Editing Elfstedentocht (section)

=== ''Elfstedentocht'' 2012 – the race that did not happen ===
The ten-day cold spell in late January and early February 2012, the 33rd such occurrence since 1901 when temperatures as low as -22.9&nbsp;°C (-9.2°F) were recorded in [[Lelystad]],<ref name=Postscript>{{cite web
|url = http://www.knmi.nl/cms/content/104789/koudegolf_winter_2012
|title = Nader Verklaard: Koudegolf winter 2012
|language = nl
|trans-title = Explained in more detail: Cold spell, Winter 2012
|publisher = Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut [Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute]
|date = 29 February 2012
|access-date = 18 January 2013
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120421123021/http://www.knmi.nl/cms/content/104789/koudegolf_winter_2012
|archive-date = 21 April 2012
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> heightened the expectation of a 2012 Elfstedentocht &ndash; the expected day of the event, had it taken place, was Saturday 11 February.<ref name=NieuwsUit>{{cite web
|title = Elfstedentocht 2012 zaterdag 11 februari gaat niet door
|trans-title=Elfstedentocht 2012 will not be on Saturday 11 February
|language = nl
|publisher = NieuwsUit
|date = 8 February 2012
}}</ref>

On 2 February 2012, it was reported that 95% of various [[Lock (water transport)|locks]] that controlled the water flow in the canals had been adjusted to maximise the ice thickness.<ref>{{cite web
|title = Elfstedentocht 2012 - Laatste nieuws Elfstedentocht 2012
|url = http://nieuwsuit.com/2011/elfstedentocht-2012-laatste-nieuws-elfstedentocht-2012/
|language = nl
|date = 2 February 2012
|publisher = Nieuws uit
|access-date = 2 February 2012
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120224041549/http://nieuwsuit.com/2011/elfstedentocht-2012-laatste-nieuws-elfstedentocht-2012/
|archive-date = 24 February 2012
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> On the same day, the [[Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute|Dutch meteorological institute]] forecast that temperatures would not rise above freezing until Wednesday 8 February at the earliest and that the thickness of the ice would be 15&nbsp;cm (6") from Tuesday 7 February until Saturday 11 February.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.knmi.nl/waarschuwingen_en_verwachtingen/extra/pluimijsaangroei.html
|title = Weer - Extra -Verwachte ijsdikte/watertemperatuur Midden-Nederland
|language = nl
|trans-title = Weather update - Expected ice thickness/water temperature Central Netherlands
|publisher = Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut [Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute]
|access-date = 2 February 2012
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120206082140/http://www.knmi.nl/waarschuwingen_en_verwachtingen/extra/pluimijsaangroei.html
|archive-date = 6 February 2012
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> On 3 February, the Dutch meteorological institute forecast a probable ice-thickness of 20&nbsp;cm (8") on Saturday 11 February and on 5 February they forecast an ice thickness approaching 25&nbsp;cm (10").<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.knmi.nl/waarschuwingen_en_verwachtingen/extra/pluimijsaangroei.html
|title = Weer - Extra -Verwachte ijsdikte/watertemperatuur Midden-Nederland
|language = nl
|trans-title = Weather update - Expected ice thickness/water temperature Central Netherlands
|publisher = Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut [Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute]
|access-date = 3 February 2012
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120206082140/http://www.knmi.nl/waarschuwingen_en_verwachtingen/extra/pluimijsaangroei.html
|archive-date = 6 February 2012
|url-status = dead
}}</ref>

On 6 February it was announced that the committee had met the previous evening for the first time in fifteen years. Although there were areas where the ice was not thick enough for the race to be held, the forecast for continuing freezing weather meant that they were optimistic that the race would be held. A press conference was held at 09:30 [[UTC+1|CET]] and the committee was due to meet again on 8 February.<ref name=NOS337712>{{cite web |url=http://nos.nl/artikel/337712-nog-geen-datum-voor-elfstedentocht.html 
|title=Nog geen datum voor Elfstedentocht
|date=6 February 2012
|trans-title=No date for Elfstedentocht 
|publisher=Nederlandse Omroep Stichting 
|language=nl 
|access-date=6 February 2012}}</ref> At the press conference, it was stated that in north Friesland the ice conditions were suitable to hold the race. In south west Friesland, the conditions were not so good, [[Stavoren]] being a particular problem where the ice was only 2&nbsp;cm (1") thick in places.<ref name=NOS337771>{{cite web |url=http://nos.nl/artikel/337771-we-gaan-voor-de-hoofdprijs.html |title=We gaan voor de hoofdprijs |date=6 February 2012 |trans-title=We go for the prize |publisher=Nederlandse Omroep Stichting |language=nl |access-date=6 February 2012}}</ref>

On 6 February a prohibition order on navigation on many of the canals in Friesland was extended in order to facilitate the growth of the ice.<ref>{{cite news
|url = http://www.halloleeuwarden.nl/nieuws/LeeuwarderNieuws/2012/2/6/Vaarbod_in_Friesland_is_uitgebreid
|title = Vaarbod in Friesland is uitgebreid
|language = nl
|trans-title = Navigation prohibition in Friesland is extended
|newspaper = Hallo Leeuwarden
|date = 6 February 2011
|access-date = 2012-02-06
|archive-date = 2012-02-08
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120208071531/http://www.halloleeuwarden.nl/nieuws/LeeuwarderNieuws/2012/2/6/Vaarbod_in_Friesland_is_uitgebreid
|url-status = dead
}}</ref> The following day the Dutch meteorological institute forecast that the cold spell would break on Sunday 12 February or Monday 13 February with the temperature rising above [[freezing point]].<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.knmi.nl/waarschuwingen_en_verwachtingen/extra/pluimijsaangroei.html
|title = Weer - Extra -Verwachte ijsdikte/watertemperatuur Midden-Nederland
|language = nl
|trans-title = Weather update - Expected ice thickness/water temperature Central Netherlands
|publisher = Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut [Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute]
|access-date = 7 February 2012
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120206082140/http://www.knmi.nl/waarschuwingen_en_verwachtingen/extra/pluimijsaangroei.html
|archive-date = 6 February 2012
|url-status = dead
}}</ref>

Late afternoon on the 8 February Wiebe Wieling, chairman of the organising committee, said that the race was off &ndash; the committee had to be realistic &ndash; safety issues had made the race impossible.<ref name=NieuwsUit/><ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.elfstedentocht.nl/
|title = Ellfstedentocht komt nu nog niet
|language = nl
|trans-title=The ''Elfstedentocht'' will not be taking place
|work = Elfstedentocht Home Page
|access-date = 4 December 2012}}</ref> A ten-day cold spell was insufficient for the event; the 1997 event had taken place at the end of a 12-day cold spell.<ref name=Postscript/>