A freestyle rider wants to change the narrative on unicycling and encourage more people to enjoy it as a sport and hobby in Bristol.
Marie Schlenker, co-founder of UnicycleSkills, believes unicycling been severely clouded by misconceptions. The German athlete says the masses have yet to fully explore the true joys of riding a unicycle, and she hopes to make a difference in the United Kingdom and beyond.
Since the age of eight, Marie has been unicycling both recreationally and professionally, competing in championships around the world. Her 20-year career has taken her to competitions in France, South Korea, Canada and beyond.
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While studying as a PHD student at the University of Southampton, Marie has aimed to continue popularising unicycling, and launched UnicycleSkills alongside fellow pro unicyclist Edd Hawkes on February 7.
Pitched as a unicycling academy for beginners, she hopes that UnicycleSkills can promote unicycling as a viable means of transport, which can ultimately help to create a community that is willing to learn and keep an open mind.
Marie said: “I’m from Germany and unicycling is a lot more popular than in the UK as you see a lot of kids unicycling down the street.
“Unicycling for Germans is not only a form of transport, but also a sport, so there were lots of specialised races, such as Unicycle Freestyle, where you cycle to music, like figure skating.
“I came to the UK three years ago for my PHD at the University of Southampton, where I realised that unicycling is less common here."
With Marie running UnicycleSkills locally and Edd managing the facility in North London, Marie explains how Bristol, through interactive courses and activities, has been integral in further demonstrating the diversity and exhilaration of what has been long regarded as a ‘little-known’ sport.
Ashton Court meet-ups
She said: “We run beginner classes and free community meet-ups where people cycle down the trails at Ashton Court and Leigh Woods, and also fun game sessions, which is what we’re doing at UnicycleSkills.
“The vibe is right here in Bristol because I notice people are keen to try new things and it would be great to get lots more in the city into it, and in Germany it’s way more normalised the way scooters are a thing here.”
“In the UK, [unicycling] has a circus image and it’s very rare. People perceive it to be very difficult which is what I’d like to change because everyone can learn how to unicycle, no matter what background you are.
“It’s about persistence and the will to actually learn it. If you can walk, you can unicycle.”
As UnicycleSkills continues to expand throughout the city, Marie hopes to prioritise in making the academy as accessible and fun as possible, with the facility’s upcoming beginner sessions from March 21 where classes will be run in Bedminster and Ashton Vale.
She has high hopes for the academy as she remains optimistic that with continuous enthusiasm and drive, the next generation of riders can recognise unicycling as what Marie has always known it to be - a rewarding and life-changing sport.
She said: “It would be great to grow a community here and run more games and see more people on unicycles, and see unicycling as a sport and a way to move around.
“We’re still a small group, but we want to keep growing and although I started out teaching kids in Germany, I believe anyone can start at any age.
“As the sport is still developing, it allows us to invent cool, new tricks, so that’s why with the school, we’re trying to help people by giving hints to start up and it is possible to learn within a reasonable time frame, such as an average of six hours.
“There is a steep progression curve early on so if you spend your first 15 minutes without feeling intimidated- the moment you know it’s possible, I guarantee you’ll be hooked immediately. It is something that is achievable.”
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