From Cali- Entry #21

From Cali- Entry #21: Tonight's world roller speed skating championships racing action was superb! Between Joey Mantia winning two gold medals in the same evening and Germany's Sabine Berg winning the gold medal in the junior women's elimination in a close finish, there was plenty of glory and beauty in the air.


I think this is one of the best shots from the world championships- it's of the senior men coming through the finish line area- and you can see their silhouette thanks to another camera's flash- photo was taken by Morgane Echardour
Calgary's Alex D'mello, one of our Canadian junior men, put together a solid race in the junior men's 20km elimination. He finished 28th or so- he could have been further ahead but he stopped skating after he thought he was eliminated. When he went to the front and pulled, we were all thrilled and exicted! After his race, Alex told me he felt like he swallowed a box of razor blades! Ohh the pain.


Alex D'mello leading the world's top junior men in the 20km elimination
Before I share photos and more thoughts on today's racing, I'd like to send my best get well wishes to Canada's Olivier Jean. Olivier Jean- a super strong inline skater with a massive double push and world cup 500-meter short track champion suffered a deep cut to his ankle through the bone in training. I received a message from a friend, and he is out of skating until January. Get well soon Olivier!

Just as many had their ups, there were more who had their upsets. One of those people who went through a tough time this evening is USA's Chad Horne; he went down about 70-meters into the junior men's final and seemed to injure his ankle. Australia's Daniel Creig- world junior champion (200-meters) who finished 3rd in the 500-meter junior men's final today- showed class and sportsmanship when he went to see how Horne was doing.


Australia's Daniel Creig and a medical team careing for USA's fallen skater Chad Horne
I am always encouraging you to use the links to on the right to get more insight on what hapenned- the World Champs Cali ALL News topic has lots of perspective on this year's worlds- the ones from today include Mantia & his acheivements, Berg and her win, Riccardo Bugari and his close finish with Bart Swings earlier today, Bridgette Mendez & her win with the help of Alexandra Vivas, and the husband-wife world champion team of Wouter Hebbrecht & Sara Sayasane.

Video- I'll try to get something up tomorrow- as usual, I have lots of good footage for you!


Junior women's 20km elimination

Junior women's 20km elimination

Junior women's 20km elimination

Junior women's 20km elimination

Junior women's 20km elimination

Junior men's 20km elimination

Junior men's 20km elimination

Junior men's 20km elimination

Senior women's 20km elimination

Senior women's 20km elimination

Senior men's 20km elimination

Senior men's 20km elimination

Senior men's 20km elimination

Senior men's 20km elimination

Senior men's 20km elimination

Senior men's 20km elimination

Junior men's 10km points race from day 1- photo by Luis Ramirez

Now for a few bonus links; if you're looking for lots and lots of good picture, MundoPatin's photo gallery is filled with them! You can also check out some photos on PatinCarrera. More picutre? Oh fine! Click here for pictures by Sebastian Baumgartner. If you want to watch races, interviews, and more on television, go to Jump TV, find Colombia, and then TelePacifico.

Tomorrow; relays! Our Canadian women are fielding a team- Martine Charbonneau, Morgane Echardour, and Leah Kaluta will skate the 5km relay. Some of the team members might scope out the marathon course in the afternoon after the relays. I will definitely be one of those team members. The marathon is taking place on the 25th and then the party/ banquet will take place on the evening of the 25th will into the 26th. Sorry, not SSW pictures of entries of coverage of that one.

Jesse Pauley is sick- he's been, well, I won't write down the words here... you can probaly guess what's wrong with him- let's just say that he looked like hell, he stayed at the hotel today, and he's been keeping within a reasonable distance of a toilet...