Jan Roelof Kruithof, a celebrated figure in Dutch marathon skating, has died at the age of 89, De Telegraaf reports. The news was carried by several Dutch outlets, including NOS, AD.nl, RTV Noord and the Meppeler Courant.
Kruithof, who was from Havelte in the province of Drenthe, was a four-time winner of the Oldambtrit, according to RTV Noord. AD.nl referred to him by the nickname "the diesel of Havelte," a nod to his reputation in the sport.
Marathon skating is a long-distance discipline in which large packs of skaters race over extended courses, often on natural ice, and it holds a strong following in the Netherlands. Kruithof's standing in that world is reflected in the way Dutch broadcasters and regional papers described him as a legend of the sport.
The reports did not include further details about the circumstances of his death, and no information about survivors or funeral arrangements was given in the material available.
Kruithof's career is remembered chiefly through his repeated success in the Oldambtrit, a race that RTV Noord highlighted in its headline announcing his death. That four-time record stands as the achievement most closely tied to his name in the coverage.
Further tributes and a fuller account of his career are likely to follow from Dutch skating bodies and the regional press in the coming days.
