World Inline Cup Finale - Berlin 9/27/03

Stage 10, the final WIC of the season comes to the skating capital of Germany, Berlin. Held in conjunction with the Real - Berlin Marathon, this year the inline marathon was given it's own day instead of being in the background on the running marathon day. Closing the center of Berlin on a Saturday, not knowing if there would be a crowd to watch the inline event the organizers were nervous. But given the chance to shine, the inline marathon stepped up and into the spot light with the event being live on TV, 11,000 + skaters, and thousands of spectators lining the 42km circuit. Television and radio interviews at the press conference, then presentations given at the massive street concert after the race in-between international acts like Kelly Rowland from Destiny's Child and Outkast. All this makes Berlin the biggest inline speed skating spectacular in the world, a fitting end to the WIC.

Course

This year's course was 1 scenic loop of 42km through the streets of downtown Berlin. Starting on the famous Ernst-Reuter Platz then looking towards the Siegessaule Statue, a massive gold tower some 80m high. Ernst-Reuter Platz, the only road long enough to contain 11,000 skaters on the start. The roads were smooth and fast with the usual dangers: tight corners, switch back corners, road construction, and the skater's enemy…tramlines. The finish with the last tight corner 2km before the finish, the run to the line is smooth, fast ashfault three lanes wide. The finish line is 100m before Berlin's most famous landmark, the Brandenburg Gate.

Women's race

Verducci coming into the race with a near un-beatable lead in the WIC had no thoughts of sitting back and playing it safe, they were in Berlin to win. With thousands of skaters behind them, photographers and cameramen in their faces, and helicopters circling above it's no wonder the adrenalin was pumping and it showed with the fast start and high pace during the race. Saab/Salomon again making there presence known doing flyers and trying to get another break going, Fila also doing numerous attacks for teammate Adelia Marra sitting in 2nd position overall. Verducci's Theresa Cliff also doing the attacking letting the girls know Verducci means business. Teammate Jessica Smith doing chasing, making sure that the WIC title is Verducci's this year. All the breaks were caught and as they rounded the last corner and with 2km to go the pack was together. The pace already high because of the fast roads, Angele Vaudan of Rollerblade made the first move with 600m to go. She was quickly caught and things were quiet until the 300m mark, Smith hesitating for a second let Powerslide's Julie Glass get the jump. Smith and Cliff in toe finished fast but run out of time with Glass 1st, Smith and Cliff 2nd and 3rd.

Final results.

1st Julie Glass, Powerslide. USA
2nd Jessica Smith, Verducci. USA
3rd Theresa Cliff, Verducci. USA
4th Laura Lardani, Rollerblade. ITA
5th Silvia Nino, Rollerblade. COL

Men's race

Like the women, adrenalin played a part with the men looking like they were shot from a cannon off the line, keeping it fast to drop the non-contenders. The race was filled with crashes and break-away attempts VW-Sportxx's Christoph Luginbuhl trying 5 times to escape the field. With the usual teams attacking: Rollerblade, Roces, Fila, and Saab/Salomon, not to forget some serious attacks by Arjan Smit of Nefitt. But this was a day for the sprinters with all breakaways being contained by the 2km to go mark. Saab/Salomon was up the front in their normal lead-out position. The only problem was Rollerblade's Jorge Botero, Hyper's Diego Rossero, and last weekend's winner, 50 time World Champion, Chad Hedrick also from Hyper. But with Saab/Salomon's Juan Carlos Betancur getting a clear run to the line with teammate Max Presti in toe, held on for the win proving he is the strongest at the end of the season. Second goes to teammate Presti and an impressive 3rd to Rossero after crashing during the race and catching back up to finish 3rd.

Final results.

1st Juan Carlos Betancur, Saab/Salomon. COL
2nd Massimilliano Presti, Saab/Salomon. ITA
3rd Diego Rossero, Hyper. COL
4th Chad Hedrick, Hyper. USA
5th Jorge Botero, Rollerblade. COL