Annette Gerritsen

Infobox Speed Skater
name = Annette Gerritsen
nickname =


imagesize = 200px
caption = Annette Gerritsen prepares for a race
country = Netherlands
club =
birth_date = October 11, 1985
birth_place = Ilpendam, Netherlands
death_date =
death_place =
height =
weight =
turnedpro = 2005
retired =
pb =
website = [http://www.annettegerritsen.nl www.annettegerritsen.nl]
medaltemplates =

Annette Gerritsen (born October 11, 1985 in Ilpendam, Noord-Holland) is a Dutch speed skater. She specialises in riding the 500 m and 1000 m. She is the current Dutch Junior record holder in the 500 m (38.57) and her personal best (1.16.14) used to be the World Junior record. She also holds the World Junior record with her Dutch team mates in the team pursuit (3.12.37).

kating Career

Gerritsen's breakthrough came during the 2004-05 speed skating season when she won the bronze medal in the 500 m at the 2005 KNSB Dutch Single Distance Championships. She won another bronze medal that same year at the 2005 KNSB Dutch Sprint Championships and qualified for the 2005 ISU World Sprint Championships where she finished in 17th position.

2005-2006 season

The year after, at the 2006 KNSB Dutch Single Distance Championships she improved her bronze 500 m medal to a silver and was also able to win a bronze medal in the 1000 m. She then successfully defended her bronze medal at the 2006 KNSB Dutch Sprint Championships and also managed to qualify for both the 2006 ISU World Sprint Championships and the 2006 Winter Olympics. While her Sprint Championships were successful when she finished in 6th position her Olympics were disappointing. Gerritsen qualified in two distances. She finished 12th in the 500 m and 23rd in the 1000 m.

2006-2007 season

In the 2006-07 pre-season Gerritsen showed her potential to become the fastest Dutch sprint speed skater when beating team mate Marianne Timmer several times. However at the 2007 KNSB Dutch Single Distance Championships she was unable to keep her pre-season form and only finished in third position behind the surprising Margot Boer and Timmer. Her performances gave her the opportunity to participate in the 2007 World Sprint Championships, where she finished 7th overall, with a 4th place in the second 1000m race. On the 28th of January Gerritsen won her first World Cup event, a 500m in Heerenveen, although only after favorite Jenny Wolf fell after 50m [http://www.nos.nl/nosstudiosport/artikelen/2007/1/28/28011754wbsprintdamesheerenveen.html] . Her victory guaranteed her a spot in the 500m at the 2007 World Single Distance Championship, to be held in Salt Lake City March 10.

Gerritsen used to date multiple Olympic speed skating medallist Sven Kramer.

Personal Bests

External links

* [http://www.annettegerritsen.nl Official website]
* [http://www.annettegerritsen.eu Fan website]
* [http://www.fotos.desg.de/athletes.php?showAthletes=all&id=1117 Photos of Annette Gerritsen]