Weinfelden's Wednesday Night World Championship's

This year every second Wednesday night track racing will be held at the InlineDrom in Weinfelden, starting at 6.30 - 7 pm. Last night the first of this track series got underway with a reasonable turn out of about 60 skaters. With so many top skaters based in and around Weinfelden this year there was a top class field. Among the skaters racing last night there were about twelve senior World medalists and five junior. Two races were held for each grade, a sprint and a distance race. The junior grade raced a 1000 meters and a 5,000 meters points race and the Seniors a 1000 meters and 10,000 meters points race. Fortunately these are two of my favourite events. I have been a World Champion over the 10,000 meters and am the current 1000 meter World Champion.

The men's racing was tough and fast, the field was dominated by New Zealand and Colombian skaters. It was good to see Livio Wenger a Swiss junior skater racing in with the senior men, he skated well. The ladies field was full of South American skaters. There were only three non South American skaters competing, Nadja Wenger and Susanne Zellweger from Switzerland and myself. It was disappointing not to see more Swiss skaters turn up. There were World class skaters racing in their own back yard and I know if I was in their situation I would relish that opportunity. The World Championships are in Switzerland in 2009 and are being held on the Weinfelden track, would you not take the opportunity to get a feel for what the racing is going to be like and learn a few new things? Maybe that is just my mentality because I come from a country were we do not get enough racing and in my career will probably never have the opportunity to compete at a World Championships on a home town track. You never know 2013 World Championships Timaru, New Zealand.

Womens 1000m Heat - Photo Niki Neck


Senior Men - Photo Niki Neck

There are also some great photo's on the Rolling Apple Skate Club's website. You can view the photo's here.

Results:

Women 1000m
1. Nicole Begg
2. Andrea Haritchelar
3. Kelly Martinez
4. Natalia Artero
5. Martha Ramirez
6. Melisa Bonnet
7. Shaneen Howard
8. Sara Erviti
9. Kezla Pachon

Women 10,000m Points
1. Nicole Begg
2. Martha Ramirez
3. Andrea Haritchelar
4. Kezla Pachon
5. Natalia Castellanos
6. Sara Erviti
7. Melisa Bonnet
8. Shaneen Howard
9. Susanne Zellweger
10. Nadja Wenger

Men 1000m
1. Scott Arlidge
2. Andres Munoz
3. Kalon Dobbin
4. Peter Michaels
5. D.J. Nation
6. Reyon Kay
7. Ben Alchin
8. Ruben Martinez
9. Roman Christen
10. Alexandra Bastidas

Men 10,000m Points
1. Peter Michaels
2. Alexander Bastidas
3. Kalon Dobbin
4. D.J. Nation
5. Gerardo Herrera Zea
6. Ben Alchin
7. Scott Arlidge
8. Nelson Garzon
9. Ruben Martinez
10. Nicolas Zamudis