The Dutch skating squad at the Vancouver Winter Olympics has reacted with dismay at the technical troubles overshadowing Monday's races.
The mobile ice resurfacing trucks which polish the rink after each race actually ruined the ice. "This ice is dangerous at these speeds," Dutch trainer Wopke de Vegt commented. Skater Jan Bos said after his race: "This [ice] is not of Olympic quality. It is laughable."
Races interrupted
The 500-metre races had to be interrupted for 90 minutes after two of the resurfacers developed faults and began leaking hot water. A third machine, wheeled onto the ice by Vancouver's ice-making supremo Mark Messner, turned out to be unprepared and had to be cleaned and adjusted before it was allowed onto the surface. After the machine had been repaired, the ice could be treated to a certain extent, but it still looked lumpy and was riddled with ridges.
General Motors implicated
Vancouver is using Olympia resurfacing machines constructed by one of the Games' sponsors, General Motors, which has no experience in building such equipment. The organisers admitted defeat when they ordered a replacement of a different make to be flown in from the Calgary ice stadium. It is expected to arrive on Tuesday.
The Calgary machine is an original Zamboni, as used in skating arenas the world over. The machine got its name from US inventor Frank Zamboni, who developed it in 1949.
Monday's 500-metre races were won by South Korean Mo Tae Bum. The highest-ranking Dutchman was Jan Smeekes in sixth position.
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The organizers wanted this to be a "green Olympics" and decided to use the electric Olympia machines.
Too bad they suck.
As for this being the worst Olympics ever, people forget that a lot of events were cancelled in other winter Olympics, like Nagano.
Wouldn't it be great to see Holland get the summer Olympics again?
I'm cheering for Canada and Holland. Hup Holland!
First off as a Canadian I am horrified how these Games have been bungled for the thousands of Olympians. I am from Calgary and we had the Games in 88, maybe you remember our record setting ice which we were obsessed with getting right for the 1988 Games in Calgary.
I can offer nothing but a sincere apology to the Olympians of the world who have worked for a lifetime to participate in events that incompetents in Vancouver who have had 7 years to plan for cannot prepare properly. Speed skating ice, the biathlon starting errors, and worst of all simple minded people who represent the very bottom of class in Canada going on-line to attack the other citizens of the world.
it is nice to see everyone with the Olympic spirit! No doubt the IOC will name South Park as a future Winter Games site!! In the meantime, where is Geert to file a complaint on behalf of the Dutch skaters?He would make a great ambassador to the IOC!!
Technology....... is a queer thing; it brings you great gifts with one hand and it stabs you in the back with the other.
Jasmin
Poor ice means is a bonus for light people. The South Koreans are almost half the weight of the Dutch.
Does that answer you're question why the South Koreans don't complain?
"This [ice] is not of Olympic quality. It is laughable."........It's Canadian ice! What did you expect from the Canadians?
In response to Hiram saying Canadian ice is laughable... Ice at the Calgary Olympic Oval is generally regarded as the best in the world.
You would think $8,000,000,000 of Canadian tax payer money would buy some half decent ice! What a scam!
Get your facts straight radio Netherlands... Olympia machines are NOT made by GM, they are made by Resurfice Corp, owned by the Schlupp family in Elmira Ontario, while they use some off the shelf GM parts (mainly the wheels and drivetrain), they not GM products. Olympia Ice Machines are used in Vancouver by GM Place, home of the Vancouver Canucks hockey team, this might be why you are confused, their use in GM place probably swayed Vancouver organizers to use Olympia products, not to mention they are also a Canadian company.
@Frieslân Boppe. What a cheap reaction! I do appreciate every sportsperson of every nation. Only the best reach the Olympics. My take was that why only the Dutch, every other participating nation should be outraged by poor ice quality. And if the South Koreans won, weren't they outraged? Rob Kievit makes it sound that only the Dutch were outraged...Rob Kievit should reply to this. I am only asking a question and hold Dutch skaters in high esteem.
@jasmin. What a cheap reaction! The Dutch do apreciate good performance in speed skating! Two other Koreans had been mentioned as the favourites on the Olympic television program. We didn't realy expect a Dutch medal, but at an Olympic event you should see the best sports that's possible. Skating on this ice is like skiing down hill without snow....
South Koreans won the race, weren't they outraged over poor ice quality...??
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