April 11, 2004 - KIA Verducci’s Nathalie Barbotin makes her debut with a 3rd place finish in the Seoul Inline Marathon.

The 2004 World Inline Cup (WIC) season has started and what better place then Seoul, South Korea. Seoul is fast becoming one of the biggest skating communities in the world. The craze of inline speed skating is sweeping the nation with more the 7,000 starters for the event makes it the second biggest marathon behind Berlin.

Although the total change of lifestyle in South Korea makes preparing for the marathon hard, the level of attention that the top skaters receive makes it all worth it, constant photos, interviews and company’s asking the skaters to use their product is truly an insight into what the sport of inline speed skating means to the South Korean people.


The Course
A 26mile, 1 lap course starts and finishes at Seoul’s ‘88 Olympic Stadium. The flat, fast course winds its way through the inner street of Seoul with the final 3 miles crossing the Hann River and heading slightly downhill. A 90-degree right-hand turn with a 200m slight uphill leads to the finish.

Woman’s Race
Last years race was a total chaotic, with the finish of the woman coming in at the same time of the finish of the 20km fitness skater. This year, the organizers started the women 3 minutes ahead of the men to avoid this prevent this issue from occurring again. If however the woman slowed, it would create problems again at the finish. Fortunately they skated 6 minutes faster then last year, with the lead pack completing in 1 hour and 14 minutes. The level of the Korean girls in the race again jumped from the previous year making it hard to get away with any breaks during the race. The Kia Verducci team not wasting any time showing the field they mean business with constant attacks by all members, Theresa, Jessica, Nathalie and Korean star Chae Yi. The Koreans not wanting to let their best skater escape on a break successfully challenged all Chae Yi’s attacks. The pace was kept high in the last 5km to stop any last minute breakaway attempts. At the 3km mark the teams started to organize for the final sprint. The Kia Verducci International team lined up for the final lead-out. Jessica in the number one lead out position, went with 800m out pulling Kia Verducci to the front, however Theresa was unable to get in the number 3 position for the lead-out because of scraping in the pack leaving her behind Chae for the sprint. Jessica lead though the tight right hander and handed the lead over to Nathalie with 200m to the finish, a slight hesitation let Cecilia Baena, Hyper race team and Julie Glass from Powerslide carry speed to the finish around the outside. Baena finishing too fast for Glass in the final meters.

Final Results Women
1st Cecilia Baena, Hyper race team, COL
2nd Julie Glass, Powerslide, USA
3rd Nathalie Barbotin, Kia Verducci FRA
4th Andrea Gonzales, Roces, ARG
5th Angele Vaudan, Rollerblade, FRA
6th Jessica Smith, Kia Verducci, USA
7th Laura Lardani, Rollerblade, ITA

11th Kuok Chae Yi, Kia Verducci, KOR
14th Theresa Cliff-Ryan, Kia Verducci, USA

Men’s race
Final Results Men
1st Matteo Amabili, Roces. ITA
2nd Mathieu Grandgirard, Fila II, FRA
3rd Min Whang, TBC, KOR
4th Massi Presti, Fila 1, ITA
5th Pascal Briand, Saab Salomon, FRA
6th Francesco Zangarini, Fila 1, ITA
7th Baptiste Grandgirard, Fila 1, FR