World-class Tour of Timaru

STU PIDDINGTON/Timaru Herald

STARS ON DISPLAY: Inline speedskaters Peter Michael and Nicole Begg are set to entertain with the return of the Tour of Timaru starting tonight. They are pictured together after both breaking New Zealand records at Levels on Saturday.

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After an absence of more than 20 years, the speed skating Tour of Timaru is back in action with a couple of world-class athletes on display.

Palmerston North's Peter Michael is the headline skater for the men's events and he is almost an accidental junior world champion.

Michael's inline speedskating career started after his mother took him as an eight-year-old to the wrong place.

At the time he was far more interested in giving roller hockey a go but impressed with his speed and was persuaded to stay by the coach and the rest is history.

Since then he has gained four junior world titles over a variety of distances and also won two bronze medals at the senior world inline championships, in the relay and 20km elimination race.

He spent two seasons racing in Europe as a professional.

Something of an allrounder, Michael is also more than handy on a bike and spends time training with Olympian Jesse Sargent.

The 20-year-old is unsure what 2010 will bring in terms of Europe but hopes to represent New Zealand again at the world championships, in Venezuela.

Michael has been impressed with Timaru so far.

"It's not often you get to skate more than a couple of days at an event so the opportunity for multi-days is great.

"Saturday was really cool and well put together."

The women will be led by Timaru two-times world inline champion Nicole Begg.

Both skaters dominated the New Zealand inline marathon championship titles at the weekend, both in record times.

Begg is excited to finally be able to show her skills to the people of South Canterbury and her sponsors, who have supported her over several years.

The first two stages of the Tour of Timaru start at the South Canterbury Roller Skating Club's bank track at Caroline Bay at 6pm tonight.

While the track surface is not ideal, Begg and Michael, along with several others should be able to put on a good show.

Entry is free and some close skating is expected.

The event will be followed by road skating races at the Timaru International Motor Raceway at Levels tomorrow before returning to the rink on Thursday.

After a day's rest the skaters join others, including cyclists, in Waimate at the Combined Sports Carnival.

- © Fairfax NZ News