Erben Wennemars

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.

Speed skating 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, Japan, 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, Germany, by winning the gold medal at the 1000 m and 1500 m. One year later he became world champion in sprint in Nagano. In 2005 he defended his world sprint title successfully in Salt Lake City, United States.

Wennemars qualified for the 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and the team pursuit events at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy and won bronze medals on the 1000m and in the team pursuit. 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. His son, Joep Wennemars became World Sprint Champion in 2025.

Records

Personal records

World records

DNS = Did not start DNF = Did not finish DQ = Disqualified NC = No classification

World Cup Season100 meter* 1996–1997 1997–1998 1998–1999 1999–2000 2000–2001 2001–2002 2002–2003 2003–2004 2004–2005 2005–2006 2006–2007 27th 21st 15th 2007–2008 25th – – 2008–2009 2009–2010 Season500 meter 1996–1997 36th 30th 18th(b) 17th(b) 24th(b) 12th(b) 17th(b) 23rd(b) 1st(b) 13th 2nd(b) 14th 1997–1998 9th 4th 9th 13th – – 1998–1999 24th 7th – – 5th – 16th 13th 1999–2000 16th 9th 14th 6th 4th 4th 4th 4th 9th 2000–2001 15th 14th 15th 7th 6th 4th 7th 10th 19th – 2001–2002 14th 6th 10th – – 13th 5th 14th 19th 2002–2003 10th 7th 4th 5th – 6th 2003–2004 5th 14th 8th 8th 12th – – 12th 12th 12th 10th 2004–2005 16th 14th 7th 8th 8th 10th 10th 15th 9th 2005–2006 58th 17th – – 7th(b) 17th(b) – – 1st(b) 6th – – 2006–2007 27th DQ 7th 13th* 11th* 9th* 14th 16th 14th 4th 8th 16th – 2007–2008 13th 18th 18th 19th 3rd(b)* – 17th 18th – – – – – – 2008–2009 2009–2010 Season1000 meter 1996–1997 26th 19th 18th(b) 9th(b) 7th(b) 19th(b) 14th(b) 18th(b) 1st(b) 1997–1998 4th 6th 7th 10th 4th – – 1998–1999 5th 7th – – 4th 5th 5th 4th 4th 1999–2000 11th 5th 4th 14th 7th 6th 9th 2000–2001 10th 13th 5th 9th 5th 11th 14th 2001–2002 5th 19th 6th 20th 2002–2003 4th 6th 2003–2004 2004–2005 15th 4th 2005–2006 5th – – 5th – – 9th – 2006–2007 4th 7th 2007–2008 5th 9th 11th DQ 5th 7th – – 11th 2008–2009 8th 4th 5th 4th – – – DNF – – 2009–2010 Season1500 meter 1996–1997 1997–1998 1998–1999 – 1st(b) – 7th – 1999–2000 2000–2001 5th 19th 5th 20th 2001–2002 5th – 4th 2002–2003 4th – – 2003–2004 4th 4th 2004–2005 9th 2005–2006 8th 7th 11th 2006–2007 2007–2008 4th 8th 6th 10th 10th 2008–2009 5th 4th – – – 2009–2010 18th 1st(b) – – DQ SeasonTeam pursuit 1996–1997 1997–1998 1998–1999 1999–2000 2000–2001 2001–2002 2002–2003 2003–2004 2004–2005 2005–2006 – – 2006–2007 – – 2007–2008 – – 2008–2009 DNF – – 2009–2010 – – 4th Source: (b) = Division B DNF = Did not finish DQ = Disqualified = 100m (first 100 meters of the World Cup 500 meter) – = Did not participate

Medals won Championship Gold Silver Bronze Dutch Single Distances Dutch Sprint Single Events Dutch Sprint Dutch Allround Single Events Dutch Allround Classification World Allround Single Events World Allround Classification Olympic Games World Single Distances World Sprint Single Events World Sprint Classification World Cup World Cup Classification Total

Total number of medals: 198

Personal life Wennemars is married to TV-presenter Renate van der Zalm, with whom he has two sons: Joep and Niels. Joep, like his father, is also a skater. On the other hand, Niels is a cheese-rolling racer, winning one of the races at Cooper's Hill in 2026.