Marathon skating on ice
Egbert Lambers
On the 10th March 1968, the day before the Heerenveen Ice Rink Thialf would close down for the season, some 55 skaters set of for a race over 100 laps of 400 meters. Among them famous names from the Elfstedentocht history, such as Jeen van den Berg, Jan van der Hoorn, Reinier Paping and Jan Uitham. But also some very promising youngsters: 19 year old Hans van Helden and Henk Portengen. After an hour of exciting racing Hans van Helden was awarded the winner’s medal of the first national race. This was the start of a new discipline that (due to the distance of approximately 42 kilometers) is now officially known as Marathon Skating.
The classic concept of pack skate racing has always been popular. Perhaps the combination of physical and tactical qualities appeals to some basic human survival instinct, and therefore generates wide interest, both from participants and followers.
The men skate 123In the sixties a number of 400 meter (artificial) ice rinks were opened in the Netherlands. This made the organization of pack racing no longer dependent of real ice winters. Both skaters and public craved for a regular series of long distance pack races, so the climate was ready for the start of what is now the Marathon skating competition. The race formula was simple. All riders start together, skate anti clockwise on the 400 meter rink, The men skater 125 rounds, the women 80 rounds.The first rider to cross the finish line is the winner.
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A video of a race in 1991 is the oldest that we could find. At that time still several old "Elfstedentocht" skaters participated in the race but also some new stars. The style of skating is still the one of the typical long distance skater. This you can admire in the video above.
With some modifications this is still the format of a very successful competition now contested in the Netherlands. This national competition over 16 races is contested by the 75 highest qualified riders but there is also a National B competition for talented young riders. And of course a very strong national competition for female skaters. But this type of racing is popular in all age groups. With about 11.000 registered participants, marathon skating is by now the most popular skating discipline in Holland. The annual National Junior Championship is an event with some 500 contestants, the qualifiers from the various local youth competitions.
Not only for juniors, but perhaps still more for masters this type of racing has proved to be very popular. For instance every two weeks some 300 masters, in ages varying from 40 to over 70, are competing in the local competition in Amsterdam.
Not only for juniors, but perhaps still more for masters this type of racing has proved to be very popular. For instance every two weeks some 300 masters, in ages varying from 40 to over 70, are competing in the local competition in Amsterdam.
Through the years the sport has been more and more professionalized. The male and female national competitions are now contested by professional teams of which the members have sponsor contracts. This has considerably improved the training possibilities of the skaters. The standard of their performance has reached such a high level that several marathon skaters, both male and female have recently won Olympic and World Cup medals in long track races. E.g. Greta Smit, Carien Kleibeuker, Irene Schouten, Bart Veldkamp, Jorrit Bergsma, Bob de Vries, Douwe de Vries and Arjen Stroetinga.
In the Top division riders with the same sponsor are allowed to cooperate as a team consisting of max. 5 riders, as long as they avoid physical contact. Tactics and strategies are more or less comparable to those in cycling as you can see in the video below.
In the Top division riders with the same sponsor are allowed to cooperate as a team consisting of max. 5 riders, as long as they avoid physical contact. Tactics and strategies are more or less comparable to those in cycling as you can see in the video below.
So Marathon Skating has acquired a permanent and well rooted position in the Dutch Ice Skating World.