This spring after years of waiting the Germans took finally the step and founded the official DTRV. The National German Footbike Organization!, ....a very important step to get somewhere in our sport, more countries should follow. And so the first IKSA eurocup in Germany organized by this new body was realized on June 26/27, 2010.
Location was a bit unsure at first because of track troubles at an earlier chosen location, but a new location (Frankenhain) was chosen in the South east of Germany. Day 1 opened with sprint qualifying on an asphalt biathlon track in the woods. The 700 m sprint was not flat. Lot of downhill and uphill. But very nice track and the weather could not have been brighter.
Guests had a choice between the youth hostel or camping Oberhof (located at the endurance track near the lake!). I must say the German camping people were very friendly towards the footbikers. We could order warm meals even still after kitchen was cleaned (in the evening at 23.00 hours) after late arrival from us from Netherlands. That is just one example. So Oberhof Camping am Lutschesee is really to recommend if you ever look for a camping in Erfurt region. Also some camping guests came to support the riders on day 2.
Also the major of Frankenhain was involved, he helped out. The roads were blocked on day 2 by the local fire brigade during the endurance race around the very beautiful and bright blue Lutschesee. So DTRV and IKSA got much local help to realize a great event.
Of course no races yet are perfect in our sport, because of our small organizations, but the atmosphere, the location, the weather: Simply suburb. 
During the sprint race on Saturday (day 1) Hannu Vierikko (FIN) took part again. We hadn't seen him for a long time. But he is apparently still kicking ...and alive. The Finn Footbike King took the lead in sprint for a long time until Richard Jisl from Czech surprised everyone with a superb time of 1:17.343 Third clocked the Dutch Jasper Stringa who is reasonably a new comer to sport, but already very fast as we had discovered in France. So that was only qualifying ranking, we had still quarter, semi and finals to do. In the finals it was a thriller for 2d and 3d place. Richard took clearly the lead, so no discussion about that. But Hannu managed to throw his footbike in the last meters and caught up with Jasper exactly on finish line. So both have been ranked 2d because the margin was too minimal and timing too. Hannu now being a veteran is still clearly fit on sprint, someone to watch during WC sprint.
In the ladies race it was pretty clear. Rossanne Reijne from Netherlands took the lead in all races. Her younger sister Maxime followed (still junior rider and already that fast) and Ivana Dvorakova (being veteran) is really fit and training by staying ahead of all the other senior ladies. So some serious training to do the for the rest of the ladies.
After sprint the relay for teams of 3 took part, a kids race and a endurance race for cadet and pupil. A busy programm.
The relay was chaotic, several equipment problems for 3 teams after 1st round, which made it not easy for the jury to see which was which team.
[ So I want to urge to all on behalf of IKSA: please wear the same shirts when you are forming a team and competing in relay as the rules dictate. Because this was really crazy. During WC this for a fact will be not allowed. Different with WC relay is that there are nation teams and during eurocups we have commercial teams which can be mixed in nationality. During WC relay in Italy variations in outfits withing teams will not be allowed. Also not mixing of gender withing samen team. ]
The Frankenhain relay race however was exciting. Team High Level - Van der Laan from Netherlands won after 9 rounds. And second Selles Kamperzeedijk (also Dutch), 3d the DTRV team with 3 fast Germans. First women team was High level - Van der laan (NL), 2d team AVIS women (ITA) and 3d Funke (GER) . 
After the events the Germans organized a really good party and food at the youth hostel outside. Bravo. Nice atmosphere, great to be there.
Day 2 opened with the fun element: a biathlon with shooting and footbiking. 6 or 7 teams were formed and there we went. Shooting and kicking like hell. Even I could take part. (Having to time all other races this was a very nice change for me). They put me in a men team which only men, so being the only woman in a team of course I could not be the 'slowing' factor. So I made sure that I kicked like hell uphill, and put my 'overweighed' body fully in the battle during downhill, arriving with high speed in to the shooting area and started shooting like crazy. And not missed any target. heeeeyij I made sure that if we did not win, it was not me the be the causing factor of that. ;) Biathlon with footbike a very nice sport, you should try it.!!!
In early afternoon we prepared for the durance race around Lustschesee. The track was 2,5 km long 70% hard surface (normal road) and the rest off-road. The riders had to pass a high water dam in the lake. Weather was warm, tuff race. 
After start a leading group formed and after round 2 it was clear only a few guys left with Richard Jisl in the lead. After passing round 3 Jasper Stringa had to let Richard and Hannu go. And after round 4 I believe also Hannu had to throw the wite towel in the ring and Richard took a huge gap after that. He is during uphill THE king in europe on the moment... a really fast climber. He was so fast that he had gap so huge (with the rest) that he had time enough to stop grab his drink bottle in last round... I have not seen that often in last 10 years.
The battle over second and third place was very exiting to watch. Hannu was for a long time second in order but was overtaken in the last rounds after a joined adventure of the Dutch Hans Korbee and Jasper Stringa. So we got a group of three chasing Richard. But no luck with that. In the end to finish line a fast sprint and Hans Korbee made sure he left early, so no surprise attacks in last 10 meters towards finish line to risk for him (a wise tactic). Korbee became second, Jasper 3d and Hannu 4th.
Women race again was very simple Rosanne Reijne (NED) and her sister Maxime stayed together and in the end Rosanne speeded up and won. 3d was Ivana from Czech Republic. In the lower rankings there was some battle between the women. So at top it seems simple, but in the field there is competition. We only need more faster women for the top to offer some competition to the Dutch women.
During the race there were 3 first aid ladies sitting on a chair at the track and enjoying ice cream in the sun overseeing the blue water (and the footbikers). And Klaus Kuppenbender (who often drops down in a race) comes towards the finish and suddenly crashes right in front of the 3 ladies. So a lot of hectic and ot my horror white ice cream on the street. But Klaus being Klaus, scaring the hell out of us all .... simply got on his footbike again and continued his race. He just wanted to test the first aid team I guess. Well, being organizer Klaus should have the right the do that of course... but I question if his method is the right one. 
From left to right: Hans Korbee, Richard Jisl and Jasper Stringa:
and ofcouse some promo work already for coming WC in Italy.
best regards, Thijza see you all somewere. Get kicking and get organised. Start a team and organise events were ever you live. And let us know about it...
