Race Report: Padova Grand Prix Qualifying Run #1

James Kelly Sets A New Track Record

Teolo, Italy - James Kelly from Petaluma, California, USA recorded the fastest qualifying time during today's first round of Downhill Skateboard Qualifying for Sunday's Padova Grand Prix.  Kelly set a new track record of 1:57.857 that eclipsed the two year old course record of 1:57.888 established by Ramon Konigshausen in 2010.  Defending Padova Grand Champion Patrick Switzer from Canada was second and Switzerland's Konigshausen was third.  Louis Pilloni from Los Angeles, California was fourth, who along with Kelly was riding the new RAD Wheels that are just hitting store shelves.  2007 IGSA World Cup Series Champion Erik Lundberg, who is making a comback after taking a year off from racing, rounded out the top five.

Douglas Silva currently sits in the sixth qualifying spot with fellow Brazilian Thiago Gomes in seventh.  Dillon Stephens currently holds down eighth, Mischo Erban is ninth and Zen Shikaze is tenth.  The final qualifying run will be held tomorrow followed by a "Repacharge" or last chance qualifying race.  Each riders single best best run out of the two runs will be used to determine their qualifying position.  Those who finish in positions 1-60 earn an automatic bearth in Sunday's final.  The skaters who qualify in positions 61-124 will be placed in the Repacharge.  The top four finishers from the Repacharge will qualify for the final.

Rebekka Gemperle from Bern Switzerland set a new track record today on her way to the top of the time charts today in the first round of Women's Downhill Skateboard qualifying.  Gemperle time of 2:06.794 bettered the existing track record time of 2:06.852 set by Katie Neilson last year.  Fresh off of her win last wek in Kozakov, Gemperle is looking to make it two in a row this weekend.  The competition in the Women's Downhill has really heated up this year.  The top four women all qualified within a second of each other.  Marie Bougaour from France was second with a time of 2:07.064.  Marisa Nunez fron Peru was third with a 2:07.677 and two-time World Champion Jolanda Vogler from Switzerland followed her closely with a 2:07.787.  Fellow Swiss racer Tamara Prader rounded out the top five with a 2:09.680.

Echegaray Diez Over Serek In Street & Classic Luge

Mikel Echegarray Diez is looking like he can dominate this season in both Street and Classic Luge.  If he can hang on to the top spots in both divisions in tomorrow's final qualifying round, he will have qualified number one two weeks in a row.  Echegarray Diez is pushing five time consecutive Classic Luge World Cup Series Champion Michael Serek to the limit this year.  Not only did Mikel set the fastest time today.  He also broke Serek's three-year old Classic Luge track record of 2:00.339 in the process when he clocked a time of 1:59.927.  Serek did qualify second today in both Street and Classic so it's all shaping up to be quite a showdown on Sunday.  The other top five Street Luge qualifiers include Federico Barboni from Italy who currently sits in third, last weeks Kozakov winner Abdil Mahdzan from Malaysia in fourth and Cedric Robert from Switerland in fourth.  The remainder of the top five in classic Luge includes Austrian Alex Frischauf in third, Robert in fourth once again and former Street Luge World Champion Luca Santolamazza from Italy in fifth.