LondonSkaters Speed Team - Speed Skating & Rollerblading Club in London

Gav · Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 5:59 pm Subject: Inline in Colonia

Well, this is where I was this weekend. 4 of us from the Experts team were racing here (Ollie, Michael, Daniel, me). Had a 12km team time trial at 2pm, and then a 12km individual race at 5:30! 3 x 4km laps with 2 hairpins. No rest for the wicked... This event is part of the west german regional race series. Our team is currently ranked 1st, and Ollie is also ranked 1st so it was important to keep it alll up there.

Zepto (national team) were our main competitors, and we came in first in the time trial - blowing them away, by 1min20 (on 20 minutes or so)

On the mass race later, we all attacked individually right from the beginning. Daniel was leading for a while, then I was out front for a good part... then Ollie and Michael put down the hammer and went out in front with 5 others following. I had great fun slowing down the rest of the pack every time I went to the front, to make sure they kept the gap and took it all the way to the finish. But in the last lap we finally caught up with them, and then it was up to Daniel and I to attack and lead the other 2 to the finish. Daniel put a massive sprint on with 1.5km to go, and then I took over. We broke up the pack and Ollie and Michael then went and finished 1st and 2nd. Great team tactics for the race Smile

I finished about 8th overall after killing myself on the lead out.

Now it's time for a quick dinner at Ricky's house, and then we off to party! Smile

Even better

Michi · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Posts: 652 Location: Hamburg

Congratulations! Sounds like an interesting race Smile

Ray · Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 806 Location: Dagenham

Very impressive Gav - that team time trial victory over Zepto was massive - did one of their skaters break a leg or something? Laughing

The other race sounds like a masterclass in team tactics - keep it up!

Martin · Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 7:41 am Subject:

Hey Gav,

congratulations to you and the Experts Race team! Very impressive!
Hope you had a great time in Cologne after the race! Laughing

Natasha · Joined: 09 Jul 2004 Posts: 2973 Location: Basingstoke

OOh! Well done the EiS team! Now Gav - what about the dinner at Ricky's house followed by the party report?

Christophe · Joined: 26 Feb 2004 Posts: 1621

Hans · Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 9:14 pm Subject:

Nice dude.... nice*... Very Happy

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4070

Very nice Gav, you must be chuffed!

It's not experts in speed any more, btw. I only know that because Gav corrected me the other day, LOL.

Gav · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 8:52 am Subject:

Haha - yeah Mike. They've broken up the Experts in Speed brand to become separate entities... Experts Training Camps, Experts Coach Team, and us... Experts Race Team.

Ricky has a really cool, almost converted warehouse feel, studio apartment. One room, but really big and high ceiling and a skylight. So 6 of us went back to hers and the girls cooked up a pretty impressive spread in an amazingly short time. So we had dinner there, some others arrived and then we went through to central Cologne. However, due to it being a Sunday evening and no public holiday there, it wasn't a crazy, crazy night out... But we did a good job of putting down some Kolsch (the beer they drink in cologne, which stupidly, the largest size is 300ml. Now that's a weird part of germany Smile

but at least they refill them pretty quickly!). It was also my teammate Mayke's birthday at midnight, so we got some sparklers and tequilas and stayed out until 1am. Was a fun night, 3 of us from Experts, 6 other skaters and a few others.

Woke up on Monday and it was pouring down again (it was pouring when I arrived at 10pm on saturday), so I guess we were really lucky to have the day we did!

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

Looks like luck with the weather all round. Nice work on the racing. Maybe we need to develop some team skills for Preston.

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4070

LOL, you mean Gav way up front and everyone else a long way behind?

Rick · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 5888

We get someone to volunteer to "fall down" in front of the Powerslide people.

Gav · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 9:42 am Subject:

GUYS!! Public forum remember!!! Wink

It's not looking like I'm going to make Preston though.

Mikey-two-Names · Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 4070

Hahahahahahha! No-one could possibly take us seriously! As if any of us would be that unsporting.

Gav · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 2:40 pm Subject: