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We are deep in the business end of the opening rounds in week 2 of the Inline Hockey World Championships.  Buenos Aires has been a gracious host, and has been rewarded with more and more outstanding play and unexpected results.  In every team's last opportunity to settle their positions, they were fighting to gain every point to take their best position into the playoffs, starting tomorrow.

For the Junior women, we saw the USA gain their first win, and revive their spirits for this tournament.  They beat Colombia 3-1 after finding themselves all square at the half, USA 97 Mardesich netted her second of the game, and was followed by 47 Payton Sutherland to take their victory points.  Later Italy continued their strong showing against Brazil 6-1, with one of the goal scorers a familiar name in Italian Inline, one Ester Vendrame.  Namibia continue to make an astounding show at these games in every division, and Jr Women is no exception.  They hauled in 15 goals against Argentina.  This plants them firmly at the top of the 6 team single division.  The division statistics are dominated by the Namibians, with Rottcher, Coetzee, Borstlap, Dedig and Bajorat the top 5 points holders for the tournament.  What an impressive showing from yet another Namibian national team.  Currently the table looks like Namibia at the top, followed closely by Italy, and now the USA in 3rd position, just ahead of Colombia, with a similar record, but one less goal in their tally.  Argentina and Brazil are in 5th and 6th.  This division continues to fight for positions until Saturday 5th November, when the top 4 teams will go to a semi-final based on their positions, and 5th and 6th place will compete for the final placings.

In the Senior Men’s competition, the matches kept rolling on today in their final bids for best placement going into the playoffs starting tomorrow.  Ireland took a win today and racked up a grand total of 13 against Uruguay, which will have lifted them from the bottom of the table, and lifted their spirits for the knockout rounds.  Team Canada collected their second win, beating Colombia 7-3.  The still dominant Americans took on a formidable Slovakia and beat them 4-1.  The other dominant team in Pool B, France, saw off their Alpine neighbours 7-2.  Setting up an inevitable tasty match up later in the day vs USA.  In group C, Japan took to a shootout after overtime to take their first win v Germany.  This was followed by a comprehensive showing by Chinese Taipei, another international side playing exceptionally well, and launching themselves into a top position in their group.  They beat Ireland 8-0.  Mexico collected their second win in the D group, with a goal fest of 15 v Uruguay, who must be feeling bruised and battered facing all the shots that come their way.  They must keep their chins up and continue to learn and grow at this highest of levels for Inline Hockey.  Later in the evening, Powerhouses Czechia beat Canada 5-1, followed by their slavic cousins Slovakia taking a loss v a Spanish side clawing their way out of the mid table towards the top flight.  Italy took their 3rd win to place very well in group A.  The final round robin match up of the day was a scorcher for the B group, with two dominant and undefeated teams facing off for the best position into the playoffs.  The indefatigable French keeper held the back line amazingly, until only 2 minutes from the halftime buzzer, Tyler Kraft found the basket and set out their intentions.  Once they had a taste of victory, the Americans finished off the debate with 4 more in open play.  It consolidates the Americans at the top of the tree as undefeated for the tournament.

So tomorrow's playoffs include the International Cup competition for the emerging powers of Inline, and a chance for top teams to enter the Gold Medal finals in the top two groups.  Germany will play Uruguay, followed by Japan v Ireland.  Hosts Argentina will hope to take advantage of a struggling Swiss side at 12:30 local time.  Then Slovakia will play Colombia, followed by Spain v Brazil.  Canada will have it all before them, as Chinese Taipei enter the top qualification rounds as top seeds to prove their promise is the real deal.  Finally Mexico will play the winner of Germany v Uruguay earlier.

We have the makings of a superb playoffs, where France, Czechia, Italy and USA will take a day off before entering the fray and testing their very best game against the world's top teams.  The drama is available at every level, and the world will be watching.  Join us as always for all the action, as we enter the final rounds at the World Skate Games.

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Words Pete Wirt

Photo Credit: Marco Guariglia

Photogallery of the last days

November 2nd

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