Icy conditions delay marathon skating in the Netherlands

The race to host the first professional marathon of the season on natural ice has yet to begin in the Netherlands, despite dropping temperatures in some parts of the country. Traditionally, ice rinks in the northern and eastern regions compete to hold the opening event. However, even with temperatures predicted to plunge well below freezing on Monday night, the conditions aren’t favorable for creating the necessary ice for the race, according to ice technicians in Winterswijk, Noordlaren, and Nieuw-Buinen.

"The key is clear skies," said Hendrik van Prooije, ice technician in Winterswijk. "You can make ice if the sky is clear, but with cloud cover, it's impossible." On Sunday evening, volunteers were ready to begin preparing the ice, but it was too cloudy, and van Prooije called off the plan. "Then, an hour later, the sky cleared, and in hindsight, we could have started after all."

For a marathon on natural ice, 3 centimeters of ice is required, and it can take 1 to 1.5 millimeters of water per hour to create that amount. "You need about 20 hours, and ideally, two consecutive nights of cold temperatures," van Prooije explained. For recreational skating, 5 to 10 millimeters of ice is needed. In Winterswijk, there’s hope that this can be achieved overnight, with club members potentially taking to the ice starting at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

In Haaksbergen, there was just 1 centimeter of ice by Monday morning, and local skaters hoped for a good ice day. "It looked promising with a few nights of moderate frost," said club president Mark van der Meijde. "But with the full sun on Monday morning, it's no longer a possibility."

Further north, predictions of -4 degrees were deemed insufficient for the race, according to Bert Drent, president of the rink in Nieuw-Buinen. "That’s not enough. We can make ice, but not enough for a marathon," he said. "The temperature needs to be at least -6 degrees, and the sun can’t be shining brightly by 11 a.m., as it’s expected to do." However, recreational skaters in Drenthe may still be able to use the rink.

About 30 kilometers further north in Noordlaren, there’s still no talk of skating fever. "No, we’re not there yet," said ice technician Kars Kroeze. While temperatures in Twente, Gelderland, Noord-Brabant, and Limburg are expected to dip to -4 to -8 degrees Monday night, skating in the north will remain out of reach for now, with temperatures hovering around the freezing point.