Anke Beenen

Anke Bonnes Beenen (18 January 1853 – 5 September 1886), Langezwaag, Netherlands, was a Dutch short track speed skater. Beenen was among notable Dutch woman speed skater in second half of nineteenth century.Gold for Houkje Gerrits Bouma – the Women's skating competition on the stadsgracht in Leeuwarden | https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352876146_Gold_for_Houkje_Gerrits_Bouma_The_Women's_Skating_Competition_on_the_Stadsgracht_in_Leeuwarden_on_21_January_1809_Painted_by_Nicolaas_Baur She became well known from pair speed skating competitions with Jouke Schaap, winning thousand guilders in prize money.'t Kleine Krantsje, 1964–1997 | 14 December 1974 | pagina 5 | Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden | url=https://periodieken.historischcentrumleeuwarden.nl/issue/TKK/1974-12-14/edition/null/page/5

Career

When Beenen was 16 years old, she started skating in her hometown Langezwaag. It was noted by her father that she skated fast. She registered together with her brothers, Hendrik and Jan, for a major competition in Groningen in the winter of 1870. Beenen won the race with f 150 and a gold medal. Jouke Schaap (1846–1923) won the men's competition that same day. They agreed to start competing together in pair speed skating competitions.

Schaap en Beenen's first competition together was on 3 January 1871 at the Munnikspetten in Heerenveen, and it was their breakthrough. They won first prize and fl. 150. They would compete together for about ten years until 1881, and won many prizes; not only in Friesland but also in North Holland, South Holland and Groningen. Especially in their first winter of 1870–71 they were very successful, and won among others also the second prize in Bolsward and the first prize in Amsterdam (31 January 1871, f 150).Delpher | Leeuwarder nieuwsblad | 30-01-1937 | https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010743757:mpeg21:p004

Beenen also continued to win prizes individually. She competed in the week she was going to marry on 3 February 1880 in Grouw and shortly after her marriage on 18 January 1881 in Hardegarijp. That winter of 1880–81 was the last winter she took part in competitions.'t Kleine Krantsje, 1964–1997 | 14 December 1974 | pagina 5 | Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden | url=https://periodieken.historischcentrumleeuwarden.nl/issue/TKK/1974-12-14/edition/null/page/5

+ Speedskating shorttrack competitionsDelpher – newspaper archive | https://www.delpher.nl Date Place Competition Placement/Prize 3 January 1871 Heerenveen Pairs – with Jouke Schaap 1st – f150 4 January 1871 Groningen Pairs – with Jouke Schaap 1st – f60 13 January 1871 Bolsward Pairs – with Jouke Schaap 2nd 26 January 1871 Tjallebird Pairs – with Jouke Schaap 1st – f50 1 February 1871 Amsterdam Pairs – with Jouke Schaap 1st – f150 8 February 1873 Akkrum Individual 2nd 17 January 1876 Harlingen Pairs – with Jouke Schaap 2nd – f60 18 January 1876 Heerenveen Skating holding a stick together (schaatsen aan de stok) – w Jouke Schaap and Murk Speerstra 1st – f150 10 January 1879 Drachten Pairs ? – f10 24 January 1879 Oosterzee Pairs 1st – f60 30 January 1879 Sloten Individual 1st – f50 31 January 1879 Amsterdam Pairs 1st – f150 3 February 1879 Jellum Individual 1st – f40 4 February 1879 Oudkerk Individual 1st – f50 6 December 1879 Drachten Pairs ? – f10 21 December 1879 Groningen Pairs ? – f30 30 January 1880 Drachten Individual 1st – f50 31 January 1880 Bolsward Individual 1st – f50 3 February 1880 Grou Individual 1st – f50 9 February 1880 Workum Individual 1st – f40 24 January 1881 Hardegarijp Individual 2nd

Popularity Around 1880 a painting of Beenen and Jouke Schaap (by known painter Janus Poustma) was displayed at a shop window in Gorredijk. On 22 December 1879 her speed skating club "Thialf" paid attention celebrated her silver anniversary by building a large gate in front of the house of the mayor of Schoterland, de Blocq van Scheltinga, on the Heideburen street in Heerenveen. On top were placed three figures: in the middle ice god Thialf and next to him Beenen and Jouke Schaap. Later, this representation was on display for many years in the ice tent of the Thialf ice rink. The wooden statue of Anke Beenen en Jouke Schaap was at the ice stadium Thialf for years until Thialf was rebuilt in 1926.Stichting History Heerenveen | Wibbo Westerdijk, 31 augustus 2014 | Openbare Scholengemeenschap Fedde Schurer na 1982 | url=https://historieheerenveen.nl/?view=category&id=8&start=72

On 14 December 1974, a newspaper for the Leeuwarden and surroundings wrote an article about her life.'t Kleine Krantsje, 1964–1997 | 14 December 1974 | pagina 5 | Historisch Centrum Leeuwarden | url=https://periodieken.historischcentrumleeuwarden.nl/issue/TKK/1974-12-14/edition/null/page/5

Personal life Beenen was born in Langezwaag. She married boatman Johannes Sijtzes Krist on 7 February 1880. It is said that she had a tough marriage, and she stopped with speed skating. They had four children: Bonne, Korneliske, Johanna and Geertje. Bonne drowned in Rotterdam in 1935. Beenen died young on 5 September 1886, aged 33. After her death Johannes Sijtzes Krist married again and lived in Leeuwarden.Delpher | Leeuwarder nieuwsblad | 30-01-1937 | https://www.delpher.nl/nl/kranten/view?coll=ddd&identifier=ddd:010743757:mpeg21:p004

References

Anke Beenen

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