70 athletes from 20 nations take part in the European Speed Skating Championships

The weather conditions will decide whether the “outdoor world records” will be shaken again this time. The weather forecast calls for snow on Friday and rain on Saturday and Sunday. The 70 athletes from 20 countries will do their best to offer spectators high-class speed skating sport again. As was the case four years ago, most of the spectators come from the Netherlands. Speed skating is a national sport in the land of tulips, like football in Italy. The Dutch are always among the closest favorites at the European Championships.

The many Dutch fans would have loved to see their absolute favorite Sven Kramer win the European Championship title for the fifth time in a row in Klobenstein and perhaps break one or two “outdoor world records”. The Olympic champion and 13-time world champion from the Netherlands is missing the post-Olympic season due to a thigh injury and therefore cannot defend his European title in Klobenstein. Local speed skating enthusiasts are attracted by reduced admission prices and a rich supporting program in the festival tent on the Ritten.

The opening ceremony will take place on Epiphany starting at 19 p.m. at the Rittner Eisring. A flag parade with almost 100 Ritten children is planned on the ice ring. The Bohemian music band from Oberbozen will accompany the celebration with some pieces of music. After various speeches, there will be a small fireworks display at the end. State Governor Luis Durnwalder will also take part in the opening ceremony. The European Championships will be officially opened by the Swiss ISU representative Roland Maillard. The competition begins on Friday at 13 p.m. with the men's 500 meters. From 14 p.m. the men will run over 5000 meters. On Saturday there will be the women's 12 meter race from 500 p.m.

From 13 p.m. the men will be in action over 1500 meters. The women's 14.05 meters begins at 3000:12 p.m. The women's 1500 meters will take place on Sunday from 13.15 p.m. From 10.000:5000 p.m. the men will run their fourth distance over 15.30 meters. The title fights will end with the women's XNUMX meters (start: XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.).

In the men's category, after Sven Kramer withdrew from the start, there are four title contenders: the Italian Enrico Fabris, the Norwegian Havard Bökko, the Russian Iwan Skobrew and the French Alexis Contin. Fabris just recovered from the flu a few days ago. Whether his form will be enough to become European all-around champion for the second time will become clear at the weekend in Klobenstein. The Italian national team consists of Enrico Fabris, Luca Stefani and Marco Cignini.

Among the women, the defending champion Martina Sablikovà from the Czech Republic, who enjoys home advantage in Klobenstein, is the big favorite. The double Olympic champion from Vancouver spends more than three months a year on the Ritten for training purposes. Her first challenger is the Dutch 1500 meter Olympic champion Ireen Wüst.

There will be a great atmosphere at the Rittner Eisring on all three days of competition. As was the case four years ago, it will be fueled by the world-famous Dutch atmospheric band “De Glasblazers”, who will also be playing in the festival tent. There is a rich supporting program in the festival tent on Friday and Saturday evenings. On Friday the “Eule” party with the best sound in South Tyrol will take place there from 21 p.m. On Saturday, after the Ritten vs. Pustertal ice hockey game, the Puster rock band Volxrock will play in the festival tent. Festivities take place on all three competition days from 12 p.m.

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70 athletes from 20 nations take part in the European Speed Skating Championships

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Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

70 athletes from 20 nations take part in the European Speed ​​Skating Championships

Suggestions

Comments (0)

70 athletes from 20 nations take part in the European Speed Skating Championships