Jan Roelof Kruithof from Havelte appreciates the performance that Jochem Kerssies from Groningen achieved last weekend. Kerssies skated 680 kilometers in 24 hours. That is about 25 kilometers more than Kruithof achieved his Recordrit 31 years ago.
According to the 88-year-old Kruithof it is a “whole achievement”, but “my record is still”. According to Kruithof, the record of Kerssies was driven, among other things.
Kruithof does not refer to the skates that he rode with the folding skates of Kerssies. It also does not bother him that Kerssies drove the 680 kilometers on an inner lane and Kruithof traveled his 655 kilometers on the Buitenbaan of Baselga di Piné in 1994.
“Kardinge is not the problem,” says Kruithof. “Only Jochem who were renewed once in a while. That wasn’t the case in my time.”
According to him, the record of Kruithof was held by starting with a man or six to seven at the same time and the one who had traveled most meters at the end got the record to his name. “He always had a new driver, but records should be held under the same circumstances,” he says firmly.
Kruithof was there last weekend and even gave the starting signal for the record of Kerssies. “I was partly there. I have a new heart valve and it was all a bit tiring for me. Then I went home.”
Whether he has lost his record or does not leave him ‘the other’. Kruithof: “I say it’s a different record. Fantastic what he did. He drove many kilometers, but my record clearly drove conditions.”
The 31-year old record has been attacked several times in the past. “But that was under the same conditions and then they all left behind,” says Kruithof.
Nevertheless, he respects the ride of Kerssies. “I don’t get his performance. Jochem really did well.”
The people around Kruithof also unanimously agreed with him: this has been a different competition. “I gave my opinion and what people are going to do with it, they have to know for themselves.”