Marathon skaters Veerle van Koppen and Daan Gelling secured overall victories in the grand prix series held on natural ice in Lulea, Sweden.
NOS, Netherlands.
The final races of the grand prix series took place on a cold morning in Lulea, beginning at 7:30 a.m. to avoid the expected thaw later in the day. With temperatures around -2 degrees Celsius and minimal wind, the conditions were ideal for skating. Veerle van Koppen claimed first place in the women’s race, overtaking her teammate Esther Kiel in the overall standings. Van Koppen was part of a leading group of six skaters after 70 kilometers. Together with Judith Krabbenborg, she broke away from the others with 14 kilometers remaining and went on to skate solo during the final lap along the Bothnian Bay.
For 29-year-old Esther Kiel, representing Puur ICT-BTZ, the outcome was disappointing as it marked the end of her career. Kiel, who won four out of six grand prix races this season, is retiring due to a lack of enjoyment in the sport, despite not securing the overall title.
The grand prix consists of an annual series of six marathon skating races on natural ice abroad. The first three events are held on Austria’s Weissensee, while the last three take place on the Bothnian Bay near Lulea in Sweden.
In the men’s race, the distance was 150 kilometers. A breakaway group of seven formed approximately two-thirds into the race and maintained their lead until the finish. With one kilometer remaining, the front runners launched their final sprint as the main group trailed by about a minute. Hylke de Boer narrowly won the race, finishing just ahead of the others. Daan Gelling took second place and preserved his small overall points lead, securing the series victory. At 25 years old, Gelling did not win any individual grand prix races but consistently placed well, reaching the podium three times and finishing sixth three times. He also won the Dutch national title on artificial ice on January 1.
