History of the Skating Marathon of Berlin

Back to the Past – the history of History of the Berlin Skating Marathon

1997: From running to skating

• 446 skaters

For the first time in 1997, the Berlin Marathon is opened to skating, at the instigation of Mark Milde, a running lover who also practices long distance triathlon (Ironman). While the runners start on Sunday morning, the skaters invade the Berlin asphalt as soon as Saturday morning.

‘When skating became more and more popular, I thought we could organize a race in the streets. We had lots of requests to add skating to the running marathon’ Mark remembers. ‘The skating marathon of Berlin is now the biggest in the world. Nearly 10.000 skaters took part in the 2003 edition. The race takes place one day before the running category so that the skaters can have their own event. This sport deserves to be under the spotlight.’

1998

• 1.945 skaters

The French seize the Women’s Top-3 and the Men’s Top-2!

1999

• 4.350 skaters

In 2 years, the number of registered skaters is multiplied by 10.

2000: Time has come

• 6.741 registered skaters

Tristan Loy breaks the record of the race in 01:01:08. The organization breaks its skating participant record, and countless spots in the streets are completely jammed.

2001: Lack of space

• 6.150 skaters in the running

The organization still mixes skaters and runners. The running marathon is such a success that the number of places for skaters is considerably reduced. The organization decides to limit the number of skaters to 6.000 to avoid accidents. The skaters start from a different start area than that of the runners, on An Der Urania Street. Waves are also implemented to avoid the streets to get jammed.

2002: All kinds of croppers

• Officially 8.365 skaters
• Many swindlers join in the packs

A mixed review for that edition. The organization notices a lot of swindlers in addition to the 8.365 officially registered skaters. At the 7th kilometer of the race, a wheelchair athlete is ejected from his chair by skaters. Not great for the image of skating! The event review also states many falls due to the lack of technique of the skaters… and to the water spilt at the supply points by careless skaters!

2003: 9.612 skaters, the biggest year!

• 9.612 registered skaters (6.214 men / 3.398 women)
• 7.571 take the start (4.976 men / 2.595 women)
• 7.521 finish the race (4.947 men / 2.574 women)

Considering the crowd, the organization decides that the skaters will have their own start on Saturday. 2003 is the hat-trick year for the women of the Verducci International Team. Julie Glass wins in front of her team mate Jessica Smith and Theresa Cliff. Laura Lardani finishes 4th for Rollerblade, with the same time as the 3rd skater. In the men’s, Juan Carlos Betancour (Salomon) is the first skater to win twice in a row.

2004: After rain comes fair weather

• 8.191 registered skaters

The skaters take the start on a wet ground and finish at the sprint on a dry ground. The Swiss Roger Schneider and Cecilia Baena (Colombia, 17, junior women’s) both confound all forecasts in being faster than the favorites. The two skaters get 5.000€ each for their victories.

On the demonstration side, the public attends a speed challenge on 100 m between the cyclist Jens Voigt and the world champion in skating, Chad Hedrick.

The organization offers the skaters to relive their race in video. A DVD is offered to the participants after the race: a 50-min production with the afterparty, the warm-ups, the highlights…

2005: Another Italian hat-trick

• 8.098 registered skaters

Luca Saggiorato (Italy) achieves the stunning time of 01:01:21, the fastest time in history since Tristan Loy’s (01:01:08). The Italians seize the Top-3 places. In the Women’s, Brigitte Mendez (Colombia) performs the fastest time since 2000 in 01:10:43.

2006: Italian Top-4

• 7.932 skaters on the start line

In 2006 the organization sets up the course we know today, passing under the Brandenburg Gate.
Italy achieves another hat trick with Luca Saggiorato, Massimiliano Presti and Francesco Zangarini… The same Top-3 as the previous year but in a different order. Let’s note that Pierre Davide Romani (MMCmicro Salomon), also Italian, finishes 4th!

2007: A rainy edition

• 7.624 registered skaters

Rain crashes the party that year, with downpours falling on the skaters. The organization however notes far less falls than for the previous editions, the skaters were probably more careful!
For the first time, the skating marathon is broadcasted live on TV, on the German channel RBB (Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg). All along the course, 150.000 spectators are there to support the skaters.

2008: Mantia regulates the sprint and almost goes under the hour

• 7.685 registered skaters

A speed challenge is organized at the foot of the Brandenburg Gate, between the then-best skating sprinter in the world, Gregori Duggento, gold medallist at the world championships of speed skating on 200 m, and another skater (both on wheels and ice), Matthias Schwierz, German #1 in sprint and several times European champion.

200.000 spectators standing by the road side watch the victory of Joey Mantia in front of the Alessi Powerslide formation in 01:00:33.

2009: Schedule conflit

• 7.612 skaters on the start line

In 2009, the Skating Marathon of Berlin takes place at the same time as the World Championships. The organization ironically points out that many skaters have chosen the German capital over China.

Cecilia Baena (Colombia) and Luca Saggiorato (Italy) both make it three that year.

2010: Focus on the ‘double starters’

• 7.583 skaters

Skaters have to brave the rain for that edition. Giovanna Turchiarelly (ITA, Alessi World Team) and Severin Widmen (SUI, Luigino Rollerblade World Team) win their respective races. Felix Rijhnen is the first German to rank in the Top-5.

The organization says a few words about the ‘double starters’, the skaters who do both the skating and the running race: Ulla Hingst (1:24:12/4:08:43) et Nico Wieduwilt (1:17:01/3:06:26)

2011: A tragical year for the organization

• 6.572 registered skaters

Alexander Uphues, the organizer and one of the key figures of the Berlin Marathon, dies as a result of a tragic accident in Tibet, run over by a truck, that very same day.

As for the race, more than 50 countries are represented on the start line of the greatest skating marathon in the world. The American Joey Mantia (Team Simmons/Schänkel) comes back with the will to break his own record of 01:00:32 from 2008. But it is without taking into account the French Ewen Fernandez who signs the most beautiful victory of his marathon career with a 21-km breakaway!

2012: 52 countries are represented

• 6.846 registered skaters

52 countries are represented for the 16th edition, including Denmark with 619 participants. More than 2000 women line up on the start line.

2013: under the hour

• 6.298 registered skaters

Bart Swings shows his superiority in winning the Berlin Marathon in solo, and finally skating under the hour, 16 years after the creation of the event, in 00:59:28.

2014: The year of doubt

• 5.652 registered skaters (only)

In July 2014 an alarmist release announces that the greatest skating marathon in the word is in danger for 2015 and that the organization considers a possible annulation of the race. Human commitment and financial investment are such that the future is called into question. The Skating Marathon of Berlin mobilizes several hundreds of people on a single day (volunteers, medical staff, security services…) The SCC Events Company announces that the 42th edition will take place as planned on September 26th, 2015 but that they count on the support of the industry and of the skaters for the race to carry on. The organization expects much of the inclusion of skating into the Olympic Games, which would give a new boost to the practice.

2014 is also the year where Bart Swings breaks his own record of the race in a breakaway in 00:58:10. The Dutch Manon Kamminga (Powerslide Matter) also breaks the women’ record in 01:07:44… Faster than the first man to win the race in 1997! It goes to show the evolution of the technical level, training and equipment.

2015: Stabilization

• 5585 registered skaters

The 2015 edition of the Berlin Marathon gathers more or less the same number of competitors as in 2014. Bart Swings beat his on record, once again, after a long solo breakaway: 56:48″ !
Another reassuring sign, the date of the 2016 edition is already announced. If you couldn’t register this year, save the date: September 25th, 2016!

Evolution of the number of participants

Evolution of the number of participants at the Skating Marathon of Berlin since 1997

The chart above shows the evolution of the number of participants at the skating marathon of Berlin since its creation. Despite a drop in 2001, the growth rate is steady until 2003, peaking with a number close to 10.000 registered skaters. The event reaches maturity and a stabilization phase follows from 2004 to 2010. Since then, attendance as been diminishing year after year. Let’s hope that it won’t drop any lower for the event to carry on!

A marathon cut out for records

Berlin is one of the rare marathons the course of which respects the official 42.195 km. It is one of the fastest by foot. It is very suitable for skaters who reach impressive average speeds on the wide straight roads of the German capital. In 2013, Bart Swings (Powerslide Matter) skates under the hour in 59:28 after one of his special solo breakaways. In 2014 he does it again and goes down to 58:10!
Berlin is a bit like the ‘Wimbledon of skating’ as the organization likes to say: The symbolical strength and the worldwide reputation of the race are such that winning the Skating Marathon of Berlin is often more valuable than winning the marathon at the world championships.

Berlin: Final of the German Inline Cup

2014 was a special year: For the first time since its opening to skating, the Berlin Marathon serves as the final of the German Inline Cup, the German Cup of Skating Marathon.

The Skating Marathon of Berlin smiles on the French

Since 1996, the Skating Marathon of Berlin has been won 6 times by French skaters! Pascal Briand won the first edition in 1997, then Johann Langenberg in 1998, Tristan Loy in 1999, Arnaud Gicquel in 2001 and more recently Ewen Fernandez in 2001 and 2012. France is ahead of Italy with the 3 victories of Luca Saggiorato in 2005, 2006 and 2009.

In the Women’s, Colombia won the race 4 times with Cecilia Baena in 2004, 2008 and 2009 and Brigitte Mendez in 2005… Just like France with Caroline Jean in 1997, Caroline Lagrée in 1998, Angèle Vanda in 2000 and 2002. Germany is 2nd thanks to Anne Titze and Sabine Berg. Here is a recap of all the Top-3s since the creation of the event…

Senior Women

1997

1	Caroline Jean		FRA	Salomon	1:15:30
2	Caroline Lagree		FRA	Salomon	1:15:30
3	Anne Titze		GER		1:15:31

1998

1	Caroline Lagree		FRA	Salomon	1:14:20
2	Sandrine Plu		FRA		1:15:08
3	Estelle Flourens		FRA		1:16:21

1999

1	Anne Titze		GER	Groß-Gerau	1:09:32
2	Nathalie Barbotin		FRA	Salomon	1:09:32
3	Caroline Jean		FRA	Salomon	1:13:09

2000

1	Angele Vaudan		FRA			1:08:29
2	Andrea Gonzalez		ARG			1:11:11
3	Caroline Lagrée		FRA	Salomon		1:11:11

2001

1	Sheila Herrero		ESP	Verducci International	1:12:57
2	Angele Vaudan		FRA	Roces	1:12:57
3	Jessica Smith		USA		1:12:57

2002

1	Angele Vaudan		FRA	Roces International Team	1:13:59
2	Silvia Nino		COL	Road Runners Rollerblade	1:13:59
3	Laura Lombardo		ITA	Roces International Team	1:14:00

2003

1	Julie Glass		USA	Verducci International	1:11:28
2	Jessica Smith		USA	Verducci International	1:11:28
3	Theresa Cliff		USA	Verducci International	1:11:28

2004

1	Cecilia Baena		COL		1:17:08
2	Julie Glass		USA		1:17:08
3	Laura Lardani		ITA		1:17:09

2005

1	Brigytte Mendez		COL	K2 Empire Team	1:10:43
2	Brittany Bowe		USA	Powerslide	1:10:43
3	Julie Glass		USA	Powerslide	1:10:43

2006

1	Giovanna Tuchiarelli		ITA	Alessi Powerslide	1:14:02
2	Angele Vaudan		FRA	Rollerblade World Team	1:14:02
3	Sandra Gomez		ESP	Alessi Powerslide	1:14:02

2007

1	Hilde Goovaerts		BEL	Cadomotus World	1:23:20
2	Sabine Berg		GER	Powerslide Phuzion Junior Team	1:23:20
3	Laura Lardani		ITA	Sportvital Rollerblade	1:23:20

2008

1	Cecilia Baena		COL	Bont Wheels	1:13:23
2	Giovanna Turchiarelli		ITA	Powerslide Alessi World	1:13:23
3	Simona Di Eugenio		ITA	MPC Rollerblade World Team	1:13:23

2009

1	Cecilia Baena		COL	Powerslide Matter World Team	1:14:47
2	Giovanna Turchiarelli		ITA	Powerslide Matter World Team	1:14:47
3	Kelly Martinez		COL	Bont Wheel Team	1:14:47

2010

1	Giovanna Turchiarelli		ITA	Alessi Powerslide	1:22:25
2	Cecilia Baena		COL	Powerslide Matter World	1:22:25
3	Katharina Rumpus		GER	Powerslide Matter World	1:22:26

2011

1	Sabine Berg		GER	Powerslide/Matter Race Team	1:14:56
2	Giovanna Turchiarelli		ITA	Alessi World Team	1:14:56
3	Tina Strüver		GER	Experts Race Team	1:14:56

2012

1	Sabine Berg		GER	Powerslide/Matter Race Team	1:14:13
2	Jana Gegner		GER	EOSkates	1:14:13
3	Ulbrich, Katja		GER	GB Racingteam	1:14:13

2013

1	Manon Kamminga		NED	Powerslide/Matter Race Team	1:09:58
2	Katharina Rumpus		GER	Powerslide/Matter Race Team	1:14:12
3	Sabine Berg		GER	Powerslide/Matter Race Team	1:14:12

2014

1	Manon Kamminga		NED	Powerslide/Matter Race Team	1:07:44
2	Katharina Rumpus		GER	Powerslide/Matter Race Team	1:09:15
3	Elma de Vries		NED	Team Sprog	1:09:15

2015

1	Sandrine Tas		BEL	XL Tulips Powerslide	1:09:20
2	Manon Kamminga		NED	Powerslide/Matter racing	1:09:21
3	Katharina Rumpus		GER	Powerslide/Matter racing	1:09:48

Senior men – Top 3 per year at the Berlin Skating Marathon

1997

1	Pascal	Briand		FRA	Salomon World Team	1:07:52
2	Arnaud	Gicquel		FRA	Bauer	1:07:52
3	Tristan	Loy		FRA	Salomon World Team	1:07:55

1998

1	Johann Langenberg		FRA		1:07:32
2	Fabio Marangoni		ITA		1:07:34
3	Arnaud Gicquel		FRA	Bauer	1:10:30

1999

1	Tristan Loy		FRA	Salomon World Team	1:01:08
2	Cedric Michaud		FRA	Salomon World Team	1:01:08
3	Alban Cherdel		FRA	AMS / Roces	1:02:03

2000

1	Chad Hedrick		USA		1:01:45
2	Diego Rosero		COL	Rollerblade	1:01:45
3	Shane Dobbin		NZL		1:01:45

2001

1	Arnaud Gicquel		FRA	Rollerblade	1:04:17
2	Baptiste Grandgirard		FRA	Fila	1:04:17
3	Massimiliano Presti		ITA	Salomon World Team	1:04:17

2002

1	Juan-Carlos Betancur		COL	Saab Salomon World Team	1:04:44
2	Kalon Dobbin		NZL	Rollerblade World Team	1:04:44
3	Jorge Botero		COL	Rollerblade World Team	1:04:44

2003

1	Juan-Carlos Betancur		COL	Salomon World Team	1:02:03
2	Massimiliano Presti		ITA	Salomon World Team	1:02:03
3	Diego Rosero		COL	Rollerblade	1:02:03

2004

1	Roger Schneider		SUI	Sport XX	1:04:43
2	Luca Saggiorato		ITA	Fila	1:05:00
3	Massimiliano Presti		ITA	Fila	1:05:00

2005

1	Luca Saggiorato		ITA		1:01:21
2	Francesco Zangarini		ITA		1:01:21
3	Massimiliano Presti		ITA		1:01:21

2006

1	Luca Saggiorato		ITA	MMCmicro Salomon	1:02:25
2	Massimiliano Presti		ITA	MMCmicro Salomon	1:02:25
3	Francesco Zangarini		ITA	MMCmicro Salomon	1:02:25

2007

1	Nicolas Iten		SUI	Sportvital Rollerblade World	1:12:30
2	Peter Michael		NZL	Powerslide Phuzion	1:12:35
3	Roger Schneider		SUI	Athleticum Rollerblade	1:12:35

2008

1	Joey Mantia		USA	Luigino Answer Wheels		1:00:32
2	Fabio Francolini		ITA	Powerslide Alessi World Team		1:00:32
3	Elio Cuncu		ITA	Powerslide Alessi World Team		1:00:32

2009

1	Luca Saggiorato		ITA	Rollerblade World Team	1:02:50
2	Yann Guyader		FRA	Powerslide Matter	1:02:50
3	Christian Diaz Granados		COL	Powerslide Phuzion	1:02:50

2010

1	Severin Widmer		SUI	Luigino Rollerblade	1:09:19
2	Gary Hekman		NED	Pays-Bas	1:09:19
3	Thomas Boucher		FRA	Rollerblade	1:09:19

2011

1	Ewen Fernandez		FRA	Powerslide Matter	1:01:26
2	Roger Schneider		SUI	Swiss Skate Team	1:02:38
3	Julien Levrard		FRA	Levallois SC	1:02:43

2012

1	Ewen Fernandez		FRA	Powerslide Matter	1:00:04
2	Bart Swings		BEL	Powerslide Matter	1:00:04
3	Felix Rijhnen		GER	Powerslide Matter	1:02:48

2013

1	Bart Swings		BEL	Powerslide Matter	0:59:28
2	Maarten Swings		BEL	Powerslide Matter	1:01:23
3	Gary Hekman		NED	Team van Werven	1:01:27

2014

1	Bart Swings		BEL	Powerslide/Matter Race Team	0:58:10
2	Severin Widmer		SUI	Swiss Skate Team	1:01:01
3	Gary Hekman		NED	Team van Werven	1:02:48

2015

1	Bart Swings		BEL	Powerslide/Matter Race Team	0:56:48
2	Gary Hekman		NED	Team van Werven	1:00:03
3	Peula, Francisco José		ESP	El Pilar Marianistas	1:00:03

Links

Skating Marathon of Berlin 2015

By Alfathor – Photos: organization, all rights reserved