why are the dutch so good at speed skating

The Dutch are so good at speed skating because of a long‑running mix of geography, culture, physical traits, and a highly developed competitive‑training ecosystem that turns skating into both a national tradition and a full‑time sport career.

Geography and climate

• The Netherlands is low‑lying, flat, and covered in canals, rivers, and lakes, so natural ice used to form regularly in winter.

• For centuries people skated long distances on frozen canals instead of driving or taking boats, which built widespread familiarity with ice and endurance travel.

Cultural obsession

• Speed skating is a national spectacle : major domestic competitions like Elfstedentocht (Eleven‑Cities Tour) and big TV broadcasts turned heroes out of athletes in the 1960s, especially figures like Ard Schenk and Kees Verkerk.

• Because of this, many kids grow up idolizing skaters, viewing skating as a major path to fame and even a professional career , not just a school‑age hobby.

Physical and physiological edge

• The Dutch rank among the tallest populations in the world , with long legs and strong lower‑body structure, which helps power longer strides on the ice.

• Coaches have treated Dutch skaters a bit like “the Kenyans of skating,” using genetics, efficient technique, and optimized training to maximize natural speed and endurance.

Training, coaching, and teams

• The Netherlands has multiple professional teams (often seven elite commercial squads) with hundreds of athletes and support staff, funded by sponsors and federations.

• The national system focuses on team‑style development , data‑driven coaching, and cutting‑edge equipment, plus increasingly scientific recovery and nutrition protocols.

Depth of talent

• The Olympic trials in the Netherlands are among the toughest speed‑skating events on earth , with so many strong skaters that not every medal‑caliber athlete even makes the team.

• This competition‑rich pool keeps standards consistently higher , so Dutch national‑team line‑ups at major events often resemble a “who’s‑who” depth chart more than a narrow elite.

Quick‑glance factors

Factor| Why it matters for Dutch success
---|---
Flat, icy landscape| Built a tradition of long‑distance skating. 3
Tall, athletic population| Longer strides and strong skating mechanics. 17
Media‑driven STARDOM| Millions of kids dream of being pros. 35
Professional teams & orgs| Full‑time jobs, top coaches, data‑driven training. 14
Insanely deep talent pool| Brutal trials push everyone harder. 15

If you like, I can next unpack how their training routines (like altitude and ice‑condition strategies) differ from other countries’ programs. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.