Speed Skate World- By Peter Doucet- Online Since 1999

You can see the results from the Steenwijk Holland Inline Cup using the following links; men, women, and men individual. You can find a report thanks to Skate Podium; Gary Hekman pakt derde triomf in Steenwijk.

Men
1- Gary Hekman
2- Sjoerd Huisman
3- Karlo Timmerman

Women
1- Jessica Gaudesaboos
2- Brooke Lochland
3- Jannitta Spigt

Harm de Boer Fotografie is the source for some very nice photos; see Steenwijk Masters en Beloften and Steenwijk Men And Women.

Photo from Harm de Boer Fotografie

Men’s A race- photo from Harm de Boer Fotografie

Men’s A race- photo from Harm de Boer Fotografie

Women’s finish- photo from Harm de Boer Fotografie

Men’s A finish- photo from Harm de Boer Fotografie

Check out Swiss News to find a report & results that Bill Begg put up from the 2nd Mittoch Cup- heck, I’ll copy and paste it here;

‘Round 2 of the Mittoch Cup on the Weinfelden Bank Track saw 40 top class men enter the races & 18 top class women. A good groupof local dignitaries were on hand to see some fine racing, with half the World Champions based in the Weinfelden region this year,locals are being treated, to a standard of track racing that you will not see outside of the World Championships.

The 6 rounds of the 500 meters saw the first 3 from each heat go through to the 3 Semi Finals of 6, from which the first 2 from each of the 3 semi Finals, went through to the final.

Heat 1

1/ Peter Micheal N. Z.
2/ Fabrizio Erviti Colombia.
3/ Adrian Leeman Switzerland.

Heat 2

1/ Kalon Dobbin N.Z.
2/ Andres Munoz Colombia.
3/ Carlos Prada Colombia.

Heat 3

1/ Aaron Arnd’t Canada
2/ Carlos Hernan Colombia.
3/ Christian Diazgrandos Colombia

Heat 4

1/ Nicolas Iten Switzerland.
2/ Jorge Cifuentes Colombia.
3/ Wayne Begg N.Z.

Heat 5

1/ Juan Filipe Gutierrez Colombia
2/ Alexander Bastidas Venezuela.
3/ Gerardo Herrera Colombia.

Heat 6

1/ Antonio Ruales Colombia
2/ Rueben Martinez Argentina.
3/ Ed. Dimmack Australia.

Final 500 Mens.

1/ Munoz.
2/ Dobbin.
3/ Micheal.
4/ Ruales.
5/ Iten.
6/ Cifuentes

The Ladies 500 was a bit of a rough affair, with the Final of 3 Colombian Bont IDRD skaters & 3 Argentina members of the World Inline Center Matter team.

World Marathon Champion Kelly Martinez got clear of the scrum to take the win, from Andrea Haritchelhar Argentina.

Ladies 500 Final.

1/ Kelly Martinez Colombia.
2/ Andrea Haritchelar Argentina.
3/ Kesia Panchon Colombia.
4/ Melisa Bonet Argentina.
5/ Natalia Artero Argentina.
6/ Martha Ramariz Colombia

In the ladies 10,000 elimination current World track Elimination champion Alexandra Vivas won the race, in which she had to work hard at the end, with Nicole Begg & Cecilia Baena, both suffering from Leg Injuries, the races were robbed of some of the stars, Former triple Junior World Champion Catherine Penan from Chile arrived, but did not take part.

Ladies 10,000 Elimination Final

1/ Vivas Colombia.
2/ Bonnet Argentina
3/ Ramariz Colombia
4/ Holguin Colombia
5/ Munoz Colombia.
6/ Haritchelar Colombia
7// Erviti Venezuela.
8/ Panchon Colombia.
9/ Rena Kuhn Switzerland.
10/ India Kuhn Switzerland.

In the mens 15,000 Elimination, the race was controlled right throughout by the 5 strong Matter World Inline Center team.

IfNicolas Iten had not attackedlate in the race,it could well have been thegreen mean machine taking all top 5 positions, but it was not to be.

Mens 15,000 Elimination.

1/ Munoz Colombia.
2/ Iten Switzerland.
3/ Cifuentes Colombia.
4/ Dobbin N.Z.
5/ Garzon Colombia.
6/ MichealN.Z.
7/ Erviti Colombia.
8/ Nation N.Z.
9/ Bastidas Venezuela.
10/ Guiterriz Colombia.
11/ Begg N.Z.
12/ Ruales Colombia.
13/ Hernan Colombia.
14/ Martinez Argentina.
15/ Morantes Colombia.
16/ Leeman Switzerland.
17/ Luginbuhl Switzerland.
18/ E. DiazGranados Colombia.
19/ Dimmack Australia.
20/ L. Wenger Switzerland‘

Skate Podium has a bunch of videos that I am sure you will enjoy watching; use the links below;
- Emmeloord men’s report- amazing footage!!
- Emmeloord women’s report- amazing footage!!
- Elma de Vries interview
- Maria Claudia Sarazar inteview (in Spanish, translated into Dutch)
- Heerde Organizer interview

Below are parts of an editorial written by FIRS’ President Sabatino Aracu- you can read the editorial in its entirety here.

‘Dear Friends of rollersports

…WIC confirmed once again its vocation as marathon and long distance circuits on roller skates which have a great impact on a world-wide level and, because of that, I think it is important to seize the opportunity of this first event in order to introduce to all of you the renewed synergy between FIRS and IGUANA for WIC organization and promotion.

Partnership between FIRS and IGUANA is included in the promotional project of roller skating on a worldwide scale… IGUANA from its side, will support promotion of roller sports within the Olympic Project….

Referring to the Olympic Project, I will seize the opportunity to inform you that also this year we will be at Sport Accord event. SportAccord, the annual international sports convention, brings representatives from the 100 International Sports Federations affiliated to GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations), ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) and AIOWF (Association of the International Olympic Winter Sports Federations), as well as the International Olympic Committee Executive Board, together with sponsors, bidding and host cities, architects, sports lawyers, broadcasters, games organising committees, rights holders and other specialists to discuss the key issues facing the sports industry. In addition to the numerous and important meetings, about which I will have the chance to talk when I will come back, I am glad to inform you that roller skating will be in Athens with a huge promotional campaign: for example, IOC members will see as the first thing coming off the plane, FIRS logo and roller skating images in lighted posters in the airport‘

Racing every Wednesday from June to August; pretty good stuff; see Weekly Races In Twin Cites. You can find more information here on Adams Inline.

Here are a few entries from Nicole Begg; I’m Surviving and The Good, The Bad & The Ugly. She talks about her injury and her quest for liquids that will keep her going.

Here is some of what she had to say about the…

…good; ‘On the way home we came across a Burger King, which is a rare thing to find in Switzerland. I had a strawberry thick shake and it was so good. That has been by far the best thing I have had through a straw during the last few days‘

…bad; ‘I was only able to get about 2 hours sleep last night‘

…ugly; ‘Cleaned the blood off my skates. I have created a new Bont boot colour, Blood Begg‘

Juan Felipe being cared for- want to see the other side? Click here & scroll down a bit

USA’s Michael Cheek’s blog is back after almost 2 months of silence- see I’m back for more. He says ‘Ok, remember when i started this thing how I said things would get hectic at some point. Well they did. I got sick, then i started traveling and training, it’s pretty much been non stop. But i have a few weeks till regional and trials so i thought what better time to catch everyone up on what’s been going on‘.

Andrew’s Speed Skating Blog has an entry called Training Camp Harz Mountains. He says ‘…I had a nice little 62K skate today…‘ and ‘…We just spent an hour looking at videos of the Dutch TVM ice speedskating team training (ie. plyos, inline speedskating, gym…) All directed by their American fitness coach, who screams his head off (dark, dark red face and neck ) while clearly wasted athletes push harder…‘.

Here’s an opportunity for you to say who you think will be on the top of the podium at the upcoming USA Roller Sports Indoor Nationals; go to grand classic at nats ? whos ur tops.. and PRO ELITE MEN @ Nationals!.

Team Bont N.A./Rudy Project’s Bobby Piedra put up a nice report/ tribute to last weekend’s San Francisco Inline Marathon- see SFIM Gets Top Honors. I’ll condense some of what he wrote; ‘You guys have taken race organization and pre-event preparation to a new level. Last minute registration and check-in was a breeze, everything was provided for… The course was smooth and clean… everyone seemed to enjoy the fast course and the opportunity to do their best… The local media was present as well as many photographers and spectators, everyone cheering and encouraging the skaters on their way… After the race, skaters were treated like royalty and provided with a catered lunch… If you missed it this year, put it on your calendar for next year…‘.

The Wolverine Inline Marathon will be taking place on May 24th on beautiful Belle Isle Park in Detroit, Michigan. The first place finishers in the Pro Women’s and Pro Men’s race will win a pair of Luigino Challenge Boots. 

Fun-Skater Krefeld put up a couple of videos from WSC 2008 In Aggertal- see part 1 and part 2 or view the videos below-

Skatingsisters has a report and links to photos (see photos from day 1 here and photos from day 2 here and also rik huys’ photos here) from last weekend’s Vl-Brabants Speed Criterium. You can find results here and here. You can also find a report thanks to The Skating Family Tienen.

Photo from RSC Tienen

Photo from rik huys

Andrew Love’s Coffee, Sky, & Prayer brought Fat Cyclist back to my attention.

Elden Nelson (aka Fatty) is currently writing about and sharing some of the most difficult times someone could go though; he is supporting his wife Susan’s quest to defeat cancer.

I have many SSW entries in draft form waiting to be published. I’ll wait until tomorrow (Thursday) afternoon to put them up. I want to keep this entry at the top of my page for a little bit before it gets burried under skating news.

For me for tonight, skating news is seemingly unimportant after reading through Fat Cyclist’s recent entries. Skating stuff is the reason this site exists and I’ll get back to it.

But for tonight and a part of tomorrow, the silence is my prayer for Susan and her loved ones. 

Recent entries such as Apologies, Thanks, Lance, Crying is for Climbing, Has It Been Only One Day?, and “Like Dandelion Seeds” are filled with incredibly deep words and provide detailed and emotional accounts.

Some of his writings (sorry for taking them out of context) include…

‘Susan doesn’t have just one tumor in her brain, or a few. “There are too many to count,” the Doctor said. “They’re scattered through your brain like dandelion seeds.”‘

…

‘The only treatment option we have open to us now, the oncologist said, is radiation therapy. And after that’s done, Susan will be better for a few months, but then the tumors will come back, and the brain can’t take another dose of radiation like that. So, absent a miracle, Susan only has months to live‘

…

‘I cried a lot on the way back home, though, and Susan and I talked about the things we needed to. I’m not going into it here because living through that conversation one time today was all I’m up to. Those of you who have had this kind of talk know what I mean.‘

…

‘The boys — ages 12 and 14 — understand things better, and they — as am I — are going to be messed up for a while to come.

Is it OK for me to pray for a miracle?” the 12-year-old asked.

“For sure,” I said. “That’s what I’m doing.”

Compared to this, the conversation Susan and I had earlier in the day was a walk in the park‘

…

‘The intensity of the ride had fully occupied my mind. For the first time since Susan and I had been to see the oncologist and learned we were out of options, I felt…not happy, but at least not all knotted up. Clear.

Right now, clear is good enough‘

…

‘She apologizes for having to leave me. This is a much harder apology to hear, because often I do feel like I ought to be getting an apology for having my wife taken from me. I mean, how many really good marriages are out there in the world? Shouldn’t someone apologize for splitting us up?‘.

Check out the PQR Speed Team- I found it thanks to Roller En Ligne.

Roller En Ligne also brought this to my attention; the redesign of the Le Mans 24-Hour site.

Here’s a Wednesday/ mid-week morning read for you; I knew I could do it….but visit me now in the hospital. You’ll find writings like ‘Island Park drive should be closed down.  It was like skating on glued together gravel stone‘ and ‘Kim and I had to reward ourselves with Dairy Queen.  Now that is the life‘.

The route

The NROC rankings have been updated after this past weekend’s San Francisco Inline Marathon- see the article Mantia, George Lead After San Francisco for more.

Pictures of the San Francisco Inline Marathon is what you’ve been looking for? Good! Check out spdsk8n’ photo album with 728 pictures and make sure you also check out Michael Chevedden’s pictures using the following links; pro race (159 pictures), SCS (39 photos) (not sure what this one stands for),  pre/ pots event (44 photos), and advanced/ rec (99 pictures).

Photo from Michael Chevedden

Photo from Michael Chevedden

Photo from spdsk8n

Photo from Michael Chevedden and posted on the Inline Planet

Here is an insightful entry by Bill Begg in Nicole Begg & Cecilia Baena Injuries;

‘I had a very big concern when they allowed for the use of 110mm wheels, as the sport loses a skill element & it gets down to who is strong enough to push the big wheels.

Fact 1/ They roll faster Down Hill.

Fact 2/ They are not so easy to control through tight corners.

Fact 3/ Put more strain on skaters knees & ankles.

Fact 4/ We are a sport with minimal safety protection.

Fact 5/ Some fast 60 kmph lines are trying to blend into 1 line
to take difficult bends & roundabouts, at motor racing
type speeds through bends.

Fact 6/ Many skaters are not competent on the 110mm & feel
obligated to using them, as the push for their use,
was mainly industry driven.

Fact 7/ The SIC & WIC Marathon series,need tougher courses
& longer races, to sort out the fields, only 20 quality
Skaters should be left at the end.

Fact 8/ We know we need the recreation skaters, they can
continue on the courses, but a couple of off the
standard course onto a side road with a hillloop is
required for the Top racers.

Fact 9/ Only several people on Motorbikes ever get to see the
Worlds best race, going around Sursee & Zug is great
But the Public see a start, a portion, then the end.

Fact 10/ To attract more public & media interest we need fast
exciting races with primes on circuits, such as Bern,
Beil & Basel, where the public, Recreation & Junior
Skaters auctually get to see the races.

Fact 11/ There is no Fan club base or top skaters as role
models that the learners want to aspire to, as they
hardly ever get to view them racing.

Fact 12/ The worrying Fact a hospital was full up with skaters
Even 3 hours after the event.

Fact 13/ With the injection of so much new talent this year to
the WIC, we have a real fierce competition on our
Hands, as its more competitive than ever, with many
skaters desperate for success, prepared to be brave
enough to risk failure, in the hope of achieving glory‘

If you’d like to read a very detailed and well thought out entry, make sure you go through Eric Gee’s The Journey Begins. In Explorations and Discoveries, he writes philosophically about athletics, engineering, arts and craftsmanship and how they relate to custom book making. He concludes that custom ‘…therefore, is a balance between the engineering knowledge of the boot maker AND the experience and skills of the skater.  This implies that the skater and boot maker must work together to achieve the fit and performance of the boot‘.

Eric Gee’s work for the next couple of months