From amateurs to professionals in the 19th century
The speed skating races on short distances that started in the 18th century were continued in the 19th century on a much larger and more professional scale. There were not only championships for men but also for women and even for pairs and the interest was overwhelming. For example in 1805 a championship for women took place in Leeuwarden at 1 and 2 February. The temperature was -16 degrees Celsius, nevertheless there were 130 participants and thousands of spectators at the event.
A very impressive and interesting description of this development can be found in a book of Ron Couwenhoven. I will present some of the material from this book which is only available in the Dutch language.
A very impressive and interesting description of this development can be found in a book of Ron Couwenhoven. I will present some of the material from this book which is only available in the Dutch language.
The form of the championship
Let us briefly explain how these championships were organized. These championships took place In province Frisia in all big towns but also in many small villages as long as there was water close by. That could be a big canal, a lake or even the sea (Now the IJsselmeer). The procedure was as follows: The races were between two skaters or two pairs of skaters. They raced twice against each other and who won twice won the race and went to the next round. Normally they skated a distance of around 200 meters, first in one direction and after that in the other direction while they switched the lanes. If there was no winner the first time they had to repeat the procedure till there was a winner. If it took too long the winner could be decided in one last race, or by chance or by agreement between the skaters. It followed the form of a knockout competition.
In case of a championship of pairs, a man and a woman formed a pair who skated behind each other with the man in the front. To get fast as a pair the woman should be able to skate perfectly in the same movement of the man. These championships for pairs were organized in exactly the same way as for individual skaters.
In the beginning of the century the prizes were precious gifts of gold or silver. For example, Cornelis Ybzes van Reen, the winner of the races in Sneek in 1803 received a silver box for tobacco. Trijntje Pieters, the 20 year old daughter of the constable, the winner of the famous female championship in Leeuwarden in 1805, received a golden ear pin with a value of more than 100 guilders which would now have a value of more than 1250 euros. This was a nice show piece that the Frisian women were wearing at that time.
Let us briefly explain how these championships were organized. These championships took place In province Frisia in all big towns but also in many small villages as long as there was water close by. That could be a big canal, a lake or even the sea (Now the IJsselmeer). The procedure was as follows: The races were between two skaters or two pairs of skaters. They raced twice against each other and who won twice won the race and went to the next round. Normally they skated a distance of around 200 meters, first in one direction and after that in the other direction while they switched the lanes. If there was no winner the first time they had to repeat the procedure till there was a winner. If it took too long the winner could be decided in one last race, or by chance or by agreement between the skaters. It followed the form of a knockout competition.
In case of a championship of pairs, a man and a woman formed a pair who skated behind each other with the man in the front. To get fast as a pair the woman should be able to skate perfectly in the same movement of the man. These championships for pairs were organized in exactly the same way as for individual skaters.
In the beginning of the century the prizes were precious gifts of gold or silver. For example, Cornelis Ybzes van Reen, the winner of the races in Sneek in 1803 received a silver box for tobacco. Trijntje Pieters, the 20 year old daughter of the constable, the winner of the famous female championship in Leeuwarden in 1805, received a golden ear pin with a value of more than 100 guilders which would now have a value of more than 1250 euros. This was a nice show piece that the Frisian women were wearing at that time.
The professionalization of the speed skating
Around 1823 skating for money was introduced. The first time it happened the prize was a silver box for tobacco and one ducat. In 1835 a championship in Leeuwarden was announced where prize was 15 ducats (approximately 75 guilders). If you realize that workers at that time earned not more than 5 guilders a week one can imagine that it was very attractive to participate. Therefore the organizers did not open the competition for all who wanted but invited themselves the best 16 skaters at that moment.
Ron Couwenhoven describes how this amateur sport changed in a professional sport. The payment of the winners in money and the other costs involved required a commercial approach of these events. For example in 1844 the local government of Leeuwarden announced a championship where the winner would get 10 golden “willems” , the loser in the final would get 3 “Willems”. A “willem” has a value of 10 guilders. In total the costs for the prizes was 130 guilders which would be around 1650 euros at present. But there were more costs: the costs for 6 police men and 40 soldiers to keep order during the races. There were costs for the music during the races and printing the list of participants. There was also a women who kept the wardrobes and toilets clean. In total the cost were 439.50 guilders. To cover these costs the notables of the city had to pay for their entry in the heated Summerhouse of the city garden along the canal where the championship was held. The entry ticket for men was 1 guilder and for women it was 50 cents. The other spectators had to stand in the cold along the canal but did not have to pay. By entry tickets the organization received 193.50 guilders. To cover the total costs of the event the people who bought a ticket had to pay afterward 2.60 guilders. In this way even a profit was made of 53 guilders in this championship which was saved for a next event. In this way it was possible to provide considerable amounts of money to the winners of the championships and could the best skaters earn some money. That indeed happened.
Around 1823 skating for money was introduced. The first time it happened the prize was a silver box for tobacco and one ducat. In 1835 a championship in Leeuwarden was announced where prize was 15 ducats (approximately 75 guilders). If you realize that workers at that time earned not more than 5 guilders a week one can imagine that it was very attractive to participate. Therefore the organizers did not open the competition for all who wanted but invited themselves the best 16 skaters at that moment.
Ron Couwenhoven describes how this amateur sport changed in a professional sport. The payment of the winners in money and the other costs involved required a commercial approach of these events. For example in 1844 the local government of Leeuwarden announced a championship where the winner would get 10 golden “willems” , the loser in the final would get 3 “Willems”. A “willem” has a value of 10 guilders. In total the costs for the prizes was 130 guilders which would be around 1650 euros at present. But there were more costs: the costs for 6 police men and 40 soldiers to keep order during the races. There were costs for the music during the races and printing the list of participants. There was also a women who kept the wardrobes and toilets clean. In total the cost were 439.50 guilders. To cover these costs the notables of the city had to pay for their entry in the heated Summerhouse of the city garden along the canal where the championship was held. The entry ticket for men was 1 guilder and for women it was 50 cents. The other spectators had to stand in the cold along the canal but did not have to pay. By entry tickets the organization received 193.50 guilders. To cover the total costs of the event the people who bought a ticket had to pay afterward 2.60 guilders. In this way even a profit was made of 53 guilders in this championship which was saved for a next event. In this way it was possible to provide considerable amounts of money to the winners of the championships and could the best skaters earn some money. That indeed happened.
The best skaters earned a lot
For example Thijs van den Berg won in the period 1868 till 1885 a total of 3325 guilders by skating which is in money of today 41.560 euros. This is incomparable with what the present top skaters earn but it was rather welcome at that time. His father was a boatman. He was the oldest of 9 children. Three of them were very good skaters and won many championships for man or women or for pairs. Thijs, Trijntje and Okke van den Berg earned by skating in the period from 1868 till 1888 in total 9870 guilders or in present money 123.347 euros. This is an enormous amount of money for a family with a modest income by their normal work.
Good skaters could earn so much because, whenever the ice was good enough, there were immediately many skating championships organized. Ron Couwenhoven presents an announcement in the newspaper “De Friesche Courant” which shows that in 1876 on 12 January 16 championships were organized in different places with first prizes between 30 and 100 guilders and second prized between 7.50 and 30 guilders. On 13 January there 12 championships organized in different places with similar prizes. On 14 January it was the same. In 15 January there were only 7 championships announced with comparable prizes. This shows that good skaters could earn in a winter period quite some money if the agreed with each other where to go. That is of course what they did.
Klaas Hanje participated during the very long winter in 1890 in 14 championships in short distances and won 12 times. In this way he earned with speed skating 1200 guilders in one year. That would be in our present currency 15.000 euros. In the period of 1883 -1897 he won 31 times and earned 3.390 guilders or 42.3750 euros. This was for a farmer at that time a considerable extra income. Pim Mulier the famous promoter of the sport including speed skating and the “Elfstedentocht” wrote about the way of skating of Klaas Hanje that it looks as if he was running on the ice so short were his strokes, not longer than 5 voet or one and a half meter. It seemed that that was rather efficient for the type of short distance skating at that time.
So far I mainly concentrated at the men. The speed skating of the women in this time is a different story. I will pay special attention to them in the next story.
For example Thijs van den Berg won in the period 1868 till 1885 a total of 3325 guilders by skating which is in money of today 41.560 euros. This is incomparable with what the present top skaters earn but it was rather welcome at that time. His father was a boatman. He was the oldest of 9 children. Three of them were very good skaters and won many championships for man or women or for pairs. Thijs, Trijntje and Okke van den Berg earned by skating in the period from 1868 till 1888 in total 9870 guilders or in present money 123.347 euros. This is an enormous amount of money for a family with a modest income by their normal work.
Good skaters could earn so much because, whenever the ice was good enough, there were immediately many skating championships organized. Ron Couwenhoven presents an announcement in the newspaper “De Friesche Courant” which shows that in 1876 on 12 January 16 championships were organized in different places with first prizes between 30 and 100 guilders and second prized between 7.50 and 30 guilders. On 13 January there 12 championships organized in different places with similar prizes. On 14 January it was the same. In 15 January there were only 7 championships announced with comparable prizes. This shows that good skaters could earn in a winter period quite some money if the agreed with each other where to go. That is of course what they did.
Klaas Hanje participated during the very long winter in 1890 in 14 championships in short distances and won 12 times. In this way he earned with speed skating 1200 guilders in one year. That would be in our present currency 15.000 euros. In the period of 1883 -1897 he won 31 times and earned 3.390 guilders or 42.3750 euros. This was for a farmer at that time a considerable extra income. Pim Mulier the famous promoter of the sport including speed skating and the “Elfstedentocht” wrote about the way of skating of Klaas Hanje that it looks as if he was running on the ice so short were his strokes, not longer than 5 voet or one and a half meter. It seemed that that was rather efficient for the type of short distance skating at that time.
So far I mainly concentrated at the men. The speed skating of the women in this time is a different story. I will pay special attention to them in the next story.