Many Russians have stayed until the end today, much better than yesterday. The skaters march to the podium, waving to the public. They are preceded by Mr. Ottavio Cinquanta, high ISU boss. The name of Ireen Wüst is the first to be called out. She bows down to receive her medal, a proud smile on her face, and also a little tear in the eye. Paulien van Deutekom then, the same treatment. 'Thankyou' she says to the boss. Finally Martina Sablikova, who smiles as much as last year. They all get flowers with their medal, and laurels are laid around the neck of Wüst. We hear the national anthem of the Netherlands, called 'het Wilhelmus'. Ireen sings along, with a smile from ear to ear. Her hands go up once more. Funny to see that the tradition has changed here and that the ladies take of their caps just like the men. Traditionally, the ladies would cover their heads, and keep their hats on, only the men would take off their hats.

And off they march. Ladies in white and lightblue angelic dresses carry the plate. Time of waiting. Now the men are called to the start. Kramer follows mr Panov with his phone on his ear, then shakes the hand of Cinquanta, putting the phone in his pocket. They follow one of the angelic ladies in Russian traditional dress. Kramer, Bøkko and Fabris. The looking around, waving, music, coloured light. The Russian voice, the English translator, always a lady. Sven KRamer accepts the mentioning of his name, no jump on the podium, a royal movement. Bøkko's name is pronounced with an a at the end. A face like a drawing from the dutch artist Tjeerd Bottema. Big round face, smile, cap on his head. Fabris then, the glasses on his cap, the longer, thin face. Three great skaters. They mention who provided the flowers. Sergej Kosman. The Russian is pronounced with importance, a sense of ceremony. Sven gets the laurels, looks around with a questionmark on his face, the two others jump next to him on teh podium and they pose for the photographers. Again, the caps go off, rightly now, 'het Wilhelmus' sounds, the oldest anthem in Europe. A sigh of Sven, no singing along. His brows up, to look at the flags rising. Then the smile at the end of the song, waving the flowers, turning around, jumping off the podium. Sven takes the lead. They walk onto the ice for more photos, Sven puts down the green around his neck, to put on his skates once more, and the two champions skate a lap of honour together, following two local skaters with Dutch flags. A great championships concluded.