World on Wheels, Oldebroek

Last night we raced at Oldebroek and it was another World on Wheels race which was about 30km. It was a rough circuit with a couple of corners and it was about 1km per lap. Elma de Vries broke away after a few laps and I ended up going with her. The last lap she led into the final corner and I timed my run a little to late so I didn't have enough speed to cover the extra distance on the final straight which was curved. Alexandra won the bunch sprint and the other girls finished strong with Kelly 4th and Tamara 6th.

Today and tomorrow we are racing at Heerde on the bank track. Tamara will not be skating as she has an injury from the rain race in Rennes. No one from our team will contest the 300 meter time trial at Heerde today. The course in Rennes was very slippery in the rain so everyone's muscles are feeling strained and have not had time to recover as we have been traveling and racing.

World on Wheels, Emmeloord

Tonight the Bont Wheels Team raced at the World on Wheels event in Emmeloord, Holland. It was a 30km race around a 800 meter circuit along a canal, with long straights and two corners at each end. The course was quiet technical because the corners were tight and there were plenty of obstacles like a speed hump with cobbles and a traffic island. You had to be strong, fit, fast and skillful. There was a big womens field with 64 starters. It was also a high quality field with 5 World Champions present and European Champions and medalists.

The race was fast and hard with constant attacks being launched. There were also sprint primes throughout the race. None of the breakaways successfully stayed away but our team made sure we had someone in nearly every attack. We raced well as a team tonight and everybody played an important part throughout the race.

It came down to a sprint finish with about 22 skaters left in the main pack. Tamara led out the sprint for our team taking the lead with about 500 meters to go. I passed her just before the second to last corner with about 250 meters to go. I was able to gain a gap when I passed Tamara before the corner and went on to win the race. Kelly came in for a strong second, Alexandra 5th and Tamara 8th.

Womens Top 10 Results
1. Nicole Begg (Bont Wheels)
2. Kelly Martinez (Bont Wheels)
3. Brigitte Mendez (Valle, Colombia)
4. Bianca Roosenboom (CadoMotus)
5. Alexandra Vivas (Bont Wheels)
6. Liana Holguin (Valle, Colombia)
7. Elma de Vries (DSB)
8. Tamara Llorens (Bont Wheels)
9. Sara Bak (Denmark)
10. Laetitia le Bihan (Poli, France)

Roncalli College in Timaru are having an auction to raise funds for their rugby team to tour Australia. I donated two pictures for the auction and this is an article about the upcoming auction that featured in the Timaru Herald

Auction to help fund Roncalli trip

By STU PIDDINGTON - The Timaru Herald

Roncalli First XV is hoping an auction and fun evening on Saturday night will help boost its coffers for their tour to Australia.

Roncalli is taking 28 players and a management team of five for a 10-day tour, but need to raise around $75,000.

The evening, to be held at the Roncalli gym, will have a charity auction, entertainment, as well as guest speakers, including broadcaster John McBeth, Super 14 referee Vinny Munro and sports spin doctor John Durning, who has spent time with the Black Caps.

A video presentation will include an interview with All Black coach Steve Hansen and Crusader Isaac Ross.

Among the items going under the hammer is a signed Indian cricket bat, number one of 15 produced.

Other memorabilia includes framed, signed Crusaders jerseys, and a signed canvas of world champion speedskater Nicole Begg and a signed Sarah Ulmer top.

There is something for everyone, with 25 tonnes of lime up for grabs, weekends at holiday homes, tradesmen's services and even a cattle beast.

The team has worked hard, already having spent time chopping and delivering firewood, building retaining walls and running barbecues to help with the fundraising.

Anyone interested in attending on Saturday night, at a cost of $25, or leaving an absentee bid, can contact Carol Gallagher on (03) 688 5833.

Bont 1st & 2nd, WIC Rennes

Today I won the World Inline Cup class 1 race in Rennes and Tamara was second. It was fine all morning until about a minute before the womens start, the black clouds closed in and the rain started to fall. It was wet for basically all of the race but ended up drying up for most of the mens race.

Tomorrow we leave Rennes and drive to Holland. We will race at the two Unive World on Wheels events on Wednesday and Thursday and the Unive Skate Off in Heerde on Friday and Saturday.

This is an article that featured in the Timaru Herald this week.

Speedy Begg new face of Skins

By STU PIDDINGTON - The Timaru Herald

Timaru speedskater Nicole Begg is starting to find some traction in the corporate world of Kiwi advertising.

Begg is the new face of Skins marketing campaign in New Zealand.

Skins is body-moulded compression performance equipment engineered to provide support and muscle alignment. Up to now the most recognisable face of Skins has been Wallaby wing Lote Tuqiri, so Begg is in good company.

The 21-year-old former world champion has been used extensively to advertise speed skating equipment in Europe but this is her first big break in New Zealand.

Brandex outdoor general manager David Watt said they had backed Begg as they aimed to penetrate a full range of sports, not just mainstream sports such as rugby and netball.

"We feel it is important consumers see a variety of sports people in our gear. Nicole is reaching a world-class level in a non-mainstream sport which is great for New Zealand.

Begg, who is in Europe preparing for the World Inline Cup marathon series, said she was delighted with the exposure.

"It's great to be associated with such a top product."

Skins

Skins are one of my sponsors from New Zealand who provide me with compression clothing to aid my recovery. Skins™ BioAcceleration Technology™ has been developed over years of scientific research. Skins™ BioAcceleration Technology™ creates marked improvements in reducing the build-up of lactic acid immediately after periods of sustained exercise, and allows for more rapid return to normal levels. You experience less fatigue, minimize soreness and recover faster.

Skins are very popular in New Zealand and are sold throughout the country at most major sporting goods stores. Below is one of the posters featuring me, which has already been spotted at the Rebel Sports store in Timaru.

Quick Update

The internet has been down over the last few days so here is just a quick update. Last week I raced at the Trois Pistes, but we didn't end up skating on three tracks. The first day it rained and never looked like clearing so all the events at Pibrac were canceled. The rain continued into the second day and we ended up racing in the wet on the Valence D'Agen road circuit. The program was changed and instead of racing an elimination and a 3000m we only ended up racing the 3000m and a 2800m. The weather finally cleared for the third day and we got to race on the track but only done 2 x 5000m races. I ended up finishing 3rd overall.

Tomorrow and Sunday I am racing at the CGS in Sablé. It is around four hours away from Bordeaux so I have an early start in the morning. The racing is around a road circuit and apparently the weather forecast isn't looking too good.