After an intensive search among the most prominent professional speed skating teams and individuals, I now can proudly present patrons of the 24skate event.

Ladies first:

Conny Strub

Conny Strub, Vancouver, Canada
Conny was born and raised in Switzerland but now lives at the west coast of Canada. She is a member of the Candian National Speed Skating Team, proudly holding second place nationally at the age of 47. Below she shares her last year's 24hr skate experience:

"Hi 24hr Skaters!

As I was sitting on the side of the road today, strapping on my skates, I reflected over my fast and enjoyable life. My thoughts trailed through some of my favourite moments of last year. I realize that everything I love to do takes place on wheels, well almost everything.....and even those activities could be performed on wheels.

One momentous day was without a doubt the 24hr skate on October 23, 2004. I remembered how I fevered toward the 10am start when I was due to skate two consecutive hours to make sure the link of the 24 hour skate around the world did not break. I was excited and nervous even though I simply needed to show up punctually and skate for two hours, which really was not a big deal. What was a big deal was that I was part of the big inaugural SKATE AROUND THE WORLD movement. To know that somewhere in the world, someone was skating for the cause of Unicef, for the cause to show unity, to grow the sport of inline skating and bring us all together in our passion for those small wheels under our feet, that made life worth living.

I want every skater to experience this feeling of satisfaction, support and unity on skates across the globe. It is a true marvel that is only possible through our participation and passionate support for Unicef.

Spread the word! See you all on June 11 & 12, 2005.

Conny"

Find more about and by Conny at
STRUB Sports Designs


After some computer problems, finally here for you:

Elisabeth Schrenk

Elisabeth Schrenk, Austria

Elisabeth was Downhill speedskating world champion 2001, her top speed reached was 92.8 km/h. She holds several Austrian titles in downhill, marathon and other distances and won Euro- and World-Cup races. In January 2005 she gave birth to her daughter Rosita. Since April 2005 she is a member of
Team Rollerblade International. She plans to reenter the competitions at the end of 2005 (downhill) or in spring 2006 (marathons).
Please enjoy her very personal dedication:

"Activities like this show me, when people help together it gives a lot of power, motivation and for sure happiniess. It's great to be a part of this UNICEF charity event. For sure I will enjoy to skate on this day in Sempach, Switzerland, in a double way: It's the first skating activity together with my daugther ROSITA (born in january) and my boyfriend Mathieu Grandgirard (FILA International).

I wish all the best.
Keep on rolling...

Lisi"

Her personal homepage (in German) can be found at www.elisabeth-schrenk.at .


And here a true gentleman and inline speedskate world champion:

Arnauld Gicquel

Arnaud Gicquel, France
Arnaud has a very impressive speed skate record. Here some examples: World Champion 1998, winner swiss inline cup 1999, 1st world ranking 2000...
In 2005 he will be member of the
Saab-Salomon World Team. Arnauld Gicquel won the World Senior Championship Speedskate Masters marathon race in Hamburg, 24th of April 2005 and is consequently the current marathon Masters World Champion of age group M30.
Here some friendly words by Arnaud to all 24skate participants:

"Congratulation for this great event around the world. I am really happy and it is a honor if I can help UNICEF a little bit being a patron of this 24h non-profit and charity event with the skate community.

Arnaud"

Here is Arnaud's website: Roller Service


Another famous inline speedskater champion announced his patronship:

Thomas Boucher

Thomas Boucher, France
Thomas won the world championships 2005 in 10 000m relay Road and 5 000m relay Track, both together with Pascal Briand. He was 1000m world champion in 2004, was European champion in 2002, and several times French champion. He is member of the
Saab-Salomon World Team since 2004 and student at the university in Nantes where he was born.
Here is what friendly Thomas would like to convey to you:

"When Arnaud Gicquel told me about this event around the world, I wanted to participate. I am lucky to have a very beautiful life and it's the minimum to help UNICEF becoming 24skate patron of your event. Congratulations!!.

Thomas"



Now we proudly present:

Peter Doucet

Peter Doucet, Canada
Peter Doucet is a Canadian Champion of inline speedskating, got several top 10 ranks at World Inline Cup Grand Prixs and took part in World Championships. His life is full of speedskating: He organizes several inline races (
Toronto International Inline Race Weekend and Roller Sports Ontario Speed Points Series), has a very well reputated speedskating website "Peter's Inline Racing Web Page", coaches at Toronto Inline Skating Club and edits the Race & Roll Skating Magazine .
Peter Doucet works as a school teacher teaching music grade 1-5, performs music (vocals and guitar) and lives in Mississauga, close to Toronto, Canada.
Here are his kind words as patron:

"When I was in elementary school, I used to go trick or treating (collecting candy) for hallowe'en. My school would give students small orange boxes, and people gave candy for us and put some money in the little box. We would bring the box back and the school would donate the money to UNICEF.
I think it is great that this event could bring a world wide organization like UNICEF and a beautiful world wide sport like inline skating together.
I am glad to be part of this movement.

Peter"


We also have a patron from down-under:

Corey Price

Corey Price, Australia

Corey won the Junior World Championship 300m track time trial in 1997 and 1998 and was Senior World 300m Road Silver Medallist in 2001. He is also a former Oceania Champion, Junior Pacific Champion, Australian Champion and NSW State Champion.
He was Australia Day (the National day there) Sports Person of the year 1999.
Here are his greetings to you:

"I am really happy to be asked to be a patron of this great event.
I have had many great years of skating and am looking forward to many more.
Good luck to our Aussie skaters and also to all the other participating countries.

Corey"


Is this a vampire or a skater after skating the 24skate even in the roughest conditions? No, it is

Eddy Matzger

Eddy Matzger, U.S.A.

If he were older, we could call him a skate legend. Look at this:
+ Winner of more than a 100 inline races
+ 7-time winner of NYC Marathon,8-time winner of 87 mile Athens to Atlanta
+ Holder of various national championships
+ First person to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and the Great Pyramid at Giza on skates
+ First person to do the Skating of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain
+ "World's leading skate instructor since 1995"
+ Former 1 hour solo unpaced speedskating world record holder
+ Guiness Book of World Record Holder
+ and many more
Here are his patron's words:

"Sometimes at the top of our sport things can get ugly, and skaters will do anything to win. People lose sight of the fact that we are all in this together and skating ultimately for fun. That's why I'm so pleased to be a patron of the UNICEF event, because it focuses our energy on the common good and things that help other people. I will be thinking of all the skating with a purpose that will be done during this event and be encouraged by the skate community coming together for a cause.
All the best

Yours,
Eddy"

His homepage is
www.skatecentral.com . There you can find more about the popular Eddy Matzger Workshops, held all over the world.


Propose your own patron
If you would like your favourite speed skater - or any other prominent person with a relation to inline skating - to join this list of patrons of 24skate, please do not hesitate to contact her/him and ask her/him to do send a mail to
me (clemens@24skate.net).
Alternatively, you could tell me your favourite candidate and I will try to win him for being a 24skate patron.
Thank you very much!
Clemens