KEY POINTS:
Kalon Dobbin, who hits speeds of up to 65km/h on his inline skates, has set his sights on winning gold in the marathon at this year's world championships in Colombia. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Looking at Kalon Dobbin's speed skating achievements you are left wondering what more the 29-year-old could possibly want to achieve.
Listed already are six world championship titles, 26 world championship medals and six world games medals, including three gold.
But despite possessing a CV that most athletes could only dream of, Dobbin is by no means done and dusted.
The sprinter now has his sights on a world marathon title, a 42km slog which takes skaters about an hour to complete.
Dobbin's skating career can be traced back to the forecourt of his father's petrol station in Palmerston North. He and his younger brother Shane, also an accomplished skater, used to tear around on their old-style plastic skates until a helpful local pointed out there was actually a skating rink at the end of the street.
"We went down and being two young boys we just wanted to go fast round and round," Dobbin said.
"They told us there was speed training so we went along and it just went from there. My father didn't want me to get involved in skating because he didn't have time to take me to any of the competitions so mum got my first set of speed skates without telling him. Once he realised that I was keen, he got into it as well and is now the national coach."
From humble beginnings, Dobbin has made a career out of inline skating. For the past nine years he has raced professionally for European teams in the World Inline Cup. He was part of the Italian side Rollerblade that dominated the circuit from 2000-2003, before moving to the Swiss branch of the team for two years. He is now with Germany's Powerslide, which finished third last year in what was its first year in the competition.
The World Inline Cup is 10 years old. There are about 16 events throughout Europe, Asia and the US from April through to November. The 17 five-man teams compete over a 42km marathon distance.
The circuit takes a six-week break each year for the world championships. This year's world championships are in Colombia in August. Last year Dobbin was part of the New Zealand team which finished second out of 51 nations in the gold medal tally.
"We are quite up to date with the technical side of it," said Dobbin when asked the reasons behind New Zealand's success.
"A lot of the other countries look to us, they come down to our training sessions and see what we are doing. That is what we were doing five six years ago."
Dobbin won his first world title in France in 2001.
"I had been going to the world champs since 1995. I was probably ready to win in about 1997 but because we didn't have anyone that had succeeded in skating for about 30 years I didn't know how to do it.
"I had the physical attributes to succeed but I didn't have the mental side. It took me that long to work out how to handle the pressure and focus energy in the right way.
"With the young ones that are coming along they have seen how it is done."
Inline skating is made up of different disciplines and distances. Short distances are contested on a circular track while marathon racing takes place on the roads. During sprint races skaters can reach speeds of up to 65km/h.
Dobbin said the success in the sport comes through technique and physical power.
At 29, Dobbin said he is lucky he hasn't had too many injuries.
"Because the sport is so young no one knows how long you can go for. The No 1 marathon skater is about 32 and he is getting stronger ever year. I would imagine you could go comfortably to 34."
Kalon Dobbin
* Age: 29
* Born: Palmerston North.
*Career highlights:Dobbin won two titles at the 2006 World Inline Speed Skating Championships in Korea, taking his haul to 26 medals at world championship level. Last year he won gold in the 300m time trial and the 500m track event. He also gained silver in the 200m road time trial and the 500m road event and was part of the NZ men's relay team which captured gold in the 500m road and silver in the 300m track relay. His success enabled New Zealand to finish second out of 51 nations in the gold medal tally.
* Dobbin is a finalist in sportsman of the year category in the Halberg Awards with Moss Burmester (swimming), Mahe Drysdale (rowing), Richie McCaw (rugby), and Nick Willis (athletics).
* Tomorrow: Motocross rider Katherine Prumm
