2007 European Speed Skating Championships
| European Speed Skating Championships | |||||||||||||
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| Venue | Arena Ritten (Collalbo) | ||||||||||||
| Dates | 18 and 19 March 2006 | ||||||||||||
| Competitors | 31 men 27 women |
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| Medalist men | |||||||||||||
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| Medalist women | |||||||||||||
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Sven Kramer |
 NED
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Enrico Fabris |
 ITA
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Carl Verheijen |
NED
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Martina Sáblíková |
 CZE
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Ireen Wüst |
NED
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Renate Groenewold |
NED
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The 2007 European Speed Skating Championships were held on the outdoor artificial ice track Arena Ritten in Collalbo, Italy. The Championships were three-day allround events, with the skaters completing four distances before the final championship standings are determined based on the samalog system.
Live broadcasts from the Championships were shown on Nederland 1,NRK and Rai Tre/Rai Sport Sat, with highlights on Das Erste.
The two champions were both below 21 years of age; Sven Kramer won his first European gold medal, two years after winning silver in Thialf, while Czech Martina Sáblíková won the women's championship to become the first Czech to medal at a European championship, and also the youngest European women's champion. Kramer is the youngest European Champion since 1992.
All skaters were allowed to skate the first three distances; 12 skaters took part on the fourth distance. These were qualified by taking the standings on the longest of the first three distances, as well as the samalog standings after three distances, and comparing these lists as follows:
The top six skaters from the 2006 Championships were all present.
A placing among the top 16 qualified the nation for the 2007 World Championships as well as the 2008 European Championships (where each federation is automatically entitled to one skater and any additional skaters are added to this quota, with a cap of four.)
Anni Friesinger, five-time European Champion, withdrew to concentrate on the World Sprint Championships a week later.
At first, the Norwegian Skating Federation selected only Maren Haugli, but included Mari Hemmer and Hedvig Bjelkevik after protests from within the speed skating community. Bjelkevik later declined, citing the same reason as Friesinger.
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Wikipedia