No Alternative Dutch 11-City Tour, but there is ice on the Weissensee: 15 cm

No Alternative Dutch 11-City Tour is being organised this coming January, but the ice is growing as though there were one. The ice on the Weissensee is almost thick enough for an 11-City Tour, at 15 cm.

Measuring the ice thickness on the Weissensee

The ice thickness measurements on the Weissensee are taken by the local ice team. Under the direction of ice master Norbert Jank the team saws blocks of ice out of the Weissensee.

Last week the ice was still on the thin side at just 6 cm. By now we are well past that at 15 cm. For comparison: a ‘real’ 11-City Tour needs 16 cm.

• (Consulted) natureislauf.at 13 December: 6 cm in the ice data
• Consulted 19 December (the day before yesterday): 15 cm in the ice data

Alternative Dutch 11-City Tour cancelled

Despite an optimistic programme, the uncertainty about the Alternative Dutch 11-City Tour grew, because of corona.

The organisation was to announce the decision on 16 December announce. In the end the decision came a day later: cancelled cancelled.

The event has been cancelled in its entirety. A year earlier the alternative ‘Tour of Tours’ was cancelled as well because of corona.

Corona: recreational skating is possible on the Weissensee

De organised tour may have been cancelled, but skating on the Weissensee will be possible before long. The quickly growing ice will doubtless be opened for recreational skating soon.

Lockdown for the unvaccinated in Austria

The skating will not be open to everyone. Austria is extending the lockdown for unvaccinated residents into the new year, according to NU.nl.

According to the news arm of DPG Media there are exceptions only over the holidays;

• ‘At Christmas and New Year the unvaccinated may gather in groups of up to ten people (…)’.

Skating the Alternative Dutch 11-City Tour at Luleå

Anyone who would rather skate an organised tour can go to Luleå. On 24 February there is an official tour on the sea ice of the Gulf of Bothnia in Swedish Lapland.

A distance of 200 km, an ‘Alternative Dutch 11-City Tour’, is available there for tour riders.

Curious about this Swedish tour on natural ice? As a travel magazine we will be giving it extra attention in the period ahead. Follow our travel blogs about your possible skating holiday at Luleå.