the only obvious indication that Erik ten Hag once lived here is a sign fixed to the front window of a shop space that is up for sale
That is because his family are business people whose real-estate offices are among the biggest in the nearest city
a small town on the other side of Enschede
Erik and his brothers grew up here in Haaksbergen
in stark contrast to the noise currently engulfing its most famous son
Last night, Ten Hag guided Manchester United to their latest embarrassing result of an increasingly painful season — a 4-0 defeat away to Crystal Palace
The odds of Thomas Tuchel heading to Old Trafford to replace Ten Hag when he leaves his job as Bayern Munich coach this summer have been slashed
and there have been reports in Germany of Ten Hag taking over from Tuchel in Bavaria
Not that you would guess at any of this in Haaksbergen
a folksy place where everyone seems to know everyone else
Enter the fruit-and-vegetables store and the man behind the counter knows customers by name
trying to find out how people feel about Ten Hag’s position at United
It is explained on the steps of one of Haaksbergen’s several Protestant churches that it is culturally unacceptable in this conservative part of the Netherlands to discuss someone else’s problems publicly
A few of Ten Hag’s old friends in Haaksbergen were contacted by The Athletic as well
with one of them suggesting that speaking at this moment would not help him
It is possible to find the odd person on the narrow lanes that feed off Haaksbergen’s central square willing to speak
although nobody wants to be named fully or photographed
English is also not spoken here as commonly as in other parts of the country
But almost everyone prepared to offer their views is a staunch defender of Ten Hag — and a critic of the club who currently employ him
who works for a maintenance service commissioned to tidy up the trees and bushes in the centre of Haaksbergen
Kevin names some of the other managers who have not lived up to the expectations at United since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement after the 2012-13 season — the last one where they won the Premier League title
and this says it might not be the fault of the manager — in this case
Kevin says he did not watch the capitulation to Palace
after which the Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher described United as one “the most poorly coached teams in the Premier League”
Just how far can Erik ten Hag's Manchester United fall
Enschede’s club in the domestic top-flight Eredivisie
where Ten Hag had three spells as a player — the last
“I remember him in the centre of the defence,” Kevin says
You will struggle to find anyone who has anything bad to say about him.”
“We know all about Erik ten Hag’s problems in Manchester,” says one
he has been unable to improve results but he achieved success at Ajax when he worked in front of a stable structure behind him
What about the money he has had to spend at United
He cannot claim he has not been supported financially
It means that Ten Hag buys the players he knows
There is a feeling in Haaksbergen that it might be time for Ten Hag to move on
where he coached Bayern’s reserves from 2013-15
yet there is an argument that similar issues relating to directorial lead exist at the Allianz Arena
A man carrying cakes from a bakery thinks it might be time to step away from football altogether for a while
before making any decision about his next job
where he started out as a youth player in the system at Bon Boys
“Erik ten Hag is always welcome in Haaksbergen,” says the man
Facing Manchester United: Opponents tell us what it's like to play against 'the big gap'
(Top photos: Getty Images; Simon Hughes/The Athletic)
Simon Hughes is a senior writer who joined The Athletic from The Independent in 2019. His latest book Chasing Salah was released in 2024. He has also written There She Goes, a modern social history of Liverpool as a city Follow Simon on Twitter @Simon_Hughes__
30% higher sand throughput after retrofit of controls
A comprehensive renewal of the PLC control
the power unit and also the measurement technology resulted in significant improvements in the sand processing of the Dutch Aluminum Gieterij Oldenzaal in Oldenzaal
“Our controls were getting on in years and individual devices were no longer working properly
“A repair was no longer worthwhile - we had switched off the moisture measurement / water metering and added the amount of water manually using a fixed value
The weighing of the used sand was too imprecise and we always had too much sand in the mixer and had to significantly reduce the batch weight
After it became clear that the innovation reserves for sand preparation were in the control and measurement technology package Sandplant_control
the company decided on a large and comprehensive solution to be provided by datec GmbH
Managing director Dennis Eekers wanted to implement 4 goals:
The exchange of the control could of course not be accomplished like a tire change
because it was a clear improvement and the latest technology should be used
Not only was the latest PLC and a completely new power unit installed
but the weighing technology and moisture-dependent water metering with datec Gmbh's akwa_mix system were also renewed
An important step towards improving quality was the installation of the ROTOCONTROL RTC 107 on the mixer for online molding material testing in the mixing cycle with direct correction of compressibility and compressive strength
the operation and display was relocated from the old control room to the molding system
The most important operating states and measured values are displayed online with a sufficiently large screen visualization
The molding machine operator can change the recipe himself very quickly when changing models
Faults in sand processing are displayed immediately and can be remedied from there
the investment is worthwhile Hardly any modifications were made to the system itself during the investment; the new electrical equipment alone enabled significant improvements to be achieved
The original batch weight of 200 kg could be increased to 260 kg and at the same time the uniformity of the sand could be increased
The compressibility fluctuates only slightly
You can find a more detailed description of the retrofit HERE
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On Monday morning, United released a statement confirming they had parted ways with Ten Hag after two-and-a-half years
His final game was last weekend’s 2-1 loss at the hands of West Ham. A few hours after news of his departure came out, pictures emerged of Ten Hag leaving Manchester
where he boarded a jet back to the Netherlands
The Daily Mail have now revealed that the Dutchman flew to Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport
where a car was waiting to drive him to his rural home in Oldenzaal
The 54-year-old left his wife Bianca and their three children back in Manchester to handle admin issues
It’s understood that Ten Hag has a £1m modern three-storey home in Oldenzaal
His parents visited – Hennie and Joke – visited him to comfort him
The Mail have published pictures of Ten Hag with his father yesterday
Erik Ten Hag is being consoled by his parents in Dutch hometown after flying out of UK on private jet as soon as he was sacked by Manchester United – leaving wife and their three children behind https://t.co/DpgltBYIgv
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) October 31, 2024
Erik ten Hag spotted being 'comforted' by his parents after returning to his home-town just days after Man United sacking 🥲💔 pic.twitter.com/8VAYpOKn2m
— Mail Sport (@MailSport) October 31, 2024
According to neighbours, the former Red Devils manager feels most at home at Oldenzaal, which is where he also grew up. During happier days, he and his wife regularly retreated there to escape the pressures of being the manager of one of the world’s biggest football clubs.
A neighbour told the newspaper, “It’s no surprise that Erik was visited by Hennie and Joke. They are a close family and his parents are very proud and very, very supportive.”
“In fact everyone around Oldenzaal is very proud of him and very respectful of the ten Hags. He can relax and feel like he has his privacy when he is here – and I’m sure that’s very different to what he experienced in Manchester and why he was quick to return.”
Another resident of the town remarked, “He likes it here as he is not bothered by anyone. Many people have followed what he has been doing as Manchester United are such a big club and we hear all about what they are doing.”
“Of course living in England he has not had the opportunity to spend a lot of time here, but when he does he is not pestered and he can relax.”
A local shopkeeper stated, “Most people know Erik from his time as manager of Ajax and it was big news when he joined Manchester United.”
“Getting sacked was no surprise because the results were bad. There is a lot of sympathy for him. The team has not being doing well, but he is welcome back here.”
Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the game extensively for many years. He is a keen analyst with expertise in SEO and journalism standards. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won't hear otherwise!
2021. All Right Reserved by The Peoples Person.
2024 The German border with the Netherlands near Aachen
Photo: Depositphotos.comGermany introduced border checks at some crossings from the Netherlands on Monday
but the expected traffic congestion failed to materialise
the ANWB did register three kilometres of slow-moving traffic on the A1 from Oldenzaal to the border because of the police checkpoint
But few other problems have been reported so far
Germany said last week it would introduce border checks for at least six months in an effort to reduce cross border crime and terrorism
The spot checks with five more Western European expand the mobile border controls operating at four other borders
Germany has monitored its borders with Poland
Austria and Switzerland more tightly since last year
The Netherlands shares a 570 kilometre border with Germany on land and at sea
and thousands of people live in one country and work or study in the other
the far right PVV has called for the reintroduction of more border checks
Temporary border controls are permitted within the EU if Brussels is briefed in advance
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“I did not want to burden my partner with having to keep the grave tidy,” ter Beek texted me
who lives in a little Dutch town near the German border
once had ambitions to become a psychiatrist
but she was never able to muster the will to finish school or start a career
She said she was hobbled by her depression and autism and a personality disorder
and living in a nice house with their two cats
She recalled her psychiatrist telling her that they had tried everything
that “there’s nothing more we can do for you
“I was always very clear that if it doesn’t get better
As if to advertise her hopelessness, ter Beek has a tattoo of a “tree of life” on her upper left arm
“Where the tree of life stands for growth and new beginnings,” she texted
but more as myself being freed from life.”
“I will be going on the couch in the living room.”
She added: “The doctor really takes her time
It is not that they walk in and say: lay down please
Most of the time it is first a cup of coffee to settle the nerves and create a soft atmosphere
and she will start up the procedure and wish me a good journey
Then the doctor will administer a sedative
followed by a drug that will stop ter Beek’s heart
When she’s dead, a euthanasia review committee will evaluate her death to ensure the doctor adhered to “due care criteria,” and the Dutch government will (almost certainly) declare that the life of Zoraya ter Beek was lawfully ended.
She’s asked her boyfriend to be with her to the very end.
There won’t be any funeral. She doesn’t have much family; she doesn’t think her friends will feel like going. Instead, her boyfriend will scatter her ashes in “a nice spot in the woods” that they have chosen together, she said.
“I’m a little afraid of dying, because it’s the ultimate unknown,” she said. “We don’t really know what’s next—or is there nothing? That’s the scary part.”
(Ilvy Njiokiktjien for The Free Press)Ter Beek is one of a growing number of people across the West choosing to end their lives rather than live in pain
“I’m seeing euthanasia as some sort of acceptable option brought to the table by physicians, by psychiatrists, when previously it was the ultimate last resort,” Stef Groenewoud, a healthcare ethicist at Theological University Kampen, in the Netherlands, told me. “I see the phenomenon especially in people with psychiatric diseases, and especially young people with psychiatric disorders, where the healthcare professional seems to give up on them more easily than before.”
Theo Boer, a healthcare ethics professor at Protestant Theological University in Groningen, served for a decade on a euthanasia review board in the Netherlands. “I entered the review committee in 2005, and I was there until 2014,” Boer told me. “In those years, I saw the Dutch euthanasia practice evolve from death being a last resort to death being a default option.” He ultimately resigned.
Ter Beek’s medical necklace says ‘Do not resuscitate.’ (Ilvy Njiokiktjien for The Free Press)Boer had in mind people like Zoraya ter Beek—who
have been tacitly encouraged to kill themselves by laws that destigmatize suicide
and radical right-to-die activists who insist we should be free to kill ourselves whenever our lives are “complete.”
Statistics suggest these critics have a point
In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to make euthanasia legal
the number of people who increasingly choose to die is startling
expects to be euthanized in early May.
\u201CI did not want to burden my partner with having to keep the grave tidy,\u201D ter Beek texted me
but that will be my new house!\u201D
She added an urn emoji after \u201Chouse!\u201D
and living in a nice house with their two cats.
that \u201Cthere\u2019s nothing more we can do for you
It\u2019s never gonna get any better.\u201D
\u201CI was always very clear that if it doesn\u2019t get better
As if to advertise her hopelessness, ter Beek has a tattoo of a \u201Ctree of life\u201D on her upper left arm
\u201CWhere the tree of life stands for growth and new beginnings,\u201D she texted
but more as myself being freed from life.\u201D
\u201CI will be going on the couch in the living room.\u201D
She added: \u201CThe doctor really takes her time
\u2018Safe journey.\u2019 I\u2019m not going anywhere.\u201D
followed by a drug that will stop ter Beek\u2019s heart.
When she\u2019s dead, a euthanasia review committee will evaluate her death to ensure the doctor adhered to \u201Cdue care criteria,\u201D and the Dutch government will (almost certainly) declare that the life of Zoraya ter Beek was lawfully ended.
She\u2019s asked her boyfriend to be with her to the very end.
There won\u2019t be any funeral. She doesn\u2019t have much family; she doesn\u2019t think her friends will feel like going. Instead, her boyfriend will scatter her ashes in \u201Ca nice spot in the woods\u201D that they have chosen together, she said.
\u201CI\u2019m a little afraid of dying, because it\u2019s the ultimate unknown,\u201D she said. \u201CWe don\u2019t really know what\u2019s next\u2014or is there nothing? That\u2019s the scary part.\u201D
\u201CI\u2019m seeing euthanasia as some sort of acceptable option brought to the table by physicians, by psychiatrists, when previously it was the ultimate last resort,\u201D Stef Groenewoud, a healthcare ethicist at Theological University Kampen, in the Netherlands, told me. \u201CI see the phenomenon especially in people with psychiatric diseases, and especially young people with psychiatric disorders, where the healthcare professional seems to give up on them more easily than before.\u201D
Theo Boer, a healthcare ethics professor at Protestant Theological University in Groningen, served for a decade on a euthanasia review board in the Netherlands. \u201CI entered the review committee in 2005, and I was there until 2014,\u201D Boer told me. \u201CIn those years, I saw the Dutch euthanasia practice evolve from death being a last resort to death being a default option.\u201D He ultimately resigned.
Ter Beek\u2019s medical necklace says \u2018Do not resuscitate.\u2019 (Ilvy Njiokiktjien for The Free Press)Boer had in mind people like Zoraya ter Beek\u2014who
and radical right-to-die activists who insist we should be free to kill ourselves whenever our lives are \u201Ccomplete.\u201D
Statistics suggest these critics have a point.
In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to make euthanasia legal. Since then, the number of people who increasingly choose to die is startling.
HomeDestinationsInterestsTop Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to The Netherlands
One of the most popular ballooning events in the Netherlands
Held at recreation park Het Hulsbeek in Oldenzaal
this famous four-day international balloon festival draws thousands of enthusiastic spectators each year
With 35 colorful hot air balloons participating
the festival is scheduled in the last full week of August
The Twente Ballooning Festival runs from Wednesday to Saturday
attendees can enjoy the fair throughout the day
culminating in the much-anticipated Nightglow event with fireworks in the evening
The festival will conclude on Saturday with a spectacular fireworks show at approximately 9:30 pm
The Nightglow is undoubtedly the highlight of Twente Ballooning
thousands of spectators gather to witness this spectacular event
Nightglow starts around 10:15 pm on Friday evening when the balloons are set up as soon as it gets dark
The balloons are illuminated by their burners
synchronized to compelling music for over fifteen minutes
and fireworks creates an unforgettable experience for many
Traditionally held at the edge of the pond
the Nightglow is accompanied by a massive light show
The Twente Ballooning Festival offers exciting events on both Friday and Saturday
The Twente Balloon Festival fair is open from 5 pm to 11 pm on Friday and from 3 pm to 9 pm on Saturday
Saturday at Twente Ballooning is a family affair
offering a mega children's festival packed with excitement from 3 pm to 9 pm
ensuring a day filled with fun for the whole family
the Oldtimer Show will feature a stunning display of classic cars
Entrance tickets for the Twente Ballooning Festival are €6 per person per day on Wednesday and Thursday and €8 per person per day on Friday and Saturday
Children up to 6 years old can enter for free
attendees can enjoy a balloon flight experience at Twente Ballooning
including two entrance tickets to the festival site
They'll soar among 35 balloons for approximately 60 minutes
The VIP flights are available at €675–€795
Twente Ballooning dates back to 1985 when it debuted as Balloonfiesta Brecklenkamp
The first edition gathered about ten hot air balloons and several hundred visitors
the crowds grew larger with every new year
The festival changed its name to Twente Ballooning in 2016
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Nathalie Wouters
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I think it’s important to always dress for the occasion
My closet is mostly filled with white shirts and blue or grey jackets
Most of my clothes are from small businesses in my hometown Oldenzaal
The owners are customers in my supermarkets and I think it’s important to support each other as entrepreneurs
The last thing I bought and loved was an electric bike. My wife had wanted one for a while, but I wasn’t ready yet. I thought those things were for old people – I’m only 49! But now I truly enjoy my Trek bike. Since I no longer officiate matches on weekends, my wife and I love going for 50km rides on Sunday mornings. trekbikes.com
Since I retired from refereeing I have more control over my time
but I still don’t allow myself enough time off from my business
I would love to spend an entire day at home – I can’t even remember the last time that happened
My grandfather started our family business of supermarkets over 80 years ago and I grew up in a family where working hard was the norm
My dad is still not good at enjoying free time
When he retired I encouraged him to buy himself something nice and he ended up getting a convertible
He’s 75 and still comes by the business every day
Some of his collection of football shirts © Raimond WoudaThe match ball from the Euro 2020 final
which Kuipers kept © Raimond WoudaI have a collection of many
The ones I wore during special matches are framed and hanging in my office
including the Confederations Cup final of 2013 and the Champions League final of 2014
An unforgettable place I’ve travelled to is the holy grass of Wembley Stadium for the Euro 2020 final
I’d officiated there once before but this match was what I’d been working towards all these years
I still get goosebumps when I think of the moment the English national anthem played
my children and my father were sitting in the stands and I realised half the world was watching
Kuipers’s Trek ebike © Raimond WoudaAnd the best souvenir I’ve brought home is the Euro 2020 final match ball
my assistant handed me the ball and I refused to let go of it for the rest of the evening
I had a watch that vibrated when the ball crossed the goal line
The place I can’t wait to go back to is Indonesia
I lived there for almost a year when I was 23 and I’ve never been back since
Back then I interned at Hotel Grand Sahid Jaya
It was quite the contrast to the small kampung hut where I lived
I washed myself with a bucket of cold water
That’s where I learned to appreciate the small luxuries in life
I would love to show these places to my wife and two kids
A recent “find” is that I quite enjoy cooking
There’s a tiny fishmonger here in Oldenzaal that’s only open on Saturdays
Every Thursday they text me a list of the fish that will be available and I place an order
The best advice I’ve received came from my father
He taught me so many important things: to be direct and honest
to simply do things instead of just talking about them
He often handed out free groceries to customers in financial trouble
He was also the person who pushed me to become a referee when I was an annoying 16-year-old amateur footballer who constantly criticised the referees
In my fridge you’ll always find cold beers
My wife and I both enjoy a good glass of wine
so there’s always a bottle of sauvignon blanc in the fridge
Grolsch, his “local pride” beer, in his fridge © Raimond WoudaA selection of John Grisham thrillers, which he reads to relax © Raimond WoudaThe best book I’ve read in the past year is Sooley, the latest John Grisham, which I read by the pool during our holiday to Sicily right after the Euro final. Reading thrillers is a good way for me to relax
The last meal that truly impressed me was at Ristorante pizzeria San Vito in Mazara del Vallo
We’ve been going to Sicily for a couple of years now
and I thought I knew all the nice restaurants in the area
But this year the woman who cleaned our hotel rooms recommended this place
We were hesitant when we arrived and saw the rusty nameplate
We asked the chef to surprise us and he prepared a table full of fish dishes to share and it was unbelievable
The firepit in his garden © Raimond WoudaA collection of football scarves and match pennants © Raimond WoudaAn object I would never part with doesn’t exist
I’m too down to earth to care that much about anything
Of course I invest in things I find important: we live in a comfortable house
we have a holiday home in Friesland and I drive a nice Mercedes
But I honestly couldn’t tell you if it’s a GLE or a GLC
The gadget I couldn’t do without is my MacBook Air
which is the only gadget I carry with me now
I had many gadgets that made my work easier: a watch that vibrated when the ball crossed the goal line
Marco van Basten during the European Championship final between Netherlands and USSR at the Olympia Stadium
Germany © VI Images via Getty ImagesI’m not the type of person who idolises people
but when I still played football myself I was a fan of legendary Dutch player Marco van Basten
We’ve now occasionally worked together when he has worked for Fifa
When he came to my house for a meeting in 2017
I couldn’t stop wondering what my younger self would think of that
The podcasts I’m listening to are mostly Dutch football podcasts
I only listen to podcasts when I’m working out
As a referee it was very important to stay fit
I use the crosstrainer in my gym and my wife and I play tennis together
Kuipers performs keepy-ups in his garden © Raimond WoudaMy wellbeing guru is my coach Jaap Uilenberg
but the most important lesson he taught me is the importance of mental fitness
As a referee you get criticised after every match
Jaap would text me: “Let it go!” He taught me how to put things in perspective
The best gifts I’ve given recently were two Hublot watches to thank my two regular assistants: Sander van Roekel and Erwin Zeinstra. The inscription says: “Thank you for all the beautiful years, your buddy Björn.” Hublot Classic Fusion and Hublot Big Bang e UEFA Euro 2020
The grooming ritual I never skip is going to the hair studio I own every three weeks to make sure my hair always looks decent. That’s about all the effort I put into my appearance. haarstudio-oldenzaal.nl
A cause close to my heart is the Emma Children’s Hospital in Amsterdam. I recently auctioned the whistle I used at every match for the last seven years – a gift from Japanese top referee Yuichi Nishimura – and raised more than €10,000 for them. mail@nathaliewouters.com
WATCHPRO USA
Dutch indie Grönefeld has created its first watch for women
The back story for the design of the 1944 Tanfana involves a small gazebo on a hillside
just outside the watchmaker’s hometown of Oldenzaal
which was built on the site of a former temple to Tanfana
a Greek goddess associated with peace and harmony
The multi-generational watchmaking family of the Grönefeld brothers
is also referenced in the watch with their mother Netty’s year of birth
The 1944 Tanfana draws on the mechanical expertise of the Grönefeld team
but veers away from the typically understated industrial aesthetic of the brand towards something altogether more opulent
dark blue aventurine — a material often used by watchmakers for the way it looks like a night sky dotted with stars
the watch has a geometrical pattern of interlocking Flower of Life symbols
there is a small seconds subdial that also uses the Flower of Life
an ancient and mystical geometrical pattern found throughout nature
Grönefeld has chosen a golden 37.5mm case for the watch
which can be decorated with up to 233 brilliant cut diamonds across the bezel
Powering the watch is a G-06 automatic movement with a 22ct red gold openworked oscillating weight with a depiction of The Tree of Life in white gold
It is on sale from today priced at €118,000
Zoraya ter Beek had a persistent wish to die
Growing up in the quaint Dutch town of Oldenzaal
she was diagnosed with autism; a year later
she started wearing a “Do Not Resuscitate” tag around her neck
her wish was finally granted: after a three-year wait
Zoraya ended her life through physician-assisted suicide
“For me, autism is the major hiccup in my life. That bothers me the most,” Zoraya told me. As a child she was bullied a lot at school. She took to dressing as a goth to make herself seem scarier.
“The whole black look looked right, because that is how I felt on the inside,” she said.
Zoraya’s sense of humor could be dark. She struggled with mental illness: depression, anxiety, and an unspecified personality disorder. But during our conversations—which took place over the course of a month, on the phone and on WhatsApp—she came across as an intelligent, articulate, and confident young woman.
Zoraya received little or no support from her family. When she turned 18, she moved out of her childhood home to live with her boyfriend, Stein. He was ten years older than her, and her parents didn’t approve of the age difference. When I first contacted her, Zoraya had been estranged from her mother and three older sisters for six years. Her father died last year from cancer.
As a young adult, Zoraya felt unable to study, or embark on a career. She told me Stein, who is an IT programmer, was worried about how she felt, and encouraged her to get therapy. Over the course of a decade, she tried everything to relieve the symptoms of her mental illness—including, at last, 33 rounds of electroconvulsive therapy, where electric currents jolt the brain.
Zoraya’s last treatment was in August 2020, after which she says her psychiatrist told her: “There’s nothing more we can do for you. It’s never going to get any better.”
“After we heard that, we all kind of knew what that meant,” Zoraya told me, referring not only to herself but her boyfriend, her friends, and her doctors. “I was always very clear: if it doesn’t get better, I can’t do this.”
That’s when she decided she wanted to apply to die.
Zoraya at home, wearing her “Do Not Resuscitate” necklace.Zoraya submitted her application to the Netherlands’ Euthanasia Expertise Center in December 2020
Zoraya was fairly confident she would get final approval
She seemed to feel a sense of accomplishment—and gratitude to those who had helped her
Zoraya wanted to support others in making the same decision as her. She saw herself as an advocate, almost an ambassador, for the Dutch euthanasia regime. (And that’s how she’s being portrayed in some quarters of the Dutch media
too.) She was firmly convinced that the Dutch state had put in place all the necessary safeguards to prevent the system from being abused
Some right-to-die advocates in the Netherlands argue that the law should be updated, to allow people to seek assisted dying without prior medical intervention—or the approval of the state. One advocacy group, Coöperatie Laatste Wil or Last Wish Cooperative
wants to make “suicide kits” widely available as a humane way to die—for those who are waiting for
But we need to be careful to protect people who’re in psychosis or depressed and not thinking straight,” she told me
Zoraya’s best friend committed suicide at the age of 16 by jumping in front of a train
and had been battling depression and anxiety
her friend might have been persuaded not to commit suicide
Couldn’t it be argued that her decision to end her life was her depression talking
because our law requires that doctors test that you’ve made a rational decision,” Zoraya replied
“Doctors have to test: Is my choice rational
Earlier this month, she told The Guardian: “People think that when you’re mentally ill
“we’ve had this law for more than 20 years
Zoraya had great faith in not only the law but also the medical profession
“Doctors want to help people feel better,” she told me
“Doctors don’t become doctors to kill people
Nevertheless, Zoraya had a plan B—or, as she called it, an “escape plan”—in case her application didn’t get final approval. It was a suicide kit, which she told me she’d obtained from Exit International
an NGO that advocates for the legalization of voluntary euthanasia
The news has resonated with people who have experienced struggles similar to Zoraya’s. “This broke a part of me,” said one person on Reddit
who often posts about having suicidal thoughts
Another poster wrote: “this has left me terrified cuz I’m autistic myself and I’m scared
‘is it going to be a guaranteed ending for me and other autistic women
The fact is an increasing number of people suffering from mental illness in the Netherlands are choosing to end their lives. Zoraya is right that the assisted dying law has been around for years, but even as recently as 2010, there were only two recorded cases of medically assisted suicide that involved psychiatric suffering. Last year, there were 138
I told Zoraya more than once that I understood her suffering
but hoped she wouldn’t go through with her decision to kill herself
It was hard to hear the news that she had died—that the society in which she lived had given up on a young person who had so much to live for and so many years ahead
because she didn’t think her friends would want to say goodbye
But she did want her boyfriend to be with her at the end
[The doctor] will once again ask if I am sure
On Wednesday, a friend of hers posted an announcement on X: “Zoraya passed away today at 1:25 p.m. Or as she saw it herself: she went to sleep.”
Few details of her death have been reported—except that her boyfriend was at her side.
Rupa Subramanya is a reporter for The Free Press. Follow her on X @rupasubramanya, and read her first report on Zoraya ter Beek, “I’m 28. And I’m Scheduled to Die in May.”
Serious investigations about serious subjects take time and investment
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapeutic treatment that helps people learn how to identify and change the destructive or disturbing thought patterns that have a negative influence on their behavior and emotions.1Cognitive behavioral therapy combines cognitive therapy with behavior therapy by identifying maladaptive patterns of thinking, emotional responses, or behaviors and replacing them with more desirable patterns.2
With all the autism awareness campaigns globally there is still a significant failure is diagnosis and supports for the autistic community. You would think that with the rise in numbers there would be less Zoraya’s. Autistics have three-fold higher rates of suicide and suicide attempt than the general population.
Autism is very complex no two people on the spectrum are alike. There are recognizable patterns of behavior and thinking that should be identifiable by medical professions. Tragically I see this too often in autistics that have received a late diagnosis they are at a crisis point and the secondary symptoms are being treated and the core source is being overlooked.
Hofmann SG, Asnaani A, Vonk IJ, Sawyer AT, Fang A. The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognit Ther Res. 2012;36(5):427-440. doi:10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
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she started wearing a \u201CDo Not Resuscitate\u201D tag around her neck
\u201CFor me, autism is the major hiccup in my life. That bothers me the most,\u201D Zoraya told me. As a child she was bullied a lot at school. She took to dressing as a goth to make herself seem scarier.
\u201CThe whole black look looked right, because that is how I felt on the inside,\u201D she said.
Zoraya\u2019s sense of humor could be dark. She struggled with mental illness: depression, anxiety, and an unspecified personality disorder. But during our conversations\u2014which took place over the course of a month, on the phone and on WhatsApp\u2014she came across as an intelligent, articulate, and confident young woman.
Zoraya received little or no support from her family. When she turned 18, she moved out of her childhood home to live with her boyfriend, Stein. He was ten years older than her, and her parents didn\u2019t approve of the age difference. When I first contacted her, Zoraya had been estranged from her mother and three older sisters for six years. Her father died last year from cancer.
As a young adult, Zoraya felt unable to study, or embark on a career. She told me Stein, who is an IT programmer, was worried about how she felt, and encouraged her to get therapy. Over the course of a decade, she tried everything to relieve the symptoms of her mental illness\u2014including, at last, 33 rounds of electroconvulsive therapy, where electric currents jolt the brain.
Zoraya\u2019s last treatment was in August 2020, after which she says her psychiatrist told her: \u201CThere\u2019s nothing more we can do for you. It\u2019s never going to get any better.\u201D
\u201CAfter we heard that, we all kind of knew what that meant,\u201D Zoraya told me, referring not only to herself but her boyfriend, her friends, and her doctors. \u201CI was always very clear: if it doesn\u2019t get better, I can\u2019t do this.\u201D
That\u2019s when she decided she wanted to apply to die.
Zoraya at home, wearing her \u201CDo Not Resuscitate\u201D necklace.Zoraya submitted her application to the Netherlands\u2019 Euthanasia Expertise Center in December 2020
She seemed to feel a sense of accomplishment\u2014and gratitude to those who had helped her
\u201CMy whole friends and my support system
Zoraya wanted to support others in making the same decision as her. She saw herself as an advocate, almost an ambassador, for the Dutch euthanasia regime. (And that\u2019s how she\u2019s being portrayed in some quarters of the Dutch media
too.) She was firmly convinced that the Dutch state had put in place all the necessary safeguards to prevent the system from being abused.
\u201CI have faith in the law,\u201D Zoraya said
Some right-to-die advocates in the Netherlands argue that the law should be updated, to allow people to seek assisted dying without prior medical intervention\u2014or the approval of the state. One advocacy group, Co\u00F6peratie Laatste Wil or Last Wish Cooperative
wants to make \u201Csuicide kits\u201D widely available as a humane way to die\u2014for those who are waiting for
But we need to be careful to protect people who\u2019re in psychosis or depressed and not thinking straight,\u201D she told me.
could have chosen to live,\u201D Zoraya said.
Zoraya\u2019s best friend committed suicide at the age of 16 by jumping in front of a train
her friend might have been persuaded not to commit suicide.
Couldn\u2019t it be argued that her decision to end her life was her depression talking
because our law requires that doctors test that you\u2019ve made a rational decision,\u201D Zoraya replied
\u201CDoctors have to test: Is my choice rational
Earlier this month, she told The Guardian: \u201CPeople think that when you\u2019re mentally ill
\u201Cwe\u2019ve had this law for more than 20 years
\u201CDoctors want to help people feel better,\u201D she told me
\u201CDoctors don\u2019t become doctors to kill people
even if that\u2019s what you\u2019re wishing for.\u201D
Nevertheless, Zoraya had a plan B\u2014or, as she called it, an \u201Cescape plan\u201D\u2014in case her application didn\u2019t get final approval. It was a suicide kit, which she told me she\u2019d obtained from Exit International
The news has resonated with people who have experienced struggles similar to Zoraya\u2019s. \u201CThis broke a part of me,\u201D said one person on Reddit
\u201CWhat if getting better is not possible
What if I should just die today?\u201D
Another poster wrote: \u201Cthis has left me terrified cuz I\u2019m autistic myself and I\u2019m scared. . . my brain is thinking
\u2018is it going to be a guaranteed ending for me and other autistic women
I like my life. . . this is scary!\u2019\u2009\u201D
The fact is an increasing number of people suffering from mental illness in the Netherlands are choosing to end their lives. Zoraya is right that the assisted dying law has been around for years, but even as recently as 2010, there were only two recorded cases of medically assisted suicide that involved psychiatric suffering. Last year, there were 138
but hoped she wouldn\u2019t go through with her decision to kill herself
It was hard to hear the news that she had died\u2014that the society in which she lived had given up on a young person who had so much to live for and so many years ahead
Zoraya told me she didn\u2019t want a funeral
because she didn\u2019t think her friends would want to say goodbye
\u201CSafe journey.\u201D I\u2019m not going anywhere
On Wednesday, a friend of hers posted an announcement on X: \u201CZoraya passed away today at 1:25 p.m. Or as she saw it herself: she went to sleep.\u201D
Few details of her death have been reported\u2014except that her boyfriend was at her side.
Rupa Subramanya is a reporter for The Free Press. Follow her on X @rupasubramanya, and read her first report on Zoraya ter Beek, \u201CI\u2019m 28. And I\u2019m Scheduled to Die in May.\u201D
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Erik ten Hag’s family home is in Oldenzaal
a small town about seven or eight miles outside Enschede
It’s one of those places where you can tell there’s a bit of money kicking around
You can’t really tell whether it’s rush hour on a Monday morning or 3pm on a Wednesday
and you’re more in danger of getting knocked over by a bike than a car
People who come from Oldenzaal tend to stick around
There are obviously nuances to the place that an afternoon wandering around and chatting to people can’t reveal but it appears fairly idyllic
When Ajax won their second title in three years under him last May
a group of young lads were there to greet him with a rudimentary roadside firework display
He dutifully got out of his car and posed for pictures
you can understand why Ten Hag still calls this place home and always returns here when he’s not required in Amsterdam
from the most high-profile football job in the country
He may need the relaxing powers of Oldenzaal more than ever now
Ten Hag has agreed to become the next Manchester United manager
the latest man tasked with making sense of this behemoth
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick haven’t been able to
if you believe what the people who have known
played with and played under him over the years
The road that has led to Old Trafford began in Haaksbergen
That’s where Ten Hag grew up and that’s where SV Bonboys
the club where he first played organised football some 45 years ago
Bonboys is the sort of club that makes you understand why the Netherlands produces so many footballers from a relatively modest population. The facilities rival most EFL clubs in England and when The Athletic visits
scores of kids are being coached by earnest young men in tracksuits across three full-size artificial pitches
Next to one of the pitches is the clubhouse
On the wall of the bar inside is one of Ten Hag’s FC Twente shirts from his playing days
which is less a venue for reclining and shooting the breeze
with some rather more professional pictures of the man himself lining the walls
This is where Leon ten Voorde — an assistant coach for Bonboys’ first team but also
a friend of Ten Hag for 47 years — tells The Athletic what the new Manchester United manager was like as a boy
“He was a bit of a big mouth,” says Ten Voorde
backed this opinion in an interview with Voetbal International a couple of years ago
“The coach at Twente was also quick to realise that
We were about 12 years old — after the coach gave the line-up
One coach would later suspend him for a few games
essentially because he answered back once too often
He would frequently take contrary opinions
Ten Voorde once wrote in Tubantia: “If everyone thinks Roger Federer is the best tennis player
then Erik ten Hag will insist it’s Rafael Nadal.”
Ten Hag and Ten Hag’s two brothers — Michel and Rico — would play football every day and even formed their own club for a while
The grand-sounding Veldmaatse Voetbal Vereniging (Veltmaatse Football Association
after the area where they lived) was just for fun
Bonboys was where the serious stuff was played
The Ten Hags were not really football people
but with nowhere near the intensity of Erik
weren’t football obsessives either (although Hennie was on the Twente board for a while)
and frankly would have preferred Erik to go into the family business
That business is the area’s biggest real estate and financial services company
its headquarters ensure the Ten Hag name will always be a very visible presence in the area: it’s not a place with much towering architecture
and their office is one of the biggest in town
but its success meant Erik wouldn’t have wanted for a few guilders
But the elder Ten Hags wanted him to know the value of things
you had to earn it yourself,” Michel told Tubantia last year
“He would have to earn and work for everything
He would cycle to Twente training from Haaksbergen.” And when he wanted to buy the bike to cycle on
how are you going to pay for it?’ He would then have to earn the required funds.”
he left Bonboys for Twente’s academy in Enschede
always keeps track of results and still goes back every now and then
In October, the club will host the Erik ten Hag Tournament, in which youth teams representing Twente, Dutch neighbours Heracles, Belgian side Beerschot and Germany’s Borussia Monchengladbach will compete
When it was suggested that Ten Hag put his name to it
he agreed on the condition that it was “a tournament full of quality”
Even though he was clearly the best player in his team
probably the best player Bonboys has ever produced
it sounds like he was one of those players who was always a coach in spirit
and was just playing the game to learn enough about it to coach
“He thought intensely about the game at a young age,” Hans Kraay Jr
a team-mate at De Graafschap later in his career
“He has always educated himself,” says Ten Voorde
he had things in his head about football that his legs couldn’t keep up with.”
Another of Ten Hag’s friends from Haaksbergen was a left-back called Andy Scharmin
He was a couple of years older than Ten Hag
but they would travel together from their hometown to Twente training when they were both on the verge of the first team
a former Dutch colony on South America’s Caribbean coast
and was such a promising player that he captained Netherlands Under-21s
he had the choice of going to the Toulon Tournament with the Dutch side
or playing in a game back in Suriname for the Kleurrijk Elftal
a team of Dutch-Surinamese players put together by a community worker called Sonny Hasnoe
at least in part so he could take his mother and aunt back home
But the plane carrying the party crashed in the woods outside Suriname’s capital Paramaribo
Ten Hag said a couple of years ago: “I will never forget my team-mate Edwin Hilgerink standing on my doorstep to tell me that a plane had crashed with Andy and his mother on board
I carried Andy’s coffin with other team-mates
1989 — and every year on that date I have a day of mourning.”
Ten Hag’s decent but modest playing career came to an end
Ten Hag enjoyed three spells at his beloved Twente, interspersed with stints at De Graafschap, RKC Waalwijk and FC Utrecht, winning the Dutch equivalent of the FA Cup with Twente in 2001
because he felt he didn’t have anything else left to prove and that he had nothing else left to learn about playing
He worked his way through the youth systems
becoming part of the furniture and influencing much of how the club did things
along with his coaching mentor Fred Rutten
Rutten left for Schalke of Germany in 2008 but Ten Hag stayed to assist the new boss — a big name who arrived at the club looking to rebuild his reputation after losing his national-team job the previous year
“We were starting pre-season training the day after I was appointed,” Steve McClaren tells The Athletic
and there were six weeks worth of pre-season training planned in there
and I’ve not seen anything like it since.”
That painstaking attention to detail is a theme that comes up time and time again in conversations about Ten Hag
The sort of stuff that others might not care about
One player who worked under him recalls how he would insist everyone wore the same type of socks to train in
There’s another story about him stopping a training session to explain that different coloured bibs should be placed in separate piles
In March 2019, on the flight back from Madrid after Ajax beat Real 4-1 to make the Champions League quarter-finals
Ten Hag wasn’t celebrating or revelling in the victory
Ten Hag would say he was right: they beat Sittard 4-0
“He would prepare meticulous game plans about the opposition,” says McClaren
but going there and experiencing that… I knew nothing about football.”
But it was another quality that convinced McClaren “without a shadow of a doubt” that Ten Hag would be not just an excellent No 2
“He could see things in the game that nobody else could see
“I have to sit up in the stands to see the patterns of a game
but he could stand on the touchline (and see them)
“His adjustments in the games — obviously I had worked with Sir Alex (Ferguson
and I used to think that some of his subs and changes were strange
Ten Hag only worked with McClaren at Twente for a season
leaving the summer before they won their only Eredivisie title in 2009-10
which was one example of the decisions Ten Hag has taken to construct his coaching career: he could easily have stayed with Twente and probably got the top job there at some point
but he wanted to further his understanding
with Go Ahead Eagles in the Dutch second tier
had not been in the top flight since 1996 but Ten Hag got them promoted in his first and only season in charge
and got an early indication that things were going to be different under this new coach
tomorrow I have a private appointment — training is not so important’
every training session under me is important’.”
Another word that keeps coming up when discussing Ten Hag is control
He always protected his players in the press or on TV
There has been the odd occasion where he hasn’t been in control
reserve keeper Patrick ter Mate put his hand up
“Trainer… your tracksuit trousers are on backwards.” Kolder laughs at the memory: “He had his papers in his pockets
because he had to put them in the back of his pants.”
But even a temporary inability to dress himself properly leads to an example of his focus
changed his pants and continued with training,” says Kolder
“He’s not distracted by anything or anyone
he’s thinking about football and how to make the team better
working with him was an eye-opener on how I should play football.”
“Could you tell back then he was going to be successful as a coach?” he answers
in a similar tone of voice that Dutch people tend to use when you ask
“Do you speak English?” It’s like asking if they can tie their shoelaces
“I lived 140km away from the club,” says Kolder
who is still playing at age 41 for OZW Groningen in the Dutch lower divisions
“so there and back I would have to drive 280km every day
because even though I was 31 and in the last years of my career
the obvious move would have been to either stay at Go Ahead or maybe move to a slightly bigger Dutch club
“I expected him to go somewhere like Groningen or Heerenveen
to coach their reserve team in the German fourth tier
Ten Hag saw an opportunity to educate himself
rather than immediately further his career or reputation or ego
he could learn how to work in an elite environment
He could also observe how a giant club works
I saw how things work (at a big club),” Ten Hag said in a 2018 interview
“Every detail can be picked out for analysis
“It took some time for us to adapt to his ideas and his way of coaching,” says Stefan Buck
a veteran defender who played for Bayern II that season
“It was a little bit different to what we did before
“It was new for us to focus on a two-metre pass
it was difficult for us to understand these things
we understood more about his way of coaching.”
Buck continues: “It was important to him that we all went out onto the training pitch together — not one-by-one
He always had perspective: when he was angry
You would always see that he rose above the problems.”
there were still some things to improve on
he wasn’t that good at communication,” says Robbin Ruiter
“He was a bit clumsy — it’s not that he couldn’t communicate
because (when you notice it) you couldn’t hear anything else
“But he has made such a good progression in terms of talking to the media
If you look at the start of his Ajax career
But now he’s way better in front of the camera
he displayed a few of the things he had learned from Guardiola in Munich
like the Spaniard’s habit of constantly stopping training sessions to give feedback to his players
and he would tell us what we could do better and expects from us,” says Ruiter
“Those sessions were quite mentally intense
you could see there was a big difference.”
Eric Steele, who was United’s goalkeeping coach under Ferguson from 2008 to 2013, got first-hand experience of Ten Hag in December 2017 when invited to Utrecht’s training ground by Stefan Postma, their goalkeeping coach, who he had worked with when the Dutchman was a player at Aston Villa
unbelievable detail — like Pep Guardiola,” says Steele
“‘When we lose the ball in this area this is what we do’
‘This is how to win the ball in this situation’
He was also coaching his players when to go for the jugular and when to retain possession
Their revenues compared to other clubs are totally different
Steele does think the Old Trafford club would also benefit from hiring another Ajax employee in chief executive
Ten Hag tightened up Utrecht’s defence and took them to fifth-
fourth- and fifth-place finishes in his three full seasons there
winning the Rinus Michels Award for the best coach in the Eredivisie in 2016
He also took them to the KNVB Cup final in 2016
“What I learned most from him is nagging,” Sjors Ultee
his assistant at Utrecht told Voetbal International
“I don’t mean that negatively: Erik is not satisfied with one right and one wrong
and he will just stay true to his vision,” Ruiter says
following the end of summer appointment Marcel Keizer’s brief reign
who had appointed him as Go Ahead Eagles coach five years earlier
“Some people were surprised,” says Ten Voorde
There was lots of suspicion about this guy from the rural east
with his thick Enschede accent and hoarse voice
and there were strong rumours Ajax wanted to bring back Frank de Boer
who had left a couple of years earlier with four Eredivisie titles under his belt
Two league titles and another will probably come this season
that extraordinarily talented team in 2019 that even Tottenham fans might concede deserved to get to the final
It wouldn’t be quite right to say Ten Hag has carefully constructed and planned his career: that’s nearly impossible — everything relies so much on opportunities presenting themselves at the right times
But what is right is that he’s always made smart choices
and picked the step that will make him better
Now that he has agreed to take a colossal job that has defeated much more experienced coaches than him
Ten Hag will be aware he won’t have the luxury of people getting to know him
“Success comes on foot and goes on horseback,” he said in a 2017 interview when asked what lessons he had taken from the game
But who knows: maybe one day soon there will be another group of youngsters with fireworks
waiting in Oldenzaal for his return from Manchester
(Lead picture produced by Sam Richardson using Getty Images)
Nick Miller is a football writer for the Athletic and the Totally Football Show. He previously worked as a freelancer for the Guardian, ESPN and Eurosport, plus anyone else who would have him. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickMiller79
WATCHPRO
known in collectors’ circles as the horological brothers or Dutch masters
moved into a building last year that used to be their home town kindergarten in Oldenzaal
The move into larger premises was almost derailed when the pandemic struck in 2020
but the covid curse has actually accelerated growth to the point where the business has been forced to close its order book as Rob Corder discovered in conversation with Bart
WATCHPRO: We are speaking at a time when covid restrictions appear to be easing across Europe
Bart Grönefeld: This covid situation has been quite a roller coaster for us
We thought we were going bankrupt last year in March
two or three months later we felt confidence coming back again so we decided to proceed
WATCHPRO: Put these last 18 months in a bit of context for you and your brother Tim
How did you come to create Grönefeld as a business
It was founded by our Grandfather in 1912 and it grew from its beginning as watchmaker to become more of a jeweller
The intention when we were younger was for me and Tim to take over that jeweller
so we needed to go into a profession related to jewellery and watches
Because Tim and I were more technically-minded
we were much more drawn towards watchmaking than any of the other jewellers’ trades such as goldsmithing
We like to be more precise so mechanics was where we wanted to be
We went to a Dutch technical school and then watchmaking school and
I had completed my education in the Netherlands
I got a place at the WOSTEP School of Watchmaking in Switzerland
It was very much dedicated to work at the bench rather than theory you don’t really need to know
was a watch collector who brought pieces from his beautiful collection to show us
my mind was blown to see how much time people must have spent on finishing and decorating watch parts to turn practical items into works of art
This decoration doesn’t necessarily make a watch better
WATCHPRO: It is interesting that you turned away from skills like goldsmithing because you wanted to study something more mechanical
but it is the art and craftsmanship in watchmaking that seemed to win you over
BART GRÖNEFELD: You do see that in our watchmaking today
but my experience at WOSTEP convinced me that I wanted to pursue a career with watches rather than jewellery
From WOSTEP I got a job offer from Renaud et Papi [now owned by Audemars Piguet]
which at the time made movements for many brands such as Cartier
I was one of the first watchmakers to come in and set up a department to assemble complicated watches
even though I didn’t speak a word of French
WATCHPRO: That period at Renaud et Papi has become the stuff of legends for watch aficionados because so many great watchmakers
who have gone on to create their own brands
who was working at Asprey at the time and asked him why the f*** he was still working there
I asked him to come and join our team in Le Locle
Stephen Forsey then called up Peter Speake-Marin
There was Anthony de Haas [director of product development at A
We were mostly expats all partying and working together
The only things we spoke about were alcohol and watches
WATCHPRO: I am picturing you like a group of French impressionists drinking absinthe in a left bank dive in Paris
BART GRÖNEFELD: I don’t want to put it like that myself
That was the start of our voyage into the world of complicated watchmaking
if it were not for wanting to be back among our friends in the Netherlands
we would still be in Switzerland doing the same job
but we were missing our friends and family so we decided to head home and start our own business
We were not aiming to start our own watch brand immediately
but we were prepared to do whatever we needed to do to make a living at watchmaking
We launched a business doing aftersales service for Breitling and IWC
For Breitling we handled the whole of the Netherlands
and for IWC we were working directly with Schaffhausen and we did some other top secret exciting stuff that I still can’t talk about
That amount of work meant our team had to grow quite quickly to 14 people
Business was good when we were working on very nice pieces
but we did not get much credit for what we did
and also the amount of ETA movements going into Breitling got a little boring
We really wanted to get back into high end watchmaking
but could not work for another brand so we started our own
We started with a tourbillon minute repeater [GTM-06] in 2008
It was really expensive but it showcased the specialties we had developed in Switzerland
the financial crisis was starting but there was still one guy who had some cash and he bought that first watch straight away for €255,000
it was more than two years before we sold another one and we were questioning whether our brand was dead
The world changed a lot during the financial crisis
They needed a lot more originality for their money
This led us to believe we should give our brand a second chance
is really the one we consider the launch of Grönefeld as a brand
but we established our own style of bridges
in a gable shape that you see on traditional Dutch houses
in stainless steel and without Geneva stripes because we wanted to be different from the Swiss
We were trying to invent something that collectors would like to have in their collections and we came up with the world’s first wristwatch with independent jumping seconds on an independent gear train
A site called Timezone.com noticed the One Hertz and it was voted best watch of the year in 2011
That gave us a lot of world-wide exposure and we started selling something like five the first year
WATCHPRO: And did you continue with GTM-06 at the same time
BART GRÖNEFELD: Because of the publicity we received for the One Hertz
we managed to sell a couple more of them in around 2012/13
The One Hertz was expensive to develop and we sold it relatively cheaply
just to get our money back and allow us to keep developing
We were still in survival mode at the time
WATCHPRO: You must have kept your heads above water because you were able to deliver the One Hertz watches while working on your next innovation
BART GRÖNEFELD: We had enough confidence from the One Hertz
so we started working again with Renaud et Papi on what became the Parallax Tourbillon
which had a special stopping mechanism for the cage so the time could be set precisely
It had another technical innovation that prevented play in the gears
We competed in the GPHG with that watch and were shocked to win the tourbillon category in 2014
That got us even more recognition and we sold quite a few of those Parallax Tourbillons in different configurations
WATCHPRO: Was all this recognition beginning to turn into commercial success
BART GRÖNEFELD: We were still in survival mode
but we kept moving forward and thought we should develop something a little less complicated
which is when we came out with the Remontoire in 2016
we thought we would initially make 50 pieces
which was going to be a big step up from the 10-25 watches we were more used to making in a year
we thought about how successful Philippe Dufour had been with his Simplicity watch
and we thought our watch was just as nice and would sell to the same type of people
That led us to deciding that we would make the Remontoire a limited edition of 188 pieces
it would have been fine if we had only sold 50 of that watch
but now it has sold out and we could have sold at least double or triple the number
We are still building the last few of them
but by the end of this year [2021] they will all be completed
WATCHPRO: You quickly went from not knowing whether there would be any demand for your watches to a situation where demand was far exceeding supply
BART GRÖNEFELD: Last year we made only 50 watches
a year before we did 70 across all our references
This year we hope to do 70 watches again and next year hopefully 100 or more
Our watches take a huge amount of time to finish and assemble so we cannot step up production easily
WATCHPRO: How much of the movement are you responsible for and what does Renaud et Papi do for you
BART GRÖNEFELD: Renaud et Papi produce all the parts for us
The problem for us being in the Netherlands is finding the right people to work on CNC machines that make the parts
We are happy to keep working this way for now
Maybe in the future we will start to make our own parts
Our main problem now is finding enough watchmakers to assemble our watches
WATCHPRO: We will fast forward the next few years
when you developed the Principia and Decennium Tourbillon and the business was growing solidly to the start of 2020 when
you though the world was coming to an end with the explosion of covid
BART GRÖNEFELD: We were due to exhibit at SIHH and Baselworld in 2020
At the time we were already sold out on many of our watches and waiting lists were getting ridiculously long
so it was not bad news for us when they cancelled
Even though suppliers in Switzerland were closing
we were able to continue working and we had enough parts in stock so that we could keep producing and shipping watches
and I mean retail partners and end consumers
At first I thought we would get a lot of phone calls cancelling orders
but it turned out that nobody called to cancel
The only effect was that we did not get any new orders for two months
The situation of having a full order book and waiting lists before the pandemic meant we were not too badly affected
Intolerable waiting lists prompt indie watchmaker Grönefeld to stop taking orders
WATCHPRO: You mentioned that you cancelled buying your new building, but then went ahead with it.
BART GRÖNEFELD: Yes, by the summer of last year we were getting more orders again and we felt confident enough to move forward with the building. People being locked down, unable to go to offices, restaurants or on holidays meant they had a lot of time to spend on the internet looking into their hobbies. They discovered our brand and read good things about it and started ordering big time.
WATCHPRO: I have spoken to a number of your retail partners, particularly in the United States, and they are all saying the last 18 months have seen the independent scene transformed as people have expanded their knowledge beyond the usual Rolex, AP and Patek watches.
BART GRÖNEFELD: We will never beat Audemars Piguet or Patek Philippe, but it is nice that more and more people are confident to buy from independents. They feel much more connected to companies like ours. We are still a young company and people can feel they are part of history in the making.
WATCHPRO: Most brands pray for demand to be so strong that it creates waiting lists, but I know your retail partners would love to have a few more watches to sell.
BART GRÖNEFELD: It does become stressful. All we want to do is satisfy people, and now we are starting off with disappointment because of waiting lists. It is getting a little bit ridiculous. I heard that Roger Smith has stopped taking orders.
WATCHPRO: You mentioned that you hope to make 70 watches per year. Will your new building allow you to increase production?
BART GRÖNEFELD: We do want to increase to around 100 or even 130, but not more than that.
WATCHPRO: Do you not see a path to the sort of production levels of, say, F. P. Journe at around 800 watches per year?
BART GRÖNEFELD: No. We are building the brand ourselves. We are not in Switzerland where you can find watchmakers all around you. It is much more difficult to find the right people, but our new building has helped us to find watchmakers. They want to come and work for us. We would like more of them to be from the Netherlands, but for now we have only two locals, the rest are from other countries, so we hope they will stay.
WATCHPRO: We haven’t seen a new reference from Grönefeld since 2019. Are we likely to see something fresh in 2022?
BART GRÖNEFELD: We are just finishing making the Remontoire run, and we want to create that same level of success with the next timepiece. I cannot tell you much but we are going to create something really nice. Again it will be limited to 188 pieces, which again we think is a ridiculous number but we will go for it.
WATCHPRO: So much of your success appears to have come from the United States, but you have no retailers in the UK. Is it too late to expect that too change now that you have demand running so far ahead of supply?
BART GRÖNEFELD: Europe has always been difficult for us, even in our own country. We have a few collectors here, but not enough. Dutch collectors seem to think that anything good has to come from far away.
We went a number of times to Salon QP, but did not have much success there. There is now a huge retailer interested in our brand in the UK, but we have told them we are sorry, but we would not be able to deliver the quantities they need.
We have a similar situation in Dubai, where a big retailer wants to stock us, the same in Canada and Mexico.
We have to tell retailers we do not have the capacity to expand beyond the six to eight retailers we currently have. We would like to spread our risk by distributing to other parts of the world, but it is not possible for now.
WATCHPRO: Do you still need retail partners?
BART GRÖNEFELD: We will never forget where we came from and we will continue to supply retailers that have been with us since the beginning. For countries where we do not have retailers, customers can contact us directly.
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MONTRÉAL (BRAIN) — Dorel Sports is reporting flat revenues in the fourth quarter and 2.9% growth for the full year 2019
Dorel Sports is the parent of Cycling Sports Group
the company did not break out specific figures for the bike divisions but said CSG revenue declined in the final quarter even as it saw organic growth in most parts of the world thanks to e-bikes and model year 2020 introductions
Dorel Sports' bike brands include Cannondale
Fabric and Guru Cycling in the CSG division and Schwinn
IronHorse and other brands in the Pacific Cycle division
Dorel Sports operating income for the quarter was $9.8 million
an improvement from the $232 million loss recorded in the fourth quarter of 2018
the Sports division saw revenue of $909 million
Full-year operating profit was $30.3 million
up from a $232 million loss for the full 2018
Dorel said it is strengthening its European CSG operations to support Cannondale's growth there
CSG's European operations are being centralized in Woudenberg
"The existing assembly plant in Oldenzaal is being transformed into a state-of-the-art facility to more than double its current production capacity of Cannondale bicycles and e-bikes
and allow for an increase in focus on premium quality products
All production and supply related departments are being merged into the new facility," the company said
"This is a major step in implementing CSG Europe's strategic plan
We have had excellent results in Europe in 2019 and the exciting changes we are announcing today will enable us to better serve our customers
and further develop our culture," said Dorel Sports' president
referring to the restructing changes in Europe
The company said the reorganization is expected to be fully completed by year-end and will result in estimated restructuring costs of between $8 million to $10 million
of which $3.8 million was recorded in the fourth quarter
which is the parent of the Sports group as well Dorel Juvenile and Dorel Home
saw a 4.4% decline in fourth quarter revenue and reported a net loss for the quarter of $0.6 million
Full year revenue was flat at $2.63 billion with a full year net loss of $10.5 million
Compared to a loss of $444.3 million last year
"Our China based suppliers delayed re-opening following the Chinese New Year due to the Coronavirus
with production delayed by two weeks in most cases
This temporary lack of manpower created several weeks of supply chain disruptions
Most factories in the country are now back in operation and are shipping
Operations at our main Juvenile factory in China are improving daily
Although production was slower than normal
we have not seen any significant impact on consumer spending at retail for Dorel products during the first two months of 2020 and our three segments continue to experience increased on-line shopping
Schwartz concluded with more information on the affect of the COVID-19 outbreak
"The world economy is in uncharted waters due to the ongoing Coronavirus
the full impact of which is difficult to predict at this time
people have purchased juvenile products and personal recreation items such as bicycles during disruptions in the market and are likely to continue to do so
Supply chain interruptions in China will impact the delivery of orders in the first quarter and possibly into the second quarter
the Coronavirus and related foreign exchange impacts will likely affect the first quarter," he said
The company will hold a conference call with analysts Thursday morning
Dorel is traded on the Toronto stock exchange under the TSX: DII.B and DII.A symbols
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Independent journalism at the University of Twente
We work next to each other almost every day, but how well do we really know our colleagues? U-Today is curious about the personal stories of the UT support and management staff and we bring them to you in this series ‘On the spot’. In this episode we introduce Wendie Klieverik, Scholarships Coordinator from the Scholarship Office & International Relations.
‘Since the 1st of February 2001. I started at the BMS Faculty and after six years I moved to the International Office, now called the Scholarship Office & International Relations.’
‘I’m not married, but I’ve been living with my boyfriend for 23 years. We have two sons, nine and thirteen years old.’
‘Oldenzaal. Now I try to cycle from Oldenzaal to work at least two or three times a week. It’s my New Year’s resolution.’
‘To lose weight, eat more healthy, do more sports. We try to go for lunch walks with my colleagues every day, but it doesn’t always work out. But otherwise it’s going well so far. Today I cycled to work. I usually don’t give myself New Year's resolutions. Last years I was very busy with my studies, but I finished that, got a bit of rest and now I’m ready to go.’
‘Bedrijfskunde (Business Administration) at Saxion. It took a lot of my time and I had to combine it with my family and a full-time job, so there was a lot of juggling. But I was able to combine my studies with projects at our department, so I could directly apply what I learnt.’
‘I like to read, although I don’t always have the time. Right now I’m reading the Redbreast by Jo Nesbø. It’s so exciting! I bought it when I was in London in December. I like to keep up my English, so I read an English book every now and then. I also have a “dining club” with my friends, I love to try new recipes.’
‘I’d like to travel with my partner. To explore Canada and Iceland driving around in a mobile home. With my children we would like to go to Spain by plane next year, because my sons never flew before. I want them to have that experience. Last year we went to Ameland by boat and they loved it. It was so great to see those big eyes full of excitement.’
‘I like to paint. I don’t do it very often anymore, because my kids always want to join me and then I’m busy helping them, not painting. But when I finish a painting my partner always says “It’s great, you should take it to your office.”’
‘Yes, I do. There are three paintings I made hanging in my office. For example, I painted the “Girl with a Pearl Earring”. I modernized it a bit. My colleagues really like my paintings, which is good because they have to look at them. One time they even played a prank on me and pretended somebody stole the painting. “See, you are a famous painter. People like it so much they steal it.” But I knew what they were up to.’
‘Yes, I was born and raised in Oldenzaal. Actually, my partner wants to move away from Oldenzaal but I want to stay in the region. I really like the city, we have so much! I like the Hulsbeek, the city center, the carnival.’
‘I did when I was very young, fourteen or fifteen. Now I just watch the parade.’
‘I really like handwork – painting, drawing, embroidery and so on. I love those hobby stores, I can really get lost in them. So maybe I would work in a shop like that or, even better, have my own hobby shop.’
We werken bijna iedere dag samen, maar hoe goed kennen we de collega’s nu echt? U-Today zet het ondersteunend en beheerspersoneel in deze rubriek ‘On the Spot’. Aan het woord is Albert-Jan de Croes (28), Venture & Funds Manager – UTH / Novel-T.
We werken bijna iedere dag samen, maar hoe goed kennen we de collega’s nu echt? U-Today zet het ondersteunend en beheerspersoneel in deze rubriek ‘On the Spot’. Aan het woord is Roos Dokter (28), hr-adviseur voor de faculteit BMS.
We werken bijna iedere dag samen, maar hoe goed kennen we de collega’s nu echt? U-Today zet het ondersteunend en beheerspersoneel in deze rubriek ‘On the Spot’. Dit keer geven we het podium aan Koen Hak (50), teamleider van het videoteam bij dienst LISA.
We werken bijna iedere dag samen, maar hoe goed kennen we de collega’s nu echt? U-Today zet het ondersteunend en beheerspersoneel in deze rubriek ‘On the Spot’. Aan het woord is Karin Kooper (54), technisch medewerker in gebouw de Vrijhof.
With the magazine ROOTS we want to connect students and companies. We do this by bringing stories of starters on the labor market. They talk about living and working in the region. We also publish advertorials. In this way, companies come into the spotlight of students and students get an idea of the life that awaits them and what opportunities there are in the region.
with Fabrizio Romano confirming the deal is done
It didn’t take long for Tottenham to sign Empoli’s Guglielmo Vicario after negotiations started
The deal started to take shape long before negotiations started in earnest late last week
as Fabio Paratici was always a proponent of Vicario
He pitched this potential deal long before his suspension took effect at the end of last season
Guglielmo Vicario to Tottenham, here we go! Agreement completed after official bid sent for the Italian goalkeeper to join Spurs on €19m deal. 🚨⚪️🇮🇹 #THFCVicario joins after excellent season at Empoli — he will be in London in the next hours to sign contract until 2028. pic.twitter.com/Q5MznCQmxK
Tottenham has landed Vicario for €19 million
precisely the price Daniel Levy wanted to pay for his new No
Romano and other journalists more familiar with the Serie A highly rate Vicario
keeping seven clean sheets and allowing 39 goals
He made his Serie A debut in 2020-21 with Cagliari Calcio
though he only made four league appearances that season
He’s been Empoli’s first-choice goalkeeper for the last two seasons
making 38 Serie A appearances in his 2021-22 debut season with the club
expect the 26-year-old to earn a raise on his current weekly €21,000
won’t be enough for Levy’s heart rate to increase
It should be an extremely palatable amount for Spurs
who also saved about €26 million by signing Vicario instead of David Raya
Expect the official club announcement to be made either later today
Guglielmo Vicario will travel to London this weekend with medical tests now being scheduled — full agreement in place between clubs for Italian GK to join Tottenham. ⚪️✈️ #THFCVicario has accepted five year deal, he’s ‘more than excited’ for this new chapter.Here we go ✅🤝🏻 pic.twitter.com/k2SUoF6j2b
This signing reinforces Tottenham’s summer transfer policy
in which the club hopes to bolster its roster with comparatively unknown commodities whose fees are far less prohibitive
It’s up to Ange Postecoglou to elicit the most from each player and help them reach their potential
something the Aussie gaffer specializes in
This Vicario game from 21/22 (Inter-Empoli) shows him in plenty of tight spots with the ball at his feet. Looks pretty comfortable and confident to me.This, the data, and Nima’s assessment got me feeling pretty good about this transfer atm. https://t.co/9NnqR95jJZ
and I’d be surprised if he isn’t proficient with the ball at his feet
a deeper look at Guglielmo Vicario at Empoli. Immaculate shot stopping and flawless temperament. Commanding aura. A magnetic presence. I'm all in on him for Tottenham. pic.twitter.com/e09a05yqWv
Postecoglou found a way for Joe Hart to adapt to his possession-based formation
so Vicario surely represents a substantially less challenging project
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confirms signing of Guglielmo Vicario","relatedPosts",[],[],[],4,0,"",{"next":"91"},["46"],"semantic",{"articles":"8w","articlesQueryURLs":"8x","bySearchQuery":"3y","excludeProperties":"4q","excludedIDs":"8y","isFullPost":"8p","limit":"8z","offset":"90","onlyQueryURLs":"8p","organization":"91","pagination":"92","properties":"93","sourceType":"94"},{"type":"8v","value":"95"},{"postsList":"96"},"A freelance sports journalist
Gary primarily focuses his attention on football coverage (proper football
He is a sports aficionado and has lived in five continents – Africa
Currently residing in the mountainous region of Canmore
his family hails from jolly old England while he spent the lion's share of his formative years in Calgary
the 1988 Winter Olympic Games and the 1989 Stanley Cup Champions
He is an ardent Flames and Tottenham Hotspur supporter and dreams of more fruitful days
when the Flames once again lift Lord Stanley aloft
a seemingly impossible goal if the past few decades is anything to go by
Guglielmo Vicario to Tottenham, here we go! Agreement completed after official bid sent for the Italian goalkeeper to join Spurs on €19m deal. 🚨⚪️🇮🇹 #THFCVicario joins after excellent season at Empoli — he will be in London in the next hours to sign contract until 2028. pic.twitter.com/Q5MznCQmxK
Guglielmo Vicario will travel to London this weekend with medical tests now being scheduled — full agreement in place between clubs for Italian GK to join Tottenham. ⚪️✈️ #THFCVicario has accepted five year deal, he’s ‘more than excited’ for this new chapter.Here we go ✅🤝🏻 pic.twitter.com/k2SUoF6j2b
This signing reinforces Tottenham’s summer transfer policy
This Vicario game from 21/22 (Inter-Empoli) shows him in plenty of tight spots with the ball at his feet. Looks pretty comfortable and confident to me.This, the data, and Nima’s assessment got me feeling pretty good about this transfer atm. https://t.co/9NnqR95jJZ
a deeper look at Guglielmo Vicario at Empoli. Immaculate shot stopping and flawless temperament. Commanding aura. A magnetic presence. I'm all in on him for Tottenham. pic.twitter.com/e09a05yqWv
has climbed one place in the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) rankings
Last week Dimitrov took part in the Masters 1000 tournament in the Spanish capital Madrid
Bulgaria’s junior group won all three gold medals at the 2025 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Cup in Baku (Azerbaijan)
Bulgaria won the gold medal in the Senior Group Cross Battles at the 2025 Rhythmic Gymnastics European Cup in Baku (Azerbaijan)
Danaya Atanasova and Viktoria Georgieva performed.
english@bnr.bg
People traveling by train should be prepared for many delays and hindrances due to construction on the tracks this year
These construction projects will often be during daytime
This is due to staff shortages and a lack of materials
said the railway management company ProRail
The company announced last year that railway passengers will have to deal with delays and hindrances caused by construction until 2030
because a lot of the tracks in the country were laid shortly after the Second World War and are in need of replacement
The construction are extra complex this year due to large scale work being done in Germany
Work is being done on expanding and renewing the tracks between Emmerich and Oberhausen
no rail traffic is possible on this route in the summer
This has led to ProRail not being able to work on the track on the Brabantroute between Rotterdam and Venlo or the Bentheimroute between Amsterdam and Oldenzaal during this period
has said that these construction projects will have a huge impact on the Dutch railway system
We can do nothing on the Brabantroute and Oldenzaal
so the work has to be done before or after this,” he said during a press briefing in Vught
where there is also intensive work being done on the tracks
He stated that a total of 25 large construction projects and a total of 400 construction projects are planned this year
People in Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland will have to deal with a lot of delays this year
There will also be a long term construction project near the station in Groningen
The railway company wanted to work on the tracks there for 51 days
Voppen has said that the delay is due to a significant shortage of electricians among contractors
It is not yet clear how long the work on the tracks will take
a 35-year-old man who is suspected of killing his 28-year-old wife in their home in Rotterdam-Lombardijen
has confessed to the murder but also stated that he cannot remember exactly what happened during the night
A prosecutor said this on Tuesday during the first preliminary hearing in the court case against A
“I regret it,” the suspect said at the end of the hearing
The woman’s body was found during the overnight hours of Friday, August 5, leading into Saturday
Attempts to resuscitate her were unsuccessful
had repeatedly called the father and sister of the victim before this
telling them that they had to come to the apartment on the Dumasstraat as quickly as possible
the two found their relative on the couch without any signs of life
The victim and A.’s baby was also found in the home
The girl had turned a year old a day earlier
According to the Public Prosecution Service
He confessed after questioning by the police and the examining magistrate
it is not clear what happened prior to the violent act
the woman said that she wanted to divorce A
which led to him completely losing control
and the woman knew each other for five years
and they “seemed to be a happy couple.” However
there were concerns about A.’s financial troubles
The victim’s funeral in Turkey was incredibly well attended
The detective investigation is almost completed
is cooperating in a behavioral study by a psychologist and a psychiatrist
The next preliminary hearing is set for December 16
It is not yet known when the case will be heard in detail
The Municipality of Enschede confirmed the second fatality
a 24-year-old man from the city of Oldenzaal
"It is terrible that we again have to mourn a death," the mayor Peter den Oudsten said
"Our thoughts are with his family and those close to him."
The Twente chairman
who left Zeeland – where the club were due to play a friendly on Saturday – as soon as he had been informed of the incident
said: "We wish everyone who is affected in any way a lot of strength and in particular we express our condolences to the families of the deceased
"It is therefore impossible for us to continue our training camp in Zeeland and we cannot play against Zeeuws Elftal
"We did not want to remain such a distance from what happened today
The open day on 17 July will not occur and the other events in the stadium will not proceed until further notice."
said a representative from the Dutch public prosecution service had been sent to launch an investigation to determine the cause of the collapse
Pictures taken from outside the ground showed a large section of the roof had fallen on to a bank of seating already in place behind the goal in the southern end of the stadium
The work being carried out was part of a development to increase the capacity of the stadium to more than 30,000
The ground only held 13,500 when the 2010 Eredivisie champions moved there in 1998
The original referred to FC Twente's tour of New Zealand and to playing a friendly against the national team
.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Ernie Palladino | For the Staten Island AdvancePhoto courtesy of Pistilli FamilyCollege teammates and long-time friends Katrina Pistilli
and Ashley Corrao are expanding their softball horizons.WESTERLEIGH -- As one of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference’s (CACC) most effective battteries the past two years
Dominican College’s Katrina Pistilli and Ashley Corrao played for blood
The two will have a different motivation when the two head to Holland this week with teammate Julie Plante as part of USA Athletes International’s (USAAI) 10-day
"Two words," said Tottenville’s Corrao
and the rest of their teammates hailing from various parts of the United States
will find themselves in rather odd circumstances
facing European teams that undoubtedly will scrutinize them closely for tips on technique and execution
There’s no better way to accomplish the dual purpose than through good
any team going in there has a target on their back
Pistilli said she’s looking forward to the social aspect of it
"Getting to play in a different place is going to be a lot of fun
too," the junior from Westerleigh said
"We play with a lot of the same girls in college every year
It’s going to be a lot different than it is here
so we’ll see how they live and how they do things."
Holland’s culturally rich and socially wild capital city will offer plenty of sightseeing amid the games and practices
a hard-hitting sophomore catcher who was a three-time Advance All Star from Tottenville High who also earned the Al Smith Cup as the Island’s best player in 2007 and ‘08
also an Advance All-Star at Moore Catholic HS
found out about the tour after USAAI approached Dominican coach Joe Burbridge late last season
they raised $4,500 each through donations and fundraising to defray the cost of the trip
"We were all hyped about it," Ms
and then we brought in Katrina and Julie."
Four other girls from the CACC appear on the 14-woman roster
the trip will be more like two old friends on a European frolic
Far from transient collegians — together for three or four years and then gone — the duo goes back all the way to Mid-Island Little League
Even though their high school careers took them in different directions
they still reunited for summer travel ball with the Lt
they have formed a dominant pitcher-catcher combination
Pistilli compiled a 14-9 record this year as she helped pitch the Lady Chargers to a No
5 seed in the NCAA Division II East Regionals
They eventually lost to fourth-seeded Southern Connecticut State
but they did eliminate top-seeded Dowling in a 1-0 thriller
only because Dominican had come up short against that same team the two previous regionals
"We needed to get redemption," Ms
Ashley was on third and the girl hit a soft one to first
and the first baseman forgot there were less than two out and just went to the bag and Ashley scored."
Corrao hit a team second-best .313 in 51 games
and led the Lady Chargers with five homers and a .456 slugging percentage
Her 25 RBI and .351 average with runners in scoring position stood second on the squad even as an elbow injury hurt her production the last three games of the season
Pistilli’s graduation breaks up the duo for good
the tournament will serve as some further bonding among the three teammates
And that can only help in the Lady Chargers’ quest to advance past the regionals
"We’ve all been counting down since we first found out about it," Ms
"The whole season we were looking forward to it."
It’s an opportunity to show off to the world
"I feel like I’ll learn from other people just by watching," Corrao said
But all I’m thinking about is playing to the best of my abilities and making a mark
"I don’t want us to go out unknown in other places."
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Not 'Good Nazis': How Germany Rejected Holland's Settler FarmersNew research shows how a group of Dutch farmers that trekked to Ukraine and Lithuania in World War II was spurned as 'white Jews'
2010Get email notification for articles from Cnaan Liphshiz FollowAug 12
2010They came in their thousands from Holland to Eastern Europe to be good Nazis and help the Germans colonize more land during World War II
But according to the first major research into the Dutch settler movement
The Red Cross is deploying almost 800 volunteers to the carnival festivities in the Netherlands
This is mainly due to the large number of events in Limburg and North Brabant
Our first responders are increasingly dealing with people who need help."
The Red Cross is in action at around 90 events
The volunteers cover first aid posts that are spread all over the city or at events
They are also out and about by bike and on foot
30 Red Cross volunteers are on duty at the big carnival parade in Tilburg
There are also volunteers from the organization in Maastricht
such as on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and in the Achterhoek and Twente
the aid organization has a few tips for carnival-goers
especially if you are also drinking alcohol
keep an eye on each other," the Red Cross advises
Although the official start of the carnival is not until Sunday
countless revelers have already thrown themselves into the carnival on Friday
And those who stayed behind will do so on Saturday
Worrying are the countless "Hollanders" crossing the great rivers by train
It is already so busy in cities like Breda and Den Bosch
the invasion of Randstadelingen makes crowd management necessary
people are dispersed as much as possible on streets and squares through a variety of measures
"Last year we really reached the limit," said chairman Ad Koopman of the Brabant Carnival Association
Stormy weather prompted officials in Eindhoven to cancel their Carnaval parade this year out of concern for audience safety
named after Eindhoven's moniker during the festival
organizers said in a statement posted online
Windy weather is expected to strike the country off-and-on as storms Ellen and Francis make their way across western Europe
Dutch meteorological agency KNMI already issued a Code Yellow weather warning for gusty weather where the wind speed could top 90 kilometers per hour
Friesland and Groningen through much of Saturday morning and afternoon
There is an 80 to 90-percent chance of precipitation across much of the Netherlands for at least the next week
The primary concern is that the wind is predicted to gust in the Eindhoven area upwards of 75 km/h
the chair of the Eindhoven Carnaval foundation (FEC) said
There was not a moment of doubt over the decision
"This year we built a float for the first time with the logos of all Eindhoven carnival associations on it to show that you are celebrating carnival together
And now the procession will not take place," lamented Katje van der Heijden
who was to be the parade's 13th Prince Bock den Urste
and will still be shown off on Monday at Wilhelminaplein
No other municipalities cancelled their events
though Valkenswaard suggested it was a possibility
Others expected a decision to be made Saturday morning
Authorities in the Netherlands issued several warnings this week tied to the upcoming three-day Carnaval celebrations
Officials also discussed concerns about counterfeit money
and police use of bodycams when encountering highly intoxicated young people
With a great deal of cash changing hands at cafes
authorities warned business owners about criminals attempting to use counterfeit cash
The thieves take advantage of the crowds and overwhelmed bar staff to pay their tabs with fake 50 euro notes
and pocketing the real bills that are returned as change
Very realistic fake bank notes can easily be purchased online at webshop platforms like AliExpress
reported broadcast news outlet Hart van Nederland
Youths were cautioned against binge drinking
since they could be caught on video by police body cameras
Overijssel plan to share the recordings with parents as a means of confronting young people behaving outrageously
'My son or daughter would not do such a thing.' That is why these images are so important; then there is no way to evade them," the Noord-Oost Twente police chief
Roughly 100 thousand people are expected to attend the events in Oldenzaal this weekend
In previous years, authorities also told revelers not to dress up as police officers
The concern being the confusion it causes during an emergency
or in situations of escalating violence when aggressive people can turn against the person costumed as a cop
Dressing up like an officer might not be an offense
That involves a suspect behaving like an authority
also a method sometimes used to con a Carnaval partygoer into paying a false fine
The annual festival is held primarily in the southern provinces of Noord-Brabant and Limburg
Organized events are also scheduled in various places around the country
A series of adjustments and investments will cut 30 minutes off the Intercity train route between Amsterdam and Berlin by December 2023
That will bring the travel time in either direction down to less than six hours
said the country’s railroad infrastructure firm
The journey between Amsterdam and Berlin will then take 5 hours and 50 minutes,” ProRail stated
The improvement effectively cuts the travel time by 8 percent
and adds more space to the timetable for additional passenger and freight trains
The NS first announced the idea in August 2020
with a commitment to improve the Intercity Berlin service by the beginning of 2024
the Cabinet said the project was at risk of stalling
but several improvements will be needed over the next 15 months to make the time-saving plan a reality for the Intercity Berlin
The first is a new section of track and an additional temporary platform at the station in Oldenzaal
which is due east of Amsterdam near the German border
The additions will allow the regional trains to turn out of the way
giving the Intercity Berlin space to zip past the station at a higher rate of speed on a through track
The new platform will be on the north side of Oldenzaal station
German rail operator Deutsche Bahn ordered new locomotives and carriages that can operate in both the Netherlands and Germany
where the railroads use different voltages
This means that the trains can continue without requiring a locomotive change at Bad Bentheim in Germany
but the delivery of the trains was delayed
the Dutch railway’s NS International unit will rent locomotives that work both on the 1,500 volt Dutch system and the 15,000 volt German system
the section of the route from Amsterdam to Deventer will continue at a limit of 100 kilometers per hour because of the quality of the soil underneath
Trains should still be able to run at 130 km/h from Deventer to Oldenzaal
but with an increase in the frequency of trains and their mass
the ground will be monitored for safety issues
“More permanent measures are needed for the future
partly due to growing freight and passenger transport
ProRail is conducting research into more future-proof measures,” ProRail said
the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
and infrastructure partners cooperated to make the faster train connection possible