Eleven Cities' Tour also mastered by endurance runners

Eight finish the 210 kilometres

LEEUWARDEN - The ‘Elfstedentocht' is a long-distance skating event that has captured the imagination of the entire country, and of Frisians and other skating enthusiasts all over the world. Other athletes also have mastered the 200 kilometres long tour on bicycles, scooters, by canoe and sailboard. Recently, eight endurance runners completed the tour for the first time.The first organized skating tour was held in 1909, although there is evidence that skaters in the 18th and 19th century already completed similar events. The Eleven Cities Association has organized the tour ever 1912. The last few decennia it was forced to limit the number of participants in the tour event held consecutively with the race to about 18,000. Many, many more vie for membership.

The first organized skating race was held in 1909, although there are records that skaters in the 18th and 19th century already had completed similar events. The Eleven Cities Association has organized the tour ever since 1912, being forced the last few decennia to limit the number of participants in the tour event held coincidentally with the race to about 18,000. Many, many more vie for membership. The ‘Elfstedentocht' goes along the eleven towns in Friesland who over the centuries have received an official city charter. Starting at the provincial capital of Leeuwarden, the modern route goes south to Sneek, then to neighbouring IJlst and from there southwest to Sloten, the smallest of the eleven, westwards to the coastal town of Stavoren, then north to Hindeloopen and Workum. Next, the tour turns inland to Bolsward and heads northwest to Harlingen and Franeker. By far the longest segment then goes eastwards, past Leeuwarden, onto Dokkum. The home stretch follows part of the same route back to the finish line at Leeuwarden.While recent speed skaters have completed the grueling tour in about seven hours, tour riders take much longer to reach the finish line. Other athletes, such as surfboarders and canoers only travel by day, so their tour could take as much as a week, including overnight stops.

The winning time of the endurance run - all athletes had a ‘chaparone/guide' accompanying them on a bicycle - was just over 18 hours and 40 minutes. Wim Eskamp, a 48 year-old runner from Hoofddorp by far was the fastest of the group of eight finishers. He even beat organizers and medical staff: they had not counted on a record-setting pace. Eskamp's closest rival took more than two and a half hours longer to complete the race. Five of the thirteen who had started the Elfstedentocht failed to finish it.The Elfstedentocht-on-skates by far is the most anticipated single-day sporting event in the Netherlands. The moment in winter when temperatures dip below freezing point, people start speculating on the prospects of an Elfstedentocht. Of course, it all depends on the condition of the ice, and that again is based on a number of unpredictable factors, such as the period of sustained frost, but also on pollution and environmental issues which in numerous spots delay water from freezing over with ice.

The ‘Elfstedentocht' was held in 1909, 1912, 1917, 1929, 1933, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1947, 1954, 1956, 1963, 1985, 1986 and 1997. The winner in 1909 was Minne Hoekstra, the last was Henk Angenent in 1997. Multiple winners were Coen de Koning (1912/1917); Auke Adema (1940/1941) and Evert van Benthem (1985/1986), now a resident of Alberta, Canada. Crown Prince Willem Alexander registered in the 1986 event under the name W.A. van Buren, one of his multiple titles.