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> As ice grows thicker people from all walks of life start to get involved to organize the event. This is not completely accurate. Sure, koek-en-zopie stuff mi
by lcrz 6y ago
> As ice grows thicker people from all walks of life start to get involved to organize the event.
This is not completely accurate. Sure, koek-en-zopie stuff might be organized by local restaurants or whatever, but the Elfstedentocht itself is prepared (almost) completely every single year. There is a whole foundation with internal hierarchy that oversees the process. The whole parcourse can be constructed on a 48 hour notice. The waterschappen don't stop their pumps out of hospitality or something, it is all pretty well organized.
- hutzlibu 6y ago"The waterschappen don't stop their pumps out of hospitality or something," So do they get compensation?
- Ichthypresbyter 6y agoI don't actually know, but waterschappen are elected bodies (in elections that are completely separate from those for local and national government, and in which all residents, including foreigners, can vote). Presumably making the effort to allow skating is a vote winner. Even in places outside Friesland, when it looks like skating will be possible various authorities take steps to encourage ice formation by closing sluice gates and stopping boat traffic.
- tinco 6y agoI don't think they do, pretty sure they stop out of hospitality..
- guitarro 6y agoIt's actually pretty well organised, since it's a big event, lots of things need to come together to be able to organise it in 48hrs time. Also the Dutch government has classified it as a so-called 'GRIP-1' type event, which means that all kinds of things have to be coordinated with the local & national government. There is a great documentary (in Dutch) that shows what the foundation behind the Elfstedentocht has to go through every year to make sure they're ready in case the conditions are right to organise the race, not sure if it's available outside of NL: https://www.npostart.nl/VPWON_1302414 https://www.npostart.nl/VPWON_1302414
- jb1991 6y agoBelieve it or not, in a lot of modern countries around the world, compensation is not the guiding priority of society.