Elfstedentocht: The famed, frozen race that may never return - BBC Sport
Every winter, a cross-country skating race is organised in the Netherlands. For the past 27 winters it hasn't happened. But a nation holds out hope.
15 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingBy Matthew KenyonBBC Sport Image source, Anneke Bleeker Image caption, Leffert Oldenkamp (front) competes in the 1963 Elfstedentocht
Sign up for notifications to the latest Insight features via the BBC Sport app and find the most recent in the series.
"There was no other way but to get moving - otherwise you were freezing. And lots of people were freezing - frozen eyes, frozen toes, whatever. Your weak parts, frozen!"
It's 18 January 1963 and Leffert Oldenkamp is skating through the dark, freezing, foggy morning.
He has had next to no sleep, the temperature is a bone-chilling -18C, and the icy wind cuts through his clothes.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/winter-sports/67926417?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA
Rating: 5