4 kilometer long track on frozen sea ice in Södra Hamnen, involving speeds up to 50 kilometers per hour. The Dutch speed skating competitions are both live-streamed and broadcast on Dutch TV for a million-strong audience, with 99 percent of the audience sitting about 200 miles to the south. Reporters Matthijs Weststrate and Rachid El Mourif work for NOS, the Dutch equivalent of SVT, and came to Luleå to give the Dutch public coverage.
Weststrate explained the cultural significance, saying, 'In the Netherlands, this is a cultural thing, as soon as the ice forms, people go out. ' Birgit Lind, who works for Luleå municipality, has live-commented the competitions in Swedish in recent years. She stated, 'The Dutch organizer Bram Smallenbroek asked me to comment in Swedish two years ago and after that I have done it because I want to teach the Swedish-speaking audience more about the sport.
The Dutch organizer Bram Smallenbroek asked me to comment in Swedish two years ago and after that I have done it because I want to teach the Swedish-speaking audience more about the sport. It's the world's best marathon speed skaters. And it's only the Dutch who can manage it.
It's the world's best marathon speed skaters. ' The Dutch speed skating events have resulted in an increase in Dutch tourists. Lind noted, 'The Dutch love Luleå.
And they want to do like the people of Luleå when they are here. ' A special love relationship has grown between Luleå and Holland, according to Lind. Luleå On Ice was organized with sled dogs, snowball fights, markets, and other winter activities, and Luleå municipality, which was the organizer, also celebrated 80,000 inhabitants.
The Dutch love Luleå. And they want to do like the people of Luleå when they are here. They go to basketball, hockey, the pub, and shop in the stores.