There are days that make history: this was that kind of day in Nanjing and skateboarders, for the first time ever, watched their official World Champions run on the vert. The "path to Tokyo" that began one year ago is now clear and defined more than ever. It has been an intense day for all the skaters attending the WRG: Gold Final matches for Inline Hockey and Rink hockey, Quartets took the stage in Artistic venues, Time Trials for the Downhill and Slalom for Inline Freestyle. If you love wheels, Nanjing was the right place to stay.

Below a quick brief of the competitions: for more info, go to the discipline News section.

Artistic
Quartet competition always provides the public with some of the most exciting performance in the artistic skating events. Introduced in the 2015 World Championships in Cali, it was a great success since the very beginning. This year the first place goes to “The Project” from Portugal with a very dynamic and acrobatic dance called "Are you mambo?"; Second place for the Italians “Celebrity”, 2015-2016 world champions, that performs to “La La Land”: a fall and consequently penalty costs them the third Gold Medal in a row. The Bronze medal goes to “Neovis Skating” (Italy) in “The other part of me". Tomorrow it will be the turn of the Pairs and of the Large Gorups: The Gala of Champions will close the WRG2017.

Inline Downhill
The time trial competitions took place today and France overruled bringing home 2 Gold medals and one Bronze.
Women: 1) Emilie Sadoux (France) 2) Mira Borsig (Germany) 3) Martina Paciolla (Italy)
Men 1) Nicolas Varin (France) 2) Augustin Tussetto (Italy) 3) Sebastien Rastegar (France)

Inline Freestyle
Today has been the busiest day with 3 competitions: Pair slalom, Slides and Battle Junior.

China dominated Pair slalom, Slides Men and Battle Junior Men with 3 gold medals. Russian Sofia Bogdanova dethroned China and won Battle Junior Women with super smooth and accurate runs throughout the whole competition and Chinupun Nichakan won the gold medal in Slides Women.
Even if Asians got almost all the gold medals in the previous days, today they were challenged by Europeans skaters who tried their best to step on the highest step of the podium. Italy got 1 silver medal (battle junior Men) and 2 bronze medals (battle junior Men and pairs), Spain got a bronze medal in Slides and Russia got a bronze medal in Slides Women, a gold and a bronze in battle junior Women.

Inline Hockey
Historic gold medal for team France: after a thrilling match versus Italy they won for 3-2 the final game. France took the lead at 8' with an accurate wrist shot by Duclos and the first half ended 1-0. In the second period a good Italy tied the game with Bellini at 27' and after that there were lot of scoring chances for both team. France found the way to the net two times in 30'' in the same way: 2 vs 1, shoot and rebound (scored by Albert and Duclos). Italy put a puck in the net in the last seconds with Lettera, but was not enough. Great show for a great final with two really skilled teams.
For team France the first gold in the history, for team Italy their third silver medal. Bronze Medal goes to Czech Republic.

Rink hockey
Spain is the new World Champion: Spain-Portugal 5-4 after penalties. After 4 years from the last title won in Luanda in 2013, Spain won again the World Championship winning 5-4 after penalties an incredible game against Portugal, It's the 17th title for Spain. Spain-Portugal has been one of the most balanced World Championship Final of the last years. And even one of the most intense; really an amazing game with a dramatic end.

Skateboarding
It’s a wrap for skateboarding at Nanjing’s Vert world Championships. The 9th of September 2017 will be remembered in the history of as the date of the first official medals awarded to a Skateboarder.

Speed
The Junior One Lap's and the Relays closed the Road competitions in Nanjing. This was the last for the 5.000mt Relays that, starting from next year will be deleted. Tomorrow the Marathon will close the speed skating activities.

Video Highlights, Pictures & Results

Photo Credits
(Photo Credits Alpine: Jana Borsig)
(Photo Credits Artistic: Raniero Corbelletti)
(Photo Credits Inline Hockey&Roller Derby&Inline Freestyle: Marco Guariglia)
(Photo Credits Rink Hockey&Congress: Marzia Cattini)
(Photo Credits Speed&Roller Freestyle: Erika Zanetti)
(Photo Credits Skateboarding: Piero Capannini)

Artistic skating - ftp://firsftp.enetres.net/FIRS/Artistic/
Inline Alpine - ftp://firsftp.enetres.net/FIRS/Alpine/
Inline Downhill - ftp://firsftp.enetres.net/FIRS/Downhill/
Inline Freestyle - ftp://firsftp.enetres.net/FIRS/InlineFreestyle/
Inline Hockey - ftp://firsftp.enetres.net/FIRS/InlineHockey/
Rink Hockey - ftp://firsftp.enetres.net/FIRS/RinkHockey/
Roller Derby - ftp://firsftp.enetres.net/FIRS/RollerDerby/
Roller Freestyle - ftp://firsftp.enetres.net/FIRS/RollerFreestyle/
Skateboarding - ftp://firsftp.enetres.net/FIRS/Skateboarding/
Speed skating - ftp://firsftp.enetres.net/FIRS/Speed/