From Cali- Entry #19

From Cali- Entry #19: Day 1 of the road racing at the world roller speed skating championships ended beuatifully with Belgium's Wouter Hebbrecht earning his first world title in the 200-meter sprint. His time and Italy's Greggory Duggento's time were so close that officials had to take their time and go into the thousandth's of seconds to proclaim a champion- 16.366 to 16.373. When the times were finally announced, Duggento's water bottles and helmet went flying in the air in dejection while we could all see Hebbrecht was immensely pleased to claim his world title. Joining in the Belgium gold rush was Bart Swings who won the junior men's 10km points race.

It was nice to witness Venezuela's Juan Jardine join Hebbrecht on the 3rd step of the 200-meter sprint podium. When it was finally confirmed that he finished 3rd, he ended up in the arms of many of his supporters and friends. I've got some of this on video, so you'll get to see. It's good stuff!

Australia's junior sprinter Daniel Creig claimed the gold in the 200-meter junior and France's Yann Guyader finally earned the gold that he wanted in the 10km points race senior.

What can we say about the Korean senior women? They placed 1-2 in the 10k points race while Colombia pulled off the 1-2 finish in the senior women's 200-meter sprint.

Oh, and a couple of world records were set today- click here for more.

So the plan for tomorrow includes 500-meter sprints and a long elimination race. I'd like to throw on a video from today's racing action- I've got lots and lots of video, and I'll eventually sort through it, but for now, my priority is to sleep well. Until next time, sleep well planet earth! (hehe that was cheezy)


Junior women's 10k points race early on

Junior women's 10k points

Jesse Pauley and Tyler Congdon with a final instruction before the 10k points

Start of the junior men's 10k points

Junior men flying around in the 10k points

Junior men 10k points

Crowd

Before the start of the senior women's 10k points

Martine Charbonneau keeping pace

Morgane Echardour with Brazil's Thalita Arroyo

Senior women's 10k points

Gavin Pollock and I

USA's Skylar McKormack always has a smile!

Senior women's 10k points

Officials

La Muneca mascott

Jesse Pauley took this picture

Korea on top in the senior women's 10k points- first AND second

France's Yann Guarder and an Italian skater went crazy fast from the gun in the senior men's 10k points- I started in the back row and never got in the main bunch- I saw a few skaters go down and I have NO clue how the other skaters avoided the crashes. BTW the 10k points world record was set...no wonder I couldn't keep pace!

Senior women 10k points medal ceremony

Italia

Can you spot Wouter Hebbrecht? Can you spot Renee Hilderbrandt? This was shot after his gold medal peformane in the 200-meter sprint