Erben Wennemars

Erben Wennemars

Erben Wennemars during the World Championships 2007
Personal information
Born	(1975-11-01) 1 November 1975 (age 41) Dalfsen, Netherlands
Website	www.erbenwennemars.nl
Sport
Country	Netherlands
Sport	Speed skating
Turned pro	1995
Retired	2010
Medal record Men's speed skating Representing the  Netherlands Olympic Games 2006 Turin Team pursuit 2006 Turin 1000 m World Championships 2003 Berlin 1000 m 2004 Seoul 1000 m 2003 Berlin 1500 m 2004 Nagano Sprint 2005 Salt Lake City Sprint 2005 Inzell Team pursuit 2007 Salt Lake City Team pursuit 2008 Nagano Team pursuit 1999 Heerenveen 500 m 2007 Salt Lake City 1500 m 2003 Berlin 500 m 2001 Salt Lake City 1500 m 2004 Seoul 1500 m 1998 Berlin Sprint 2003 Calgary Sprint

Egbert Rolf "Erben" Wennemars (born 1 November 1975) is a Dutch former speed skater. He specialized in the sprint and middle distances of 500, 1000 and 1500 meters, and set six world records during his career.

Wennemars was the first skater who skated the 1500 m faster than 1:50.00. His 1:49.89 in the summer of 1997, however, was not regarded as an official world record.

During the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano where Wennemars was qualified for the 500, 1000 and 1500 m, he dislocated his shoulder when Grunde Njøs from Norway fell and collided with Wennemars during the second 500 m race. Wennemars was not able to participate in the other distances after that.

Wennemars achieved his first big success in 2003 during the World Single Distance Championships in Berlin by winning the gold medal at the 1000 m and 1500 m. One year later he became world champion sprint in Nagano. In 2005 he defended his world sprint title successfully in Salt Lake City.

Wennemars qualified for the 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and the team pursuit events at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. His teammates for the team pursuit were Sven Kramer, Carl Verheijen, Mark Tuitert and Rintje Ritsma.

In 2003, Wennemars was chosen as athlete of the year in the Netherlands, and in 2003, 2004 and 2005 as Dutch skater of the year. After failing to qualify for the 2010 Winter Olympics he announced his farewell from competitive skating. On 11 January 2010, Wennemars officially retired as a speed-skating professional.