Austrian skate pro, photographer and film-maker Philipp Schuster blogs from Basel as he returns to competition in the European Skate Championships. It's all about rainy days, hard kerbs and skating under pressure in Switzerland...
Hi,
Coming back to Basel was strange. I haven’t been riding any contests for the last year and was focusing more on the creative side of things: photography, filming and practising some nice tricks in the streets of Vienna. Basel is also the place where I won my last big contest: the European Championships here in 2007.
So, I wasn't really in the swing of things for the contest in Basel this time. The weather was rainy and it was more a day to watch the cloudy skies through the window with a cup of coffee . After checking out the park and doing some warm-ups, though, things were running pretty smoothly. I enjoy skating under pressure, but a litle something was just missing somehow. Physically, I am feeling as fit as a fiddle, and so I made it into the semi-finals on the second day, which was really great. But my run for the final wasn’t perfect: if I pull off the first trick, everything else goes well, but if, as on this occasion, I don't pull it off, well…
So my lack of contest experience was obvious, and I lacked that special ingredient I usually add to spice up my routine, or 'add a little pepper' as I like to say. Despite that, I did win the 'best trick' prize! It was a bit strange, but I was the only one to pull off the 'bananacurb', so even if I didn't win overall, being the only one to do a certain special trick is OK, isn’t it?
I am back in Vienna now and thinking things over. The field was really strong and I am going to have to work a little to make it back to the very top!
Hope to see you soon at a contest near you, or if you meet me skating the streets of Vienna.
Phil
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