KSL.Com > 2002 Olympic Coverage > KSL Special Reports

Speedskating's Popular in Holland In America, no one draws a media crowd like Michael Jordan. But in Europe-- especially Holland-- speedskaters get all of the media attention. (Dec. 22, 2001)------ Just look at the crowd of reporters around a Dutch star during World Cup competition here in Salt Lake in October. Dutch TV even broadcast the event live back to Holland. Renze Lolkema/Dutch Newspaper Reporter:"YOU HAVE SPEEDSKATING IN THE WINTER. IT'S FROM NOVEMBER 'TIL MARCH, AND BECAUSE IT'S BAD WEATHER, EVERYBODY STAYS AT HOME SATURDAY AND SUNDAY AND EVERYBODY'S WATCHING TV. THE RATINGS ARE VERY HIGH. I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT IT'S KIND OF A TRADITION IN HOLLAND AND EVERYBODY'S WATCHING SPEEDSKATING." Skaters make good money in Holland as well. The top skaters make salaries in the range of a million Guilders-- soon to be Euros. That's about $450,000 U.S. a year.

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