The Norwegians, with Sander Eitrem, Peder Kongshaug and Sverre Lunde Pedersen, were much faster than the Dutch defending champions with a world record of 3.34.22. Last year in March, Bosker won the world title in the team pursuit with Patrick Roest and Beau Snellink. The Italian team finished in 3:40.47.
The Norwegians are the reigning Olympic champions with Kongshaug, Pedersen and Engebraten. Eitrem, Kongshaug and Pedersen were faster than the top time of 3.34.47 that the Americans had set in Salt Lake City in 2021. They also remained well below the track record of 3.37.97 with which Bosker won the European title with Sven Kramer and Patrick Roest two years ago.
The Belgian team, consisting of Bart Swings, Jason Suttels and Indra Médard, did not reach the finish in this team pursuit. Suttels fell. Poland and France finished fourth and fifth off the podium in Heerenveen.
National record was possible
The strategy was for veteran Swings to skate in the lead for eight laps. “An occasional hand from Indra in the back. That really helps,” says Swings. The fall is no reason for roller skating instructor Suttels to question his choice of skating. “Oh come on. I have only just started this sport.”
“If Suttels had stayed on his feet, there could have been a national record,” Swings considered. That has been 3:45.64 for more than ten years and was ridden by Swings, his brother Maarten and Ferre Spruyt in Salt Lake City. There, the Belgian pursuers skate a World Cup competition over three sections. In Utah they can qualify for the world championship, next month in Calgary.
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Dutch women take first European title in team sprint
The Dutch women have won the team sprint title for the first time. Marit Fledderus, Femke Kok and Antoinette Rijpma-de Jong were faster than Poland and Norway with a time of 1.27.36.
Rijpma-de Jong, as the third driver, was unable to stay in the wake of Fledderus and Kok. With her final lap she still remained below the time of 1.28.06 of the Polish skaters. At the previous European Championships in 2022 in Heerenveen, the skaters did not participate in the team sprint. In 2018 and 2020 they took silver behind Russia. The Russian and Belarusian skaters are not allowed to participate in this European Championship due to the war in Ukraine.
Groenewoud plays a trick on Schouten
Marijke Groenewoud surprised with the European title in the 3000 meters in Thialf. The 24-year-old from North Holland beat Olympic champion Irene Schouten and world champion Ragne Wiklund from Norway with a time of 3.56.27.
Groenewoud defeated Wiklund in the final round, who always stayed at a good distance and achieved the third fastest time of 3.59.09. Groenewoud kept up the fast laps and also stayed below Schouten’s split times, who had to settle for silver with 3.58.70. Wiklund suffered her last defeat in the 3000 meters in November 2022, when Schouten defeated her in Thialf with a track record of 3.54.04. After that, the Norwegian was about half a second faster at the World Cup on the same ice rink. Schouten was even faster than Groenewoud a week earlier at the Dutch National Championship.
Our compatriot Sandrine Tas did not play a significant role. Of the sixteen participants, she finished eleventh in a time of 4.14.19.
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Kjeld Nuis is Jenning de Boo’s boss at 1000 meters
Mathias Vosté would also take eleventh place after the 1000 meters for the men. He set a time of 1.09.37. 1.50 seconds slower than winner Kjeld Nuis. The Dutchman was faster than his compatriot De Boo (1.08.14) in 1.07.87. Finally, Tim Prins took away the bronze.
Two years ago, Nuis had to settle for silver behind compatriot Thomas Krol, who also won the Olympic title in the kilometer a month later. Krol is missing from this European Championship. He failed to qualify for the Dutch National Championship a week earlier.
Less than a week earlier, De Boo had impressively won the Dutch title with 1.07.37. In the ride against the German Hendrik Dombek, he was unable to skate a lap of 24.4, just like then. He was also slightly slower in the final round with 27.0 than last week.
Intermediate station
For Tas and Vosté, the European title fight is nothing more than an intermediate station. Their eyes are on the World Cup races, which will be held in Salt Lake City in three weeks. There on the fast ice – 1,425 meters above sea level – they can qualify for the world championships in Calgary next month. And Calgary (height 1,105 meters) also has fast ice due to the lower air resistance. Although Tas doesn’t have to worry too much for the mass start. In that respect she occupies fifth place in the global rankings.
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