Berlin, Harbin, 11th August 2024 – The third stop of this year's WORLD INLINE CUP was also a great success for the athletes and the organisers. Integrated into the China Open on the same weekend on the Harbin riverside track, the number of top international skaters more than doubled compared to the previous year. These showed once again that the WIC in Harbin, now in its 5th edition, has established itself in the international scene of top athletes. The 5th WORLD INLINE CUP in Harbin was ceremoniously opened with music at a large opening event on the race track with numerous show elements and hundreds of Chinese athletes on wheels.
Teams such as Powerslide Racing, SPSPSK, NL Premium, Rollerblade and DOUBLEff World Inline Team met WIC single athletes from Korea, Taiwan and India, among others, at the start line. Not only the high-class starting field but also the weather conditions promised an exciting race. As you couldn't be sure whether it would rain or not, the choice of the right wheels could be decisive for the outcome of the race.
Bart Swings (BEL) from Powerslide Racing Team made a very strong start in the men's race and tried to break away early on. However, the chasing group around his team-mate Jason Suttels (BEL), Julio Mirena (PAR) and Carlos Tarazona (VEN) from SheaStokes Inline Speed World Team, Andres Gomez from NL Premium Team as well as Mathis Rocher (FRA) from Powerslide Pole France and Brecht Lippens (BEL) from DOUBLEff World Inline Team initially closed the gap again. But on the last two of the six seven-kilometre laps, Jason Suttels, Bart Swings and Mathis Rocher pulled away from the strong leading group in the increasing rain. In the final metres, Jason Suttels (1) and Bart Swings (2) crossed the finish line together. The Frenchman Mathis Rocher was a small surprise in 3rd place.
In the women's race, the field of high-calibre international athletes remained largely together. Aura Quintana (COL) and Noraly Berber Vonk (NED), both SPSPSK World Team, Lianne von Loon, Jorun Geerts, Fleur Veen and Fran Vanoutte (all DOUBLEff World Team) were among the favourites. But Hungary's Dominika Gardi from Arena Geisingen International, Giulia Presti (ITA) from the Powerslide Racing Team and Chiao Jung Lee (TWN) from the NL Premium Team were also favourites. All of them had to contend with increasingly difficult conditions such as rain and wind. The first 20 kilometres were mostly dry, but then it became increasingly wet and therefore slippery. After the fifth of six 7-kilometre laps, the track began to dry out again. The last lap of the race was then dry again for the women's field. Despite this, some of the women in the leading group crashed on the last bend, allowing Lianne von der Loon to pull away and win the race. Aura Quintana (COL) from the SPSPSK World Team followed a few metres behind in a thrilling finish in second place ahead of Lianne's team colleague Jorun Geerts (BEL) in third.
Women's Podium:
- Place Lianne Van Loon (Netherlands) DOUBLEff - World Inline Team
- Place Aura Quintana (Colombia) - SPSPSK World Team
- Place Jorun Geerts (Belgium) - DOUBLEff World Inline Team
Men's Podium:
- Place Jason Suttels (Belgium) - Powerslide RacingTeam -
- Place Bart Swings (Belgium) - Powerslide RacingTeam -
- Matthis Rocher (France) - Powerslide Team Pole France
Following the Harbin Marathon, the next stop of the WORLD INLINE CUP 2024 will be in Bern, Switzerland, on 17 August. The Bern marathon coming back to the WIC circuit this year is set to be another exhilarating marathon.
For further information, please visit www.world-inline-cup.com and/or contact:
Volker Schlichting
