The change from short distance to long distances
The Netherlands was not the only country where skating races took place. We mentioned already that in England, especially Fenland, there were also skating races organized most commonly over a mile or 1609 meters. In the USA they organized races only for amateurs over longer distances 10, 20 and 30 miles or even more. Then there was Norway where especially Axel Paulsen presented himself as the skating star of the country and even of the world after a visit at the USA. In Canada the situation was similar. Skating races took also place in Russia, Finland, Germany and Austria. In general the races were over longer distances than the 160 meter races that took place in the Netherlands.
Some skating clubs in the Netherlands came together in 1881 to speak about the possibility to create the “Nederlands schaatsenrijders bond” (the Dutch skaters association) with the idea to organize also in the Netherland international races over longer distances. This idea was especially stimulated by Baron de Salis of the Skating club in Amsterdam, Mr S Salverda from Leeuwarden and Mr J. Van Buttingha Wichers from Leiden and lead to the official creation of the “Nederlandse Schaatsenrijders Bond” in 1882.
One of the first things they organized was an International championship in Leeuwarden in 1985. The distance of the races was a mile and although the times of the skaters were registered, they followed the procedure of the short distance races to skate different rounds. Invited were the Norwegians Axel Paulsen and Werner, The Brittish skaters Smart, Burlingham and Goodman Tebbutt. The other participants were the fastest skaters over the short distances from the Netherlands. Most of them were Frisians. The prize money was never so high: 600 guilders for the winner. The second would get 300 guilders, for the third it was 180 and for the fourth 120 guilders. In total there was 1200 euros in prize money which is equal to 13.304 euros of today.
Some skating clubs in the Netherlands came together in 1881 to speak about the possibility to create the “Nederlands schaatsenrijders bond” (the Dutch skaters association) with the idea to organize also in the Netherland international races over longer distances. This idea was especially stimulated by Baron de Salis of the Skating club in Amsterdam, Mr S Salverda from Leeuwarden and Mr J. Van Buttingha Wichers from Leiden and lead to the official creation of the “Nederlandse Schaatsenrijders Bond” in 1882.
One of the first things they organized was an International championship in Leeuwarden in 1985. The distance of the races was a mile and although the times of the skaters were registered, they followed the procedure of the short distance races to skate different rounds. Invited were the Norwegians Axel Paulsen and Werner, The Brittish skaters Smart, Burlingham and Goodman Tebbutt. The other participants were the fastest skaters over the short distances from the Netherlands. Most of them were Frisians. The prize money was never so high: 600 guilders for the winner. The second would get 300 guilders, for the third it was 180 and for the fourth 120 guilders. In total there was 1200 euros in prize money which is equal to 13.304 euros of today.
Too much honor for the winner
In the newspapers there was a lot of attention for this first international skating championship and there was a general expectation that now the Frisians would show that they were the best skaters in this (small) world. So thousands spectators came to this events. Also many official people came, like mayors, representatives of the king and, of course, the board members of the skating clubs.
When they wanted to start the Norwegians complained about different issues and in the end they decided not to participate. This being decided the races started and in 2 rounds all foreigners were eliminated from the champioship by Dutch skaters. One round later only four Frisian skaters were left: Van der Zee and Bruinsma won the semi finals. Because Van der Zee won in 3.26 and Bruinsma won in 3 min 55, one expected Van der Zee to win the competition but that was not the case: Bruinsma won in 3.55 while Van der Zee skated 3.56 while the latter had been ahead of Bruinsma in the first part.
In the newspapers there was a lot of attention for this first international skating championship and there was a general expectation that now the Frisians would show that they were the best skaters in this (small) world. So thousands spectators came to this events. Also many official people came, like mayors, representatives of the king and, of course, the board members of the skating clubs.
When they wanted to start the Norwegians complained about different issues and in the end they decided not to participate. This being decided the races started and in 2 rounds all foreigners were eliminated from the champioship by Dutch skaters. One round later only four Frisian skaters were left: Van der Zee and Bruinsma won the semi finals. Because Van der Zee won in 3.26 and Bruinsma won in 3 min 55, one expected Van der Zee to win the competition but that was not the case: Bruinsma won in 3.55 while Van der Zee skated 3.56 while the latter had been ahead of Bruinsma in the first part.
This went too far
The winning of the Frisians in this championship led again to a lot of attention in the media, especially the Frisian ones. There were big parties and a lot of honor for the winner. In an interview with the winner Bruinsma said that “he had won in a fair competition” and also that “the honor of the day was for the one who deserved it”. One would say what is wrong with this? However. There was a quick reaction from Van der Zee who declared that Bruinsma only won because they had made an agreement before to skate that they would share the prize money equally and that they had determined by lottery that Bruinsma would be the winner. This story was believable because Van der Zee was in the semifinal much faster than Bruinsma and he had won all the races that were held, every day, in the week before this championship even when Buinsma was also in the championship. The other skaters in the semifinal confirmed this point view. The later chairman of the Frisian IJsbond, Hylkema, who later organized the first “Elfstedentocht”, confirmed the story of Van der Zee in a public newspaper and clearly indicated that it could not go on in this way.
The winning of the Frisians in this championship led again to a lot of attention in the media, especially the Frisian ones. There were big parties and a lot of honor for the winner. In an interview with the winner Bruinsma said that “he had won in a fair competition” and also that “the honor of the day was for the one who deserved it”. One would say what is wrong with this? However. There was a quick reaction from Van der Zee who declared that Bruinsma only won because they had made an agreement before to skate that they would share the prize money equally and that they had determined by lottery that Bruinsma would be the winner. This story was believable because Van der Zee was in the semifinal much faster than Bruinsma and he had won all the races that were held, every day, in the week before this championship even when Buinsma was also in the championship. The other skaters in the semifinal confirmed this point view. The later chairman of the Frisian IJsbond, Hylkema, who later organized the first “Elfstedentocht”, confirmed the story of Van der Zee in a public newspaper and clearly indicated that it could not go on in this way.
It will be clear that this first attempt to organize an international championship was at least partially a questionable success. Indeed, there was a lot of attention of the public for the event but the behavior of the professional skaters was seen by the organizers as quite shameful. So one started to think about alternatives. One was to determine the winner by the registered time only and not by a competition. A second idea was to organize such championships not anymore for professionals but only for amateurs. Both decisions have been made and remained in power during a long period in the 20th century. But there was more needed to come to the definite decisions in the 19th century.