Ostrava Results

Just back from the WIC race, I finished 2nd in the sprint. It was dry for the ladies race although it threatened to rain nearly the whole race. Cecilia won and Nathalie 3rd. There weren't a lot of top skaters so it was very slow and there wasn't a lot of action. They really need some sort of incentive to liven up the women's racing, the only team here wanted a sprint finish and there was a lack of strong skaters willing to have a go so the race was dead.

About 5 minutes after the ladies race finished it started to rain. So the men's race was fully wet the whole way. A break away formed about half way through the race with Severin, Thomas and Yann. Severin and Thomas were working the break and then with about 4 or 5 laps to go Yann broke away from them and won, Severin 2nd and Thomas 3rd.

WIC Ostrava

This Sunday I'll be racing in the World Inline Cup in Ostrava, Czech Republic. This will be a first for me, I've never been to the Czech Republic. The women's 33km race starts at 2.30pm and the men's 4.30. Surprise, surprise the weather forecast is for rain on Sunday! It feels like I just got off the plane from Korea. I haven't even fully unpacked my bags and on Saturday I have to hop on another one. Travelling the globe is certainly not glamorous.

Incheon Race Report

The village in Incheon is usually very colorful and buzzing with inline fans. This year when we got off the bus and it felt deserted, like we had been dropped off at the wrong place in the middle of no where. It was pouring with rain, windy, the ground was muddy and the few people that were around were hiding in tents. Slowly people started showing up as time ticked by but nothing like previous years. The weather conditions certainly discouraged people. I don't think the Koreans generally tend to skate if it's raining as quiet a few of the locals were shocked that we were actually going to race.

Photo - Dr Spark

The start was moved forward to 9am because the kids races were cancelled. On the start line the rain eased to a light drizzle and the wind had dropped significantly from earlier on. The fields were small, not a lot of international skaters made the trip and a lot of the local Korean skaters didn't start.

Photo - Dr Spark

The women's race was pretty slow. No one was keen to attempt anything early on so I thought I would test the water. I tried to make a few attacks but with the lack of numbers I was being marked and every time I moved everyone would react straight away. No one wanted to lead into the wind unless chasing so there was a lot of swerving across the road and at times we were nearly at a stand still.

After the men passed us and got a reasonable gap I decided to try an attack. But when I moved just slightly everyone chased. I kept the pace up anyway, I thought if we get close enough to the men it might give the Koreans an incentive to try something. I ended up catching the men's pack and by then dropped quiet a few skaters from our pack. When I pulled over no one was keen to keep up the pace, the Koreans were happy to sit at the back, Cecilia was waiting for the sprint and Giovanna wasn't comfortable in the rain so the pace slowed right down again.

Photo - Dr Spark

The Korean skaters were very reluctant to take the lead, we came to a stand still a couple of times trying to force them towards the front. A young Korean skater took the lead a few times after all the others basically ordered her to. She drifted off the front on a few occasions but not intentionally, just due to no Korean wanting to chase her and the international skaters all watching and waiting for one another to make a move.

With about 3km to go the young Korean skater found herself in the front again. This time she had a larger gap than previous times and not that far to go. She wasn't too bad in the rain but I could tell she was tired. Her pace was very spasmodic, she would have a burst then look behind and slow down again. The gap was reasonable but the pack wasn't going that fast and she wasn't gaining that much so she wasn't a huge threat. A Korean started picking up the pace for a bit and then Nathalie decided to chase her down.

The Koreans always have something up their sleeve and I was just waiting for something to happen. It was hard for me because I was followed and marked for about 95% of the race so I felt I couldn't do anything like what they were about to do.

With about 1.5km to go Seul Lee took off at full speed. Seul Lee has been a multiple Junior World Champion and was Hyo Sook Woo's team mate at last years World Championships, so she's strong and fast. Not sure if the other skaters realized how much of a threat she was. She formed a big gap as no one wanted to chase and risk killing themselves so close to the finish. I knew if I took off everyone would chase me straight away and I wouldn't be able to get a jump on them. I sat patiently waiting for one of the teams with more than one skater to sacrifice someone.

Nathalie started chasing but by then it looked too late, Seul Lee had a big gap and not far to go. I thought I have to move because we aren't going to catch her. Next thing Nana Lee comes up the inside with speed so I jumped out to get on her. Cecilia was in front of me and once she saw me she jumped to the outside and started sprinting. Cecilia passed Nana Lee on the outside and I tried the inside but I had to scramble as the center lines were slippery and seemed to be coming closer towards me. Once I got passed Nana Cecilia was in front of me and she just caught Seul Lee before the line. I was very close to her and a full lunge would have secured second place for me but it was just too risky. The timing mat was wet, slippery, not flat against the ground and the last thing I needed was another bad injury. I stuck my foot out over the mat not knowing exactly were the line was, I ended up finishing second by about half a wheel.


They say fortune favors the brave and Seul Lee was brave enough to have a go and it almost paid off. If I didn't jump when I did which caused Cecilia to move I think she would have held on and won. The real winner of the day was MPC Wheels, nearly all the skaters out there were sporting a pair of MPC Storm Surge.

Womens Results
1st Cecilia Baena
2nd Seul Lee
3rd Nicole Begg
4th Nana Lee
5th Ju Hee
6th Giovanna Turchiarelli

From what I heard the men's race was full of attacks with the Powerslide team trying to shake off Joey before the final sprint. Their pack split up considerably with only about a dozen or less left for the final sprint but Joey was one of them and took the victory.


Mens Results
1st Joey Mantia
2nd Yann Guyader
3rd Scott Arlidge
4th Thomas Boucher
5th Jaemin Jung
6th Kalon Dobbin

Quick Update

I'm in Dubai airport at the moment waiting my next flight and feeling like a zombie. When I get back to Germany I'll be able to put a race report online from Incheon. Busy few weeks ahead with racing and a lot of travelling. Next week is the WIC in Ostrava, then WIC in Pamplona and road racing followed by the WIC in Dijon.

3rd Incheon

I finished 3rd today in the Incheon WIC. Very close finish, I was less than a wheel from second. It was wet the whole race and at the finish the mat for the timing system was slippery and not flat against the ground. So it would have been very risky doing a full lunge, I stuck my foot out over the mat but didn't know exactly where the photo finish line was. Cecilia won and a Korean skater was second (official results still to come). Joey won the men's race.

Tomorrow's Outlook

Race day is tomorrow and there is a high possibility that it will be raining. Feels like the rain has followed me everywhere since Heerde. For the past few weeks it's rained nearly everyday in Geisingen and now it's raining here in Incheon as well. I haven't slept too well the past two nights so hoping to get a good nights sleep tonight and be recharged for tomorrow morning.

WIC Incheon

Tomorrow I fly to Korea for the World Inline Cup race which is on the 23rd. I haven't raced in a World Inline Cup marathon for over a year now. The last one I competed in was Rennes last year in April. I then had the accident in Heerde which meant I was unable to race for nearly three months. I've had a look at the weather forecast but every forecast I look at is saying something different. I've read 90% chance of rain, 10% chance of rain, slight drizzle, no rain, sun, overcast and fog ........................... so who really knows. Starting to feel a little nervous but I'm sure once the gun goes off at 9.35am on Sunday I will be fine.

Rome 1992 Inlines Attack

I found this video online today from the World Champs in 1992 held in Rome. This was the first year that inline speed skates were introduced and could be worn at a World Champs (in 3 races only), although most of the field still choose to wear the traditional quad skates. Inlines sure did make an impact.

I was about 5 then and my brother 9 but my mum was a superwomen and still racing. She is in the Australian skin suit and she wore quads in this race.

I remember watching a video at home from these World Champs and after the marathon, which my mum raced on inlines she came up to the camera and said something along the lines of "I can't turn the corners on these things, I couldn't get around the last bend".

Korea

I have my tickets booked for the World Inline Cup race in Incheon, Korea, I leave next Wednesday. I can't view the course map, but every year that I have raced there it has been a flat course. Each year it has varied a little but has predominantly been long straight roads with a straight line finish. I've had a mixed bag of results each time I've raced in Korea. A lot of the skaters you are up against are unknown and very unpredictable.

Happy Mothers Day

Happy mothers day mum. My mum is about 18,622 km away this mothers day. I hope you have a great day mum. It's Sunday in NZ so I would say she will be spending the afternoon on her skates, coaching the speed group and then taking learn to skate. Happy mothers day to all skating mum's out there.

Geisingen WIC Pictures

Here are some pictures I've found online from the WIC in Geisingen a few weeks back.

Photos - suedkerier.de


Photos - arena-geisingen.de


Photos - sportfotograf.ch


Photos - Erik


Photo - Ralf Gabler


Photos - skate4fun.ch

Where is Cheryl?

A lot of people have been asking me where my mum Cheryl is. I guess everyone is used to seeing the whole Begg family rock up to race meets, not just me.
Our family opened a shop, Wheelz in January. So Cheryl is back home in Timaru, New Zealand running the shop. She has been busy this week with the Skating in Schools programme starting up for the first time. Over the last two days she has had about 250 kids on skates which is fantastic. Here is an article from the Timaru Herald.

Interesting Medal Tally

This is an interesting medal count that I found on PatinCarrera. It's a medal tally of all the individual Senior World Championship medals won between 1992-2009. Visit PatinCarrera to see the full list, it goes right down to 90.

Heerde Results

Click on results to enlarge.

Women Overall Distance

Women Overall Sprint

Men Overall Distance

Men Overall Sprint

Raining

It's raining here in Heerde so racing has been delayed until 3pm. Not sure what's happening at 3 or what races are being run but they said a decision will be made at 3.