Elfstedentocht

Elfstedentocht

December, January, or February

The day of this famous ice skating race in the Netherlands depends on the weather and the thickness of the ice. In the 18th century, young men in the northern part of the country, known as Friesland, would try to skate all the canals that connected the province's 11 towns. Today the Eleven Cities Race covers the same 124-mile course, but increasingly mild winters have made its timing less dependable. As many as 16,000 men and women have competed in the race at one time, which takes several hours to complete.

CONTACTS:
De Friesche Elf Steden Association
P.O. Box 569
Leeuwarden, 8901 BJ Netherlands
31-58-215-5020; fax: 31-58-213-8520
www.elfstedentocht.nl

SOURCES:
BkHolWrld-1986, Jan 22