2012 European Inline Speed-Skating Championships: relays

3000m relays

Cadet Ladies: gold for Italy

As might be expected, the Italian skaters quickly take off the top. The French are in second place but at a safe distance. The German team is third and Belgium is not far.

six laps remaining: Italy extends its lead. France remains well ahead of Germany and Belgium.

3 turns before the finish line: nothing changed. The last three nations vying behind Italy and France will fight for bronze.

The Italian relay composed with Giulia Bonechi, Giorgioa Bormida and Linda Rossie crosses the line victorious. France finishes second, Belgium completes the podium.

Download the complete results of the Cadet Ladies relays here

Cadet Men: first title for French Skaters

Cadet men also rushed for 15 laps.
Italian big crash in the first lap! The race is already over for the Italian team! But they resume the race to the next lap. France takes over the reins with a good margin.

11 laps befoe the finish: Holland is not far from France and goes back quickly, the French skater is overtaken. In the next lap, France accelerates and takes the lead in this dance, the Netherlands in its wheel. Once again, the Dutch skater takes the pole position of the race…. What a battle!
France returns once again ahead, the Netherlands in ambush.

6 laps to go. France has a small advantage, but all nations are at 2 m from each other in single file.

3 laps to go: the Dutch are not very far but can keep the pace, France extends its lead.

Last lap: the Dutch regain a few meters but France becomes European champion.
The Netherlands take the second place and Poland wins its first medal in this championship. Germany ends fourth..

Download the complete results of the Cadet Men relays here

Junior B Ladies : And two!

The French girls are ahead of the game, ahead of Italy, Germany, Belgium …
The race is tight in the first laps in the Junior B Ladies category. Germany decides to take the lead ahead of France and Belgium.
13th laps to go: Italy takes the pole position in the race while France is back in third position.
Six laps remaining: Italy strikes back to take the lead ahead Germany while France is struggling with Belgium at the back.
4 laps to go: a bad relay and Italy is 4th, it moves again! Belgium and France compete for the race lead for 3 laps.
In the last lap, France is well ahead of the field followed closely by Germany and Belgium.
France gets its second title in a rowahead of Germany and Belgium!

Download the complete results of the Junior B Ladies relays here

Junior B Men: And three!

The French relay takes the pole position in the race ahead of Germany and Italy. It consists of Mathieu Guilbert, Quentin Giraudeau and Raphael Planelles.
14 laps to go: France takes off, Italy chases, Germany in its wheel. The Netherlands fight for the 4th place.

Italy manages to take the lead in the next lap but France returns!

10 laps to go: the Netherlands to take the lead in this dance. France comes back to the front and increases its lead over the Netherlands. The Dutch counter-attack and overtak French … but they fall!

France has a clear field and continue to lead the way. Warning to Germany at the bottom. France finishes ahead of Italy and Germany.

Download the complete results of the Junior B men relays here

Junior A Ladies: 1st place for Germany

The French relay take a good first relay, followed by Portuguese and Dutch. France leads for 4 laps France until Germany and Italy going back. The German relays is composed with Lisa Bauer, Alisa Gutermuth and Katharina Rumpus. Germany gets a warning.
Seven laps remaining: Italy is ahead of the game for three rotations but gets two successive warnings. The German also take a second warning, as saying that the head of the pack is played!
Four laps to go: Italy and Germany are far ahead. Germany goes back. France is far behind. The Italian relay falls two laps before the finish line! Germany is alone in the world …

In the end, Germany won the title ahead of Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and the Netherlands

Download the complete results of the Junior A ladies relays here

Junior A Men: And four!

France can count on Benjamin Pierre-Jean, Tomy Lépine and Aurélien Roumagnac. Benjamin makes a good start, followed by the Netherlands and Italy. France and Italy fly away. Italy overtakes France, Germany comes back on the escapees followed by the Netherlands.

13 laps to go: the three nations are together. Italy and France fight to keep the head of the pack.
11 laps to go: Italy crosses the road to the French relay, Germany and the Netherlands are still in their wheels.
The Netherlands are distanced, Germany overtakes the other nations at full speed and takes off.
7 laps to go: the race has never been so tight between Italy, France and Germany!

5 laps to go: The Netherlands comes back to the front and take the pole position. All nations are in the fight, the positions keep changing.

In the penultimate turn, Italy and the Netherlands actually hinder, Italy passes, France overtakes the other relays before the last lap!
The French relay takes the lead along the last lap and become European champion ahead Italy and Germany …

Download the complete results Junior A Men relays here

Senior Ladies: Germany wins again

Belgium takes the best start, followed by Germany, Italy and France. France comes back to the front and takes the lead 13 laps before the finish, closely followed by the Netherlands and Italy, it horseplays in the back!
Until the 10th lap, France is leading … but the skater falls ninth lap before the finish!
The Netherlands takes the lead followed by Germany and Italy, which comes back on the escapees progressively … It figths! Italy pushes the Netherlands.
Two laps to go: Italy takes off with a warning in its purse ahead of Germany and the Netherlands. First place is played, the battle now focuses on the silver medal between Germany and the Netherlands.
The German relay, composed with Federoca Di Natale, Francesca Lollobrigida and Erika Zanetti, finishes second neck and neck with the Netherlands.

Download the complete results of the Senior ladies relays here

Senior Men… Forza italia!

Quickly, the Netherlands take the lead in this dance, Italy in their wheel and France in third position.

9 laps to go: Italy is far ahead, the Netherlands slalom and France is stuck behind. During the following 4 laps, France is invisible to the outpost. Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands struggle to take the lead.

While Italy and Belgium are fighting, the Netherlands take the opportunity to come back in the game, The final lap will be decisive!

Fabio Francolini (Italy) pushes and accelerates, the Netherlands take silver and the Belgian relay of Bart Swings gets the bronze medal. France is the fourth …

Download the complete results of the Senior Man relays here

Useful links

Results of the 5th day of competition at the 2012 European Inline Speed skating championships in Szeged (Hungary)
Results of the 4th day of competition at the 2012 European Inline Speed skating championships in Szeged (Hungary)
The page of the 2012 European Inline Speed-Skating Championships on OLS
Our live comments on the forum (in French)

By Alfathor
Photos: all rights reserved