Interview: Erika Zanetti (Italy) ends her sports career

Interview

1. Hello Erika, when did you start skating? How did you discover skating?

Hello! I started skating when I was around 7 years old in Scaltenigo, province of Venice, Italy. My older cousins were skaters, and I decide to join them.

2. Did you try other practices than speed-skating (artistic for example)? Why did you choose speed skating?

When I went to elementary school, during the summer vacations, my parents brought me to a camp where you can try all kind of sports. But speed skating was the only one I really wanted to do!

3. You are a sprint specialist. What do you like in sprint?

I only started to do sprint races at 15 years old. Before, I was doing long distance racing (and I wasn’t that good, I wonder why I didn’t change before?! Ahah). But after that, short races were going really good for me, and I loved going FAST. Results followed quickly. And the adrenaline you get on a 300 or 500 race is incredible!

4. I read you won your first World title at the age of 16? Can you tell us a few words about it?

Yes, as I said, I changed my training routine from long distance to sprint at 15, and at 16 I won my first World Title on the Time Trial on road. We were in 2001, in Valence D’Agen, and it was my first year in the national team and my first World Championships! I was really naive, and I didn’t understand that I’d won right away (there weren’t big screens like now, it would’ve helped), so I left, took off my skates, and then, when I came back to the track Giovanni Martignon, the whole national team started hugging me and screaming “you are the world champion!”. It was amazing!

5. You beat the 500m World record in 2009 … do you still hold this record?

I don’t think so! I used to have some records but the Colombians took them all away from me!

6. How did you get in touch with Powerslide in 2013?

I met Scott Arlidge at the European Championships in Hungary in 2012, and we decided that we could work together. I think neither of us could imagine such a durable relationship.

7. What are your best memories?

After my first World Championships, I think:

• The 2010 Worlds in Guarne: They were good, not only on the results side (2nd places everywhere!), but also for the atmosphere in the National Team. It was the best.
• Then the 2012 Worlds in Italy: after really bad luck, and bad behavior from a Colombian Skater, I got my revenge in my last race. Winning a World Title in my home country was the best feeling ever. Plus, all the people, Italians as well as other skaters from all over the world, came to congratulate me.
• The 2013 World Games: beating the Colombians in their own country was really satisfying too.
• Last year, 2016: Euros 500 road, Worlds relay World Title.

8. What are your worst memories?

My worst memories are the times when someone’s cheating (inside and outside the races) makes me lose, or penalizes my race.

9. What pushed you to end your career this year?

In the last years, I was feeling that racing was becoming really hard mentally, and sometimes not so enjoyable. I’m still training, though, and my times are just as good as if I had to race… you never know ahah…

10. What is your job?

I am coaching in my club, I still collaborate with Powerslide, and with the National Federation for the communication and social media.

11. What are your projects for the future?

I hope I can be able to stay in the skating world.

12. Free speech … if you wish to add a comment about a subject of your choice.

Well, I just want to say THANK YOU to all the people who’ve walked with me through all my long career. From my parents, to my coaches, club mates, national team mates, opponents, friends, sponsors. Everyone. I hope everybody enjoyed my way of skating.

Technical facts

Name: Erika
Given name: Zanetti
Date of birth: January 27, 1985
Birthplace: Mirano (VE)
Size: S
Weight: 57 kg
Country: Italy
Residence: Mirano (VE), Italy
First steps on skates: 7 years old
Category: Senior
Studies: Languages
Strength: Fast legs
Weakness: When skating in a big group of people I get scared
Other sports: —
Last movie seen: The Beauty and the Beast
Favourite music: Everything
Video games: Nope
Books: Last one was a manual of photography
I like: Skating! …. Travelling
I don’t like: To wait
Quality: I leave the answer to the people who know me
Flaw: Sometimes I get prickly
Club/ team: G.S. Scaltenigo
Languages: Italian, Spanish, English, a bit of French
Alcohol or fruit juice? Both
Beach or mountains? Beach
Morning or evening? Evening
Cheese or dessert? Dessert
Rap, metal or techno? Rap
Football or rugby? Rugby

Achievements

• 54 Italian titles
• 28 European titles
• 2 World Games titles
• 3 World titles

Links

Interview with Laethisia Shimek (Germany) – member of Powerslide Matter World Team

Interview with Sandrine Tas (Belgium)

Visit at powerslide’s headquarters with Matthias Knoll

Interview with Scott Arlidge (New-Zealand)

Interview with Katharina Rumpus, Germany (Powerslide Matter World Team)

Interview with Bart Swings, leader of Powerslide Matter World Team

Interview with Felix Rijhnen, Germany (Powerslide Matter World Team)