Marathons on artificial ice
Paragraph. HThe most succesful adjustment to the climate change with respect to speed skating on long distances was the development of a marathon competition on artificial ice. Each satarday evening a mathon races were organized for speed skaters. The men competed in race of 125 rounds of 400 meters in one of the ice tracks in tThe Netherlands, the women competed in a race over 80 rounds. There are such competitions for the best skaters, the A selection and a B selection of very promising skaters. There is also a junior competitions and competions for veterans. These were a lot of participants in this sport. Concentrating on a A selection we can mention the following results. At the end of the year there follows the race for the national championship. The results of this championship are presented in the table below.. az clic aquí para editar.
In the periode between 2008 and 2019 Arjan Stroetinga wonin 7 times the competition. Irene Schouten won the last 7 years the female championship. One has too take into account that both were member of a team 4 or 5 professional skaters which all help the strongest skater of the team to win the race. In the end they have to win ofcourse by them selves because nobody else can do it for them.
It will be clear that the best skaters of the marathon competition are so well trained that they may have a chance to win in long track speed skating.especially at the longer distances. Therefore Arjan Stroetinga, Irenen Schouten en also Jorrit Bergsma have with succes participated in long track speed skating championships even in the international championships. We will come back to this issue later. when we report about their participation in international long track speed skating..
Although this is an exciting sport, it is especially popular in The Netherlands.In other countries there are not the facilities neither the number of skaters for these races. Some foreign speed skaters, for example Bart Swings, participated in these competitions , trainong for the long track speed skating championships. Because they became too succesful in this way in the long track speed skating competitions it was decided in 2023 that foreigners were not allowed anymore to participate in this marathon competition. I am glad to mention that this decsion later that year, after protest of many people, has been cancelled again so that foreigners can again participate in Dutch Mrarthon competition on artifical ice..Below we pay attention to the two best marathon skaters so far Arjan Stroetinga and Irene Schouten.
It will be clear that the best skaters of the marathon competition are so well trained that they may have a chance to win in long track speed skating.especially at the longer distances. Therefore Arjan Stroetinga, Irenen Schouten en also Jorrit Bergsma have with succes participated in long track speed skating championships even in the international championships. We will come back to this issue later. when we report about their participation in international long track speed skating..
Although this is an exciting sport, it is especially popular in The Netherlands.In other countries there are not the facilities neither the number of skaters for these races. Some foreign speed skaters, for example Bart Swings, participated in these competitions , trainong for the long track speed skating championships. Because they became too succesful in this way in the long track speed skating competitions it was decided in 2023 that foreigners were not allowed anymore to participate in this marathon competition. I am glad to mention that this decsion later that year, after protest of many people, has been cancelled again so that foreigners can again participate in Dutch Mrarthon competition on artifical ice..Below we pay attention to the two best marathon skaters so far Arjan Stroetinga and Irene Schouten.