Yearly skating in Davos
So far I have concentrated on skating the “Elfstedentocht” and alternatives for this 200km tour. However I was also skating since 1977 on the skating rink in Amsterdam every Sunday morning with my friends and occasionally during the week in the evening as well. I have described this earlier. Here I would like to pay attention to another yearly skating activity. Mostly the second week of January we went with a part of our skating and cycling group to Davos for skating. This week was chosen because it was the cheapest week in the season. After the Christmas season and before the World Economic Forum would take place the hotel costs were considerably lower.
Why did we go to the skating rink in Davos?
Before 1978 Irmtraud and I went to different towns with skating facilities such as Davos, Innsbruck, Inzell, Cortina d´Ampezo, Collalbo and Hamar. I was also skating once in Calgary during the summer. Of all these places where one could skated and which were easy to reach, Davos was by far the most attractive one because of the nice climate, the pleasant small town, the beautiful surroundings and the large number of speed skaters that went there at the same time, preparing and relaxing for the coming season. Because Irmtraud agreed with me with respect to all these points, except for the staking which she was not interested in, Davos became the place where went nearly every winter for a week.
Why did we go to the skating rink in Davos?
Before 1978 Irmtraud and I went to different towns with skating facilities such as Davos, Innsbruck, Inzell, Cortina d´Ampezo, Collalbo and Hamar. I was also skating once in Calgary during the summer. Of all these places where one could skated and which were easy to reach, Davos was by far the most attractive one because of the nice climate, the pleasant small town, the beautiful surroundings and the large number of speed skaters that went there at the same time, preparing and relaxing for the coming season. Because Irmtraud agreed with me with respect to all these points, except for the staking which she was not interested in, Davos became the place where went nearly every winter for a week.
The first time
The first timethat we went to Davos there were the East German women skating round after round. At that time the German women won nearly all prizes in speed skating world championships. They were skating very fast as a team. It was impressive to watch. I could not follow behind them of course, even when they were skating relatively relaxed and that happened only very seldom. |
Fortunately I met some Dutch skaters who liked to skate on a track in approximately the same speed as me. Rik had skated in Dutch selection teams and was still the best. Ruut was working in the agriculture and had also a good condition, Siewert was a pilot of the Swiss Air who therefore lived in Switzerland. It was a great pleasure to skate with them and sit down on the tribune and watch the speed skaters from the different countries skating their rounds and talk about skating and all other things that came up. |
A special opportunity
The year 1989 was the last time that the national speed skating teams were participating in international races in Davos and there was even a world record realized. The Dutch team was there too and also our group. We had to skate at the training side during the races but that did not bother us. We enjoyed the skating as usual.
The Dutch television was also in Davos and in order to make a video for the television, the Dutch team skated so slow that I could even follow behind them a couple of rounds. I did this because I thought that this was my chance to get on the television with the Dutch team. I would have liked to show you a video of the Dutch National team. However the television reporter, Mart Smeets, became at some point extremely angry and started to scream to me that I had to leave, the fun was over for me and I stopped.
The year 1989 was the last time that the national speed skating teams were participating in international races in Davos and there was even a world record realized. The Dutch team was there too and also our group. We had to skate at the training side during the races but that did not bother us. We enjoyed the skating as usual.
The Dutch television was also in Davos and in order to make a video for the television, the Dutch team skated so slow that I could even follow behind them a couple of rounds. I did this because I thought that this was my chance to get on the television with the Dutch team. I would have liked to show you a video of the Dutch National team. However the television reporter, Mart Smeets, became at some point extremely angry and started to scream to me that I had to leave, the fun was over for me and I stopped.
We contunued our own skating in our own speed. Below is the video of us. First Willem is in the front before me and Arie and BerendJan joins us a bit later. This kind of skating sems boring but it is the way we also skate in long tours like the "Elfstedentocht". We are not speed skaters like the Dutch team. We try to continue in an easy movement , changing positions as previously agreed upon. So you see that at some point I took over the front position from Willem. This kind of skating in a fluid style relax my body still now being 76 years old.
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Davos lost its status
A few years later there was only one national speed skater (Bart Veldkamp) on the track when we came. In between several times the temperature had been too high so that the ice became too soft, therefore the national teams preferred more secure ice rinks with artificial ice. We did not worry too much if we could not skate one day but for them it was more important. Therefore this was the beginning of the end of Davos as speed skating paradise. We still enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere of town and the skating rink. So, we were there again and we were skating our rounds. This times even with more members of our group. Also Nico and Hans joined us this year in Davos.
A few years later there was only one national speed skater (Bart Veldkamp) on the track when we came. In between several times the temperature had been too high so that the ice became too soft, therefore the national teams preferred more secure ice rinks with artificial ice. We did not worry too much if we could not skate one day but for them it was more important. Therefore this was the beginning of the end of Davos as speed skating paradise. We still enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere of town and the skating rink. So, we were there again and we were skating our rounds. This times even with more members of our group. Also Nico and Hans joined us this year in Davos.
The last time for Dirk
2007 was a special year because one member of our group, Dirk, had been diagnosed with cancer which could not be cured. Nevertheless he wanted to go for a last time to Davos to enjoy the nice experience of skating and being together in this nice surrounding with his friends. In the video we see him skating at the end of the group for the last time in Davos. He tremendously enjoyed this week but unfortunately died a short time later. I like present this video here in memory of him. This was the first person of our group who died.
2007 was a special year because one member of our group, Dirk, had been diagnosed with cancer which could not be cured. Nevertheless he wanted to go for a last time to Davos to enjoy the nice experience of skating and being together in this nice surrounding with his friends. In the video we see him skating at the end of the group for the last time in Davos. He tremendously enjoyed this week but unfortunately died a short time later. I like present this video here in memory of him. This was the first person of our group who died.