speed skating? Why not something else?
I choose to do speed skating because this is the only sport where my heart in is! I love this sport more than anything and for now, I can’t imagine my life without speed skating.

What about your ambitions/goals in life?
I want to get my diploma and find a job I like. I want to make a journey around the world too one day. But I don’t know if that will happen (we will see).

What has been your best, or favorite, skating moment so far?
The best moment so far is when I was Belgian champion on the track! Its already been a long time since that have happened (when I was 9 years old) but I have not yet skated any European- or World Championships, so… I hope this will change soon.


Sabrina takes off from the start line in the 300m Time Trial
Belgian Championships, 2007

What has been your WORST skating moment so far?
My worst skating moment so far is definitely that I couldn’t skate (or do any sport at all) for 8 months last year because of an injury. I was all the time stressed, because I couldn’t skate, it annoyed me a lot but now I hope it will never happen again, 8 months is just too long!

What is your favorite type of skating, or your favorite event?
My favorite event? I don’t actually got a favorite event, I just love skating and I’m real happy if I can skate a race, doesn’t matter which one.

What is the best/strongest thing about your own skating?
I have actually no idea, but maybe it’s that I always keep on trying. Even though sometimes it has been really difficult because I’ve already been injured a lot. But that’s just what I think of course.

How do you imagine the 'perfect race' is for you?
My perfect race is actually to skate a super 300m, so sprint. I like more long distance, but 300m is a lot of fun! If I’m not to stressed, I can skate a good 300m . So, at the startline, there would be me real concentrated (but not stressed) with super legs (so a great feeling). Then a start, as fast as I’ve never skated before with a last lap where I could hardly follow my own legs. Perfect, isn’t it!?

What is your advice to skaters who dream of racing in the world cup... how do they get there?
The only thing I can say: never give up and keep on trying! Sometimes it looks like you’ll never get there, but I’ve made it (not yet a lot of World Cups, but it’s a good start to try!). Someday, they maybe will have the chance to get in a great team like I did!

CadoMotus Ladies (L to R)
Jannitta Spigt (World), Jessica Gaudesaboos, Margo van de Merwe & Sabrina Gaudesaboos (National)

Who is another skater that you look up to, and why?
My sister is the one I look up to! Why? Because I think she already has raced beautiful races, I know the most important time is yet to come (so, as a Senior) but still, she’s a real good skater (I think) who has the right goals in school, sports and life. For skating, she has (for me) the right mentality and I just know that she will achieve some good results!

Who is a young skater (from anywhere) that you think has a big future in the sport (who is your tip to be the next champion)?
I would say Jore Vandenberghe, from Belgium (Jore won the 1000m and Elimination events in Cadet Boys at the European Junior Championships this month). I don’t know so many skaters, but I think he’s a good skater! Of course the Colombians will be producing some of the next champions too!

Career Highlights:
I don’t actually have any highlights (in my mind), at least not in the last 2 years.