The calendar of the N-S-F-site says about it:

Internasjonalt jobbes det med, etter forslag fra Norge, å innføre en åpen
Europacup før løpere under World Cup-nivå. Det er planlagt 3 stevner på
innendørsbaner med Norge, Nederland og Tyskland som arrangørland. Som en
konsekvens av dette går European U23 Games ut.

The Norwegian speaking members will correct me, but I think it says that the
Europa Cup is indeed for skaters under World Cup level. And that it was a
Norwegian proposal...

Interesting is what the status of these races will be. Will it count for
qualification for the Wch Single Distances? Will the qualification times for
the World Cup become more severe, to get the skaters from the small
countries into these Europa Cups instead of the World Cup B-groups? Will it
be open for non-European skaters? Or should we see it more as races for the
sub-topskaters from the big countries ? Which would be a good development
too, as their season is quite empty when you don't qualify for the World
Cups.

Let us wait and see...

Marcel


----- Original Message -----
From: "Marcel van Dieren" <mvdieren1968@...>
To: <Speed_skating@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 02, 2007 11:16 AM
Subject: [Skate] European Speedskating Cup


> Hello everyone,
>
> Time for me in this summertime (beautiful weather today here) to ask a
> speedskating related question.
> The KNSB this week released the speedskating calendar for next season
> and there are there "European Speedskating Cup" races on there.
> In weekends when there are also World Cup races on another track these
> European Cup races are held in Hamar, Heerenveen and Erfurt.
> Does anyone know what these races are about?
> Is this finally an effort to create a series of races underneath the
> World Cup (the "Europa Cup" I have been talking about for some years)?
> I hope so!
> Please enlighten me if you know...
>
> Greetings from sunny Tilburg,
>
> Marcel.
>