Report #7, recaps.

Results:

Men:
1) Henk Angenent, Alphen aan de Rijn
2) Erik Hulzenbosch, Gramsbergen
3) Bert Verduin, Heemskerk
4) Henk van Benthem, Ens
5) Arnold Stam, Sprangcapelle
6) Ruud Borts, Leiderdorp
7) Hans Pieterse, Dienmen
8) Yep Kramer, Oudeschoot
9) Willem Poelstra, Hijum
10) Fausto de Marreiros, Velserbroek

Women:
1) Klasina Seinstra, Sint Johannesga
2) Gretha Smit, Rouveen
3) Janita Smit, Rouveen
4) Baukje Bron, Jubbega

Klasina Seinstra finished 53 minutes behind the winner of the men's race. She beat Gretha Smit from Rouveen on the final stretch.

Congratulated by fax
Queen Beatrix and Prince Claus sent their congratulations by fax. They are at present staying in Africa, celebrating the 60th wedding anniversary of Princess Juliana and Prince Bernard.
Prime minister Kok also sent his congratulations to the winners from his vacationing spot.

Jan Roelof Kruithof
The 60-yr old Jan Roelof Kruithof waved as he crossed the finish. The 'uncrowned king' of the alternative Elevencities tour has never won the tour yet, but has entered five times so far.

drop-outs
More people had to give up this year than at the last tour. From the 261 men in the competative tour only 112 managed to finish in time, 57% failing to get to Leeuwarden in time.
In 1986, with temperatures about the same but less wind, only 27% did not reach the finish within the time allowed.

Reporting in
Around midnight, 9714 skaters had reported in with the FEC committee. The organising committee assumes many riders left the ice without telling any of the officials.

Mobile phones
Dutch Telecom has registered 57,000 mobile-phone users. This is ten times the usual number. Many of the riders carried mobile phones. Also press, people from the organisation, police and many spectators carried mobile phones.

Injuries
In 18 hours of skating, approximately 100 people have been brought to local hospitals. The ambulances were called 150 times, about 50 times they did not actually have to take anyone in but could lend aid on site and leave.
Over half the people taken into the hospital were skaters, the others were members of the public. Twenty riders had to remain hospitalized.
Emergency personnel was kept busy, especially in the evening at Bartlehiem and at the finish on the Bonkevaart.
Injuries were mostly broken bones, frozen bodyparts and exhaustion.

Accident
A NOS motorcycle ran into a spectator standing on the ice. The man escaped unharmed but a photographer who rushed up to the accident site slipped and hit his head on the ice. He had to be taken to the hospital with a concussion. The accident was live on television and happened between Oentsjerk and Giekerk.

Dutch Railways
The Nederlandse Spoorwegen have transported a total of 90,000 people to Leeuwarden. This is twice the number of people traveling by train in 1986. The tour organisation successfully discouraged people to come by car. Especially after the winners were celebrated the crowds started to move.

Record times
Evert van Benthem's record time stood at 6 hrs, 47 minutes, and 44 seconds. Henk Angenent finished in 6 hours, 49 minutes and 18 seconds.
This year Evert van Benthem took part as a leisure rider.

Congratulations!
On the Bonkevaart Henk Angenent received a wreath from Elevencities president Kroes and congratulations from provincial governor Loek Hermans, major of Leeuwarden Apotheker, minister Jorritsma and state secretary Erica Terpstra.

Disqualified
Piet Kleine, who finished in 5th position, was disqualified. He missed a checkpoint in Hindelopen. He later said he had been so impressed with the crowds and the enthousiasm that he kept going. He had hoped the organising committee would be lenient, especially since no one called him back on it at the time.

Bart Veldkamp
Bart Veldkamp finished in 31st position. He interrupted his training camp in Davos to ride the tour. He is there training for the European Championships.
This will be Veldkamps only tour. He had found the tour too long, and had trouble with the 'damn wind', as he said.

The last arrival
The last person to arrive at midnight receives a signature of president Kroes and provincial governor Loek Hermans. The very last person to cross the line turned out to be an unofficial entry... They searched and found the last 'official' skater in the crowds.

People getting older
About 20% of those who had draw into the tour did not show up, because members holding a potential place card are getting older. Apparently some find the tour too tough to enter. President of the Elevencities Kroes wants to take measures so younger people get a chance to enter.

Police
The police was satisfied with the tour. There was a police force of 1300 people working. There were no incidents during the tour or during the evenings in Leeuwarden or the many festivities.

Search and rescue
After the tour was over the northern part of the route was searched closely with infra-red camera's to check for any wounded skaters who might have been left behind. It remains a search only; no stragglers needed rescueing.