Here’s Clara Hughes giving some tips on how not to speed skate
Don't try this at home
Photo by:
Clara Hughes @claraaanehughes
The Winter Olympics are around the corner, so it makes sense that six-time Olympic medallist Clara Hughes is getting into the spirit of things. The speed skater and cyclist’s name was recently in the news when news broke that there will be bike lanes up and down Sydenham Road, one of the larger climbs in the Hamilton, Ontario area, according to a report in the Hamilton Spectator. The hill, which leaves downtown Dundas and heads North for 1.5 km, was made famous in 2015 when it was officially named “Clara’s climb” by the city of Dundas, in honour of Hughes.
Although in this clip she’s doing a hilarious demonstration about skating, the former multiple national champion is very much into cycling again. After four years of little riding, Clara Hughes is in love with her bike again. For a few Hughes was mostly walking, using her bike mostly for commuting or getting groceries. “I got on this hiking rampage, walking kilometres and kilometres of trails. I really got into hiking,” Hughes said. “But this past year, I’ve really got back into cycling, and I forgot how much joy it is for me to ride a bike. I’m definitely back in bike mode again.
Like some other former Canadian pro cyclists, Hughes has been bitten by the bikepacking bug. Hughes and her husband Peter Guzman are celebrating their 25th year of being in each other’s lives, and they spend as much time outside as possible. “I am still learning new things about him every day. Peter has had so many influences on me,” Hughes said. “And the greatest one has been the love of riding a bike and the adventures. I love bike camping and touring and will do it until the day I die. We recently did a bike tour of Vancouver Island and it was fantastic.”
But back to speedskating. As you can see in the very funny clip below, Hughes gives us a reminder that practice makes perfect.
