First, it is a good idea to buy a second-hand pair of skates. There are two good stores that sell these skates: Ten Tusscher in Enschede and Molenveld in Hengelo. The prices start at about f 100.
As a student or employee who wants to start skating, you can join the Skating Society 'Skeuvel', founded in 1966 and one of the eldest sports societies of the University. At this moment Skeuvel has more than 100 members whose skating-skills vary from first-steps-on-the-ice to national sub-top.
If you are a beginner you can join them in the Euregiohal in Enschede (Westerval 25, 100 metres from the Pathmoshal) every Tuesday from 16.00 till 17.00 hr. If you are more experienced, you can go there from 17.00 till 18.00 hr.
The society also offers training facilities on the larger (400 metres) skating oval of Deventer. These trainings are on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 17.00 till 18.20 hr.
The skating-ovals of Enschede and Deventer are open from October to March, and this gives the skaters a long winter to train in. In April they start the summer training: cycling and training on skeelers (the well-known skates with wheels under the shoe instead of the sharp iron used in winter). For this last training the society offers the possibility to rent skeelers: one can rent a pair for the whole summer-season for f 75.
The members can also train their strength and fitness during the running practice, which takes place both in the summer- and winter seasons.
If that sounds like a lot of exercises for a beginner you can always join only some of the activities, although possibly you won't want to miss the training camps organized by the society in Collalbo (Italy), Inzell (Germany), Malmedy (Belgian Ardennes) and Groet (near the Dutch coast).
Membership of Skeuvel for a complete year costs f 55, but starting after the 1st of January will cost f 27,50. For more information you can contact the Society by e-mail: [email protected] or by telephone: 053-4895050.
Has this story whetted your appetite and would you like to go skating tonight? Meet S.M.I.T. and a lot of foreign students at the main porter's lodge of the UT at 19.30 hr and from there cycle to the Euregiohal together. The outing costs f 16, for the entry fee and skate rental, or f 7 for only the entry fee. Everybody is welcome!
