Nikki Noordergraaf and Fleur Hartveld: EM start in the inline skating!

Nikki Noordergraaf and Fleur Hartveld: EM start in the inline skating!

The anticipation for the European Championship in the inline skating is increasing! It starts on July 5, and the two Dutch athletes Nikki Noordergraaf and Fleur Hartveld have the honor to represent their country. While Noordergraaf is in the senior class for the second time, it is the first European Championship experience for the talented Hartveld, which will only compete in the junior B category.

NIKKI Noordergraaf has already drawn attention to itself in the past. Last year she took 13th place over 500 meters at the European Championship and unfortunately had to give up 1,000 meters in the disciplines and season. Two weeks ago, however, she made two podium places listen to the national championships. A good tailwind that awakens hope of successful participation. Her teammate Fleur Hartveld recently celebrated her first title as the Dutch champion in the junior B category over 500 meters and thus awakens great expectations.

a strong team for the EM

The team under the direction of national coach Valentina Berga-Belloni has high goals. Her main actor, Lianne van Loon, who became European champion in the marathon in 2022, is supported by Jet Fransen and Nikki Noordergraaf in the short and long disciplines. The added talents are intended to help win medals. Fransen will actively support the team in the challenges, even if Fleur Veen, an experienced athlete, has said goodbye to this competition.

A total of eight athletes from the Netherlands will take part in this prestigious event in Groß-Gerau, Germany. The male representatives are a strong group consisting of the national champions Glenn Nijenhuis (200 meters), Teun de Wit (1,000 meters) and Ruben Ligenberg (points races), supplemented by Ronald and Christian Haasjes. However, Berga-Belloni sets the exact discipline selection shortly before the competition.

The importance of the European Championships

The inline-speed-skating European championships are not an ordinary tournament. They take place every year and not only offer a competition, but also an important platform for the qualification of the World Championships. As the [Wikipedia] (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/inline-speedskating- European Championships) emphasizes, the sport has developed rapidly over the years. Inline skates displaced classic roller skates in the 1990s, and today they are indispensable in the competition. The competitions are held on both rail and road courses, which offers additional flexibility and challenge.

With an exciting competition in front of the door, the expectations are high, and it remains to be seen how the athletes will beat in the coming days. So we are looking forward to the spectacle! By participating in Noordergraaf and Hartveld, the chances of success for the Netherlands are at least promising!

More about this exciting sport and the upcoming competitions can be found on Schaatsen.nl and Studio Kaagen Braassem.