インラインもストーブリーグと言うのでしょうか、今シーズンは活躍できず芳しくない結果に終わった New Zealand 出身の Kalon Dobbin が Peter Michael, DJ Nation の２選手と Powerslide Phuson らしい白黒ボーダーウエアを着て練習する様子が Manawatu Standard に載っています。ニュージーランドのチーム編成でWICにチャレンジするような話があるのでしょうか？。
Star skate pro sets up world-class teamSKATING
Manawatu and New Zealand star skater Kalon Dobbin is setting up a world-class professional team with two other Manawatu skaters to race around the world.
Based in Switzerland, he plans to have Manawatu's new world stars, Peter Michael and DJ Nation, and two Colombians on the roster.
Dobbin, 29, is getting it together with help of his Swiss-based German team, Powerslide Phuzion, a wheel company soon to go global.
He is working back from an inflamed hip-socket and groin injury suffered at the world championships in Cali, Colombia. But Michael and Nation took the skating world by storm in their first season on the World Inline Cup circuit this year.
"Next year this team should go in as one of the favourites, if not the favourite," said Dobbin. "It also gives me a foot in the door for something after skating." | 
SUSAN SIU/Manawatu Standard HAPPY AT THEIR WORK: Three of Manawatu's world-class inline skaters on the new Memorial Park track. From left are Peter Michael, DJ Nation and Kalon Dobbin. |
Dobbin, New Zealand's top speedskater for many years, gives himself up to five more years as a racer.
That will hinge on injuries and as a sprinter he's more susceptible to strains. However, he is one of a rare breed who can also race marathons.
His injury can be traced back to a crash in training and at the time he thought nothing of it. Until then he'd been third in the world rankings but because of his layoff, he finished seventh, one place above brother Shane.
At Colombia, Kalon Dobbin was the defending world 300m time-trial champion but pulled out injured after only 30 metres, devastated.
The trio will head for Argentina soon for fair-weather training, including cycling, at Mar del Plata.
Michael, 18, won a World Inline Cup event, the Engadin-St Moritz race in Switzerland in June racing for Dobbin's Powerslide team and ended up sixth on the World Cup rankings.
He was the youngest skater to win a world cup race and only 10 days ago was second in Berlin. Michael was the world junior champion in South Korea last year.
Nation, 18, was an outstanding third in his first start in a World Cup event, in Seoul in April. He was ranked 17th from the 98 skaters.
But his Swiss team, World Inline Center Spirotiger, wasn't one of the stronger ones.
"Those two guys really shook up the inline world when they came over," said Dobbin.
"They were the most successful rookies in history."
Manawatu Standard: Star skate pro sets up world-class team (Oct. 11, 2007)
Inline Skating Notebook: Matter InlineCenter World Team 2008 (Jan. 14, 2008)
Hi Skaters,
Recent news item in New Zealand Media, Kalon Dobbin & Peter Micheal will be Joinrd by their Manawatu Palmerston North teamate D.J. Nation in one of the Powerslide teams, these 3 will team up with the Two Colombians Jorge Cifuentes & Nelson Garzon.
Its a very Interesting combination with Kalon a many times World Sprint Champion,with also a marathon 3rd to his credit, teams up with a bunch of 4 talented skaters, who were all WIC rookies last year.
They rate themselves in a press interview as a top team & possibly even favourites for the 2008 season, last year Kalon & Peter were part of the winning Powerslide Phuzion team.
Solets look at this first of the Big Shot teams to come out clean with their 2008 roster.
6th WIC 2007 Peter Micheal, Won Engadine/ St Moritz & 2nd Berlin, the new star of the season.
7th WIC 2007 Kalon Dobbin, was 3rd overall & having his best season till a cruel injury struck him down at Worlds, 2nd to Joey in Zurich & 3rd in Seoul, St. Moritz & Suzhou.
14th WIC 2007 Nelson Garzon, No podium, but 4th in Zurich.
16th WIC 2007 Jorge Luis Cifuentes, 3rd in both Incheon & Zurich.
17th WIC 2007 D.J. Nation,3rd in Seoul, his first ever WIC event.
On paper a very strong team, with good all round strength , two top 10 WIC & 3 others all in top 20, thats a 1/4 of the top stars accounted for already.
So top stars going fast & 4 of the top 6 Newcomers to WIC gone to Powerslide.
Bill (Posted: Oct. 21, 2007)
Bont Skates Message Board and News : World Cup Topics for 2008
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