History shows that Italy is the dominator in the European Inline Skating scene, but during the last few years their authority has decreased because the massive development of the discipline in other European nations like Germany, Holland and Belgium. Also it is worth remembering the shining French triumph at the 2008 European Championship in Gera, Germany, where Italy had to be satisfied with second place at the medal tally.

Germany is a clear example of development where the discipline has taken a great boom in the last few years consolidating essentially their young athletes. Years later, that base of development has begun to bring good fruit: Sabine Berg was one of their first talents to be the result and progress into a shining star in junior category in a great number of international events. Last year she was the German Queen in Cali winning the second junior gold medal in the history of her country. The first one was in hands of Matthias Schwierz at the 300 m Time Trial Road in Valence d’Agen 2001.

This year, Berg changed divisions and she debuted as a senior in Gera 2008 where in the final two days she showed her talent, winning three consecutive gold medals –one of them with her teammates Gegner and Struever on the road relays race-. Berg was the best one in the 10000 m Points and in the 42Km Marathon.

The big hopes of the German Team directed by the French coach, Arnaud Gicquel rest on Berg to be on the podium in Gera but we cannot forget the experienced Jana Gegner that already demonstrated that she can be at the cream of the crop. Lisa Kaluzni and Tina Struever complete the German Team 2008.

In male division, the goal will be completely different and the most important will be to continue gaining experience, racing against to the best athletes in the world. In short distances one of the representatives will be the talented Denis Dressel and the experienced Matthias Schwierz who is recovering from his serious injury that put him outside of the tracks for several months. In Gera 2008, Schwirz showed a good level and was second at the 500 m Road.

For the long distances the team will be composed of Nico Wieduwilt, the young Felix Rijhnen (in his debut in the senior division after some great performances in Cali 2007 as a junior) and Pascal Ramali who talked to us and said “My goals will be to be into the Top 10 in any of the long distances races in Gijjon. I feel very well this year and I’m in better shape than other years: I will try to be into the top 10 if I can be team leader in any race. Also of importance, is the performance at the marathon. I think that Germans are growing up each year and this is good. The juniors Mareike and Laethisia have good potential to be on the podium, also the young Sabine Berg”.

The junior ladies will be strong hopes for the German Team to get the podium in the Spanish territory after they showed amazing ability at the European Championships in Denmark, last July. Mareike Thum was destroying her competition in most of the distances and promises to be the instant successor of Berg. The sprinter Laethisia Schimek was great at the continental races in Denmark and she has huge potential to get a medal in Gijon 2008. The cadets Katharina rumpus and Stephanie Dreyer were the strongest at the Europeans but in junior divisions (12-13 years) but they will look to gain more experience at the Worlds.

Unfortunately, the junior men had a poor performance this season and this is why only Max Krainer will be the German representative in Spain.