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Bart Swings - SCC Events - Camera 4
BMW BERLIN-MARATHON Inline Skating: Serial winner Bart Swings also fastest skater in 2024
- Great skater race
- Final of the R5K Tour
- GENERALI 5K as part of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
- Junior competitions
With around 3,400 registered participants, the inline skating race started today as part of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON.
Belgian Bart Swings skated a committed race single-handedly and secured his 9th victory on the spectacular finishing straight behind the Brandenburg Gate. Noraly Berber Vonk won the women’s race in a bunch sprint. The new circuit attracted numerous spectators to the course, who enthusiastically cheered on the skaters.
“Right from the start, we had a plan to race hard to make life as difficult as possible for the others,” said Bart Swings, explaining Team Powerslide’s tactics. Early on after the start, the Belgian managed to successfully attack and open up a lead of around 30 seconds. “In the windy conditions and on the new circuit, it was very hard to ride alone at the front because the field always had me in their sights,” says Swings. “Today’s race was one of the toughest I’ve ridden in Berlin.”
Motivation from the many spectators along the route
His teammates Jason Suttels, winner in 2023, and Felix Rijhnen, winner in 2019, controlled the field during Swing’s solo run and then secured the other podium places in the final sprint to the finish. “It’s something very special when we are represented here as a team on the entire podium,” said Rijhnen: ”Berlin has the highest reputation among marathon races and the organizers have done a very good job here today with the new course. I was really surprised at how good the course was, which is still very fast. It’s just great for us to start here.” Bart also praised the good atmosphere: “It was really nice to have so many spectators. Some of them shouted at me how far ahead I was, which helped me a lot. Many of the fitness skaters I overtook cheered me on.” Swings crossed the finish line in 1:00:02 h, followed by Suttels (1:01:31 h) and Rijhnen (1:01:31 h) in second and third place.
The women’s race was also characterized by many attacks, but no one managed to break away. The fastest Noraly Berber Vonk (NED) from the SPSPSK WORLD TEAM explained: “Yesterday I didn’t feel so good health-wise, but we are simply a very strong team. Our goal was to win the race, and everyone gave 100 percent.” Berber Vonk and her teammates set off on their sprint to the finish long before the Brandenburg Gate. The tactic worked: 1st, 3rd and 7th place for the SPSPSK WORLD TEAM. The Dutchwoman is already certain: “I really want to come back to Berlin next year.” Berber Vonk crossed the finish line in 1:13:53 h, followed by Johana Viveros (COL, 1:13:53 h) and Aura Quintana Herrera (COL, 1:13:54 h).
A total of around 3,400 registered inline skaters took part in this fascinating sport on wheels despite the sometimes strong wind. The new, more compact course attracted numerous spectators to the roadside.
R5K Tour finale at the Brandenburg Gate
With the R5K Tour, Germany is looking for the next generation of fast road runners: the series included five races over five kilometres each in Dresden, Paderborn, Hanover, Hamburg and today’s grand finale as part of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. Vanessa Mikitenko, Tristan Kaufhold, Carolina Schäfer and Christoph Schrick secured the overall victories on the streets of Berlin. U20 winner Vanessa Mikitenko clinched overall victory with a triumph in the final race of the series. It was a very special race for the 19-year-old. As a young child, she was there in 2008 when her mother Irina Mikitenko set the German marathon record in the same place in 2:19:19 hours, which still stands today. Vanessa Mikitenko’s club colleague Tristan Kaufhold had to battle with corona. ‘I only got back into training last week,’ said the 18-year-old. The Berlin race was his first fast run since falling ill. He was therefore satisfied, even though he was beaten by another runner for the first time in this series.
In the U23 category, Christoph Schrick secured overall victory in Berlin. After finishing second in Paderborn and winning the Alsterlauf in Hamburg on the first Sunday in September, he was again the fastest in Berlin. At the final in Berlin, Carolina Schäfer had to admit defeat as the overall U23 winner to a local Berlin heroine who was competing in an R5K Tour race for the first time: Blanka Dörfel from SCC Berlin was the fastest young athlete at the Brandenburg Gate in 16:02 minutes. She really enjoyed the race at home, especially as she is already toying with the idea of starting at the 51st BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. ‘There was a really good atmosphere here today, even the day before the marathon,’ enthused the 22-year-old.
GENERALI 5K as part of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON
The 10,500 participants in the GENERALI 5K also ran over 5 kilometres as part of the BMW BERLIN-MARATHON. The day before the legendary marathon, they took the first opportunity to take part in a 5K run, which takes place on the final kilometres of the original course. They experienced an unforgettable finish through the Brandenburg Gate and were celebrated over the last few metres, receiving their well-deserved finisher medals.
The Bambini Run presented by ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg and the mini-MARATHON presented by GENERALI also saw countless happy young faces today.
SCC Events
YouTube video of Prof. Helmut Winter with Horst Milde about the history of the BERLIN MARATHON (1974) and the cross-country race at Teufelsberg (1964):
