0 - met re ▁record ▁by ▁half ▁a ▁minute ▁during ▁the ▁Ham ar ▁European ▁Championships ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 4 . ▁The ▁record ▁stood ▁for ▁ 1 7 ▁years , ▁and ▁it ▁took ▁ 5 0 ▁years ▁to ▁lower ▁it ▁further ▁by ▁half ▁a ▁minute . ▁ ▁El f sted ento cht ▁and ▁Dutch ▁history ▁ ▁The ▁El f sted ento cht ▁( E le ven ▁C ities ▁Tour ) ▁was ▁organ ised ▁as ▁a ▁competition ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 9 ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁held ▁at ▁irregular ▁intervals ▁whenever ▁the ▁ice ▁on ▁the ▁course ▁is ▁de emed ▁good ▁enough . ▁Other ▁out door ▁races ▁developed ▁later , ▁with ▁No ord - Hol land ▁hosting ▁a ▁race ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁but ▁the ▁Dutch ▁natural ▁ice ▁conditions ▁have ▁rarely ▁been ▁condu ci ve ▁to ▁sk ating . ▁The ▁El f sted ento cht ▁has ▁been ▁held ▁ 1 5 ▁times ▁since ▁ 1 9 0 9 , ▁and , ▁before ▁artificial ▁ice ▁was ▁available ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁national ▁champion ships ▁had ▁been ▁held ▁in ▁ 2 5 ▁of ▁the ▁years ▁between ▁ 1 8 8 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁first ▁championship ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁S lik ker ve er , ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 1 . ▁Since ▁artificial ▁ice ▁became ▁common ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands , ▁Dutch ▁speed ▁sk aters ▁have ▁been ▁among ▁the ▁top ▁long ▁track ▁speed ▁sk aters ▁and ▁mar athon ▁sk aters ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Another ▁solution ▁to ▁still ▁be