Wiltfried Idema

Cradle of the skeleton sport and venue for skeleton in the 1928 and 1948 Olympic Winter Games is the SMTC & The Cresta Run in @stmoritz

Although the Netherlands were represented neither in the 1928 nor in the 1948 skeleton competitions, there were some remarkable good dutch Cresta Riders in the years before WW2: Jules Count van Bylandt, Anthony Fokker and Willem Baron Gevers. All three were also active on the bobsleigh track.

Van Bylandt (on photo standing), active on the Cresta since 1897 and on the bobtrack since 1904 was '...one of the most talented sportsmen ever to make an annual pilgrimage to St Moritz...'. In 1905 he was the fastest rider.

Antony Fokker (on photo with helmet) was a '...skeleton fanatic with considerable experience...' who while he always stated to ride the Cresta for his own amusement, regularly ended in a top three position.

Willem Gevers, who also represented the Netherlands in the twobob in the 1936 Olympic Wintergames, was one of fastest riders. In 1939 Gevers won the Grand National and was even dubbed 'World Champion'.

The Cresta tradition was later continued by Michiel Cohen a.k.a. 'the Flying Dutchman'. Present day Top Riders are Oscar Hattink (photo with silverware) and former @dutchsliding President Gawein Geraedts.

Still student teams from the Leidse Studenten Bobslee Club (photo), Amsterdam and Rotterdam take part in the University Challenge.

@thecrestarun
@stephen.bartley
@cresta.and.bob.museum
@dutchsliding
@nocnsf
@gaweingeraed
@jurryt_van_de_vooren
@jan_kiewiet_de_jonge_sax
@clifton.wrottesley