Interview with Ioseba Fernandez

Interview with Ioseba Fernandez, 300m RECORD HOLDER

Technical sheet

Name: Ioseba
First name : Fernandez
Nickname: Ioseba
Date of birth: 22 October 1989
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 73 kg
Born in: Iturmendi (Navarra)
Lives in: Barañain (Navarra)
Begins to skate in: Aralar-Mendi
Category: Senior
Job: Fitness monitor
Strengths: Hard worker and selfdemanding
Points to improve: Patience
Other sports: Cycling, gym, athletics, trekking
The last film he saw: 127 hours
Favorite music: Barricada (spanish heavy metal band)
Video games: No
Readings: Killian Jornet
Like: by with my family and girlfriend
Dislike: dishonest people
Qualities: Honest and organized
Faults: too direct
Club: Berriroere
Team: Berriroere Flyke
Best memory: My parents hug after wining europan championship
Worth memory: 200 m worldchampion final in yeosu
Languages: basque and spanish
Alcohol or fruit juice? fruit juice
Ice-skating or roller-skating? roller-skating
Road or track? both
Sprint or marathon? sprint
Hard or soft wheels? combined
Beach or montain? mountain
Morning or evening? morning
Cheese or dessert? Mmmmmm…
Rap, Metal or techno? metal
Soccer or rugby? none
Simple or double push? double

Prize list

• 2 times European Champion Senior
• World record 200m C/R
• World vice-champion junior 1000m 2006
• 1 silver medal European Championship senior
• 5 bronze medal European Championship senior
• 9 times Spain Champion senior
  

Interview

Hello Joseba, how old were you when you started roller-skating?

I had my first skates as a present when I was four and I started to skate in my village fronton (the place where we play basque pelota)

What did you like in this practice?

I started to skate because my cousin was in the village team and I liked a lot the friendship and partnership that involve skating.

Did you try other practices that speed-skating?

When I was young I tried football, basque pelota, swimming, climbing, athletics… But I didn´t have the feelings that skate gave to me.

Are you skating on ice ?

No, unfortunately in Spain there is no 400m ice track and I can´t travel abroad much to try it because I have a job and I can´t quit it.

What are the other sports that you like?

I like a lot cycling, running and the gym. Also I like mountain a lot a go trekking. If I have to change to another sport I would chose athletics.

Do you train young skaters in your club?

My club is a little bit different than normal skate clubs and we don´t have childrens. It was born by skaters who love to skate but because their job, studies or whatever they can´t follow tight training schedules and each one decides when to skate.

In other hand I used to teach children when somebody ask me to help them with their children because I liked a lot when older skaters came to teach us new technics. Now I like to share my knowledge with younger skaters.

Do you travel a lot?

Not as much as I want. I have many championships that I have to travel but many times I can´t travel around because I have to work and I have no holidays to travel all I want.

Who are your sponsors?

Zirauna (my club skinsuit maker), Cavalli and Flyke

Do you earn your life with roller-skating?

No I don´t, I earn my life with another job. In Spain, it is impossible to make a life from roller-skating because there is not enough money from government grants or sponsors to skate.

I see athletes from other sports in Spain or other countries’ skaters who make living and I feel a little bit sad… but when I put on my skates I love how I feel, how far my body can reach and I forget about money.

How do you see your future in roller-skating?

I train hard to get good results and reach my goals but as far as I will enjoy skating I will keep skating.

How many workouts per day and per week?

It depends on season schedule, but normally I have two workouts per day and eleven per week

How do you select your goals when you are a high-level athlete?

Each year when I finish my season I make an anylisis. I check positive and negative aspect from results, technique and I try to improve myself to reach new goals and better results.

I don´t like to be in many races, I prefer to reach my body 100 % at the right time to try to get the best result.

What are your career goals?

Both in skating and working I try to learn and improve day by day to get my best.

In my job I have a lot to learn but I am lucky enough to have a job I like a lot.

In roller-skating: I try to show myself the best level I can reach… but I demand myself to fight until I get it. If my level is to be in top 10 I will be happy to reach it but if I see I can go further and win I will not stop until I get it.

Do you have a team or a sponsor for next year?

Right now I am with Flyke and they take care of me, why should I change? And I have Cavalli skateboots, the best skateboots in the world and I will no change it

What would you say to someone who would start roller-skating?

• If my answer come from my mind I will tell them to choose another sport.
• If my answer come from my heart I will encourage him/her to keep skating because is a wonderful sport, where you can learn a lot. It help me to grow as a sportsman and as a person.

In your opinion, what is missing in roller-skating to be recognized by the medias?

To be recognized by medias, roller-skating must be olympic… and also that the main sports companies get more involved in our sport.

Do you wish to say something to skaters who follow you?

Thanks to all skaters that make me feel beloved on the tracks!

Something to add ?

I think I am a hard worker but also I have a really good enviroment around me, and wihtout them my results will not be the same

Thanks for your answers Ioseba!

Useful links

Interview of Ewen Fernandez (France)
Interview of Bart Swings (Belgique)
Interview of Roger Schneider (Suisse)
Watch the video of the 300m world record on facebook

Interview: Alfathor
Thanks to: Andoni Iriarte for the Spanish/English translation
Photos: Juanjo Otazu