Irene Schouten has won the Dutch marathon skating title on artificial ice for the eighth time in a row. Maaike Verweij from Veenhuizen won the silver.
The three-time Olympic champion Schouten crossed the finish line solo after a hundred laps on the Leeuwarden ice rink. The rider from team AH-Zaanlander broke away from a leading group of four, which included two teammates, a few laps before the end.
One of those teammates, Maaike Verweij from Drenthe, skated to silver 14 seconds behind. Femke Mossinkhoff (Van Ramshorst Renault) finished third and prevented a full AH-Zaanlander podium. Arianne Pruisscher finished fourth.
Catch your breath
The race ignited after 74 laps when Mossinkhoff took off and Verweij and Pruisscher followed. Working well together, the trio took a comfortable lead. About fifteen laps before the end, Schouten increased her pace and steadily closed the gap to the leading trio. Once connected, she took a moment to catch her breath and placed her decisive acceleration a few laps before the end.
Schouten reacted enthusiastically to her eighth title at the NOS. “After a solo and with a teammate on stage. Very nice,” said the 31-year-old from North Holland, who had won gold in the 3000 and 5000 meters at the National Championships distances after Christmas and won the Dutch title in the mass start for the tenth time.
Team game
Schouten praised her team’s team play. “Arianne and Maaike were already gone and then Marijke (Groenewoud, ed.) tried to jump over. Other girls had to drive up to her, after which I could place my attack. So Marijke played a large part in my victory. In the leading group I considered waiting until the sprint, because I knew I was the fastest. But the other girls saw that I was good and said: go ahead.”