Dutch Winter Games Qualification: Last Chance

Four weeks until the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics. At the moment, 32 Dutch people are certain of participation in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.

Who can join us at the last minute? A tour of the athletes who still dream and the Olympic podium.

World skeleton champion Kimberley Bos will of course go to the Games, but in her wake Joeri van Kuppeveld also hopes to qualify. Both individually and for the mixed team component, which he wants to achieve together with Bos.

Individual placement for Van Kuppeveld will be a difficult story. He has to finish in the top eight at a World Cup event and he has not yet succeeded. The same score is also required for the mixed competition, but Bos and Van Kuppeveld have not yet succeeded there either.

They have one more chance to do so: on January 16 in Altenberg, Germany.

The Netherlands could also send two bobsleigh teams in February. If the four-man bobsled is among the first twelve countries on January 18 in an updated IBSF world ranking (a maximum of two teams per country is allowed), then placement is assured.

The Dutch four-man sled is currently thirteenth. Placement can be secured this weekend in St. Moritz, Switzerland and next weekend in Altenberg, Germany.

“I am confident that we will achieve twelfth place in the rankings,” said helmsman Dave Wesselink.

If the four-man bob qualifies, there is a good chance that the two-man sled will also go to Cortina.

Freestyle snowboarders Romy van Vreden, Niek van der Velden and Sam Vermaat still have a chance to win a ticket for the Olympic Games. But realistically it will be a difficult story for the last two.

Qualification for the big air and slopestyle components is possible via a so-called quota list, which will be finalized on January 26. The top 20 of that list was placed immediately. Athletes who finish in places 21 to 29 must meet an additional requirement from the NOC*NSF: a top-8 ranking at a World Cup competition this season.

Vermaat can claim Olympic qualification next week at the last World Cup competition in Laax, Switzerland, for which he must finish in the top eight. For Van der Velden, the Games seem like a utopia, he is too low on the quota list and needs a miracle.

Van Vreden, on the other hand, is in good shape. She is currently 17th on the cleared list. It is not yet certain whether she will take action in Switzerland. After consultation with her coaches, she currently prefers training to competition.

Snowboardcrosser Glenn de Blois has one more chance to qualify next week in China. He is now in 23rd place, but has not yet achieved a top eight finish this season. A good result at the World Cup competition in China could still bring him to the Games.

Alpine skier Kiara Derks can in principle also qualify for the Games. She must achieve a top 30 ranking during the World Cup competitions. She has one more chance to do that, on Tuesday in Flachau, Austria.

Alpine skier Marcel Hirscher will not go to the Games, he is not fit enough to perform at the top level.

And then a large group of athletes has already been placed. All long track skaters know where they stand. The short trackers too, with the exception of one: Daan Kos and Itzhak de Laat are still uncertain. If Kos has recovered from a back injury, he will go to Milan. If not, De Laat will be nominated by the KNSB.

View the full Olympic long track and short track selection below: