The first marathon on natural ice does not seem to go to Nieuw-Buinen in the evening – before a night of moderate frost. The KNSB says that ‘Burgum and Noordlaren are currently in the lead’. Nieuw-Buinen and Haaksbergen are slightly behind these ice rinks in terms of ice developments.
Tomorrow morning Willem Hut will visit the first ice rinks on behalf of the KNSB that indicate that the ice is thick enough. Hut calls the chance that tomorrow evening the first marathon on natural ice can be held. “Let’s keep it at 80 percent.” He just can’t yet point out an ice rink where the marathon will take place. “That can be at any of the four ice rinks mentioned,” says Hut.
A marathon on natural ice requires an ice layer of at least three centimeters. Last night the weather conditions were not ideal, but for next night it looks like the ice is going to get thick enough.