Tour of 1947
A tour marked by extreme cold and participant fraud
Although the president, Hepkema, deemed the Elfstedentocht irresponsible due to the state of the ice, the majority of the board agreed to proceed. With the words "It sil heve" ("It shall happen"), the race began toward Sneek.
De wedstrijd
The lead group skated well until just after Workum. The ice near Parrega turned out to be impassable in the final kilometre. Local villagers used handcarts and bicycles to transport some of the skaters for nearly a kilometre. After Parrega, Joop Bosman and Klaas Schipper gained a lead. The section between Grauwe Kat and Harlingen was largely covered by snowdrifts, making it nearly impossible for skaters to keep their eyes open. The real challenge, however, came with the 45 kilometres of polar terrain leading to Dokkum. Skating became nearly impossible due to the snowdrifts and branches on the ice. The warm reception in Dokkum with music, hot chocolate, and peeled oranges was a welcome relief.
A small drama unfolded just a few hundred metres before the finish line. Schipper had built up a lead, but when a section of ice became impassable, workers with handcarts were waiting to carry skaters over the 50-metre stretch via the bank. They waited for Bosman to be on the cart too. When Schipper got back on the ice, he stumbled over a straw, allowing Bosman to easily cross the finish line. Bosman was crowned with the laurel wreath, and the crowd cheered. However, hours later, after deliberation by the board, it was decided not to award any prizes until protests about fraud and unsportsmanlike conduct from both racers and recreational riders were addressed.
Fraud
Bosman and Schipper were among those accused of skating in the wake of a jeep. After investigation, it was found that several participants had cheated by shortening the distance or even taking taxis, trains, or bicycles for parts of the journey. The board conducted an extensive inquiry, but it was a difficult matter to resolve. More than five weeks after the race, on March 16, 1947, the decision was made. The top four positions were awarded, and all other skaters who crossed the finish line before 18:21 received an Elfstedentocht medal with "wedstrijd 1947" (race 1947) inscribed. The gold medal went to flower grower Jan Willem van der Hoorn, who arrived fifth based on time.
