Wierd Sjoerd Wijnia (Edens, February 17, 1925 - Workum, May 4, 1998) was a Dutch long-range skater and sports assistant.
Wijnia was a worthwhile short-hauler in his youth. In the years after World War II, he also tried it on the long run, but in his own opinion he was too old to learn to drive well. He participated in the ninth Elfstedentocht (1947), finishing sixth. Together with his older brother Jaap Wijnia, who came fourth in the race, he was disqualified because he would have traveled a car by car. Unlike a number of other drivers who were eliminated because they were caught by riders, the Wijnia brothers did not get an eleven-city cruise. Almost fifty years after date, in January 1997, they were still sent the cross and an apology letter from the board of the Friesian Elf Cities.
Wierd Wijnia finished the tenth Elfstedentocht (1954) as seventh. In the Elfmertocht he became the sixth in 1947 and in 1954 the tenth. In 1956 he participated in the Eleventh Elfstedentocht (1956). Partly due to poor preparation he had to give up at Bolsward. In the barren twelfth Elfstedentocht (1963) he walked with three frozen toes at Parrega of the ice.
In addition to his skating performance, Wijnia had a livestock company at Cornwerd. He was active in various local social and church organizations. From 1963 he was active in the Friesland region of the KNSB. In 1968 he became a member and in 1969 chairman of the National Technical Commission of the KNSB. In 1970 Wijnia became chairman of the Friesland region. This lasted him until the end of 1982.
In May 1998, Wijnia died of a disease at the age of 73
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