Hans van Helden

Hans van Helden (born 27 April 1948) is a former speed skater, originally competing for the Netherlands, later for France.

Hans van Helden
Hans van Helden in 1975
Personal information
NationalityDutch
French
Born (1948-04-27) 27 April 1948
Almkerk, the Netherlands
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight75 kg (165 lb)
Sport
CountryNetherlands
France
SportSpeed skating
ClubCEPG, Paris
Turned pro1973
Coached byFrank Sverre Furuset, Marie-France Van Helden
Retired1988
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)500 m: 39.08 (1988)
1000 m: 1:16.32 (1988)
1500 m: 1:55.61 (1976)
3000 m: 4:08.11 (1984)
5000 m: 6:57.69 (1988)
10 000 m: 14:34.88 (1988)

Life and career

Hans van Helden with physical trainer Henk Gemser in 1975
Hans van Helden in 1977

Despite being a very talented speed skater and having an excellent skating style and technique, Van Helden never won any major international tournaments. However, he did become Dutch Allround Champion twice (1976 and 1977) and he did break two world records. Being the then-current world record holder on the 5,000 m, he "only" finished 3rd on that distance during the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, possibly because the ice was in much worse condition during his race than it was when his major rivals (Sten Stensen and Piet Kleine) ran theirs.

In Dutch skating, Van Helden was known as an enfant terrible. His clashes with fellow Dutch skaters, his being fed up with fighting the KNSB (Koninklijke Nederlandsche Schaatsenrijders Bond – the Royal Dutch Skaters Federation), and (in 1980) his marriage to a French skater (Marie-France Vives), led to his naturalisation to French citizenship in December 1981. As a Frenchman, having very little competition from other French skaters, he had no problems qualifying for skating events. This also resulted in a long career as a speed skater and he participated in international competitions until he was 40.[1]

One of his most memorable feats was finishing 4th on the 1,500 m during the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, aged 35, and well ahead of his former compatriots, Dutchmen Hilbert van der Duim, Frits Schalij, and Hein Vergeer.[1]

Records

Personal records

Personal records
Men's Speed skating
Event Result Date Location Notes
500 meter 39.00 5 January 1986 Davos
1000 meter 1:16.32 18 February 1988 Calgary
1500 meter 1:55.61 13 March 1976 Inzell
3000 meter 4:08.11 8 March 1984 Inzell
5000 meter 6:57.59 17 February 1988 Calgary
10000 meter 14:34.84 21 February 1988 Calgary
Big combination165.3856 March 1988 Medeo

Van Helden was number one on the Adelskalender, the all-time allround speed skating ranking, from 13 March 1976 to 25 December 1976 – a total of 287 days. He has an Adelskalender score of 163.047 points.

World records

Over the course of his career, Van Helden skated two world records:

EventResultDateLocationNote
5000 m7:07.8230 January 1976DavosWorld record until 5 March 1976
1500 m1:55.6113 March 1976InzellWorld record until 20 March 1977

Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com[2]

Tournament overview

Season Dutch
Championships
Allround
European
Championships
Allround
Olympic
Games
World
Championships
Allround
World
Championships
Sprint
1970–1971DQ 500m
17th 5000m
12th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall
1971–19724th 500m
13th 5000m
6th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall (13th)

1972–1973

500m
5th 5000m
1500m
27th 10000m
overall
GRENOBLE

4th 500m
5th 5000m
1500m
6th 10000m
overall
DEVENTER

25th 500m
5th 5000m
11th 1500m
6th 10000m
7th overall
OSLO

25th 500m
5th 1000m
24th 500m
8th 1000m
16th overall

1973–1974

5th 500m
4th 5000m
1500m
5th 10000m
4th overall
ESKILSTUNA

10th 500m
5000m
6th 1500m
10000m
overall
INZELL

9th 500m
6th 5000m
1500m
12th 10000m
5th overall
INNSBRUCK

22nd 500m
6th 1000m
24th 500m
1000m
8th overall
1974–1975

1975–1976

500m
5000m
1500m
10000m
overall
OSLO

4th 500m
5th 5000m
1500m
5th 10000m
5th overall
INNSBRUCK

19th 500m
5th 1000m
1500m
5000m
10000m
HEERENVEEN

4th 500m
5000m
5th 1500m
10th 10000m
overall
WEST BERLIN

12th 500m
1000m
19th 500m
1000m
4th overall

1976–1977

500m
5000m
1500m
10000m
overall
LARVIK

7th 500m
4th 5000m
6th 1500m
5th 10000m
5th overall
HEERENVEEN

12th 500m
5000m
7th 1500m
11th 10000m
7th overall

1977–1978

500m
4th 5000m
1500m
DNS 10000m
12th overall
OSLO

4th 500m
13th 5000m
7th 1500m
15th 10000m
12th overall
1978–19797th 500m
5000m
4th 1500m
5th 10000m
4th overall

1979–1980

8th 500m
5th 5000m
1500m
6th 10000m
4th overall
TRONDHEIM

13th 500m
13th 5000m
13th 1500m
15th 10000m
13th overall
1980–19814th 500m
9th 5000m
5th 1500m
11th 10000m
7th overall

1981–1982
OSLO

15th 500m
13th 5000m
9th 1500m
16th 10000m
15th overall
ASSEN

28th 500m
5th 5000m
15th 1500m
15th 10000m
15th overall

1982–1983
THE HAGUE

8th 500m
19th 5000m
13th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall (17th)
OSLO

13th 500m
15th 5000m
6th 1500m
16th 10000m
14th overall

1983–1984
LARVIK

13th 500m
10th 5000m
1500m
6th 10000m
6th overall
SARAJEVO

24th 500m
18th 1000m
4th 1500m
11th 5000m
25th 10000m
GOTHENBURG

8th 500m
22nd 5000m
7th 1500m
15th 10000m
10th overall

1984–1985
ESKILSTUNA

22nd 500m
24th 5000m
27th 1500m
DNQ 10000m

NC overall (26th)
HAMAR

33rd 500m
22nd 5000m
27th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall (27th)

1985–1986
OSLO

16th 500m
8th 5000m
14th 1500m
13th 10000m
14th overall
INZELL

19th 500m
12th 5000m
26th 1500m
10th 10000m
14th overall

1986–1987
TRONDHEIM

23rd 500m
24th 5000m
21st 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall (24th)
HEERENVEEN

28th 500m
32nd 5000m
31st 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall (31st)

1987–1988
THE HAGUE

14th 500m
18th 5000m
13th 1500m
DNQ 10000m
NC overall (18th)
CALGARY

33rd 500m
29th 1000m
19th 1500m
22nd 5000m
23rd 10000m
ALMA–ATA

30th 500m
7th 5000m
17th 1500m
10000m
8th overall

Source:[3]

  • NC = Did not qualify for the final distance; classification calculated from the three shorter distances
  • DQ = Disqualified
  • DNQ = Did not qualify for the final distance

Medals won

ChampionshipGold
Silver
Bronze
Dutch Allround873
European Allround232
Olympic Games003
World Allround302
World Sprint210

References

  1. Hans van Helden. sports-reference.com
  2. "Hans van Helden". SpeedSkatingStats.com. Retrieved 29 August 2012.
  3. https://www.speedskatingnews.info/en/data/skater/hans-van-helden/
  • Eng, Trond. All Time International Championships, Complete Results: 1889 – 2002. Askim, Norway: WSSSA-Skøytenytt, 2002.
  • Teigen, Magne. Komplette Resultater Internasjonale Mesterskap 1889 – 1989: Menn/Kvinner, Senior/Junior, allround/sprint. Veggli, Norway: WSSSA-Skøytenytt, 1989.
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