Interview with Roger Schneider : “2014 is my ultimate goal!”

Interview with Roger Schneider

“2014 is my ultimate goal!”

In this interview, Roger talks about this fantastic season in 2011, where he and the team captured many podiums. He also reminds the first months, when he had to fight to get his best level after three years off… This is his last interview before the first ISU world cup on the ice in Chelyabinsk, Russia (18-20 november)

Hello Roger. Are you proud about the season the team just achieved?

Yes I am very proud! we achieved a lot, especially the first and second place in the World Inline Cup Overall. We were at the end nicely paid for all the sweat and hard work we put in. With this success the team had in the previous year, we expected to do well. We planned on being present on the podium in the races. This worked out in the end, and it is great! A big part of our success was that each individual stepped up at the time when another was struggling. We were very pleased to have had support from Annett and Toni Fankhauser which worked with Johnny Diethem in the background, to manifest our success.

What is the best record of the season for you in 2011? And the worst maybe…

We knew each other for years: for me, to come back in this surrounding was like coming back home on many levels. It was weird in the beginning to see that the skaters have grown up and nice to see each individuals development from the past years. It was a process that took part over the season, to grow together and get stronger. To be all from one nationality and live relatively close together strengthen us, from being able to train together once a week and the collective travel to competitions were always a good time.

On a personal plan, do you consider that you achieved a good come back in speed roller skating?

Actually, I was really struggling the first half of the season. It was really hard for me because I wasn`t skating well. In August, it did change: I started to get little stronger and my passion to compete came back. The podium in Berlin (a second place) was a affirmation for me to have trained right!

Roger, what were your feelings at the beginning of this 2011 season? 

I was feeling terrible and weak on the skates. It was a big fight to get back after 3 years off… My gap to Severin and Nicolas was big: I knew that if I wanted to be more competitive and help the team, I had to get closer to them. To be able to skate with them gave me perspective on where I needed to go.

On one other side, you may have been very motivated?

Johnny Diethelm asked me to skate and to be a part of the team. By the time, the Swiss Skate Team was looking for a fifth guy. The arguments were that I would be a good addition to the team and it would help me to get physically stronger again, also for the ice speed skating. It seems to be true: the training and the marathons were really good for the past months!

Ready for a new season in 2012 then?

Yeah! I am excited about the new season 2012 in the “red-and white“ uniform! If the team still wants me, I am definitely skating!

Now you must be focused on the ice season…

Yes, I have had time on the ice since this summer to prepare the winter season on the ice. Inzell was a great place to train and it all opened in July. Inzell reopened in the beginning of September again. After the last inline race in Köln, I had been back twice for couple of days to skate on the ice. Since October, I have been following a training program in Boston, MA, in the United States and I have been skating days at the time in Milwaukee, to prepare for the ISU world cups…

So what will be your program during this coming winter?

The Worldcup is starting in the second week of November in Russia, Kazakhstan and then Heerenveen (Netherlands). Heerenveen (2nd-4th of December) is my start to the season. It is very stimulating to come from inline into the ice season and it keeps me fresh to inline and have a way to skate all year around.

The ultimate goal are the Olympic Games, right? 

I do feel supported in Switzerland, even if my results weren`t the best these past years. The Swiss federation leaves me lots of freedom in my choices of my support team and my program. Right know, I am focusing on my training and developing myself, besides making a living in RFST. Resistance Flexibility and Strength training. The Olympic games in 2014 is the ultimate Goal, yes…

Well Roger, good luck for the coming competitions and we will support you in Sotchi in 2014 of course!

Useful links

Swiss Skate Team Web Site

By Vincent Esnault
Photos: all rights reserved