Finally, the BUGGGY SKI is ready for photo shooting. During the winter Jean Yves returned to France. At home, he enjoys a better workshop, a pole of competence in the region, and especially ski resorts less than an hour from the workshop. Therefore, Jean Yves could work on prototype in the morning, and test it in ski resort the afternoon.
Happy coming back to Korea.
He took the opportunity to make several modifications some of which were really not good. Finally the day before returning to Korea, the prototype was ready. Just in time to make a photo session with Christophe Lebedinsky. And then jump on the plane and embark for Korea with the heart in joy to find his beloved Chae Sun, and the proud spirit of having done a good job.
The sky was with us.
It was a magnificent day above the cloud sea. Complicity with Christophe is in full swing. Every minute is used to its full potential. Life then has all its value.
People were scrambling to come with us in the cramped cabin of a man in armor and a photographer with bulky and fragile bags and camera. the children were intimidated and curious and did not dare to ask questions. so it was moms talking.
BUGGGY SKI is ready for photo shooting, The video of the day.
First steps in BUGGY SKI happened in Busan in South Korea. Jean Yves had received Chinese skis from a Korean sponsor. It had been several years since he thought of armor to go on the snow. And then all of a sudden it was possible. So he built the first version of the prototype in Busan, under the eyes of Chae Sun, with the support of Kim Nam Hoon.
Warm test
The Prototype was tested on a toboggan run near the Haeundae Exhibition Park, once the customers were gone.
A first attempt showed that one could slip in all positions, but with small differences with on the road. Some supports would be different and the gestures should be adapted. At the end of the meeting Yves had already made the changes that will make this machine really versatile.
Almost by chance Jean Yves appeared as Rollerman at Cosplay meeting. The most bizarre thing is to encounter copies in the realm of fictional characters by a real personage who does not yet have his copy in the fictional world. Like two extremities whose curved space brings back to a point of convergence. We were definitely from the same world, and for someone from the outside, we were one.
Reverse the Cosplay
The Japanese had trouble understanding that Jean Yves Rollerman is not the reproduction of a manga character but surely the opposite. They asked all the time “but who are you?” They did not want to hear the patronymic of Jean Yves, but the reference to the under culture of the annimation.
This cosplay took place in Busan. It engendered strange mixtures and furtive encounters where the participants are punctuated in the postures of the drawing of the comic strip heroes.
Pictures of Rollerman at Cosplay in Busan South Korea
Perfect casting
The plastic of the bodies of extreme Asia corresponds particularly well to the ideal of the manga character. This gives a dimenssion of perfection difficult to reach in Western cosplay.
The erotic charge of the characters is undeniable, but keeps the innoscence of the youth, and the freshest of the costumes made by hand, at home, with the friends, and with humble means.
Blue Santa is new
In order to continue surfing the wave of notoriety, it was decided to spend Christmas Day participating in a record attempt to group the most Santa Claus in the same place.
By having enough of red santa, and having for sponsor the Paran website which means blue in Korean, Jean Yves has decided to make a Christmas father with wheels, blue. link to prototypes here
No record no party.
The number of participants was far from enough, but the show had to be done anyway. The fleeting pleasure of meeting k-pop stars on stage during a camera shutter. Clic clac, and everyone is dispersed in the cold mist of the evening of December 24th.
Christmas is also a minor celebration, as people celebrate with friends with alcohol and without gifts. We were again in an improvised love hotel. Small room cramped, half-naked Chae Sun in blue bunny suit, and the falling ears of the “Were Rabbit” of wallace and groomit, made with the remains of the lost Santa Claus. The Christmas spirit cultivated in the Blondeau family sealed around the family reunion and the happiness of being a frat runie, did not take place in this space devoid of aesthetic spirit.
it announced the end of a prophetic year, of the year that would soon be born.
The blue Santa Claus costume, with its soft fur, had a funny effect. He declaimed the urge to hug. You can see kids caressing the arms. But under the soft fur, the metal armor kept its strength, like an iron hands in a velvet glove. It’s actually more complicated. The armor being a shell that protects the hypersensitive Jean Yves, the fur that surrounds reveals the true nature of the one who animates the shell: sweetness.
Making the advertising Megapass in Barcelona then finishing it in Seoul.
After meeting TV reporters in Kaunerthal longboard world championship, it took one year to make the KoreanTV come to the house of Jean Yves that was in Frankfurt Germany at this time. They made a great report between Frankfurt and Paris. It was a hit in south Korea, and a big company asked Jean Yves to make an advertising film that was going to be shown every day 20 times a day on every channel. here are the pictures.
Shooting the film was every thing but an easy holliday. Days starts long before the sun comes to be ready to film with the first rays. Every shot is for real, have to push accelerate, make the stunt, brake, stop, stand up, get back in position, and run again. repeat it all the day till sun goes down. then production meeting in the night. Team was korean, spanish and french. Korean director acts like master of SM games. Nobody understands that floor is the most important thing for BUGGY ROLLIN. We spent days on a floor made with disjointed wooden slats. Always repeat the same gestures with maximum precision. fight with the ground at each take. To brake just at the edge of the harbor, has a few centimeters to fall into the water every time. Nobody saw him. But we did it anyway. And we held all week. And even there was energy left to roll in the streets of Barcelona at night. We were fit like hell.
Landing in South Korea
Landing in Seoul. After flying 18h to Hong Kong to get a cheap ticket, Jean Yves arrives at the brand new Korean airport of Incheon. Head ruffled, eyes tired, he discovers a committee home with a multicolored banner “welcome Jean Yves”. A huge flower bouquet and TV teams fighting for the head of Jean Yves. What a surprise ! As soon as he has landed, change of costume, he puts on the armor and has to make an arrival in the airport in BUGGY ROLLIN. We go on with an appointment with a manufacturer of carbon roller blades unknown until then, Which Jean Yves must speak as if he had known him forever. You have to deal with TV questions like “why did you choose this manufacturer?” Lunch with an importer of roller skates, that Jean Yves will never see again, but that we treat like the best friends of the world, and the traditional one. No one to explain the subtleties of the tradition. We must decode to all coming. The tone is then. Jean Yves’ agent for Korea, Kim Nam Hoon, had prepared everything except Jean Yves, who discovered things once in the situation. It is necessary to improvise all the time, and especially to get rid of situations that have not been chosen. It will take 2 years for decisions to be finally made with the consultation of Jean Yves.
That day, there was Ji HA. It was the first time that Jean Yves met him. Ji ha had to film the dynamic skating plans at the airport and in COEX. COEX being a complex of new underground shopping malls in the center of Seoul. Ji HA always said to be careful “be carefull not crash someone!” And he was repeating himself by running backwards with speed skates with long blades, stable, but not manageable. In fact it was he who almost crushed three grannies and two kids.
The photos below are from the day of arrival at COEX.
But the day was not over, They spent the evening on the slopes of Nam San, the hill in the center of the city on which there is a big TV tower, behind the opera, to look for a sloping road to to make pictures of decent. It was 11 pm It was about -10 degrees Kim Nam Hoon said stop. Jean Yves was a little disappointed. Drop off at Love Hotel Ceylon. Room too big, bath for 4, no window. The solitude of luxury, the ephemeral luxury of the star, the star of a day. The day has passed.
Jean yves always dreamed to go and live in Asia. But the reality of the situation and the hard stones of korean culture will not exactly fit the dream. Maybe that is exactly the interesting point of this adventure of life.
Meeting Korean Politicians on Skates
Among the surprising encounter of South Korea, Jean Yves have been welcomed by the Korean parliament in line skate club. Important Korean politicians claim to come to parliament by skate. Nice ! Some of them tried the chest of BUGGY ROLLIN. But did not roll on four legs . Why ?
They even prepared a banner for the event
Making Korean TV shows.
We had interview show on stage or visit of KoreanTV almost every days. Our Headquarters was a love hotel near olympic parc. It fit to the Lifestyle of Kim Nam Hoon the former agent of Jean Yves who had for favorite office any Starbucks. It was funny to receive TV in love Hotel where it is traditionally a place of discretion. Service is gold rule in South korea, and it was difficult to know where friendship ends and bizness starts with the hotel management. This was a fun period of fame, and cruel loneliness.
Activelly promote Megapass in many Korean cities.
We did not have photographer with us at the beginning, so we miss the early cities like Busan beach, Chunchon. Daegu marathon. And the crazy pace continues. Arrive on the scene before dawn. Stay warm. perform on stage perfectly with Daft Punk for accomplice. Gray day but colorful people from the heart of Korea.
Incheon in a hot summer day with petite fee running around.
Finally little fee come from France to share these moments of madness. She always brings light, a spark of happiness and freshness. She can be seen on a photo with her red hair.
It was a very hot event, wrapped around the slalom competion under a vertical sun next to the brand new airport, on land borrowed from the sea.
There was always this distortion generated in the meanders of approximate translations. How much sense have we lost? How many subtilites had to be sacrificed? What a frustration to not be able to come closer to heart with the people of Korea. Only the gestures remain. But gestures like the rest do not necessarily have the same meaning and especially the same value as in native France.
Little fee brought immense happiness and left Jean Yves in Korean loneliness.
Making show in amusement park Lotte World in the center of Seoul.
Lotte World is a park in the center of seoul. Parks are places where we forget ourselves. Questions of identity, of spatial and temporal cultural reference, float on the outside, like an island on the sea. This park is especially conceived as an island in the city and on a lake. So it’s a place we lose its bearings. This is not a place that likes JY, he loves the depth of roots and souls.
For work, so we had to do shows. Once again the language maintains almost in mental and sentimental prison. We would have been able to work again with the multicolored flower skaters, especially as we had stoc in women’s armor.
Marathon Ilsan with Katherina as model
Ilsan was, in memory, the last show for Megapass. A last effort on behalf of the sponsor to put the eyes full with prominent guests, hostesses in the colors of the brand, charming journalists. Katarina was among the hostesses exported from Russia, cultivated, and attentive. We eventually crossed her path a few years later after an alley.
From Ilsan only these nostalgic photos remain, of a period gone by.
Meeting Kids in Busan Arapina youth hostel
In the events chosen by Kim Nam Hoon, there were mysterious convolutions resulting from business dealings, friendships or services rendered which were not explained. So we went to Busan ARAPINA.
As often Jean Yves was debarque in the situation with three words: “make show now”. It’s up to him to fend off filling the gaps with sense and wit. Guess gauge, imagine, create somehow, and save situations he had never had the keys. Patience and unconsciousness, confidence often granted too generously for the sake of living the moment, extraordinary and everyday. Mark the memory of adventures lived by chance and talent.
TV show race against Moto
Finally an event that has been designed around the fantastic capabilities of the BUGGY ROLLIN armor to break down the chronometers in downhill racing. The road was chosen by JEAN YVES, WHICH IS A GUARANTEE OF QUALITY in terms of speed and technicity.
A first part that plunges like a cliff, a left turn 90 degrees down on a channel with concrete sleepers that have no humor for the mistakes of trajectories, and a series of plunging reminders as a result of waterfalls.
What a surprise to deposit the bike on the first ten meters. And what a surprise in the eyes of the motorcycle rider to see Jean Yves eat his muffler when braking the first left 90. I think he was nice and did not open the gas cleat. We were still in the 100km / h.
Shoot is studio 3D pictures.
Maybe the best studio picture ever made. Maybe because Chae sun was here there was something magic on this day.
It was another day where two words were used to describe the situation in which Jean Yves was going to be dropped. “3D Photo” had told KiM Nam Hoon as he put Jean Yves in the car of “Sweet Satan” with Chae Sun. It had left for 2 hours of road to cross the legendary corked traffic jams of Seoul.
Fortunately the photographer was good, the muse was adored, and the model competant. We have never been able to reproduce such a quality of shooting. The metal armor having been mltraitee for 10 months on the roads of the events of the cornee, it had been repaired with plastic film sticker.
There is an ambivallent feeling of declining armor, and propulsion of the image, that still remains today, more than ten years later, the fetish iconic picture of Jean Yves used on most avatars of Internet accounts and on the back t-shirts from BUGGY ROLLIN’s team that can be found in the shop section of the site. That is number 18
In youth Hostel Again.
Being close to kids is enjoyable. They are a mix of shy and interested. They were very surprised to get special attention and care. And it was my real measure to surprise them. We hope they keep good memory of it. It would be nice to meet them again. If you watch these lines, drop a message in contact with Jean Yves, he will do his best to answer you . Good luck in life !
First movie made together Jean Yves Blondeau with Danny Strasser, “Tunnel Blick” was a road movie made in Germany connecting the bob and luge tracks through Germany. Starting in Oberhof in the grey morning, wake up near the bob track. Discovering the bob track and watch the young women Luge team at training. Then Making the runs in the bob track with Skateboard for Danny and BUGGY ROLLIN for Jean Yves. The track has a special curve profile with very high and vertical walls. at the end we made a sum up of the first track.
The pictures of the Tunnelblick of Oberhof
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Discover Altenberg
In the second part we go to Altenberg. We discover the track with Philipp Aeurswald. Danny is attempting to start from the tower. And the chef of the track explains the history.
Doctor Auerswald
Between two section we have a fun sketch at the veterinary to heal the Rollerman.
Speed record
At the end we go at the quest for speed record in the lost track. It was the first video of a speed attempt of 110km/h.
The Tunnel Blick speed record film
Before watching the next film you must be aware that this full movie was never broadcasted anywhere, never uploaded on internet. This is only for your eyes only here.
Back to ISPO again with new FSK Salomon skates and Labeda wheels on knees .
world championship was held in Austria in rankweil under heavy rain. You can see the fat blue wheels on elbows and knees. It is a full Kryptonics classic setting in order to try to get as much grip as possible under rain.
Borgolzhausen demos and runs
And then the first metal armor was ready. We decided to make a Photo shooting again in Lyon. With Lisa, Marie, Gaelle, Mathias, Otaku and Jean Yves. Christophe Lebedinsky was the Photographer. Lyon group pictures
Massimo Bavieri organized the second FIRS World downhill championship in Belluno. His girl friend, tamara tried the suit.
We have the new REM helmet with the retractable visor. The shin gard is designed by Jean Yves Blondeau.
Belluno was fast
The Belluno Downhill was the first time Jean Yves reached 100Km/H.
Nice test
After the race, Massimo and Tamara tried the BUGGY ROLLIN suit in Belluno.
long race Austria
In Austria, one of the longest downhill was in Rankweil.
MONOP Freeskate festival
In Paris Free Skate festival was a race with modules in downhill.
Cabaret Urbain
During the Theatre project “Cabaret Urbain” we had a recording for TV show. These are captures from the film.
That was the first time that we had video of synchronized hip hop dancer and rollerman together on stage.
In Frankfurt times, Jean Yves Blondeau was taking part of Tuesday Night Skating and making shows while travelling in Paris.
a workshop flat
The colored flat of Schulstrasse which looked like an art gallery, had a room only for BUGGY ROLLIN workshop. That was the second place after Bonn where a workshop was designed to work on BUGGY ROLLIN project. In Bonn and Frankfurt had been assembled the suits of the first serial. Jean Yves finished the Silver suit in that place.
skate spots
The main river was only a hundred meter far away, and the Hauptware 5 minutes by skates. As it is a good place for skating, Jean Yves could skate almost every day. But the city is a bit flat and that was not the perfect place to increase BUGGY ROLLIN skills in downhill. Now a days Jean Yves is training a lot on late surfaces discovering new tricks and new motions that will be adapted on show.
skate friends
The Frankfurt times were good to make skate friends because TNS, Tuesday Night Skating was attracting thousands of skaters every week.
Jean Yves made show for Bolle At ISPO winter and went to Lausanne downhill world championship again.
Finally moulds are ready, now it is time to reproduce the first suits. And time to go around Europe for downhill competition. As Jean Yves was not in Paris anymore, it was decided to make picture in the closest city : Lyon. Lyon has nice historic places, good lights in the night thanks to the light festival of december 9th, and a network of trendy friends.
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Here are Buggy Rollin Picture of Lyon.
Lausanne dream city
Going together in Lausanne for training and photo was a real premiere. Fun and nice.
In Lyon, it was interesting to see pictures that use the light very dramatically. it arose the dimension of potential super hero. The press could understand this potential.
Here is press from Lyon picture
2000 was also the first year of BUGGY ROLLIN competition in Lausanne IRCL with Xavier Chantepy “Mr X” et Sebastien Bertholet “OTAKU ROLIIN”, You messe Dortmund and Berlin.
And it is time to go around Europe for downhill competition.
Autrichian treasure
Zell Am See held the down hill world championship. It is a small city on the side of a lake in the heart of Austrian mountains like a jewel on a ring. Because of the city organized a street festival with many artists, the opening ceremony was a great hit. So there was a kind of wonderland flair all over the place.
Show at first try
Although David Dousse wore the BUGGY ROLLIN suit only since ten minutes, he made show life on stage together with Jean Yves Blondeau the rollerman encouraged by the screams of the crowd.
TV for ever
The Tv was here and made many historical shots. Eurosport kept the knee spin of the arrival of Jean Yves for year in their promotion pictures.
And it has all the features of a perfect BUGGY ROLLIN suit. Comfortable, versatile, with a woman version, precise ready to set records.
Second photo shooting with KiKi LeBe
We got picture for the second time with KiKi Lebe. We chose the brand new bibliotheque for landscape, and with Virgine Alventosa. She was the embodiment of perfect woman with pure orange hair, a body of athlete who use to run 400m, the mind of tasty artist who became architect, and a heart of white laser light. she was the muse of the life of Jean Yves. These times flew away like a blink. She was wonderfull.With KiKi, we also went near place de Clichy during the night. Climbing on the pedestal with the wheels was very sketchy.
The helmet came from Boeri who was the first to produce metal chrome helmet. Jean Yves was still using his own asymmetrical quad skate. But soon he was going to change for Salomon inline skate.
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That was the second time in VSD
Second shooting with Michel Blondeau
We also went back in Studio Blondeau With Michel Blondeau photograph in Paris with the model fromHong Kong Lina Detienne. Lina is a woman with interesting spirit. she is endearing, creative, always in the vanguard.
[unitegallery PBR_99_Blondeau]
Picture magazine in Germany
photo KiKi LeBe
photo KiKi LeBe another press OWL UK
Bolle was sponsor for the very special multilayer optics. They already gaves glasses in 1997 with normal optics.
press for Lausanne IRCL
Berliner Zeitung Germany for ISPO summer. Using the new inline skates in order to skate faster.
Daily Express for the IRCL Lausanne Downhill contest.