1. Haugli / Bloemen. Haugli opens 34,98. The difference in the classification is less than a second. They skate 32 laps. At 2400m, Haugli kicks a lane marker right into the skate of Bloemen, it's the right skate, and the marker changes direction... The race of Bloemen is a bit more even. Haugli uses Bloemen at every crossing. Passing at 4k is 5.23,93 Haugli, 5.24,89. After halfway, Bloemen takes over the attack. 8.05,75 for Haugli at 6000, Bloemen 8.05,70. Then a 2.4 for both, and 8.38,15 their passing. Laps 2.4/2.2; the suddenly 2.3/2.8. Bloemen so far had laps between 1.8 and 2.4. Then 2.6/2.7. Again they pass side by side at 8k, 10.47,72 and ,73, Laps 2.1/1.8; then 2.3/2.2. A battle for places 11 and 12, but for possibly more; these are long distance skaters, and the others are not far in front. Then 2.1/2.0, 2.1/1.8. 1.8/1.8 and with last inner Bloemen should win this pair, and yes, by much. The last laps are 1.8/0.8, and the time for Bloemen 13.26,48 and 152,975 points. Haugli 13.27,92 and 153,083 points.

2. Tobias Schneider / Robert Lehmann. These skaters are usually not as fast as Bloemen. The difference of Lehmann to Bloemen is 6,98, Schneider 11,92. Lehmann starts here with 33 laps, Schneider brings those back to 32s soon. 2000m: 2.47,17 / 2.49,70. Then Schneider manages to show 1.7 and 1.9, but Lehmann goes to 34s and drops a spot. A good race now for Schneider, continueing 1.6, 1.8, 1.5 to pass at 4k in 5.25,95; Lehmann 5.39,61. Schneider has 31 laps, after midway 1.6, 1.5 to pass at 6k in 8.04,51. He now sees the back of Lehmann, who has a very flat race with 34.1s and .2s Overtaking is just before 7200m, after 1.2, 1.4 for Schneider, and 1.7 and 1.4. He may even reach his pb of 13.16,36, and passes after a 1.3 at 8k in 10,41,77. Lehmann shows a few 32 laps, then 33.0. Now Schneider has laps of 1.9, 1.9, 2.4, so no pb; 2.0 and a final lap 32.0 again, Schneider finishes in 13.22.09 which gives him 152,159 points; the new leader. Lehmann drops to last place with 14.08,51 on this distance, 154,727 points.

3. Jongejan / Christiansen. A pb should be possible. It stands at 13.58,07 for Jongejan. Christiansen holds 13.21,61. But Jongejan passes first after 2k, 2.44,53; then 2.44,77 the Norwegian. After a series of 32 laps they pass at 4k in 5.25,48 (1.9) and 5.26,79 (2.2). Back in the 32s, Jongejan gains every lap on Christiansen. 6k Jongejan 8.05,71 (1.7), and 8.10,91 (3.0) Christiansen. In the following laps, Jongejan gains on Bloemen. Christansen loses in the ranking and throws his armband off. Jongejan continues with 31s, at 8k passing in 10.44,33 and Christiansen is back in 32.7 laps. Sijtje van der Lende's voice shouts over the ice while her pupil shows a very even race. He finishes in a new pb by 34 seconds: 13.24,76. Christiansen 13.39,64. The points for Jongejan is 151,829 and Christiansen 153,411. It means that Christiansen dropped behind all but Lehmann to rank 11. Jongejan will probably pass a Russian to finish top-6 and make Berlin indeed.

Ice preparation and tea... 

4. Skobrev / Lalenkov. Lalenkov needs 13.37,77 to pass Jongejan. His pb is 13.55,36, so it's not very likely, but Jongejan hadn't been that fast either. Skobrev needs 13.44,37 but with his time of 13.17.54 that should not be a problem. At 2000m, they pass in 2.44,23 Skobrev and 2.50,66 Lalenkov. Lalenkov has now found a rhythm of 33.0 laps or 0.1 higher or lower. Skobrev's lap go slightly up, at 4k even a 2.6 to pass in 5.25,26; Lalenkov 5.35,88. Skobrev keeps mid 32 laps, Lalenkov can go in 32.7s, for him a good race. 8.08,10 is Skobrevs passing after 2.6, Lalenkov 8.20,40 after 2.7. The pressure is much for Skobrev, whose legs hurt. Lalenkov goes back in the 33s, Skobrev, 5 seconds slower than Jongejan now with all 2.6 laps has problems to keep the 32s. At 8k Skobrev passes in 10.51,84, Lalenkov 11.09,56. Skobrev is fighting for his fifth place. Lalenkov's laps are getting into the high 34s. The bell rings and there they come: first Skobrev, 13.38,73, it's enough for top-5, but his gesture is an apology to the audience. His points 151,546. Lalenkov finishes in 14.02,69, has 153,074 points, so he dropped behind Jongejan, Schneider and Bloemen, stayed just ahead of Haugli.

5. Olde Heuvel / Fabris. at 2000m Fabris passes in 2.43,44, Olde Heuvel 2.43,64. They are a good pair, faster than Schneider, both at 2400 in 3.15,39. They use the crossing, the inner turn and each other; he who has last inner attacks and has a faster lap. At 4000 Olde Heuvel 5.22,81, Fabris 5.22,66. It's a duel for a medal. The difference 5.7 second. It's not likely that Fabris will lose those 5.72 second, but it's a nice game with alternating fastest laps until 6000m where Fabris passes in 8.01,49; Olde Heuvel 8.02,00. After that last 1.4 lap of Fabris against 1.7 Olde Heuvel, next lap is 1.5 Olde Heuvel and 1.9 Fabris. Then it's 1.7 OH and 1.3 Fabris. Who will bend first? Now it's 1.8 Fabris, 1.6 Olde Heuvel, and the Italian cat continues 1.5, 1.7 the Dutchman. Then for the first time, Another faster lap for Fabris. 1.5 at 8k, 10.39,69 and 10.40,49 Olde Heuvel and 1.7. They both bring them further down, 1.1 Fabris, 1.2 Olde Heuvel, then 1.0 and 0.9 Fabris, with 1.4 and 1.5 Olde Heuvel, 0.8 Fabris, 1.2 Olde Heuvel and the finish at 13.14,22 for Fabris, who is happy with his podium finish with 149,407 points in spite of not being entirely fit. Olde Heuvel skates a personal best, 13.17,08, which brings him 149,836 points; he will be fourth if nothing extraordinary happens.

6. Kramer / Bøkko. After a lap, Kramer says something to his coach at the crossover. They pass at 2000m in 2.39,79 Kramer and 2.40,51 Håvard Bøkko. Both have 31 laps, at 3200m Kramer increases his speed, lap 1.2, Bøkko 1.4, next lap 1.7/1.6; 4k passing 5.17,58 /5.18,77. Then laps 1.8/1.7. 1.7/1.6. They are four seconds ahead of the past pair. Laps now 2.0/1.5 for Bøkko! Kramer relaxes a bit in the slipstream of 'shadow' Bøkko at the crossing. Laps here 1.2/1.6, then 2.2/1.7; 6000m at 7.56,79 / 7.57,09. Then both 1.6. Tension. Will Bøkko take the lead? Yes, after 9 minutes. 1.9/1.4 the laps. I expect kind of a sprint of Kramer at the last laps. Now 1.0/1.3. 1.5/1.3. 1.1/1.3 and 8k at 10.34,04 and 10.34,19. Don't forget Bøkko is a year younger. 1.6/1.2, 0.7 both, what tactics await us? 9.4/9.9 here, Kramer's sprint comes here with mighty strokes. He crosses in front of the Norwegian. 7.9 for Kramer here! 9.8 Bøkko, very strong boy. But Kramer shows who is the boss. Total control. A 9.4 last lap for Kramer, 0.3 Bøkko. Time for Kramer 13.03,30 track record and championships record (was of Grødum). Even Bøkko is faster than those records: 13.06,42. Kramer is champion in 147,716 points. Bøkko second, 148,759 point.

Sven Kramer has his second European title. The points, 147,716 is a championships record, the old one was his 148,800 of Collablo. Bøkko will make these championships exciting for the coming years, if he continues on this route, Fabris is third, after second last year and first the year before. This is also the distance podium.