Rochefort roller skaters head to Paraguay

Roller skaters from Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, are traveling to Asuncion, Paraguay, to compete in the World Skate Games 2026. The event is regarded as the premier competition for wheeled sports, bringing together top athletes from roller skating, skateboarding, and scootering.

French team faces strong competition

The Union of Artistic Roller Skaters from Rochefort (Upar) is sending 19 female athletes to represent France. They will compete against six teams: three from Italy, two from Argentina, and one from Portugal.

Rochefort skaters aim for third place

When asked by Sud Ouest, the roller skaters expressed their goal of securing at least a bronze medal. They noted that the Italian and Argentine teams are professional athletes, while the Portuguese team is not as strong. The French team has previously defeated these teams at the European Championship in May 2026.

Team's journey documented on social media

The Upar shares updates about the team's journey on its Facebook page. Recently, photos were posted of the skaters with French flags at La Rochelle station on October 13, as they prepared to travel to Paraguay by train and then by plane.

Local event to support the athletes

The city of Rochefort is organizing a fan zone at the Palais des congrès on October 17 to support the roller skaters. The event, titled Valhalla, will take place at 7 p.m. French time and is open to families and residents.