4 ms·

It only makes the event more mythological. Also, it's easy for non-Dutch to underestimate how big of a deal speedskating is to the Dutch (and how big of a deal

It only makes the event more mythological. Also, it's easy for non-Dutch to underestimate how big of a deal speedskating is to the Dutch (and how big of a deal the Dutch are in speedskating). EDIT: I'll attempt to give an impression. The medal count at the 2018 Winter Olympics might be a good starting point, look at how the Dutch dominated that event[0]. Keep in mind that we're a really tiny nation, so that suggests a disproportionate amount of Olympic-level speedskaters per capita. Which only makes sense if it's a really big sport here. Another example: I assume that when you ask the average American who Shani Davis is you'll get a blank stare, despite his great achievements[1]. Ask the average Dutch person and they'll know, and might even tell you about "that cute fridge-scene with the Erben Wennemars picture"[2][3]. Now let's compare other nations where speedskating is still a thing. Nao Kodara might be a bit more famous in Japan than Davis is in the US, but check out her Twitter bio and you'll see a photo of the Elfstedentocht monument[4][5][6]. To professional speedskaters all over the world, the Dutch are an example (the fact that we often love them more than most people in their own country probably doesn't hurt either). So yeah, speedskating is deeply embedded in the Dutch national identity, arguably even more than soccer because it feels like our sport. You do make me wonder if narratives around national identity work a little differently on smaller scales though (remember that the Netherlands is a small nation of about 17.5 million people). Maybe the US is too big for a thing like this. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_skating_at_the_2018_Winter_Olympics#Medal_summary https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_skating_at_the_2018_Wint... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shani_Davis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shani_Davis [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWNKa6eK2NU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWNKa6eK2NU [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erben_Wennemars https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erben_Wennemars [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nao_Kodaira https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nao_Kodaira [5] https://twitter.com/Nao_kodaira https://twitter.com/Nao_kodaira [6] https://yktoo.com/en/blog/post/2015/11/22-the-monument-of-elfstedentocht/ https://yktoo.com/en/blog/post/2015/11/22-the-monument-of-el...

Vinnl 6y ago
I didn't know [2], but that was lovely. That said, the same things you said hold for Korfball as well, which definitely doesn't whip up the same fervour as an Elfstedentocht does.
- vanderZwan 6y ago
  Speak for yourself, I played korfball for twelve years ;). Jokes aside, korfball isn't an olympic sport, and it didn't have Ard & Keessie to popularize it either. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ard_Schenk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ard_Schenk [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kees_Verkerk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kees_Verkerk
float4 6y ago
> Maybe the US is too big for a thing like this I think you yourself don't realise that not everyone in the Netherlands cares about speed skating and the Elfstedentocht. I'm Dutch. Early twenties. I go roller blading in the summer, and I speed skate in the winter if weather permits. But the Elfstedentocht? It has never taken place during my life. My friends and I don't care about the Elfstedentocht at all because we've simply never experienced it. We don't get the "Elfstedentochtkoorts" whenever the mercury drops below 0. Not at all. > deeply embedded in the Dutch national identity, arguably even more than soccer I bet the average young person from Rotterdam cares a whole lot more about Feyenoord and the Dutch football team than they care about some 200km speed skating contest that very rarely takes place in a province in the north.
- vanderZwan 6y ago
  You make a good point, and I think I could have phrased that more clearly. I meant that it arguably is more Dutch than soccer is, because soccer is big in every country that isn't the US. But you're right that I didn't take age into account. I'm in my late thirties, I remember skating on natural ice almost every winter during my childhood. I don't know if you had the same experience.
jacquesm 6y ago
"our sport" is Fierljeppen.

Vinnl 6y ago

I didn't know [2], but that was lovely. That said, the same things you said hold for Korfball as well, which definitely doesn't whip up the same fervour as an Elfstedentocht does.

vanderZwan 6y ago
Speak for yourself, I played korfball for twelve years ;). Jokes aside, korfball isn't an olympic sport, and it didn't have Ard & Keessie to popularize it either. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ard_Schenk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ard_Schenk [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kees_Verkerk https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kees_Verkerk

float4 6y ago

> Maybe the US is too big for a thing like this I think you yourself don't realise that not everyone in the Netherlands cares about speed skating and the Elfstedentocht. I'm Dutch. Early twenties. I go roller blading in the summer, and I speed skate in the winter if weather permits. But the Elfstedentocht? It has never taken place during my life. My friends and I don't care about the Elfstedentocht at all because we've simply never experienced it. We don't get the "Elfstedentochtkoorts" whenever the mercury drops below 0. Not at all. > deeply embedded in the Dutch national identity, arguably even more than soccer I bet the average young person from Rotterdam cares a whole lot more about Feyenoord and the Dutch football team than they care about some 200km speed skating contest that very rarely takes place in a province in the north.

vanderZwan 6y ago
You make a good point, and I think I could have phrased that more clearly. I meant that it arguably is more Dutch than soccer is, because soccer is big in every country that isn't the US. But you're right that I didn't take age into account. I'm in my late thirties, I remember skating on natural ice almost every winter during my childhood. I don't know if you had the same experience.

jacquesm 6y ago

"our sport" is Fierljeppen.