The end of Davos
Till 1959 all long distance skating tracks needed freezing temperatures because the ice was just frozen water due to the low temperature. That is why with a warming climate tracks like the one in Amsterdam lost rather quickly their status compared with tracks in the Nordic countries (Oslo) and tracks in the Mountains (Davos). But there were of course other reasons to choose a track for a World or European championship in speed skating such as the capability to organize such an event and the public interest and the probability of new speed records. With respect to the latter criterion Davos had an big advantage because of it high altitude of 1560 meters which means lower air pressure and therefore less resistance and higher speed. Although the Swiss population was not very interested in skating the supporters of the Dutch and Skandinavian skaters were most willing to come to Davos for such events. Because the Davoser skating association also had a lot of experience with organizing such events Davos has often been chosen as the place for European and World championships and has seen many world records.
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The introduction of artificial ice
This situation changed with the introduction of artificial ice for speed skating. In Götenborg the first track with artificial ice was created for the European Championships 1959. This removable installation was in 1961 recreated for the World championships in Speed skating. There this skating rink showed that it easily could compete in quality skating and especially interest by the public with Davos as we can see in the video of this championship where the famous Dutch skater Art Schenk won three of the four distances and finished with a new world record on a low land track. |
In between Sqauw Valley in the USA also installed a skating track with artificial ice for the Olympic Winter Games. In 1961 followed Amsterdam and in 1962 Deventer. The Dutch skating association had realized that their skaters would never be able to compete with the Scandinavian and Russian skaters if there were not more trainings facilities during the year, not only the few weeks that it was freezing in the Netherlands. Therefore, after 1962 several other cities followed these examples and built their own ice rink with artificial ice. In 1972 the ice rinks in Medeo (Russia) and Inzell (Germany) also changed to artificial ice. The only ice rink that did not change to artificial ice was Davos.
Bart Veldkamp
However, Davos still was very attractive because of its altitude. Some skaters continued to come back to Davos because they felt better after a skating session in Davos. One of them was Bart Veldkamp, winner of many 10km races over the years. He was even not so worried if the weather one day was not so good. Then he took his bike and cycled through the country site. However the uncertainty about the weather started to play an important role. |
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The beginning of the end of Davos
When in 1977 the World championship had to be cancelled in Davos because of the bad weather and Heerenveen, on very short notice, could take over the organization with an enormous interest of the population, the ISU felt forced to decide that in Davos no World and European Championships could be organized anymore. This decision has had devastating consequences for Davos. Not that the popularity of Davos immediately reduced; many national teams still went in January to Davos to relax and train in this nice ambiance. Because of the popularity of Davos and its service to the skating community the ISU still allowed the organization of World cup championships there. In 1992 there were still new world records made in Davos.
When in 1977 the World championship had to be cancelled in Davos because of the bad weather and Heerenveen, on very short notice, could take over the organization with an enormous interest of the population, the ISU felt forced to decide that in Davos no World and European Championships could be organized anymore. This decision has had devastating consequences for Davos. Not that the popularity of Davos immediately reduced; many national teams still went in January to Davos to relax and train in this nice ambiance. Because of the popularity of Davos and its service to the skating community the ISU still allowed the organization of World cup championships there. In 1992 there were still new world records made in Davos.
But at other places, especially Medeo many world records were also realized and training could also be done at other nice places and so Davos lost it fame as the best place for skating. The development was even more increased when different tracks were covered with a roof and excellent indoor skating facilities started to compete with Davos, especially Berlin 1985, Heerenveen 1986, Calgary 1988, several others in the Netherlands and Norway, and finally also Salt lake City 2002. At the end of the century Calgary had become the new top location for speed skating and many world records were realized there .
The press also sees the problem; The Tatzelwurm
But when the national teams were not going to Davos any more the number of other skaters also dropped down slowly but steadily even so that in 2007 a photo was published of the most loyal visitors of the Davoser ice rink, see below, with the subtitle: a speed skaters Tatzelwurm.
But when the national teams were not going to Davos any more the number of other skaters also dropped down slowly but steadily even so that in 2007 a photo was published of the most loyal visitors of the Davoser ice rink, see below, with the subtitle: a speed skaters Tatzelwurm.
Ein Eisschnelllauf-Tatzelwurm
When I looked up the word tatzelwurm in Wikipedia I detected that this word described very well the situation of the groups of skaters on the Davoser ice rink at that moment. The tatzelwum is an animal in the Alps of which many people say that they have seen him but if they are looking for him they cannot detect him. The suggestion in the article was clear: the author complained that in the past the ice rink would have been full with groups of skaters like us but nowadays you could hardly see them anymore. If you realize that we were the only skaters on the ice that week and that we paid one euro per day to skate, it will be clear that this could not go on like this and it is understandable that one has decided to close the speed skating track and try to organize other activities.
Davos needs a new Willem Holsboer
The error is of course made in 1977. Then one should have realized that it could not go on as it was, One had to follow the other countries and change to artificial ice. Nowadays this is not so expensive anymore. One can realize it with limited costs. More important is that one has to build up again the name of Davos as skating center which has been lost. The young skaters of Europe don´t know any more how nice skating in Davos has been. There is a need for a new Willem Holsboer to realize skating facilities for long track, short track, figure skating, ice hockey and other winter sports as suggeste by Marin Hänggi. Maybe an Olympic winter Game for young people would be a nice opportunity to realize such a project and promote Davos as place for speed skating again. Davos deserves it.
When I looked up the word tatzelwurm in Wikipedia I detected that this word described very well the situation of the groups of skaters on the Davoser ice rink at that moment. The tatzelwum is an animal in the Alps of which many people say that they have seen him but if they are looking for him they cannot detect him. The suggestion in the article was clear: the author complained that in the past the ice rink would have been full with groups of skaters like us but nowadays you could hardly see them anymore. If you realize that we were the only skaters on the ice that week and that we paid one euro per day to skate, it will be clear that this could not go on like this and it is understandable that one has decided to close the speed skating track and try to organize other activities.
Davos needs a new Willem Holsboer
The error is of course made in 1977. Then one should have realized that it could not go on as it was, One had to follow the other countries and change to artificial ice. Nowadays this is not so expensive anymore. One can realize it with limited costs. More important is that one has to build up again the name of Davos as skating center which has been lost. The young skaters of Europe don´t know any more how nice skating in Davos has been. There is a need for a new Willem Holsboer to realize skating facilities for long track, short track, figure skating, ice hockey and other winter sports as suggeste by Marin Hänggi. Maybe an Olympic winter Game for young people would be a nice opportunity to realize such a project and promote Davos as place for speed skating again. Davos deserves it.