Thursday, January 15, 2009

Skater set to break coach's record

Here is an article that featured in the Timaru Herald today talking about the recent New Zealand National Championships which finished last week.

Skater set to break coach's record

`JEFF TOLLAN - South Canterbury | Thursday, 15 January 2009

JOHN BISSET/Timaru Herald

Skating to success: Nicole Begg, left, and her protege Dahna Penty, right, with the trophy that Penty won at the skating nationals in Christchurch. Begg has won the trophy three times, in 2000, 2003 and 2006.

IT LOOKS like one of Nicole Begg's records may be broken in a couple of years, by one of the speed skater's 11-year-old pupils.

Dahna Penty, whom Begg coaches, came back from the roller skating nationals in Christchurch, with the Joe Bright Memorial Trophy.

It is awarded to the skater with the most outstanding speed performance.

It was her work in the 200-metre sprint time trial which netted Penty the award, previously claimed in 2000, 2003 and 2006 by Begg.

What makes the win more special for Penty is that it was her first championship challenge.

She also claimed one gold medal and three bronze.

"It's pretty good," Penty said, "I wasn't really expecting it."

Begg maintains if Penty sticks with skating, within three years she will take the 200-metre sprint record from her.

The sprint is Begg's weakest event and she said if any of her titles were going to be claimed, that was going to be it.

"I've been waiting. If a female in New Zealand could beat me, then that would be the event. Dahna could be the next one," Begg said.

"She's got that sheer speed off the line."

Although Begg is prepared to let this title fall, she said she won't be letting go of her world titles as easily.

Along with Penty, several other young skaters from the region received medals.

Nick Frame won three bronze medals, Emily van der Heyden two bronze medals, and Breigh Sample and Analiese Le Roy each both won a bronze.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

New Zealand National Championships

The 2009 New Zealand Road and Flat Track National Championships are over for yet another year. There are still a few NZ titles up for grabs with the Marathon and Bank Track Championships still to come.

On the road I took out all the Senior Ladies titles and the 3 Open Ladies (anyone 12yrs +) titles. On the flat track I won all the Senior Ladies and Open Ladies races from the 300 time trial through to the 5km.

Here are a few of my highlights from the champs:

Watching the 7 kids I have been coaching compete at their first National Championships.
Reasonable numbers in nearly all the female grades, with the juvenile and junior girls needing heats.
A lot of up and coming female talent.
New Faces.
The Bont Wheels especially the Pinks working really well on the wooden flat track.
Breaking the 10km points elimination road record by over 11 seconds but then disappointing finding out the record could not stand due to one stopwatch not working.
Seeing skaters from South Canterbury up on the podium. Our club took home 12 gold and 12 bronze medals.
Dahna Penty, one of the new skaters from South Canterbury winning the 200m Time Trial by almost 1.5 seconds. She also won the Joe Bright Memorial Trophy which is given to the most outstanding female skater. I won the trophy in 2000, 2003 and 2006 so it was great to see it go to a skater I coach.
Most of the grades were really competitive so there was a lot of exciting racing that came right down to the wire.

Bill Begg has written an overview of all the grades which can be read on the BONT message board.