|
Published August 2006
2006 II World Scooter Championships in Finland
Day 1: 4 August , Helsinki;
Sprintvictories to overseas
Hermien Koers (NL), Gary Schmitt (USA) and Erwin Borremans (BEL)
snatched the senior victories of the 1,2 kilometer sprint finals
on the parking lot of the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki. Luckily Akseli
Eskartin (FIN) won the juniors sprint, before Christian Iversen
(DEN), to keep up the finnish honour.
Once again Akseli proved he is soon ready for the senior class.The
fast U-loop track was not only a joy for spectators, but for riders
too. Fast accelarations and tight curves under the Olympic tower
spiced the happening up! It was a track for the stronger ones, with
little possibilities to overtake. No wonder that almost every gold
medallist was leading from start to finnish. Mainly in the men´s
class, with over 30 participants from 10 different countries, some
new fast kickers stood up.The final was a triller! Borremans took
the lead form the start. Jan Vlasek (CZ) stayed close and Hannu
Vierikko tried to follow his familiar tactique, hanging behind the
leaders and finishing with a superior kick, but this time Erwin
was too strong for the old champion.
The relayrace closed the program of the day. The changing zone was
the place to be during the relay. The different changing techniques
e.g by foot or hand or even by bike were spectacular and a joy for
the eye! The Dutch ladies Peterina Van der Molen, Thijza Brouwer
and Hermien Koers, were flying again, this time towards a great
WC-relay victory. In the men´s class the newest finnish kickstars,
Mika Jääskeläinen, Janne Mononen and Kai Immonen, were clearly the
strongest!
After the race participants enjoyed typical finnish salmon soup
spiced up with carbohydratefull paella. Where some enthusiastic
kickers still went for a little citytour -and as I have heard ended
up in a private party- other travelled to the Oittaa outdoor area
in Espoo, where the kickingraces would be based the next two days.
Day 2: 5 August , Oittaa;
Vikings rule in the XC-battlefield
The second day of the championships was exactly what are sport needed:
sun, beach, lakes,around 50 crazy kickers and a little bit different
track. For the first time in the World/Eurocup a cross-country scooter
race was part of the official program. The track was going over
gravel roads, beaches and through the water and racers simply enjoyed
it a lot. In the senior class the Finns were just outstanding, with
Janne and Jaana Mononen as the big winners of the day.
In the men´s race Alpo Kuusisto and Kai Immonen got the closest.
The top three of woman was formed by top cross-country skiers Jaana
Mononen, followed by Tuija Härkönen and Katja Kelo. In the men´s
veteran race Matti Pessälä took his first victory just before Arend
Van de Velde. The only one who managed to beat the Finns in the
field, was Christian Iversen from Denmark, who won the junior title
and finished after a tight race just before the ladies winner Jaana.
After the XCrace there was still the fun-triatlon. Almost all kickers
joined this fun event of 200m of lake swimming, 1km of running and
1,2km of kicking. What was amazing that all four XC winners Janne,
Jaana, Matti and Christian renewed their great performances and
won again! In the men´s class James Cowley from Australia took the
silver.
At the end of this great day people enjoyed the pasta and the lake!
Only the killer marathon was still waiting...
Day 3: 6 August , Nuuksio;
Top times in WC full Marathon
More than 40 courageous kickers from 11 different countries showed
up at the final ´marathon´-day on Alpo´s world recordtrack in Nuuksio.
Sun was already high up in the sky when the field started for the
last big effort of the week-end. It is quite a bunch of people these
kicking freaks. Almost everybody did participate in every distance
during this 3 day event! That´s excatly the kicking spirit: give
everything and do your very own best! The marathon was special!
Not only because national Finnish television was broadcasting it
but just everything seemed to fit in: a beautiful tuff track, nice
uphills, even greater fast (fastest more than 70km/h) downhills,
the free shower during the race and of course smiling participants.
The men´s race was interesting with new kickers as Mika Jääskeläinen,
Kai Imonen and adventure racing world champion Petri Forsman competing
for their first kicking crown.
After 30 km a leading group, of around 10 riders, was ripped into
pieces. At the end Kai seemed the strongest, just before Mika. Hannu
got in third and showed once again he is still one of the fastest.
In the ladies race Jaana Mononen won in the second fast time ever
(1:48:23)! In the veteran´s class Gary Schmitt
won the duel
with Matti and Arend and took his second gold medal. But let´s be
honest: not only the medallist are winners, every single participant
is a winner! At the endcelebration in Oittaa all participants where
gathered to join the big ´participants´ lottery. For every finished
distance you got one lotteryticket into the bucket Our two beautifull
round ;) lottoladies picked out name after name.
The main prices (´an Esla-scooter´ and the ocean blue Kickbike)
travel to Czech Republic to Jyväskylä, Finland! Once again we, Helsinki
scooter team Ketkupolkka, would like to thank all participants and
helpers for making the II World Champs to a succesfull, enjoyable
and fun event: one to remember ;)!
A big thank you too to our sponsers Kickbike, Esla, Karhu Sportswear,
Nordic Fitness Sports Park Helsinki, Oittaa´s Outdoor centre, FRWD,
Exel, Vaude and MTA-partners who made this event and lottery possible
with their supports!
Erwin Borremans
Bron:
WC pages
|
