RTB 11/03/2011

Hier volgt een verslag van de Roelof Thijs Bokaal door Ian Charles:
19 year old Dmitri Koltakov was the winner of the Roloef Thijs Cup in Assen, with a display that was head and shoulders above the rest of the field.
In the GP Style Knock out event, the current Russian Junior Champion made his meeting debut in Heat 14, and not only won the heat, but by the first turn he was four bike lengths ahead of the others, and and as he crossed the finish line, he was a good half lap ahead of second placed Tommy Flyktman of Sweden.
Koltakov won Heat 18 in similar style, and was leading the second semi final (Heat 22) by a considerable distance, when Austria’s Martin Posch fell causing a re-run.
Koltakov only appeared to struggle in the Final, when he appeared to miss the start, but managed to nose his way in front by turn two, and then proceeded to leave the other finalist standing.
Koltakov was so far ahead of the others in the final that the battle between Sweden’s Robert Henderson and Finn Kai Lehtinen went almost unnoticed by the fans, as they stayed almost side by side for the race. Hendersen managed to get the drop on Lehtinen on the final turn to take second, with Lehtinen third and Czech Champion Andrej Divis in fourth.
The other Russian in the meeting, Eduard Krysov made an impressive start leading his opening heat when on the third lap he was barged by Sweden’s Patrik Sohlberg on the home straight. Krysov was stretched off the track and took no further part in the meeting.
The two home riders, Dutchmen Gerrit Schukken and Simon Reitsma made a great impression on the Dutch fans in their debut at Assen, Both have put together impressive performances in their first season in Ice Racing, and they certainly gave the home fans plenty to cheer about as they defeated much more experienced riders.