Another icy day in NL; skaters union hopes to launch first natural ice marathon

Tuesday will be another icy cold day in the Netherlands, according to Weeronline. Maximum temperatures will hover around freezing, but a strong wind will make it feel much colder, the weather service warns.

Dutch skaters union KNSB hopes to announce their first skating marathon on natural ice today. Four skating clubs - Noordlaren, Haaksbergen, Veenoord or Arnhem - are in the running to host the first marathon. "The question is not whether we can hold a marathon, but where and when we can start", Willem Hut, marathon coordinator at the KNSB, said to RTL Nieuws. "As it looks now, the chances are that we can finally hold a four day event again." That would mean a skating marathon at each of the four clubs. 

For a marathon to happen, the ice must be at least three centimeters thick. "All four ice rinks are well on their way. Haaksbergen and Arnhem have a slight advantage over the competition", Hut said to the broadcaster, adding that much depends on how the weather will look in the coming days. "We're keeping our fingers crossed for some clouds during the day, so that the sun stays away."

According to Weeronline, there will be some periods of sunshine on Tuesday, though cloud cover will take over during the afternoon. Some areas may even see a bit of snow. Wednesday will be even colder with maximums between -2 and -4 degrees expected.