Derry 'Skate Squad' to head to Berlin this weekend for BMW Marathon weekend

Mayor Patricia Logue with members of the "Skate Squad" who will be taking part in the BMW Inline skating Marathon this Saturday. From left are Amanda Murphy, Andrea Devlin, Susan Houston and Una Patton. (Photo - Tom Heaney, nwpresspics)

The group of women, Una Patton, Andrea Devlin, Martina Mc Causeland, Susan Houston and Amanda Murphy found friendship through their joy of skating, over lock down. During that time, Una Patton and Amanda Murphy were involved in hosting skate evenings in Strabane and Derry to encourage everyone to skate.

The start of this adventure took shape when Susan, a member of the Eglinton Road Runners, was trying to register for the Berlin Running Marathon. The registration involved a ballot lottery system so it was very difficult to get a place. At the time she realised there was a skate one too so she thought she would do that instead. Susan then decided to join the local skate group and purchased her first pair of inline speed skates. She states “I just decided to share the link for the Berlin skate marathon on the skaters what’s app group and part of me thought it would be a joke. I didn’t think people would be up for it, but it turns out there were some skaters who were keen to give it a go”

From this initial idea, the five skating enthusiasts registered for the BMW Inline skating Marathon, the only sports event of its kind in Europe. They set off on their adventure this Thursday to represent Derry, Strabane and Belfast in this sporting feat.