time in fifteen years. Although there were areas where the ice was not thick enough for the race to be held, the forecast for continuing freezing weather meant that they were optimistic that the race would be held. A press conference was held at 09:30 CET and the committee was due to meet again on 8 February. At the press conference, it was stated that in north Friesland the ice conditions were suitable to hold the race. In south west Friesland, the conditions were not so good, Stavoren being a particular problem where the ice was only 2 cm thick in places. On 6 February a prohibition order on navigation on many of the canals in Friesland was extended in order to facilitate the growth of the ice. The following day the Dutch meteorological institute forecast that the cold spell would break on Sunday 12 February or Monday 13 February with the temperature rising above freezing point. Late afternoon on the 8 February Wiebe Wieling, chairman of the organising committee, said that the race was off – the committee had to be realistic – safety issues had made the race impossible. A ten-day cold spell was insufficient for the event; the 1997 event had taken place at the end of a 12-day cold spell. Winners The time taken for the winner to complete the course is given in hours and minutes. Although temperatures were sometimes above freezing on the day of the tour, all tours were preceded by many days of sub-zero temperatures. Women were first allowed to take part in the tour proper in 1985; before then they had to skate with the amateurs and no award was given. The women to cross the finish line first were: 1940 – Sjoerdtsje Faber 1941 – Wopkje Kooistra 1942 – Antje Schaap 1985 – Lenie van der Hoorn 1986 – Tineke Dijkshoorn 1997 – Klasina Seinstra (7:49.11) The eleven cities The course can vary slightly from race to race, depending on the quality of the ice. The cumulative distance at each checkpoint in 1997 was: 0 km: Leeuwarden 22 km: Sneek (municipality Súdwest-Fryslân) 26 km: IJlst (mun. Súdwest-Fryslân) 40 km: Sloten (mun. De Fryske Marren) 66 km: Stavoren (mun. Súdwest-Fryslân) 77 km: Hindeloopen (mun. Súdwest-Fryslân) 86 km: Workum (mun. Súdwest-Fryslân) 99 km: Bolsward (mun. Súdwest-Fryslân) 116 km: Harlingen 129 km: Franeker (mun. Waadhoeke) 174 km: Dokkum (mun. Noardeast-Fryslân) 199 km: Leeuwarden