Dutchman swims 121-mile ice-skating route hit by climate crisis

Maarten van der Weijden tackles daunting course not used for skating in 22 years

As Europe braces for a heatwave this week, a Dutchman is swimming the route of the country's most famed ice skating race, which has not been held for two decades as the climate crisis bites.

Instead of skating the 121 miles (195km) of the daunting Elfstedentocht (11 cities race), the Olympic gold marathon swimmer Maarten van der Weijden is ploughing his way through its canals.