We really regret this step and beg you pardon for causing any trouble to you. Because of this new negative experience with the organizer in Holland, we are forced to take again a more profound look at our potential partners in the future before we assign a race under the trademark World Inline Cup.

WIC Margarita

As already published, the world championships have been altered from Venezuela to Colombia on relatively short notice. Due to the fact that the location lies on an altitude of 2,300 metres, the athletes are forced to change their preparations completely and to arrive earlier. Therefore it makes absolutely no sense to hold the WIC Margarita on October 10. With regard to the demands of the athletes and teams we will postpone the date in such a way that the race in Margarita can take place directly after the world championships. We are in contact with the Colombian Federation and try to fix a date in Colombia as well as in Venezuela within one week after the world championships.

Thus a new height and closure of the season can take place again on the Caribbean isle Margarita, which will probably take place in the first two weeks of November. We will keep you informed!

Race calendar 2011

It is already sure that the first races in 2011 can take place in some traditional and attractive cities in France, Korea, the Czech Republic and Spain. Moreover we have applications from Italy and Switzerland. A real sensation is however, that a WIC race will take place for the first time in the Spanish town Valencia! Together with the presidents of the Spanish and the regional association we agreed on a race on the Formula-1 circuit of Valencia on June, 4 and 5, 2011. More information will follow!

New mode in 2011

We are working on a new concept for the organization of the WIC races. Detailed information will follow soon. In short: it will become extremely exciting, attractive and very interesting for each athlete!

Only a few weeks before the start, the organizers could begin with the necessary preparations and even the final track was only determined a few days before the race, thanks to the support of the local authorities. It was a real show of strength for the whole team to offer a new racing track in eastern Biel to the freaks of inline sport. After several days’ rain, they had to fear the worst. But exactly one hour before the first races of the kids and juniors, the track could dry and presented a perfectly prepared race course to all categories.

The youngsters opened the race on Sunday and the juniors took advantage of their participation here in the Swiss and World Inline Cup event as a last main test before the European Championships. Thus, they put their cards on the table, showed no reserve but very thrilling races.

The top event of the afternoon was the World Inline Cup, where the world’s best athletes were fighting for the victory. Apart from the Colombian stars Chechy Baena and Diego Rosero, everybody who is anybody in the inline scene was represented in Biel. The ladies had to manage 30 laps and the men 35 laps, which meant a distance of 36.0 km or exactly 42.0 km. The race circuit had a length of 1.2 km, which was ideal for the spectators as well as for the athletes, showing a high speed race in front of an enthusiastic crowd, seldom seen up to now.

Comments on the race:
Scott Arlidge (Powerslide Matter World): “That’s exactly the future of inline sport: circuit races close to the spectators, a narrow track and passing several times the finish line. Like the Formula-1 races but on more than four wheels!”

Sabine Uhrig (TeamOwnerin BONT arena Geisingen): “I’ve come here, because I’ve heard that Biel is a race with many bents and in the city centre, but what I experience here is very spectacular and thrilling for the spectators.”

The World Cup teams of Powerslide, Bont, X-Tech, Alessi, Luigino and Rollerblade showed top speeds of about 60 km/h and hard fights for their positions. Almost each team tried to break away and pushed its drivers to the top in order to speed up or to initialize a single breakaway. The boys from Luigino Swiss around the two Swiss top cracks Severin Widmer and Nicolas Iten turned out to be very active with their aggressive pushs to the top. The Powerslide team with the leader of the overall ranking, Yann Guyader, tried to close the gaps again and again and made a good tactical race. Again the BONT arena Geisingen athletes speeded up, but the very attentive X-Tech drivers with the experienced Elio Concu didn’t let them beak away. After the 34^th lap with no single athlete leading, everybody thought of a mass sprint, but this was prevented by the friendly guy Juan Nayib Tobon from BONT arena Geisingen team. He could start the sprint on the final straight from a very good position, impossible to catch up with him, reaching the finish line with a margin of 20 metres. All spectators and the proud team owner Sabine Uhrig with her whole family were delighted by him. After some top rankings in the WIC season in 2009 and the GIC 2010, Juan could celebrate his first victory in a spectacular WIC race with top athletes. On the following positions: 2. Yann Guyader (FRA), extending his lead in the overall ranking with this position before his team-mate Fabio Francolini (ITA).

The ladies didn’t drive as hectically and fast as the men, but in a more tactical manner. Their 30 laps were characterized mainly by team-work. They eyed each other, so that almost each action was neutralized, and were absolutely not impressed by the racing speed train of the men. Soon it became clear – after breakaways had almost been impossible – that the Powerslide team would play an important role on the way to the victory, even if the overall leader Chechy Baena wasn’t there. As usual,Nathalie Barbotin worked extremely hard for her team-mates and didn’t let anybody break away. Even the Alessi ladies as well as the ladies of X-Tech and Vitamine&Co-Ferrara had no successful breakaways. Therefore it came to a final spurt and the German Sabine Berg from Powerslide Matter World won the palm before Giovanna Turcchiarelli (Alessi World) and the New Zealander Nicole Begg (X-Tech MPC).

The excellent Swiss referees around Stefan Neck were always in full command of the race, despite the numerous laps, the lapping and the high speed.

Now it’s time for the WIC and SIC train to take a rest during the European Championships and come back with a spectacular race through the town centre of the Swiss capital Bern. We already look forward to seeing you on the occasion of this big event on Sunday 8 August 2010.

Ladies: 1. Sabine Berg (GER) - 2. Giovanna Turchiarelli (ITA) - 3. Nicole Begg (NZL)

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The presence of the media showed that the World Inline Cup already plays an important role. Thomas Dauvergne from AM Sports was not only successful in having the world elite of inline sport there in Dijon but also the most important television and radio broadcasting stations as well as all leading newspapers.

Some opinions:

Diego Rosero (BONT arena Geisingen):

“We are extremely happy to take again part in the World Inline Cup, finally, and we love the race here. It goes without saying that we want to set an example and fight for the victory here.”

Scott Arlidge:

“It’s always good to be here for the WIC race in Dijon – although the races are traditionally very hard and aggressive in France. We are glad that the BONT arena Geisingen team around Diego Rosero had joined us here, too.

The men’s start on the city circuit was brilliant. In spite of the two turns at the end of the long straights, they reached an average speed of more than 40 km/h. The Swiss Severin Widmer (Luigino Swiss) was the fastest with 45.23 km/h!

However, the Swiss of the Luigio Team characterized the race. Nicolas Iten and Severin Widmer strongly put pressure on the stars from Powerslide, BONT arena, Alessi and X-tech. As it was their first participation this year, the guys from the BONT arena team played to the gallery and increased speed. Although their team captain Diego Rosero was still hurt after his downfall in Wörgl (A) last weekend, he pressed to the top. Soon the hard fights at the top after 10 of 19 laps took their toll and the gap between the top and the back became larger. The speed was extremely high in the bends so that some skaters fell down in the turns around the Place Wilson. Eight laps before the finish, the Swiss Nicolas Iten, on top with another one, tried everything to increase the margin between them and their pursuers. But the athletes of the Powerslide and BONT arena team didn’t want to let them go and caught up with.

Shortly before the start it had started to rain, so that some skaters preferred rain rolls, what turned out to be the wrong decision in the end, because just after they had started, the sun began to shine. Some, like Reyon Kay, had bad luck, too, as a roll broke in one of the bends and he had to give up.

Four laps before the end Nicolas Iten attacked again and succeeded in breaking away – even if his competitors like Scott Arlidge (Powerslide Matter World), DJ Nation (BONT arena Geisingen), Davide Amabili, Marco Rebagliati (both Alessi) and the strong X-Tech athlete Elio Cuncu were very powerful, too. Nico tried to avoid a sprint decision, pushing forward even in the last lap, but the others didn’t let him go and counterattacked him. On the long slightly ascending finishing straight they started an early sprint with the result that the New Zealander Scott Arlidge from the Powerslide team had the most reserves and really flew over the finishing line. Further results:

1. Scott Arlidge NZ, Powerslide Matter World

2. DJ Nation NZ, BONT arena Geisingen

3. Nicolas Iten SUI, Luigino Rollerblade

4. Davide Amabili, ITA, Alessi

5. Marco Rebagliati, ITA, Alessi

6. Elio Cuncu, ITA, X-Tech

7. Juan Nayib Tobon COL, BONT arena Geisingen

8. Yann Guayder, FRA, Powerslide Matter World

9. Stefano Galliazzo, ITA, Alessi

10. Felix Rijhnen, GER, Powerslide Matter World

Men: 1. Scott Arlidge (NZL) - 2. DJ Nation (NZL) - 3. Nicolas Iten (SUI)

All South American female cracks bought single licences. This was not only fair but also more certain with regard to the prize money.

After the two last races in Incheon and Ostrava with pouring rain sometimes, the sixth stage of the World Inline Cup welcomed the sun and temperatures of 33 °C – rather hard for the European athletes!

The ladies started in the late afternoon after the kids and junior races. They had to pass the traditional famous circuit in the centre of Pamplona 25 times to reach the 30 kilometres. The field with almost 100 athletes was soon led by the famous WIC teams Alessi, Powerslide and X-Tech, but also the Colombians did not hide themselves behind them. Nicole Begg (X-Tech), as single athlete, again worked very hard and tried to break away aggressively to press for an early decision. But the top teams didn’t let her to distract them. However, the high speed at the top provoked a merciless elimination and the athletes in the back, who were not so strong, had to give up or were taken out of the race as they could be lapped. Soon the favourites Chechy Baena, Giovanna Turcchiarelli and Nicole Begg were by themselves being pushed hard by other famous names of the Seleccion Colombiana. Thus a very brilliant Elizabeth Arnedo together with the former WIC athletes Kelly Martinez und Alexandra Vivas were always running at the top, too. The national teams from Italy and France did their best and worked hard trying to press for a decision. The top group with the just mentioned Colombian favourites took the last bend and put on the final spurt. In a thrilling finish the young Elizabeth Arnedo outdistanced the whole world elite and reached the finish line before her fellow countrywomen Kelly Martinez, Alexandra Vivas and Cecilia Baena – beaten for the first time in the current WIC season.

Elizabeth’s comment to her first victory: “It was worth to invest the entry fee. I am very proud and happy with my first victory of a WIC race facing such strong competitors.”

In the sweltering heat of Pamplona the men had to do still 10 laps more than the ladies to fulfil the marathon distance. Warned by the demonstration of the Colombian ladies, the Powerslide team around the overall leaders of the WIC ranking, Yann Guyader and Scott Arlidge, put the screws on the whole pack from the beginning. The world elite of inline skaters, being represented there, had to work extremely hard and the national teams of Italy, France, Portugal and Colombia didn’t waste any time to react quickly to all breakaways. The thousands of spectators lining the streets were thrilled by the performance and cheered them on euphorically. Despite the heat, the top cracks entered the fray. Only after a rigorous push of the WIC leader Yann Guyader (Powerslide Matter World) some weren’t able to react. Only his team mate Fabio Francolini, as well as Oscar Cobo starting for Seleccion Colombiana and the Frenchmen Ewen Fernandez (Ligne droite Powerslide) could keep time with Yann. In the pack the other Powerslide athletes slowed down in order to keep the pack at bay to their team mates at the top. Andres Munoz from Colombia, having only arrived two hours before the race had started in Pamplona, due to a lost passport and visa, worked hard at the top of the first group of pursuers. But the four leading athletes extended their margin continuously.

As the margin to the top increased, the local favourites and the strong skaters of Marianistas and Roller Lagos resigned more and more.

It came to a final sprint of four with hard but fair fights and just the Colombian Oscar Cobo left his competition in the dust – like Elizabeth had already done. Yann followed on position two, Ewen became fourth.

Kalon Dobbin (Powerslide Matter World): “A fantastic race in a wonderful atmosphere. It was really hard and we had to pay our toll to the heat and the demanding course. But the spectators encouraged us so much that it was fun in the end!”

After a thunder storm in the evening, the track races of Sunday were moved to the beautiful futuristic and covered track “La Chantrea”. The whole Sunday long thrilling competitions took place there in front of many exciting spectators, too. For the results read more…

Men: 1. Oscar Cobo (COL) - 2. Yann Guyader (FRA) - 3. Fabio Francolini (ITA)

Scott Arlidge from Powerslide Matter World was saying that this was exactly the way how to strengthen inline skating as a popular sport. And Johnny Diethelm, head of the Luigino Swiss team and skating expert from Switzerland remarked that the only thing that was important for people was that they can do their sport without any pressure and stress. The motto in Switzerland had been “back to the roots” and that is how the SIC started its success.

The exiting Kids races on Sunday morning attracted many spectators and visitors, too. The relay and family races were supported by thousands of ardent spectators. A village with good gastronomical facilities and an excellent organization of the Lifeinlinetour team made it to be a very pleasant event.

After the races of the fitness athletes, the moment of truth for the WIC women had come. Besides the Powerslide team with Chechy Baena and Nathalie Barbotin, the strong individual starters Nicole Begg (MPC X-TECH World), Renata Karabova (IDEE PRINT X-Tech) and Laura Ghezzi (Vitamine&Co. Ferrara) were represented saying nothing of the numerous skates from the Czech Republic and its neighbours.

As usual the race started in a retained way while the weather was nice but unsettled. Soon an aggressively attacking Nicole Begg tried to burst the field again and again. This was not without effect and a first top group of all favourites was leading the race from the second lap onwards. The Masters world champion Desiana Caniatti (Vitamine & Co. Ferrara) took advantage of an indecision of the leaders and broke away. This had been so surprising for the others that nobody of them, although being much younger than Desiana was able to follow. Thanks to the devoted commitment of the French Nathalie Barbotin a sensation was prevented and Desiana was caught up in the seventh lap. Once again Nicole Begg wanted to break away out of the top group – but she tried in vain. It came to a final sprint won by – who else – superstar Cecilia Baena. Nicole Begg followed only a breath later. Nathalie Barbotin became third with a very narrow margin before the powerful Italian Laura Ghezzi from the Vitamine & Co. Ferrara team. After a very good race the almost native Renata Karabova stands on position five proving impressively that her nomination into the IDEE Print X-Tech team had been right. The early push of Desiana Caniatti was crowned by an excellent 6^th place among a very strong field.

Despite the starting rain, the men’s race began very fast and aggressively. We were happy that again all top teams and skaters without exception from all over the world had come to this WIC race in Eastern Europe. The leaders of the overall ranking list had been ready to fight for points.

One attack followed the other and already in the 4^th lap Yann Guayder (Powerslide Matter World), Severin Widmer (Luigino Swiss) and Thomas Boucher (Rollerblade Speedodrom) broke away from the field and made a lonely race against the remaining 140 athletes in the pack. The three leaders with their outstanding form and tactical manoeuvres were going very fast and thus increased their lead over their pursuers continuously. Soon their margin was more than 33 seconds to the others and it was almost impossible to catch up with them. The athletes in the back reacted tactically almost holding each other down.

Three laps before the finish Yann Guyader accelerated his speed to press for a decision and to avoid a final sprint. Severin as well as the French Thomas Boucher weren’t able to follow, only Severin Widmer got away from Boucher. Thus the three sprinted towards the finish line individually. Then the Italian Powerslide athlete Fabio Francolini broke away from the field and reached the 4^th position prematurely. Yann Guyader finally won the palm arriving almost 48 seconds before Severin Widmer, who became 2^nd - one position better than last year. What does this mean for the following year…? Thomas Boucher, undisturbed, followed on position three and then Fabio Francolini. Kalon Dobbin (Powerslide Matter World), who won the sprint against his team-mate Scott Arlidge, became 5^th. On position 7 followed Patxi Peula (Marianistas Rollerblade), Mathieu Grangirard (Rollerblade Speedodrom) on 8 and the team-mate of Severin Widmer, Nicolas Iten, finished the race on position 9. The only question now is: Who can beat this Powerslide team?

With an average speed of 38 km/h despite pouring rain the men set again an example. It is possible to make a fast inline race on wet roads. We really like to come back to Ostrava in 2011 as there is already a verbal agreement.