The Eleven City Ice skating-tour is world-famous. That is why people all over the world join the tour. Sometimes there are even some Japanese entrants. There are also former track-skaters. For example ex-Norwegian, -European, -World and -Olympic Champion Johan Olav Koss and ex-winner of the Eleven City Skating-tour Evert van Benthem.

Evert van Benthem made his presence felt in the recreative tour of 1997. The double winner of the race rode this tour with some former rivals. He liked it very much: "This tour satisfied me. It satisfied me almost as my two former victories. In the past I was only busy with the race and the ice. Now I could look around and enjoy the happening." Van Benthem said this in an interview. His tour looked like a triumphal procession. Many times he turned to talk with his fans. He has fans in every city. And who doesn't want to have a chat with an Eleven City Skating-tour -winner?

Typical of the 'Eleven City Feeling' is a crazy crowd and satisfied skaters. Once Mart Smeets (a famous TV- and radiocommentator in Holland) said: "Ice has got magic. If there's ice on the water, we become sweet and nice for eachother. Anyway, it is great." That are nice spoken words, but Mart Smeets is no skater. We had a talk with some Eleven City Ice skating-tour riders about their experiences of the Eleven City Skating-tour and about the 'Eleven City Feeling':

Cees van Kippersluis, 51 years old, rode the Eleven City Ice skating-tour in 1985, 1986 and 1997. He rode the recreative tour. The last time he didn't complete the tour. Cees: "The reason was a combination of factors. First I forgot my skate-tights. Skate-tights keep me warm. I only got my cycle-racing trousers. That's why I was very cold. Because of the cold I had problems with my breath. It was uncertain if the tour would go on, so I didn't have time to prepare myself very well." How did he prepare himelf for the tours of 1985 and 1986? "Normally I ride some tours and I take care of a good condition. So I run every week a few kilometers. The day before the Eleven City Skating-tour I only eat carbo-hydraes. That means a lot of Chinese noodles. During the tour I have to eat enough. When you are hungry, it's already wrong." He is very enthousiastic about the Eleven City Skating-tour. He wants to do it again if there will be a new tour. "The Eleven City Skating-tour is marvellous," he said "The Eleven City Skating-tour is a pleasure of unprecendented sensation. It is really phenomenal. I still can remember the entry in the cities. It's like you're an idol, or a very important person. It's just wonderful!"

Kees van Schaik rode the tour of 1986. He didn't complete the race. He didn't train enough. "I started at 8.30 am. I stopped somewhere between Bartlehiem and Dokkum at 9.15 pm. I had fallen many times, but I didn't want to give up, because I was very close to the finish." However, the cold and the wind didn't troubled him. "I sewed some leather chamoises to eachother, so that I had a kind of sweater. It checks the wind and lets the perspiration through." He would like to join the tour again. "But the next time I will finish the tour. I was very close to the finish last time. That was the most horrible thing of it all. However the atmosphere is great! The whole happening is great. That isn't the point."

Willem van Oort, 44 years old, rode the tour too. He rode the tour in 1986 and 1997. He completed both of the tours. "I completed the first tour in 11 hours and the second tour in 16 hours. The last time was very slow, because the conditions were considerably worse. It seemed to me there was a storm blowing in my face!" "It seemed there was a storm blowing in your face? Didn't you prepare yourself very well?" "I did prepare myself very well. In the summer, I run in the woods and in the winter I rode on the indoor ice-rink. In this way I prepared myself through twe whole year." Willem is also lyrical about the Eleven City Skating-tour. "Especially the entry in the cities is really fantastic. Above all the arrival in Dokkum was great. Also the heart-warming care next to the ice. I will never forget. I would like to ride the tour again. To skate an Eleven City ice skating-tour gives a indescribable feeling. I also like the stories I can tell after the tour. I would describe the Eleven City Feeling by saing it is like a warm shower!"