Essent Cup 1 in Amsterdam

Written by T Dobbin

Last night was the first evening of racing for the Essent Cup. Amsterdam is the only rink in the Netherlands that is completely outside. We were driving to the rink in the pooring rain along with when we arrived but as soon as the racing started it had gone.

The Rules: In the Essent Cup the races are like a points race on inline skating. At lap 80 to 78 there are three sprint points, again at lap 60 to 58 and at 40 to 38. Then at lap 20 the bell is rang and only the first 20 skaters across the line make it to the final 20 for the sprint finish for the victory. If the peleton is lapped those skaters complete the 100 laps. Those skaters that are not in the breakaway finish their race for the sprint with 5 laps to go but if there are more than 8 on the breakaway that lap the peleton the main peletons sprints for the finish with 10 laps remaining. It's a very exciting race and the highlights from these races are on television on Sunday's here in the Netherlands at 12:30.

A Grade: Shane's team mate Jan Maarten of DSB Bank made a spectacular finish in his breakaway group. Skating a very smart race he managed to hit the lead with one lap to go and made his sprint from the front. He had a few meters on his opponent Cedric Michaud going into the last corner but with the cut ice took a very wide final corner sprinting down the outside of the final straight and still managed to cross the line in first place with his first victory of the season.

Results
1st Jan Maarten Heideman (DSB Bank)
2nd Cedric Michaud (Nefit RH Ketels)
3rd Bob de Vries (BAM Schaatsteam)

First Division: Racing at 22:00 in the first division from New Zealand was Shane's brother Kalon Dobbin & Dj Nation. In the B grade there were five teams from the A that for the Essent Cup now start in B so the pace was alot faster tonight in this division. Kalon Dobbin made it to the front in the first 10 laps but after a hard training with the DSB Bank team on Friday morning his legs were feeling a bit under the weather. Dj Nation skated a good race and had good position throughout the race. He missed the group of 9 skaters breaking away off the front who ended up taking a lap from the peleton so there wasn't alot that he could do to cross over solo to these 9 skaters. Finally Dj was a bit tired this evening and ended up not contensting the final sprint but still a very strong race from the young New Zealand only 19 years old.

Results
1st Tristan Loy (Adformatie)
2nd Klaas de Weerd (Dorcas Hulp)
3rd Engbert de Vegt (GIBO-BEKA)

Next Saturday evening is held in Assen for the Essent Cup 2 and Shane will be racing in the first division along with Dj Nation.