Coming weekend, the World Allround Championships will take place in Heerenveen (NED). During these days, we aim to offer you quotes and newsfacts directly from the location. Other information and live results can be found on the organiser's website . 

In Celebration of 125 years KNSB (Royal Dutch Skating Union), the Championships will be a three-day party. There will be an opening Ceremony at 16.30 on Friday February 9, before the 500m races for men and ladies, and the 5000m for men. See below:

Competitions will resume on Saturday at 13.30 with the 1500m for ladies and men and the 3000m for ladies and then on Sunday from 13.30 the final distances of 5000m ladies and 10,000m men and the victory ceremony. Airpressure is low.

On Friday, we start with the 500m men at 17.00h, with Arne Dankers and Eskil Ervik. Of the favourites, Shani Davis is the first to start, in pair 9, outer lane, against Steven Elm, CAN, inner lane.
Next pair shows Enrico Fabris (outer) with Havard Bokko (inner), Morrison (i) -Skobrev (o), and the final pair has the fireworks of Sven Kramer (i) with Erben Wennemars (o). Cross-over problems are possible.

The ladies'favourite, Ireen Wust, skates in the last pair with Cindy Klassen. Martina Sablikova will skate in the first pair, Anschutz-Thoms is pair 5, Vis and Van Deutekom in pair 7, followed by Groenewold and Pechstein in pair 8, the two former champions. Nesbitt follows, Friesinger meets Groves in pair 10.

The first day will conclude with the 5000m. There will be ice preparations between the distances and after every fourth pair on the 5000m. Wennemars will skate with Rojler in the second pair of the 5000m, Chad Hedrick will have to prove where he stands now in pair 8, and then it goes faster and faster with Bokko and Olde Heuvel, Dankers and Fabris, Ervik and Kramer and finally Davis and Verheijen. Enough ingredients for a great opening day.