The Alternative Elfstedentocht: Racing Climate Change

Skaters pass each other during the Alternative Elfstedentocht on January 25, 2019 in Weissensee, Austria. To minimize the number of laps required, the organizers fold many turns into one area of the lake - one lap is 12.5 kilometers long. The Elfstedentocht is a legendary Dutch speed skating race and a victim of global warming: it hasn't been held in 22 years; the longest such period since its inception. Beginning in 1989, organizers have held an "Alternative Elfstedentocht" race in Weissensee, Austria, where the ice is reliably thick enough to skate the grueling, 200km tour.

Download

Filename: elfstedentocht_published_nyt_pgk_007.JPG
Copyright: ©Pete Kiehart
Image Size: 4000x2670 / 8.4MB; climate change cold dutch global heat ice ice skating netherlands snow speedskating tourism warming
Contained in galleries: The Alternative Elfstedentocht

Skaters pass each other during the Alternative Elfstedentocht on January 25, 2019 in Weissensee, Austria. To minimize the number of laps required, the organizers fold many turns into one area of the lake - one lap is 12.5 kilometers long. The Elfstedentocht is a legendary Dutch speed skating race and a victim of global warming: it hasn't been held in 22 years; the longest such period since its inception. Beginning in 1989, organizers have held an "Alternative Elfstedentocht" race in Weissensee, Austria, where the ice is reliably thick enough to skate the grueling, 200km tour.