The “All round” championships through time
Since 1889 the ISU has organized championships “All round” for men. The idea was to determine who the best skater was over short and long distances (500m, 1500m, 5.000m and 10.000m) Different rules were used through time to determine the winner over the four distances. In the beginning the champion had to win 3 of the four distances. As we show in the table below this rule often did not lead to a winner. So the rule was adapted in 1908 by adding that in case none of the skaters won three distances, the skater with the lowest total sum of rank numbers over all distances would become the champion. In our story about the world championship All Round in 1908 we have shown that the latter rule led to strategic decisions of skaters in the different countries to help one of them to win the championship. In 1928 the rule based on rank numbers was changed in a rule based on a weighted sum of the times over the four distances. In this case the results of the skaters only are determined by their own times and not by decisions of compatriots. Because one could still win the championship by being the first in three distances Thomas Gustafson, with a better total time, did not win the title because Rolf Falk Larssen was the first on three distances. The ISU decided in 1987 that this was not a desirable situation and finally decided to determine the winner only on the basis of the weighted sum of the realized times on the four distances. For Thomas Gustafson this decision came too late. Taking these rules into account the winners in the different World Championships have been decided as indicated in the table below.
Here we have mentioned only the countries of winners of the championships. Looking at all medals, the top countries are the same but some other countries got underestimated with respect to their results. For example Sweden won 12 medals in total at the World Championships, Italy 7, Japan and Austria never won gold but 3 silver or bronze medals, the DDR and Belgium both 2 and France, the UK, Letland and Germany each 1.
The first half of the 20th century
The total number of champions for the different countries clearly shows that there are two countries that have most frequently won: Norway and the Netherlands. The period they did this is rather different. While the Dutch were successful in the last years of the 19th century , this was not the case anymore in the beginning of the 20th century. Norway was especially very successful in that period only challenged in the period 1908-1914 by Russians, between 1922-1931 by the Fins especially Class Thunberg and in the period 1953-1965 again by the Russians. Till that time only the skaters from Northern Europa and Russia had enough training possibilities on natural ice to realize good results in the championships. For the Dutch skaters there was only irregularly natural ice and in general only for a short periode. In 1961 Henk van der Grift realized what he had to do in order to become all round world champion. He moved to Norway and prepared with some help a skating track for him self to start training in October instead of in December as was normal in the Netherlands if there was ice at all.
The total number of champions for the different countries clearly shows that there are two countries that have most frequently won: Norway and the Netherlands. The period they did this is rather different. While the Dutch were successful in the last years of the 19th century , this was not the case anymore in the beginning of the 20th century. Norway was especially very successful in that period only challenged in the period 1908-1914 by Russians, between 1922-1931 by the Fins especially Class Thunberg and in the period 1953-1965 again by the Russians. Till that time only the skaters from Northern Europa and Russia had enough training possibilities on natural ice to realize good results in the championships. For the Dutch skaters there was only irregularly natural ice and in general only for a short periode. In 1961 Henk van der Grift realized what he had to do in order to become all round world champion. He moved to Norway and prepared with some help a skating track for him self to start training in October instead of in December as was normal in the Netherlands if there was ice at all.
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The period of Ard Schenk
After 1961 the situation rapidly changed by the introduction of ice rinks with artificial ice. The first was built in 1961 in Amsterdam, in 1962 followed one in Deventer and after that also in several other cities. The speed skaters could now train from October till March. The immediate consequence was that the Dutch speed skating rapidly improved. The first successes came in the period 1966-1976 when Kees Verkerk and Ard Schenk frequently won gold and/or silver in the World Championships. Although they won, skating was still extremely popular in the Nordic countries as one can see at the video where 60.000 people were looking at Ard Schenk winning gold medals on all four distances. |
The period Eric Heiden
In 1977-1979 the American Eric Heiden with his special training methods took over from the Dutch. The strong Norwegian skaters, Sjobrend, Storholt and Stensjemmet (called the three S) also had no chance against him. Their chances came after Eric Heiden stopped. The Norwegians Sjobrend, Falk-Larssen and Koss won championships but also Dutch and Russian skaters. This was a period without dominance of any country. |
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The hegemony of the Dutch skaters
This changed in the last years of the century. The Dutchman Rintje Ritsma and other Dutchmen won all World championships and even second places while other countries were left with only second and third places. The reason for the dominance of the Dutch was the extreme popularity of skating in the Netherlands combined with improved training procedures and scientific studies of the most efficient movement and the materials. For example researchers of the Free University developed the “Klapschaats” which led to a revolution in skating.An other important factor was that the Dutch skaters became professionals and so could spend all their time on training for the championships.
In 2004 their succes was interrupted by skaters from the US, the inline skater Chad Hadrick and the short track skater Shani Davis, but it took only a short time and since then the Dutch skaters took over the first places again especially Sven Kramer took care of this being 8 times the winner allowing, by not participating, only twice another winner in the last 10 years .
This changed in the last years of the century. The Dutchman Rintje Ritsma and other Dutchmen won all World championships and even second places while other countries were left with only second and third places. The reason for the dominance of the Dutch was the extreme popularity of skating in the Netherlands combined with improved training procedures and scientific studies of the most efficient movement and the materials. For example researchers of the Free University developed the “Klapschaats” which led to a revolution in skating.An other important factor was that the Dutch skaters became professionals and so could spend all their time on training for the championships.
In 2004 their succes was interrupted by skaters from the US, the inline skater Chad Hadrick and the short track skater Shani Davis, but it took only a short time and since then the Dutch skaters took over the first places again especially Sven Kramer took care of this being 8 times the winner allowing, by not participating, only twice another winner in the last 10 years .
A personal comment
This is the exciting short history of speed skating. I have also followed this development with great interest like very many Dutch people. However more recently we realize more and more that the number of participating countries is rather limited. In countries where in the past the sport was very popular this has been changed considerably especially in Norway, Finland and Sweden. Partially due to this, the results turn out also rather predictable. Fortunately, recently skaters appeared on the scene coming from neighboring sports like inline skating and short track. This is an interesting development. So far it did not change the hegemony of the dedicated long track skaters but the presence of these skaters from the neighboring diciplines, Swings, Bergsma, Mantia, Contin and other did lead in the 21th century to very exiting races like the one presented below.
This is the exciting short history of speed skating. I have also followed this development with great interest like very many Dutch people. However more recently we realize more and more that the number of participating countries is rather limited. In countries where in the past the sport was very popular this has been changed considerably especially in Norway, Finland and Sweden. Partially due to this, the results turn out also rather predictable. Fortunately, recently skaters appeared on the scene coming from neighboring sports like inline skating and short track. This is an interesting development. So far it did not change the hegemony of the dedicated long track skaters but the presence of these skaters from the neighboring diciplines, Swings, Bergsma, Mantia, Contin and other did lead in the 21th century to very exiting races like the one presented below.