Nicole Begg picks up six titles at weekend

Timaru speedskater Nicole Begg has clocked up a century of national inline senior and open titles after collecting six over the weekend.

At the National Bank Track Inline Championships in Hastings, Begg retained her six-year unbeaten record in New Zealand and now has 101 titles to her name. It is an amazing record for the 22-year-old who has been a world champion twice.

Only one record fell. It pleased Begg enormously as it came in the open 3km team relay with one of her prodigies.

Begg raced with 13-year-old Emily van der Heyden. The pair were too classy for the field, smashing the New Zealand record by 8 seconds.

"I wasn't too worried about records at all but it was nice to get one especially with Emily. I knew she had the ability, it was just a matter of putting it together in a pressure situation which she did brilliantly."

It is the first time Begg has had a member of the South Canterbury Rolling Skating Club to race with. The pair beat other teams with three skaters.

It was a special weekend for van der Heyden. She won her first individual national title, leading the junior girls 1000m from start to finish.

Van der Heyden surprised with two bronze medals in the 300m and 500m sprints, not usually her forte. In the 300m she pipped 12-year-old clubmate Dahna Penty by eight hundredths of a second for bronze, pushing her back to fourth.

The young Waimate skater's development was helped by a hectic week in the Tour of Timaru the week before the nationals.

Penty and van der Heyden started skating when Begg and her mother Cheryl, also a former world champion, began holding learners' classes on the Caroline Bay rink a couple of years ago.

The South Canterbury Roller Skating Club has a proud history in the sport and holds the most women's titles since the sport was amalgamated 40 years ago.

Along with Begg, the Wooding sisters Shanelle, Rebecca and Nicola hold numerous senior records between them.

Begg now has a month off before heading to China to compete in the Asianic Inline Cup marathon series and meet up with the skate manufacturers who will brand sports equipment under her Roller Girl brand.

In October she attends the World Championships in Venezuela.

- © Fairfax NZ News