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Inline skaters faster than ever before

2014-09-27

Bart Swings
© Camera 4

Two fantastic new course records at the 41^st BMW BERLIN MARATHON Inline Skating. Bart Swings of Belgium only required 58.10 minutes on his race to victory. And Manon Kamminga (NED) also set a new record with her time of 1:07:44 hours. Both skaters repeated their victories from 2013. Under beautiful sunny skies, 5,652 registered skaters celebrated a festival on wheels. 

Last year, Bart Swings from Powerslide/Matter Race Team became the first skater ever to finish under an hour in Berlin, with a time of 59:28.  This year he impressively demonstrated that he has not yet reached his maximum performance. “We planned from the beginning to attack and skate a fast race,” Swings said afterwards. After just two kilometres, he staged his first attack, and only Severin Widmer of Switzerland was able to stick with him. Together, taking turns in the lead, they built up a greater lead over the field.  But even Severin Widmer from Swiss Skate Team could not keep up with the Belgian after 40 minutes. “I had hoped that Severin would stay with me for 45 minutes so I would not have to skate so long on my own at the end,” Swings said. At speeds of up to 60 km/h, he skated the last 14 km on his own, further increasing his lead over Severin Widmer and the field. “I was determined to set a new course record,” Swings stated after the race, who also has a successful career on the ice. He crossed the finish in 58:10 minutes. Widmer reached the finish in 1:01:01 hours. The mass sprint was decided by Gary Hekman (NED/Team van Werven) in 1:02:48 h. The top German skater was Felix Rijhnen, who finished fourth (1:02:48 h).  Severin Widmer also was to run the BMW BERLIN MARARTHON on Sunday, his first time doing a marathon on foot.

Course record for the women as well

Although the women’s race started out without any real attacks, the intermediate times made it clear that it would be a fast race. After a leader group of six skaters broke away, it was Manon Kamminga from Powerslide/Matter Race Team who led by herself from the final quarter of the race to the finish. With a time of 1:07:44 h, she finished well under the previous course record of 1:08.29 h. “I am very happy that I was able to win in Berlin for the second time. Unlike last year, I knew for sure on the final stretch that I was in the lead,” the champion said. Finishing second was Katharina Rumpus of Germany, also from Powerslide Matter Race Team, with a time of 1:09:15 h. Elma de Vries (1:09:15 h /NED/Team Sprog) placed third.

There was one big mishap in the women’s race, however, when almost the entire elite field crashed at kilometre 16 in an incident with one of the accompanying motorcycles at a sharp right-handed curve. Two female and one male skater had to be taken to the hospital, according to Dr. Lars Brechtel, Medical Director of the BMW BERLIN MARATHON.

Finale of the GERMAN INLINE CUP

For the first time, the GERMAN INLINE CUP, the most important race series in Germany, celebrated its finale at the BMW BERLIN MARATHON.  The overall professional champions after this final race were Katharina Rumpus and Tobias Hecht.