27th Annual Masters International All Round Games
Baselga di Pine, Italy
January 19-21, 2018
Participants from Japan Sei Takayama (Kyoto), Kazuko Takahashi (Gigu)
Coordinator/Reporter Kenji Takai (Yamagata)
Summary
27th Annual Masters International All Round Games took place in one of the most beautiful outdoor ice rinks, Baselga di Pine, Italy for three days from Jan 19. One hundred fifty six, including thirty nine ladies, gathered from sixteen countries, 30 year old as youngest to 75 year old girl and 83 year old boy. The games are categorized to three groups, Men 30 to 60, Men over 65, and all ladies from 30. Skaters of Men 30 to 60 challenged 4 distances of 500, 1500, 3000, and 5000 while that of Men over 65 and all Ladies did 500, 1500, 1000, and 3000.
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Day 1 It was very cold morning at 950m altitude outdoor rink. Still dark when I walked into the balcony of hotel to view the rink. Sun just came up between mountains when skaters started their warm up practice. There was a few spot of clouds but no complain to this beautiful blue sky with silent of wind. Ladies 500m distance opened the games at 10am. The pairing was drawn based on their time ranking. Kazuko Takahashi, L55, was inner lane of pair number 4 against Altanttsetseg Luvsanlkagva. L60 from Mongol. First happening occurred, however, just after 3rd pair finished. Kazuko was ready for the start line but forced out to wait for next 7 minutes due to malfunction of the finish signal and some sort of problem of starter equipment. The game resumed. Kazuko opened 14.97 and finished 57.65, 6th place out of 7 skaters in L55. Gradually sun moved up in the blue sky, the temperature |
goes up higher by noon. Sei Takayama, L50, moved on to ice rink. He was inner lane of pair 7, paired against Patrizio Guilioni, L45. He set very good opening, 11.80, the fourth fastest time in the most competitive age group, but phased out his gas for next 400m, finished 44.75, 13th of 20.
The strong sun made very warm environment for me to watch the games but made ice very softer and heavier for skaters. Ladies 2nd distance, quartet start of 1500m, started but another happening again to Kazuo. She was inner lane of 2nd pair overall of the first quartet. It was only one skater as 1st pair before Kazuo’s start. The ice resurface was completed but Kazuo was not on ice. The announcement was made by Italian and English, but not Japanese. She seemed to hear “fifty minutes”, instead of ice resurface for “fifteen minutes”. I was looking around and said into ladies dressing room, “Is Japanese there?” Someone said “yes”. She was found at dressing room where she was relaxing. She jumped up to wear cloths and rushed to ice. The skater of first pair was already a halfway to finish. She was not even able to do a lap before her start. But she was at the start line in time, against the same Mongolian skater. Her opening, 36.64, was 5th overall in her age group. However, the soft ice resisted her speed down lap by lap, ended to 3:06.63, 6th place of 7 skaters in her age group, 5.614 points behind 5th place.
First Day (Jan 19, Friday)
Sei Takayama (M50) 500m 44.74 13th Place
Kazuko Takahashi (L55) 500m 57.65 6th Place
1500m 3:06.63 6th Place
Day 2
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It was the best morning, no clouds no wind. Men 3000m started at 10am in Day 2. Sei was inner lane of 7th overall pair, 4th quartet. His opening was 22.71, consistently lapped around 40 seconds each. But he was not good acceleration to attach, resulting 15th place of his age group, 5:07.21. Ladies 3rd distance is 1000m, which starts now “a battle in age group.” First two distances were mixed age group. Kazuko was outer lane of pair number 5, against Kathy Feinberg from USA who is currently standing 5th place. Kazuko was good start to lead first several laps but could not catch up her pace, ended 1:58.49, still 6th place of her age group. |
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It was long wait for Sei to start his 3rd distance, 1500m, after his 3000m in the morning. His start was around 15:30. He was inner lane of 3rd pair, 2nd quartet of his age group, pairing against Ruud Bouwmeester from The Netherlands. Sei was 9 seconds faster Ruud in 3000m, led about 2 points before 1500m. However, the ice resisted Sei to finish 12 seconds behind Ruud. Now Sei dropped to 16th place in his age group, timed 2:23.74.
Second Day (Jan 20, Saturday)
Sei Takayama (M50) 3000m 5:07.21 15th Place
1500m 2:23.74 16th Place
Kazuko Takahashi (L55) 1000m 1:58.49 6th Place
Last Day
It was very windy Sunday from the morning. Sun showed up sometimes but the strong wind, blowing leaves to the ice, was a key factor of the day. Kazuko, 8.5 points behind 5th place, was against Ingunn Sando from Norway. Kazuko held tight first two minutes against Ingunn but the gap was opened gradually, finished 6:29.79, 16 seconds behind Ingunn, resulting 244.070 points after completed 4th distance.
It was around 14:00 that Sei started his last distance 5000m, against Hans-Gerd Heyne from Germany, 3rd pair of 2nd quartet of his age group. The wind was extremely heavy the afternoon. Sei skated very close by the coaches alongside the safety guard, which is all about to prevent the wind. He was leading as much as 5 minutes against Hans-Gerd. Lap by lap he was not able to pick up his speed against the wind, finished 9:43.63, 17th place in his age group. He completed all 4 distances!
Last Day (Jan 21, Sunday)
Sei Takayama (M50) 5000m 9:43.634 17th Place Overall Point 202.218/17th
Kazuko Takahashi (L55) 3000m 6:23.79 6th Place Overall Point 244.070/6th
Overall
Our absolute champion, Victor van den Hoff, from The Netherlands (M60) was DQed. It was as if I was seeing “déjà vu” of Vancouver Olympic. It was happening at the last quartet of Men 60, the last race of the game. It was to be the championship race that he was leading 2.176 points, no one closer to him. The heavy wind seemed to give no pressure to him. He was attaching from the first lap and everyone watched him controlled his race. BUT, Victor went into outer lane from out. He realized his mistake after the lap and stopped his race. Everyone there was stunned.
There are 7 more DQed due to miss-crossing lane. Another phenomenon happened to Arne Kjell Foldvik, our oldest skater in the game, missed the lane change.
The entrance for dressing room is located near 1500m start area. Many audiences and supports came out to line up the back straight behind coaches, cheering and sounding so laud. It seems to have confused many of skaters home straight and back straight. Well, no one else knows the true but the skaters do.
Atmosphere in Italy
Kazuko and Sei participated in All Japan Masters Championship weekend ago. They must be tired but we took a flight to Vince in Italy next day. We arrived there Wednesday morning so that we took sightseeing in Vince before going to Pine. It was totally different world for us as skaters from Japan, walking all days till dark, drinking Italian wines and beers, enjoying their excellent foods in middle the night in Japan. Next morning we drove up to the mountain and checked in the hotel where the beautiful outdoor ice rink is just few meters away. Friends whose faces are very much familiar with are there to welcome us. We had had breakfast, lunch, and even dinner at the Hotel, which we were able to focus on skating after exhausting walking tour in Vince. At the award ceremony and banquet party after the race, we all meet, drinking Italian wine, having Italian dinner, talking about skate, and exchanging gift. Round around the table, all is asking about Masters Games in Japan. I promised to happen in very near future. I asked a question whether everyone comes to Japan for the event, then all answered yes.
On behalf of team Japan, I am very thankful for Italian organizers and staffs that made this event. I emphasize to give the best regards to all of participants from 16 nations. And I thank you, Sei and Kazuko to join Team Japan to complete their mission of MARG2018. See you all in Bjugn, Norway next year!
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