Fokje van der Velde

Van der Velde won her first prizes when she was 13 years old, two prizes on one day: in Idaard she won a competition of school children and on the same day there was a pairs' competition. There was one woman short, Van der Velde was asked to participate and with this partner she won the first prize. In December 1933 she won the first prize in Mantgum, finished second in De Wilp and won in Harlingen. Two years later, when there was ice again, she won the second prize in Wartena in December 1935. She also finished second in February 1936 in Echten and on 30 January 1937 she finished fourth in Huizum. From the winter of 1938-39 she became one of the best speed skaters, winning five consecutive competitions. In the next winter of 1939-40 she was less successful. She won in that winter a total of ten prizes of which four were first prizes.[2]

She won the 1942 Dutch National Kortebaan Speed Skating Championships, ahead of Lina van der Mei and Antje Wieberdink-Koopmans.[3][4] She alco became 1942 champion of Friesland[5] and won many other competitions.[1]

Van der Velde was born in Scharnegoutum. Later she moved with her parents to Idaard, where she grew up. he later lived in Zuidhorn. She was married with Frisian handballer Riemer Reinalda on 16 December 1946.[6] She died in August 2008 in Groningen, aged 89.

1933-34

1st prize - December 1933 in Mantgum

2nd prize - December 1933 in De Wilp

1st prize - December 1933 in Harlingen

1935-36

2nd prize - December 1935 in Wartena

2nd prize - February 1936 in Echten

1936-37

4th prize - 30 January 1937 in Huizum

1938–39

1st prize (f 30,-) - 20 December 1938 in Witmarsum

1st prize (f 40,-) - 21 December 1938 in Arum

1st prize (f 35,-)- 22 December 1938 in Britswerd

1st prize (f 70,-) - 24 December 1938 in Leeuwarden

1st prize (f 60,-) - 25 December 1938 in Stiens

4th prize (f 10,-)- 26 December 1938 in Oudkerk

3rd prize (f 5,-) - 3 February 1939 in Wartena

1939-40

1940-41

1941-42