The second first "Elfstedentocht"
The "Frieschee IJsbond"that organized the Elfstedentocht in 1909 was created in 1893 in order to control the quality of the ice on the canals and lakes in the province Friesland, to prevent that the ice would be damaged by boats or the opening of the sea sluices. This organization also took care that the ice was cleaned and signs with directions were placed on the ice during tours. Where in the world exists such an organization? The bond felt itself responsible for the ice in the whole province and not just for the route of the Elfstedentocht.They wanted to organize the Eleven Cities Tour but they were against the race. In Friesland others thought that the combination of a tour and a race was much better. Mr M. E. Hepkema defended this argument and wanted to create a new organization only to facilitate the Eleven Cities Tour and presented his idea in a local newspaper with the following text;
"The idea of this tour - always when the ice allows it - has been with me from the very beginning and appears to be widely shared: the tour has been very popular and should remain so. What the Marathon race once was for Greece, where the fastest winner, the hero of the day, could be and was kissed by all women and girls, the Elfstedentocht could be for Friesland, although the "special ending" will be reserved only to the happy few. It has to be a national feast, every year when the weather permits, and so possibly end up in a big party.
Hepkema´s action lead to the creation of a new organization, "Vereniging Friesche Elfstedentocht" (The association of the route of the Eleven Cities of Friesland) that would be responsible for the Elfstedentocht on a permanent basis. Its task was the same as that of the IJsbond with the difference that it only was responsible for organization of the route of the Eleven Cities. On the map the route along the eleven cities of Friesland is shown.
It took five years before this new association could organize its first Elfstedentocht in 1912 It would be considered the first official Elfstedentocht.
"The idea of this tour - always when the ice allows it - has been with me from the very beginning and appears to be widely shared: the tour has been very popular and should remain so. What the Marathon race once was for Greece, where the fastest winner, the hero of the day, could be and was kissed by all women and girls, the Elfstedentocht could be for Friesland, although the "special ending" will be reserved only to the happy few. It has to be a national feast, every year when the weather permits, and so possibly end up in a big party.
Hepkema´s action lead to the creation of a new organization, "Vereniging Friesche Elfstedentocht" (The association of the route of the Eleven Cities of Friesland) that would be responsible for the Elfstedentocht on a permanent basis. Its task was the same as that of the IJsbond with the difference that it only was responsible for organization of the route of the Eleven Cities. On the map the route along the eleven cities of Friesland is shown.
It took five years before this new association could organize its first Elfstedentocht in 1912 It would be considered the first official Elfstedentocht.
What are the rules
For the non-Dutch people I will say something about the rules of this special 200km tour.
There are two ways of participation: one is the participation in a speed skating contest and the other is the partticipation in an endurance test. Only members of the Association are allowed to participate in the Eleven cities tour. In the first tours this was not a problem because one could become a member at the moment that one registered for the tour. Recently with many thousands of members of the association one used a lottery to select the 15.000 participants for the tour. The group speed skaters starts around 6 in the morning in the dark and finish the tour in 7 to 11 hours depending on the quality of the ice and the weather,
There are two ways of participation: one is the participation in a speed skating contest and the other is the partticipation in an endurance test. Only members of the Association are allowed to participate in the Eleven cities tour. In the first tours this was not a problem because one could become a member at the moment that one registered for the tour. Recently with many thousands of members of the association one used a lottery to select the 15.000 participants for the tour. The group speed skaters starts around 6 in the morning in the dark and finish the tour in 7 to 11 hours depending on the quality of the ice and the weather,
The others start nowadays after them in groups of 1.000 skaters per half hours. So the latest group may start around 11.00. All the tour skaters have to finish the tour before 12 at night the same day. If one starts at 11.00, one has 13 hours for the 200km but the last part after 6 p.m. will be in the dark. If one can start around 7.00 one has 4 hours more but one has to start in the dark. Speeding up one can be at the finish before it gets dark again. However all depends of the quality of the ice and the weather. In general these skaters need around 12 till 16 hours for the 200km. You should realize what it means to stand on your skates for such a long time while a large part of the time one skates in the dark. I will present later reports about people who participated in this tour but in this section I will concentrate on the "second first Elfstedentocht".
The Elfstedentocht of 1912
In the Elfstedentocht of 1912 there were only 60 participants 38 participated in the speed skating competition and 22 only liked to show that they could finish the tour before 12 at night. That day it was not freezing anymore and there was water on the ice. The later winner of the speed skating competition, Coen de Koning, mentions: " When I did my first step on the ice stood up to my skates and shoes into the water and that freezing cold water in my shoes was not very pleasant." Beware that this man was skating on high nordic skates so there must have been a lot of water on the ice. This was at 7 am. It was later than normal because there was a lot of dsicussion whether the tour should be cancelled or not. Finally it was decided to go on with the tour. Because of the water on the ice, this tour was so difficult that only 14 of the 60 skaters reached the finish on time.
I will not describe the whole event. The winner made a report about this from his perspective as was true in the previous 200km tours. In this case the reason for the report was that there was an accusation made by the skater who ended second about unfair play by the winner. It is an interesting issue because this has occured several times in the history of the Elfstedentocht. In this specific case the accusation was that the winner was pulled by another skater. The winner describes what happens as follows.
"On the Slotermeer I was skating next to a man who was not participating in the competition. He was a sailor. Because I had no idea of the way to go, I asked him if he knew the way to IJlst, Sneek and Leeuwarden (the last three cities of the tour). He confirmed, upon which I asked him whether he would be willing to guide us? He said that he liked to do this. So I asked him what he should be paid, fl 2.50 was his answer. So I went to the other two leading skaters, Ferwerda and Keizer, and asked whether they were willing to contribute in the costs. They said: "We don´t need a guide, we know the way". Then I went back to the guide and told him that he only had to guide me. I did not know the way at all and added to it: "If I arrive in Leeuwarden being the first, you will get fl 5.00. At that time there were four of us.
My guide Klinkhamer immediately increased speed and I followed him. In Woudsend we had to walk through the village ... and there I could not see neither Ferwerda nor Keizer. .. Also on the Sneekermeer I could not see Ferwerda and Keizer,"
Later when they had to walk again some distance in the last city before the finish Ferwerda appears at once and he was earlier on the ice than Coen de Koning. The difference was 500 to 750 mettres. Then he goes on:
" My guide wanted to speed up immediiately but my opinion about this was different. My brain had done some work and I went on calmly like I was accustomed to when skating the 10,000 meter, a quiet long stroke but one that gives speed but does not tire you..... After about 5 kilometres I caught up with Ferwerda. I told my guide that he should skate behind me and if I would speed up he should follow me. First I tested Ferwerdas condition. ... Every time when Ferwerda saw me he skated away, till I thought that it was time to definitely take the lead. I passed Ferwerda with quite some speed and he could not follow. Our distance became larger and larger. At a point where we had to walk again I saw that he could never cath up with me anymore because he was exhausted. And so I arrived in Leeuwarde as the first in a time of 11 hours and 40 minutes. Ferwerda arrived 15 minutes later. "
never
Coen de Koning was declared the winner of the race but there was a general feeling of irregularity. Therefore the winner, Coen de Koning, did not accept the prize unless a careful investigation was done about the accusation. This was done and after 4 months he got his medal. However he was still angry about this situation and decided to take revenge in the next elfstedentocht. That he did. He also won the next tour with a time difference with Ferwerda of more than an hour.
I will not describe the whole event. The winner made a report about this from his perspective as was true in the previous 200km tours. In this case the reason for the report was that there was an accusation made by the skater who ended second about unfair play by the winner. It is an interesting issue because this has occured several times in the history of the Elfstedentocht. In this specific case the accusation was that the winner was pulled by another skater. The winner describes what happens as follows.
"On the Slotermeer I was skating next to a man who was not participating in the competition. He was a sailor. Because I had no idea of the way to go, I asked him if he knew the way to IJlst, Sneek and Leeuwarden (the last three cities of the tour). He confirmed, upon which I asked him whether he would be willing to guide us? He said that he liked to do this. So I asked him what he should be paid, fl 2.50 was his answer. So I went to the other two leading skaters, Ferwerda and Keizer, and asked whether they were willing to contribute in the costs. They said: "We don´t need a guide, we know the way". Then I went back to the guide and told him that he only had to guide me. I did not know the way at all and added to it: "If I arrive in Leeuwarden being the first, you will get fl 5.00. At that time there were four of us.
My guide Klinkhamer immediately increased speed and I followed him. In Woudsend we had to walk through the village ... and there I could not see neither Ferwerda nor Keizer. .. Also on the Sneekermeer I could not see Ferwerda and Keizer,"
Later when they had to walk again some distance in the last city before the finish Ferwerda appears at once and he was earlier on the ice than Coen de Koning. The difference was 500 to 750 mettres. Then he goes on:
" My guide wanted to speed up immediiately but my opinion about this was different. My brain had done some work and I went on calmly like I was accustomed to when skating the 10,000 meter, a quiet long stroke but one that gives speed but does not tire you..... After about 5 kilometres I caught up with Ferwerda. I told my guide that he should skate behind me and if I would speed up he should follow me. First I tested Ferwerdas condition. ... Every time when Ferwerda saw me he skated away, till I thought that it was time to definitely take the lead. I passed Ferwerda with quite some speed and he could not follow. Our distance became larger and larger. At a point where we had to walk again I saw that he could never cath up with me anymore because he was exhausted. And so I arrived in Leeuwarde as the first in a time of 11 hours and 40 minutes. Ferwerda arrived 15 minutes later. "
never
Coen de Koning was declared the winner of the race but there was a general feeling of irregularity. Therefore the winner, Coen de Koning, did not accept the prize unless a careful investigation was done about the accusation. This was done and after 4 months he got his medal. However he was still angry about this situation and decided to take revenge in the next elfstedentocht. That he did. He also won the next tour with a time difference with Ferwerda of more than an hour.