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28/08/24
From the sunlit beaches of Marseille to the world stage, Carla's skating journey is inspiring. Starting at the age of six, her passion for inline skating has only grown stronger over the years. As she prepares for the upcoming championships, Carla shares her training regimen and her unwavering dedication to the sport she loves.
Carla, you're known for being great at street and park skating. How did you start skating and what made you continue to pursue the sport?
I started inline skating when I was 6. In Marseille there is a mythic bowl close by the beach. I was walking by the sea with my mum, I saw a guy skating and it looked wonderful, it looked like he was flying. Straight after seeing that I told to my mom I want to do that and the day after I had skate on my feet. After that I’ve never stopped, and my parents still support me a lot in what I do.
How are you getting ready for the World Championships in Rome this September?
I’ve started specific physical preparation almost 4 months before the world championship. I adapted it on the preparation that Oscar Briex (physical coach of French team) did for me to prepare the summer season.
My biggest weak point was the vertical trigger and the program he did helped me a lot, I felt a real difference on my skates, and I want to progress even more on this aspect.
So, I do:
Then I also work on my skating, more on the quality of execution of the tricks than on the technical aspect. I want to have a solid routine for the World Championships.
Then I know that the park challenge in World Championships will be bowl this year, and to be good at bowl you have to practice a lot, so I’ll be practicing bowl a lot this summer.
It must be tough to keep up with school and skating at the same time. What are you studying, and how do you manage your time?
I study osteopathy, this discipline aims to restore the functions of the body by treating the causes of pain and functional disorders. To do this, it relies on a perfect knowledge of anatomy and physiology. It is a lot of work and it’s not easy to combine sport and school every day, but I really love what I do in both these domains, and I need this balance between my two passions to be happy. To keep the energy to do everything I’m trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle and getting enough sleep. It means never partying, a lighter social life… sometimes you have to make some choices and that’s the one I chose.
We see that you take fitness and nutrition seriously. How do you plan your meals and workouts to help you skate better ?
I’m not that serious in terms of nutrition, I eat what I like ha-ha. I get food for the nutriments/ energy it gives, not for the caloric/aesthetic aspect.
Regarding fitness, I really appreciate feeling good when I skate, that’s why I’m very serious about my workout. It’s difficult to find the right balance, you have to workout but not too much and at the right time in order not to being too tired for skating, and to decrease the risk of injury. I used to workout too much during a year, I really wanted to do everything, and I didn’t listen my body which was literally crying ha-ha. I ended the year with accumulated tiredness and a succession of injuries.
Now I think I'm on the right track even if adjustments still need to be made to continue the progress. I keep in my mind that skating is the priority.
Previously I told you about several training cycles. In the first six weeks I do two-three gym sessions per week:
And if I have time and energy
In the second part, three-four gym sessions:
Then on the last two weeks of preparation only skating and mobility.
Your fans would love to know more about your skates. What kind of Rollerblade® inline skates do you use in contests, and why do you like them?
In competition I always use the Rollerblade® Blank Team skates. I really like them because they are very simple and sober like me, they match me and my personality. I like their design and they also are very supportive and responsive.
With the Rome championships coming up, what goals have you set for yourself and what would it mean for you to succeed there?
I’ve got second place at the last World Championships street in Argentina in 2022 so naturally I want to do better this year. The level in women’s competition has really increased these last two year so it’s not going to be easy, although I’m happy to rank myself within the actual top level and I can’t wait to see the younger girls killing it over there, it’s going to be epic.
Since I started inline skating, I dreamed about going to World Championships, it’s already an honor for me to have the opportunity to go there.
You influence a lot of people in the skating world. How do you want to help the community, especially to get more young women to start skating?
I’m very shy but I think with a good attitude and showing your love for your sport you can do a lot. I’m trying to be myself and to show a good example for the young women who wants to start skating.
Aggressive inline skating is a sport based approximately on 80% on the mental and 20% on the physical. I have nothing to teach them on the technical aspect, but if I can share with them my 17 years of experience in this sport that would be a good thing.
Marseille has many great places to skate. Which place do you like best for training, and why does it help you get ready for big competitions?
My local skatepark is the Palais Omnisports Marseille, an indoor skate park. It’s indoors so it’s perfect to train all the year. I also really like the Bowl of Marseille, which is perfect for summer session next to the sea.
Can you tell us about a time in your skating life that you'll never forget or when you really felt you achieved something special?
In 2022, I spent almost a year being injured. I wanted to get back on my skate too fast. I was recovering from an injury and straight after I was injured again. In May, I took a big fall on my right knee, which took me two months to recover. I got bored about being injured all the time and I stopped skating to give my body time to heal. I got back on my skates in July.
The French coach called me and told me that I was picked for the European Championships in October in Valencia, Spain. So, I had to recover fast and get my level back for this one. It was hard; I totally lost my confidence on skates. I was about to stop skating; I was so apprehensive that I wasn’t having fun anymore.
I went to the European Championships; I started practicing and it was a terrible feeling. I was putting so much pressure on myself. At some point, I don’t know what happened, I totally forgot about the competition and for the first time in a year I had fun on my skates. It felt incredible. I ended third in Park and Street - it’s not my best result but it’s a moment that I’ll never forget. It taught me to take the time to recover before getting back on skates, and that fun is the most important thing in sport.
With the World Championships in Rome almost here, what would you like to tell your fans and the Rollerblade® community about what they can expect from you?
I train a lot for those championships! I’ll give all I can as always and make this a beautiful and unique experience. Can’t wait!
