[Ulrich Gautier writes:]   I would like to thank you for having provided the opportunity to participate in such an exhilarating experience last weekend. The Eddy Matzger workshop was hallucinating. The skills he constantly demonstrated were captivating. It was nothing short of mind-boggling to see Eddy perform at such an incredibly high level, with endless positive energy and authority. Without a doubt, he was totally engaging with his incomparable communication talents, not only in the way he taught the ultimate techniques of the sport, but also with his continuous flow of contagious enthusiasm that lifted everyone's spirits in a long-lasting way. Eddie is not only a supreme athlete, but also an artist, an entertainer, an inspiration, a personality in addition to being a superb trainer and wonderful person. I feel fortunate and grateful for having shared these precious moments. They are unforgettable. A great deal of thanks to you, your group, Eddy and of course delightful Barrie. Ulrich Gautier [Rod Willmot writes:]   Among the 28 participants there were recreational skaters (not fast, not strong, not skilled), fitness skaters (really fit but without much technique), and speedskaters (including some veteran racers). Everyone, and I mean everyone, was reduced by Eddy to exactly the same level -- skater wanting to learn. During the first day -- exhausting without a single moment of speed -- we submitted our bodies to an endless series of movements and routines that often seemed impossible (except for Eddy!), always going slowly, which made them harder still. What a surprise to notice that the best and strongest skaters found it just as tough, if not tougher, than the others! I must confess that several times that first day I wondered if I would ever use any of it for actual skating. (Wrong!) I'll confess as well that when I crawled into bed on Saturday night I was sure that Sunday would be wasted -- I was so darn tired and sore. (Wrong again!!) On Sunday, everything came together... Eddy builds his workshops so that every skater can work with what he's got, following a progression in which all participate, but from which each extracts his own benefits depending on where he started. Saturday, everything was taken apart, slowed down, exaggerated, explored from top to bottom -- and explained! But on Sunday, we rebuilt -- and wow, everything worked better, differently, I found myself moving with a new freedom and confidence, because now I understood how to do it. And my poor beaten-up body, discovering the wonder of more solid and efficient techniques, came alive again with the joy of skating. For me personally, this weekend turned out to be an experience of learning for real a bunch of things that I knew already -- almost -- or that I'd suspected, or had done from time to time without knowing if they were right. Lots of mysteries were illuminated, lots of roadblocks thrown open at last. Often in sport you try to improve by following the example of someone better, but the better ones aren't necessarily all that good -- perhaps they're just physically stronger, or more used to it, or they've adapted their bodies to their deficient technique. Even the best athletes are rarely good teachers. Eddy Matzger is the exception. Beyond question he's one of the world's greatest skaters, and I can't imagine there being a better teacher. I've come away with a bunch of good things. (Apart from the sponsor goodies, worth almost the cost of the whole workshop!) I've come away with everything I've learned, all those routines I want to practise and practise again, all those improvements I want to extend and make my own. I've also come away with something in my heart, the shining example of Eddy himself: his boundless enthusiasm, his determination to do things well and do well by others, his eagerness to share and to bring people together. When you see all that you understand what it really means to say skating is a way of life. Writing this is my way of thanking Eddie and his helper extraordinaire Barrie Hartman. I'd also like to thank the other skaters who had the courage and the desire to share those two unforgettable days. They never stopped smiling, helping one another, and doing their best to do things they never thought possible. Rod Willmot [Benoît Julien writes:]   I know I'm not mistaken in saying that the Eddy Matzger workshop last weekend was an unforgettable experience. For all the participants, I'd like to thank Eddy for everything he taught us and for his astonishing energy. Thanks, and thanks again! Benoît Julien