A gentleman skates the Elfstedentocht
The gentleman was Anto G.A. knight van Rappard.He was born in 1907 as a member of a family who had several official functions in the National Government. Anton was first mayor of Olst and later in Heemsteden.He was a very fanatic skater and kept a record of all his trips from 1933 till 1954.For example, he reports in the winter 1939/40 that he skated 1335 km, in the winter 1940/41 in total 1264 km and in 1941/42 in total 1102 km.
He participated 5 times in the Elfstedentocht in his own way. Here follows his story in reduced from of his “Elfstedentocht” in 1942. |
This was not a normal “Elfstedentocht”, he wanted to skate this tour alone with his friend Jaap Breen. They had received from their friend the organisor of the Elfstedentocht, Hepkema, carts of the official “Elfstedntocht” which were signed off in each town which they passed.
“We started at 5.15 in the morning in northern direction from Leeuwarden to Dokkum against the wind. It was very bad ice therefore we could not skate very fast. Nevertheless, the skating in the complete darkness and silence was an unforgettable experience. To get the stamp of their arrival in Dokkum, they lost a lot of time. We drank a glass of milk and started again at half past 7. We arrived in Franeker at a quarter to 10. There we drank again a glass of milk and went on to Harlingen and next to Bolsward where we arrived a quarter past 12. There we eat well in the house our friend Boersma. At half past 12 we went on.
We passed Workum and Hindenlopen and arrived at the house of our friend Kuperus in Staveren who only offered us cold coffee. Therefore, we called our friend Bos in Galamadammen to prepare for us a sausage-meal. Around 16.15 we stared to skate through the beautiful Gaasterland.
17.35 our cards were signed in Sloten and we went on to IJlst in complete dark again and with 14 degrees below zero. The last distance to Leeuwarden was rather hard but skating after each other we were fighting to finish these last kilometers with the enjoyment deep in us that we would reach our aim. The twinkling stars above use, the scratching of our skates and the thumping of the ice, accompanied us through the loneliness of the winter night. At half past 10 that evening we tied of our skates: two happy men. We made a run to our hotel.”
The next morning they went to the house of the organisor of the Elfstedentocht, Hepkema.
Van Rappard wrote: “After having drunk a good glass of Sherry and having told our experiences we received the medals of the “Elfstedentocht”.
They received the official medals of the tour although they had not participated in the official tour.
The next day the two friends skated back again to Zwolle (105km) and 5 days later they skated the official “Elfstedentocht”.
More information about this special skater can be found in the book of Couwenhoven and Snoep “Op smalle ijzers”.
“We started at 5.15 in the morning in northern direction from Leeuwarden to Dokkum against the wind. It was very bad ice therefore we could not skate very fast. Nevertheless, the skating in the complete darkness and silence was an unforgettable experience. To get the stamp of their arrival in Dokkum, they lost a lot of time. We drank a glass of milk and started again at half past 7. We arrived in Franeker at a quarter to 10. There we drank again a glass of milk and went on to Harlingen and next to Bolsward where we arrived a quarter past 12. There we eat well in the house our friend Boersma. At half past 12 we went on.
We passed Workum and Hindenlopen and arrived at the house of our friend Kuperus in Staveren who only offered us cold coffee. Therefore, we called our friend Bos in Galamadammen to prepare for us a sausage-meal. Around 16.15 we stared to skate through the beautiful Gaasterland.
17.35 our cards were signed in Sloten and we went on to IJlst in complete dark again and with 14 degrees below zero. The last distance to Leeuwarden was rather hard but skating after each other we were fighting to finish these last kilometers with the enjoyment deep in us that we would reach our aim. The twinkling stars above use, the scratching of our skates and the thumping of the ice, accompanied us through the loneliness of the winter night. At half past 10 that evening we tied of our skates: two happy men. We made a run to our hotel.”
The next morning they went to the house of the organisor of the Elfstedentocht, Hepkema.
Van Rappard wrote: “After having drunk a good glass of Sherry and having told our experiences we received the medals of the “Elfstedentocht”.
They received the official medals of the tour although they had not participated in the official tour.
The next day the two friends skated back again to Zwolle (105km) and 5 days later they skated the official “Elfstedentocht”.
More information about this special skater can be found in the book of Couwenhoven and Snoep “Op smalle ijzers”.
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