Speed skating keeps producing world championships for the Dutch

INNSBRUCK – The Dutch are considered giants in the speed skating sport, frequently landing all-round world championships in such endurance races. In 114 years, Dutch speed skaters won such a world title 28 times, mostly since 1966. Just recently, Dutch skaters topped the classes for the men and woman. Some of the men had won world championships earlier in the races for juniors. Now junior skaters nearly pulled off the same feat. Sjoerd De Vries is now the 2007 world champion, the 13th Dutchman to hold the title since 1973. Runner-up is fellow countryman Tim Roelofsen. Runner-up Laurine van Riessen in the women’s class lost her lead by only eighteen seconds.