Speedskating in Austria

March, 2001

reprinted from The Herald

Local Youth Goes to Austria
For 200K Skating Races

Almost 10,000 speedskaters attended this year's skating marathon on Austria's highest lake, the Weissensee. I was among a small group of 10 Americans in attendance.

The event's organizing committee is from the one country where marathon speedskating is the ultimate winter passion, the Netherlands. What's the joy in downhill skiing, after all, in a country where the highest elevation is around 300 feet?

There are two main categories of events in Austria: "tour" and "elite." As a first-year speedskater, I chose to participate in two 200K "tour" events (about 120 miles), finishing each in about seven and a half hours. The events themselves were a real experience, right from the gun.

Almost 2000 skaters would have to start their marathon at the same time for some events. But if they all started at the same location, they might break the ice! So the organizers resorted to every trick to confuse the racers about the time and location of the start.

There were several different signs pointing to different starting lines hundreds of meters apart. The announcer insisted in English, Dutch, and German that everyone must keep circulating and pointed in every which direction. And, though my jet-lagged sense of time may not have been accurate, it also seemed that they even started one event before the official start time.

Once the events were underway, nourishment was provided twice on each 10-mile lap: raisin bread, cheese, peeled oranges, tea, energy drink, and pea soup. We had wonderful weather, and we clipped off miles at a quick, pleasant pace for the whole race.

My finishing place for the "fast tour" was 57th out of 800. But if you think that sounds good, note that the "tour" skaters are mostly older men and women who can actually afford to pay their own way to this event.

The real racers in the elite races are on Dutch speedskating teams which have sponsors to pay for all expenses (and in some cases, salaries). And my natural competition of mid-twenties non-elite skaters are mostly back in Amsterdam watching the event on Dutch TV.

Because very little international competition exists for marathon speedskating, it is not included as an Olympic sport. The Dutch, seeing dozens of Olympic medals within their grasp, would like to popularize the sport around the world so that it can become an Olympic sport eventually.

In the meantime, the Dutch marathon organization will again hold its 10-day event in Austria next year. However, they are also planning a 200K event near Salt Lake City during the 2002 winter Olympics. You can bet that the first 10 finishers in the elite 200K race will all be Dutch, and most likely the top 50. If the TV networks cooperate, we may see it alongside the standard Olympic games.

But if you are inclined, come practice with the Montshire speedskating club next fall in Hanover and on Lake Morey. You might just end up skating in Salt Lake City yourself. You might just end up being one of the top ten non-Dutch finishers of 200K! I hope to see you there! By Peter Christopher

Peter Christopher, the son of Peter Kawecki and Bonnie Kawecki, lives in Randolph.