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German Race Series
The biggest German race series is the German Blade Challenge (GBC), which started it's seventh series in 2008. The GBC is the national German race series. In addition, there are several county and regional cups. The international speed skate cup is the World Inline Cup (WIC).
The German Blade Challenge
The German Blade Challenge celebrated it's 5th Birthday in 2007. At the same time, they concluded a three year contract with the DRIV and therefore the GBC will remain the first speed skate race series in Germany. The GBC-season will start April 1st and will end September 30th.
The German Blade Challenge began as the Jever-Blade-Challenge in 2002. The Jever- Blade-Challenge founded by Karsten Schölermann was renamed as the German Blade Challenge in 2003, and has since been accepted by the DRIV as the official German race series for speed skating.
Most races are either marathon or half marathon in length and can include sprint section and hill climbs. There are also points available for the team time trial, which count to the final team score.
GBC-Races 2008 (Explanation of the GBC-Race categories follows the dates):
| 12./13.04.2008 | Wilhelmshaven: Freisland Skate-Days (GBC A) |
| 04.05.2008 | Regensburg: Regensburg-Marathon (GBC A) |
| 25.05.2008 | Köln: Cologne Speed Days (GBC B) |
| 01.06.2008 | Duisburg: Rhein-Ruhr-Inline-Marathon (German Marathon Championship; GBC Special) |
| 01.06.2008 | Kassel: Half-Marathon Kassel (GBC B) |
| 19.06.2008 | Wachau (A): 10 km Sonnwendlauf (GBC European Special) |
| 29.06.2008 | Hamburg: Hella Hamburg Half-Marathon (GBC B) |
| 13.07.2008 | Hamburg: IBA Hamburg Inline-Marathon (GBC Premium) |
| 02./03.08.2008 | Jüterbog: Fläming Skate Days (GBC A) |
| 10.08.2008 | Wedel: Wedeler Inline Cup (GBC A) |
| 17.08.2008 | St. Gallen (CH): One-Eleven (GBC European Special) |
| 14.09.2008 | Rheine: RheineS Marathon (GBC A) |
| 21.09.2008 | Mainz: ZDF-Inliner-Days (German Championship in team speed skating; GBC Premium) |
Race categories of the German Blade Challenge
The races of the German Blade Challenge are divided into categories, due to overlapping with other racing dates (other than the GBC e.g.: WIC-Races, World Championships, European-Championships). Due to the categorisation of the races, it is no longer necessary to participate in all races.
The following list is taken out of the German Blade Challenge rulebook:
(Download: http://www.german-blade-challenge.de/download/gbc_rulebook_2008.pdf)
GBC Premium Races: There can be up to 3 Premium Races per season. They should have more than 1000 participants and should be broadcasted on international television. 1, 5 times of the GBC series points can be scored (the winner scores 750 points). The prize money amounts to 3500 Euros.
GBC A Licence Race Series: There are six to eight GBC A Licence races per season. Those races have at least 500 participants and the full GBC-points will be gained (the winner scores 500 points). The races are international. The prize money amounts to at least 2500 Euros.
GBC B Licence Race Series: There are up to 12 possible GBC B Licence races per season. For these races only half the GBC points can be gained (the winner scores 250 points). The races are regional and prize money can be available.
GBC-Specials: Further races can be entered as GBC-Specials, such as the German Championships. No GBC- points can be scored, only teams can score according to the GBC- score list (see GBC- rulebook)
GBC-Score list individual results:
|
| GBC Premium | GBC A | GBC B |
|
| Individual | Individual | Individual |
| Rank 1 | 750 | 500 | 250 |
| Rank 2 | 720 | 480 | 240 |
| Rank 3 | 705 | 470 | 235 |
|
| At 15 point intervals | At 10 point intervals | At 5 point intervals |
| Rank 10 | 600 | 400 | 200 |
|
| At 6 point intervals | At 4 point intervals | At 2 point intervals |
| Rank 20 | 540 | 360 | 180 |
|
| At 3 point intervals | At 2 point intervals | At 1 point intervals |
| Rank 50 | 450 | 300 | 150 |
|
| At 1 point intervals | At 1 point intervals | At 1 point intervals |
| Rank 100 | 400 | 250 | 100 |
|
| At 1 point intervals | At 1 point intervals | At 1 point intervals |
|
| Rank 800: 1 | Rank 350: 1 | Rank 200: 1 |
| All other competetors: 1 point | |||
Overview of the winners of the German Blade Challenge:
| Year | Female | Country | Male | Country |
| 2002 | Friederike Gehring, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, SAAB Salomon Devo Team | GER | Christoph Zschätzsch, Blau-Gelb Groß-Gerau, Team Fila | GER |
| 2003 | Hilde Goovaerts, Barclaycard InLion Girls | BEL | Christoph Zschätzsch, Blau-Gelb Groß-Gerau, Team Fila | GER |
| 2004 | Britta Vantournhout, Barclaycard InLion Girls | BEL | Mathieu Grandgirard, Team Fila | FRA |
| 2005 | Sandra Wieduwilt, RSV Blau-Weiß Gera, Powerslide Racing Team | GER | Clemens Rubick, RSV Blau-Weiß Gera, Powerslide Racing Team | GER |
| 2006 | Jana Gegner, XSpeed Team Berlin, Zepto Skate Team | GER | Mathieu Grandgirard, Creative-Rollerblade | FRA |
| 2007 | Sandra Wieduwilt, RSV Blau-Weiß Gera, Powerslide Phuzion Team | GER | Christian Hartz, IFK Inliners, Subaru Bont Team | DEN |
Team scores:
| Year | Female team | Male team |
| 2003 | Team Powerslide | Team Fila/Team Rollerblade |
| 2004 | Barclaycard InLions Girls | Creative Rollerblade |
| 2005 | Powerslide Racing Team | Creative Rollerblade |
| 2006 | Zepto Skate Team | Creative Rollerblade |
| 2007 | Powerslide Phuzion Team | Subaru Bont Team |
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County- and Regional Cups:
The most important county cups are listed below:
- Baden-Württemberg Inline Cup (BWIC; since 1999)
- Skating Nordliga (since 2001)
- Skating Nordcup (SNC; since 2002)
- Mitteldeutscher Skating Cup (MSC; since 2002)
- Bayern Inline Cup (BIC; since 2003)
- Hessen Inline Cup (since 2004)
- Westdeutscher Inline Cup (WSC; since 2005)