octopus_limbs t1_jb7bi19 wrote
Reply to comment by b_m_hart in US teen Jordan Stolz is first man to win three individual golds at speed skating worlds | Speed Skating by carnifex2005
In think it's a response to the excerpt implying that speed skating is a "minor" sport and it's the main reason it's detached from "major" cities. Thialf being in Heerenveen is not the same as TrackTown being in Eugene. Im the US, no one knows that Tracktown is in Eugene, unless you are a die hard speed skating fan, but in NL, Friesland == speed skating and almost everyone knows this.
b_m_hart t1_jb7l7kb wrote
TrackTown is a very famous track (for track and field) events, with many national and international top level events taking place there. In the US, anyone that follows track and field (particularly distance running) knows of TrackTown, and where it is.
The exerpt does nothing to imply that it's "minor" in fact exactly the opposite.
Dry_Needleworker7504 t1_jb83rmn wrote
"But even in the Netherlands, there are signs of speedskating’s lack of standing in world sport." What are you talking about? It very clearly says just that.
b_m_hart t1_jb8kxhn wrote
As is pointed out elsewhere, it's basically saying that globally, speed skating isn't as common or popular as other athletic pursuits. He then goes on to compare the speed skating Mecca to the track and field Mecca to illustrate its importance. You seem awfully sensitive about someone stating the obvious about what the vast majority of the world considers a fringe sport, and then trying to explain the importance of the place in terms they'd understand.
Dry_Needleworker7504 t1_jb8pdf5 wrote
It literally says how in a specific country the Netherland and internationally alike this is the case verbatim. Not sure what's confusing you.
tafinucane t1_jb7l0jn wrote
Tracktown refers to Track and Field, not speed skating.
Track and Field is of relatively low importance in the US, so it makes sense that its (arguably) greatest venue is a smallish college town in the Pacific NW. Kind of a nonsense statement typical of sportswriting filler.
Most non-mainstream sports in the US have their olympic training centers in Colorado, so that's probably the US version of Heerenveen.
[deleted] t1_jb7hbj9 wrote
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