Video: Espelo builds 16-meter snowman, reclaiming Dutch record from Staphorst
After five days of intensive work, residents of Espelo have reclaimed the title of the Netherlands’ largest snowman, surpassing a recent record set in Staphorst. The new snowman measures 14.21 meters tall, or 16.1 meters including its hat, RTV Oost reports.
The project involved roughly 60 villagers who worked day and night to construct the massive figure. Jort Steegink, one of the organizers, said the team reached out to the builders who held the previous record in 1991 for advice. "We then met Thursday evening to discuss how we would build the frame," he told RTV Oost. "We ended up using plates from an old manure silo and made three different frames: one three meters, one five meters, and one six meters. That already started to look like a snowman."
Espelo had held the record for about 25 years until Staphorst built a snowman roughly 12 meters tall last week. "Nice that they tried, but a snowman really looks different," Steegink joked. "We can do better."
Construction faced setbacks from thawing and heavy rain, but the team persevered. By early afternoon on Friday, the snowman had reached the 12-meter mark, but builders continued adding snow to ensure a decisive win.
The snowman is not entirely white due to older snow being used, but the builders confirmed all material was real snow. "You can see the white has faded a bit, but it’s all real snow," Steegink told RTV Oost. The team celebrated the achievement with enthusiasm. "We will definitely have a few beers for this," he added.
