Mad dogs and flying Dutchmen

Here on the Weisensee we have stumbled upon the world's largest ski event - the 'Dutch alternative 11-cities tour'. Over 3000 participants (mostly Dutch) take place in the speed skating distance events over 50, 100 and 200km. Anyone can take part - E was almost tempted by the clip-on speed blades that can attach directly to the bottom of your cross-country ski boot. But the thought of actually managing to complete a dozen steps without falling over, let alone zig-zag up and down the lake over the course of the day (5 hours 11mins is the world record) was just a bit much.

The 6.5m2 western end of the Weisensee is the largest body of regularly forming natural ice groomed for ice skating. The rest of the lake is mostly frozen, but not reliably enough to skate on - let alone drive a car or a piste basher on. 

This is one of many skaters flying round the track, some clustered in a 'peloton' complete with support vehicles and camera crews on quad bikes. They all looked like they were taking it quite easy, but then I guess you have to to complete 200km.