Jan Eric Welch of Lyndonville, Vermont, USA
April 17, 2020 – For the 20th daily installment of Big Wheel Blading’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affects on inline skaters around the globe, we talk to Jan Eric Welch. Jan is a 44-year-old inline skater and founder of bigwheelblading.com who lives in Lyndonville, Vermont. Jan has been involved in the inline skating industry since it’s early years, producing Scum Magazine from 1994-1999, which was both an online magazine and a print zine, winning best website at the 1999 SXSW Interactive Media Festival in Austin, Texas. He worked for Daily Bread Magazine in San Diego, California from 1999-2001, ran Rat Tail Distribution and 4×4 Urethane with Jon Elliott and Brian Shima, founded Vicious Bearings with Jon Elliott and Chris Peel and released nearly a dozens aggressive inline skating videos during his videography career. He currently hosts the Annual New England Blade & Camp in Vermont and New Hampshire every summer with Myles Cotter-Sparrow.
Bill Stoppard of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
April 16, 2020 – For the 19th daily installment of Big Wheel Blading’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affects on inline skaters around the globe, we talk to Bill Stoppard. Bill is an inline skater and YouTube vlogger living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He has amassed over 63,000 followers on his inline skating YouTube channel, Pinto Pony Productions.
Monchi Monse of Mexico City, Mexico
April 15, 2020 – For the 18th daily installment of Big Wheel Blading’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affects on inline skaters around the globe, we talk to Monchi Monse. Monserrat Tapiais, better known as Monchi Monse, is a 31-year-old inline skater from Mexico City, Mexico. She is part of the Rollerblade México Team and the brand Ambassador for Rollerblade in Mexico. She is a co-founder of “Quiero Patinar” skate school and a certified inline skating instructor through the Inline Certification Program (ICP). Her goal is to promote skating and to inspire and motivate others to try this amazing sport and experience it’s lifestyle.
Daniel Ogbogu of Lagos City, Nigeria
April 14, 2020 – For the 17th daily installment of Big Wheel Blading’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affects on inline skaters around the globe, we talk to Daniel Ogbogu. Daniel is a 23-year-old inline skater living in Lagos City, Nigeria. Daniel recently released “Lagos Tapes”, the first skating video with his Shinobi Blade Clan.
Pierre Laurent of Montréal, Québec, Canada
April 13, 2020 – For the 16th daily installment of Big Wheel Blading’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affects on inline skaters around the globe, we talk to Pierre Laurent. Pierre is a 29-year-old French-Italian inline speed skater and research engineer who has been living in Montréal, Québec since 2014. He was a member of the French National Team from 2004 to 2011. He was the 2008 European Youth Champion in the 200m, placed in the top 5 in several events at 2008 Junior Worlds (1000m, 200m, relay). Pierre has been coaching speed skating since 2012. First with Drac 2S in Grenoble, France and with VRL in Montréal, Quebec since 2019. He is the co-president (together with Julie Mercier) of VRL and he is the main organizer of the Canada Roller Marathon outside Montréal.
Eric Cruz of Austin, Texas, USA
April 12, 2020 – For the 15th daily installment of Big Wheel Blading’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affects on inline skaters around the globe, we talk to Eric Cruz. Eric is a 34-year-old inline skater and freelance media professional living in Austin, Texas. Eric was the winner of the 2017 Big Wheel Challenge and was voted Distance Skater of the Year in the 2019 Big Wheel Blading Awards.
Tien Chang of Kaohsiung, Taiwan
April 11, 2020 – For the 14th daily installment of Big Wheel Blading’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affects on inline skaters around the globe, we talk to Tien Chang. Tien is a 36-year-old inline skater and American traditional style tattoo artist living in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Pascal Briand of Toulouse, France
April 10, 2020 – For the 13th daily installment of Big Wheel Blading’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affects on inline skaters around the globe, we talk to Pascal Briand. Pascal is a 43-year-old world champion inline speed skater living in Toulouse, France. Pascal represented France in ice speed skating at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Currently he produces content for his YouTube channel and is the speed skating product manager for Powerslide.
Faust Núñez of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
April 9, 2020 – For the 12th daily installment of Big Wheel Blading’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affects on inline skaters around the globe, we talk to Faust Núñez. Faust is a 61-year-old inline skater and in residence social services worker from Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Last year Faust skated 10,580.55 miles (17,027.74 km) to win Big Wheel Blading’s 2019 Inline Skating Distance Challenge.
Nicola Torelli of London, England, UK
April 8, 2020 – For the 11th daily installment of Big Wheel Blading’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s affects on inline skaters around the globe, we talk to Nicola Torelli. Nicola is a 27-year-old inline skater and Emergency Room nurse living in London, England.
