Switching from Inline to Ice - Desly Hill

Not everyone is gonna love it...
Desly Hill (AUS) is currently living in Holland, coaching a number of inline skaters who are trying to 'get on' the ice - and by that, they mean get successful. Backed by Elma de Vries (NED) and Alexis Contin (FRA), who both made the switch successfully, she’s the right person to interview on the hot topic of making the 'switch' or transition from inline to ice-skater.

Elma de Vries
European Champion, World Inline Cup event winner, Essent Cup Ice Marathon winner, former Junior World Longtrack Champion and now again on the Long Track

Who are you working with at the moment?

We’re training in Enschede, in the East of Holland, where they have just built a new ice venue. We have 5 Aussies here, one Kiwi and a Frenchman and one Dutch. Sophie Muir (AUS, World Inline Junior and Senior Champion), Brooke Lochland (AUS, CadoMotus/BOB National Inline Team), Josh Lose (AUS), Daniel Greig (AUS, World Junior Inline champion) and Daniel Yeow (AUS, World Inline Team Skater for Hong Kong). New Zealander Wayne Begg and Dutchwoman Bianca Roosenboom (CadoMotus World Inline Team). Frenchman Alexis Contin and Dutchwoman and recent WorldCup addition Elma de Vries appear about once a week to add some skate expertise.

De Vries in action

Tell us the secret... What makes someone successful on both inline and ice?

To get to something like the Olympics, everything has to be right. Yes, I’m a big believer in positive attitude - without one you won’t succeed in anything. I think it’s important to enjoy what you are doing, that you stay enthusiastic about it, and that you accept that conditions are never perfect and you have to deal with that step by step.

Alexis Contin
World Inline Champion, A- and B-division Dutch Ice Marathon event winner, Long Track World Cup representative

What’s the hardest part about switching?

To keep low and keep everything straight! Inliners get roll from their skates by moving their shoulders and hips in a different way. On ice you don’t need that because you glide so well, and if you do it, it stops you from getting pressure. On the coaching side of things is for sure cold feet.

Technique differs a lot, but what about fitness levels?

For us - we are just spending a lot of time doing skate-specific drills on and off skates and then a little more conditioning work off skates than normal, because they are not skating good enough to get a 'workout' yet.

Contin in action

Not everyone succeeds, right?

People fail in sports all the time, so it’s normal that not everyone will make it. Inline and ice have a lot of similarities, but also they have a lot of different factors - like the weather. And not everyone is going to love it coming from inline, the racing is also different and not as busy so some skaters will like that and some won’t. I think you really have to fall in love with the sport to be good at it.

Alexis Contin didn’t find success in long track yet and went back to marathon racing this year. He was not in the right place at the right time, so he removed himself from it. He had a lot of fast times and is a good long track skater and I believe he can make it to the Olympic games and do something and I don’t think he will be satisfied unless he does that.

Triple Switch
Frenchmen and Ex-Inliners Tristan Loy, Alexis Contin & Pascal Briand at the World Cup in 2007
All Images (C) fotos.desg.de

Combining the two sports at top level, is that possible?

I think it’s possible. I’m watching Dutch skaters doing it every year but to be the best you have to have one coach overseeing your yearly and 4-yearly plans. You have to have sure goals and be able to look at the big picture and choose carefully what you really want. Then it’s possible. It does not have to be a negative thing to do more than one sport. You just have to choose the right times for doing things.

Can you tell straight away that someone is going to succeed?

If you have the right attitude and you are prepared to work hard, it’s possible. If you are a World Champion like Sophie Muir, Daniel Greig and Alexis Contin or Joey Mantia, I think the chances are higher again. Elma is a good example showing it’s possible to compete well in both inline and ice, this year with 4th at Worlds, winning an Inline World Cup event and then getting an Olympic nomination for ice already; she is doing well. She has a long way to go to the Olympics but it’s in her mind now she can see its possible.