Anke Beenen

Anke Beenen

Personal information
Born	18 January 1853 Langezwaag, Netherlands
Died	5 September 1886 Langezwaag, Netherlands
Sport
Sport	speed skating
Event	short track
Turned pro	1870
Retired	1881

Anke Bonnes Beenen (née: Krist, 18 January 1853 - 5 September 1886), Langezwaag, Netherlands, was a Dutch short track speed skater. Short track skating was the most popular sport in Friesland at after the second half of the 19th century, and women were more and more participating too. She is named as (one of) the first women speed skater who became notable . She became popular in couple competitions skating together with Jouke Schaap, winning thousand guilders in prize money.

Career

When Beenen was 16 years old, she started with skating in her hometown where she lived. 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. Beenen won the race with f 150 and a gold medal. Jouke Schaap (1846-1923) won the men's competition that day. They agreed to start competing together in pair competitions.

The pairs' competition on 5 January 1871 on the Munnikspetten in Heerenveen, was their breakthrough. They won first prize and fl. 150. A year earlier, Jouke Schaap rode with IJmkje Veldman from Uitwellingerga and finished second in Heerenveen. They would become one of the best couples and competed about ten years until 1881, and won many prixes; 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 the second prize in Bolsward, 1st prize in Heerenveen (3 January 1871, f 150) and the first prize in Amsterdam (31 January 1871, f 150).

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.

Popularity

Around 1880 a painting of Beenen and Jouke Schaap (by known painter Janus Poustma) was exposed 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 mayor Daniël de Blocq of Scheltinga on the Heideburen in Heerenveen. On top where 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.

100 year after her career, on 14 December 1974, a newspaper for Leeuwarden and surroundings wrote an article about her life.

Personal life

Beenen was born in Langezwaag. She married on 7 February 1880 with boatman Johannes Sijtzes Krist. It is said that she had a tough marriage, as 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 dead Johannes Sijtzes Krist married again and stayed living in Leeuwarden.