2015 Skating Marathon of Berlin: The edition of superlatives

A Belgian double

A few weeks ago, we published an article on the history of the skating marathon of Berlin, the most popular skating race in the world. Since its creation in 1997, the skating marathon of Berlin has gathered over 5.000 skaters per year. With its 5.585 registered skaters, the 2015 edition shows a stabilization of attendance numbers.

Senior Men’s: A third victory for Bart Swings

The weather is particularly mild on the start line. The elite wave takes its start at 3:30pm, before the other waves of skaters. Skaters are so many that the organization had to implement this wave system in 2001 to avoid saturation.

Soon the pack stretches. Bart Swings breaks away, with Gary ‘Big’ Hekman (Team Van Werven), the giant Dutch, and Spanish Paxti Peula in his stream. The three men skate together for a while before Bart gives another boost and leaves them high and dry. Here he goes again for one of those long-distance breakaway of which he holds the secret. Let’s note that the three men skate with 3×125 mm set-ups, there is no difference in terms of equipment. Bart just has an extraordinary endurance. So extraordinary that the Belgian crosses the finish line over 3 minutes before his followers. Gary Hekman wins the sprint in front of Paxti Peula.

It takes two more minutes for the pack to show up and pass the Brandenburg Gate. The sprint of the pack is won by Dutch Ingmar Berga, who is also an ice skater, just in front of the first French, Elton de Souza.

As for Bart Swing again, it is his 3rd solo victory on the skating marathon of Berlin. It is also the 3rd time that he breaks his own record on that distance. With a record time of 56’48, the level rises! Would Bart be unbeatable in the streets of the German capital? We may start to believe it! Nobody seems to be able to keep his pace on the long run. He had the same sharpness of attack in the 2015 skating marathon of Dijon.

Senior Women’s: A newcomer on the higher step

In the Women’s category, Katharina Rumpus (Powerslide Matter) tries to break away without success. But her Dutch team mate, the seven-time European champion Manon Kamminga succeeds, with Belgian Sandrine Tas (Powerslide XL Tulips) on her heels. The two women fight during a long sprint from the Brandenburg Gate to the finish line. Sandrine Tas, faster, takes the first place. The victory still goes to Powerslide, with a full top-3 for the brand in the women’s.

Main results

Men’s marathon

Pos.	Name	Nation		Team	Time
1	Swings, Bart	BEL		Powerslide/Matter racing	0:56:49
2	Hekman, Gary	NED		Team van Werven	1:00:03
3	Peula, Paxti	ESP		El Pilar Marianistas	1:00:03
4	Berga, Ingmar	NED		National Team Netherlands	1:02:00
5	de Souza, Elton	FRA		RPM Poli	1:02:00
6	Smit, Rick	NED		Team van Werven	1:02:01
7	Rijhnen, Felix	GER		Powerslide/Matter racing	1:02:38
8	Bastidas, Alexander	VEN		Caracas Skaters	1:02:38
9	Ariens, Crispijn	NED		Team van Werven	1:02:38
10	Horsten, Mark	NED		VV Speedskating	1:02:39
11	Hecht, Tobias	GER		PS TAX Racing Team	1:02:39
12	Post, Robert	NED		National Team Netherlands	1:02:40
13	Swings, Maarten	BEL		Powerslide/Matter racing	1:02:56
14	Wenger, Livio	SUI		Powerslide/Matter racing	1:03:11
15	Sibiet, Tim	BEL		Chauvin Amoux Racing Team	1:03:13
16	Spruyt, Ferre	BEL		Powerslide/Matter racing	1:03:14
17	Michael, Peter	NZL		Powerslide/Matter racing	1:03:17
18	Bugari, Riccardo	ITA		Asd Pattinatori Sambenede…	1:03:17
19	Højer, Mikkel	DEN		PS TAX Racing Team	1:03:18
20	Schmidt, Stefan Due	DEN		Maple Team	1:03:18

Women’s marathon

Pos.	Name	Nation		Team	Time
1	Tas, Sandrine	BEL		XL Tulips Powerslide	1:09:20
2	Kamminga, Manon	NED		Powerslide/Matter racing	1:09:21
3	Rumpus, Katharina	NED		Powerslide/Matter racing	1:09:48
4	Roosenboom, Bianca	NED		Team Sprog	1:09:48
5	Ulbrich, Katja	GER		Ts Bayreuth	1:09:48
6	Berg, Sabine	GER		Powerslide/Matter racing	1:09:48
7	Posada Guerra, Sheila	ESP		Club Pat N Pelayo	1:10:57
8	Strüver, Tina	GER		Custom-Sport Team / Turbi…	1:10:57
9	Nuno, Nerea	ESP		Asociacion Deportiva Astu…	1:10:57
10	Rigas, Elena	DEN		Arma Arena Geisingen team	1:10:57
11	Faber Arbeloa, Amaia	ESP			1:10:57
12	Schimek, Laethisia	GER		Powerslide/Matter racing	1:10:57
13	Lorenzato, Laura	ITA		X-Tech/Alessi	1:10:57
14	Schouten, Kelly	NED		Team Sprog	1:10:57
15	Webb, Sophie	USA		bont Skates	1:10:57
16	Hofmann, Josie	GER		Arma Arena Geisingen Team	1:10:58
17	van Bentum, Jessica	NZL		Arma Arena Geisingen Team	1:10:58
18	Fituch, Malwina	POL		Uks Orlica	1:10:59
19	Henneken, Claudia Maria	GER		Custom-Sport Team / SSC K…	1:10:59
20	Rondina, Sara	ITA		DI Body Powerslide Italie…	1:11:00

Links

Our page on the 2015 skating marathon of Berlin

By Alfathor
Translation: Chloe Seyres
Photos: organization