With a circuit similar that in the World Championship 2002 of Ostende, the city celebrated today the competitions of the last day of races of this European Championship 2009 of Speed Skating with the test of marathon.

Some of the most important streets of the city must be cut for celebrate these test of marathon of 42 kilometers. The first marathon was for Junior Ladies. The test was really quiet without attacks, only the Italian Giuliana de Blasio and the Spanish Saray Narvaez tried to make an escape.

After a raining night, the road of Zandvoorde was dunked. The competitions they must have begun at 09.30 h., but the principal judge decided to delay them until 11.30 h.

In the ¼ final only the two first of each heat would be in the next round, meanwhile in the half-final the three first would be in the final of six skaters. At 13.00 h. was the moment for the first finals of the last day of competitions on road, 1.000 meters for the Cadet category. In ladies Italy got the gold and the silver medal with Carlotta Simbula and Carlotta Faverio, meanwhile the Belgian Sandrine Tas surprised us in the final sprint and got the bronze medal.

In a day with fantastic climatic conditions the races began at 09.30 h. in the morning with the heat and ¼ finals of 500 meters Sprint for Junior and Senior Men, where only the two first of each heat would pass to the next round.

These competitions finished around 12.00 h. and the skaters had a long pause until 16.00 h. when the competitions came back. In the afternoon we could see a bit of rain, but it wasn’t any problem and the competitions could continue with the half-final of Junior and Senior Ladies and Men, where like in the morning only the two first would be in the final.

After a day of relax for some and a day of trainings for others, this morning came back again the competitions of the European Championship 2009, but in this occasion on road.

The test of the morning began at 10.00 hours with the heats of 200 meters Time Trial for Cadet, Junior and Senior, where like on track, only the twelve first skaters would be in the final of the afternoon. In these heats, the selection that dominated was Italy, because got the first places in all the heat except in the Senior Men category where the first position was for the German Matthias Schwierz.

Today is the fourth and last day of competitions on track of this European Championship 2009 of Speed. The competitions of the morning were predicted for 09.30 hours, but only they only had to celebrate one head of 5.000 meters Points/Elimination for Senior Men so the races began at 11.45 h. In these heats only the 14 first skaters would be classified for the final.

Later, at 15.30 the races came back after a pause and they began with the heat of 3.000 meters Relays for Cadet Ladies and Men, Junior Men and Senior Men. In these heats the three first teams would be in the final of six selections of this afternoon.

Today the competitions began at h. with the heat of 500 meters sprint for the three categories. In these races only the two first skaters would be in the next round.

In one of the heats of ¼ final of Senior Men, the French Alexis Contin made an impressive test breaking the World Wide Record of 500 meters (made by the Italian Giuseppe de Persio in 1980) with a time of 40,853. After a pause of the lunch the races came back at 16.00 to the track of Zandvoorde. The first races celebrated were the heat of 5.000 meters Elimination for Cadet Ladies and Men, where only the nine first skaters would be later in the final.

At 20.30 h. began the finals of the second day of races of this European Champioship with the test of 3.000 meters Points of Cadet Ladies where the Italian skaters imposed a strong rate. Giulia Lollobrigida was the winner and got the gold with eight points followed by the Netherlander Kelly Schouten with four points. The bronze medal was for the Austrian Vanessa Bittner who got three points crossing the goal in first position.

In Cadet Men Italy made again a good work and got the gold and the bronze medal with Alberto Purignano and Stefano Mareschi. The silver medal was for the Belgian skater, Matthias Voste.

After the problem of the rain, the races began at 16.30 h. with the heats of 300 meters Time Trial for Senior Men. The times of them were really good and Nicolas Pelloquin broke the World Wide Record of this test.

After this race, at 17.30 h. was the moment for the first final of the day where the Spanish skater, Vera Iglesias, made a time of 27,85 and got the gold medal. The silver was for the Italian, Carlotta Simbela (27, 86) and the bronze medal for the German, Alisa Gutermuth (28, 21).

This morning the city of Zandvoorde in Belgium began with the European Championship 2009 of Speed Skating. This first day of races began at 09.30 h. with the test of 300 meters Time Trial where only the twelve first times would be in the final of this afternoon.

In the competitions of Cadet Ladies the classified were Carlotta Simbula and Alisa Gutermuth who were the two first. With them will run in the final too: Tamara Schmitt, Vera Iglesias, Daria Tiberto, Marie Poidevin, Chiara Mair, Polixeni Zissis, Marta Bonadonna, Nerea Nuño and Ysia Clausses.

With all ready for the most important European event, this afternoon the city of Ostend began with the opening ceremony.

The ceremony began at 19.30 h. in the Koninginnelaan Street, next to the beach of Ostend. All the selections went to the place for participate in this occasion.

When they only lack three days for the beginning, Zandvoorde is ready for the great European event 2009. On 24th of July the track was already prepared, with all the facilities ready for receive the competitions, because before the European Championship was celebrated the Flanders Grand Prix between 24^th and 26^th of July.

Because this event, a lot of skaters are already in the city and it was a great opportunity for try the venues for the European Championship.

07.07.09: After the Spanish Championship of the last weekend, Spain is ready for the European Championship of Belgium

After a lot of rumors and the Spanish Championship of Circuit for all the categories of the last weekend, the national selection is Reddy for the European Championship 2009.

The new national selector, Garikoitz Lerga has already chosen the skaters who will represent Spain during the days 29^th to 8^th of August in the European Championship that this year will be for the three categories at the same time. In the category Cadet Ladies, like in Men, only will be two skaters and Nerea Nuño and Vera Iglesias will be the candidates for get medals because in this season both are making great competitions.