Nikolay Strunnikov never lost against Oscar Mathisen
Oscar Mathisen was certainly one of the best skaters ever. He won the world title “Allround” in 1908,1909, 1912, 1913 and 1914 and the European title in 1909, 1912 and 1914. In the list of 100 best skaters ever of Sierksma and Snoep he is number 4. Nevertheless there was one skater Nikolay Strunnikov who never lost an Allround competition of Mathisen while he was skating in the same period. He was World and European champion in 1910 and 1911. This raises the question what happened in these two years and why did he not win also in 1912 and later. Here follows the interesting story about this rivalry on the basis of the memories of the wife of Stunnikov (http://speedskating.ru/faces/1259-strunnikov.html) and other Russian sources translated by Lilia Barbos and English sources.
Preparation
Nikolay Vasilyevich Strunnikov was born in 1886. In his youth skating was very popular in Moscow where he lived. The young people went skating whenever possible. He participated also in competitions but till 1905 in the B division. The star who won all races was Sedov. Strunnikovs wife tells that Nikolay was a dedicated skater. He went skating every day at 17.30h, no matter how the weather was, even if the temperature was 40 below zero and nobody was in the streets. He started always with technical exercises then training of speed and after a break with a snack he finished his training with 25 laps even though at that time the race of 10km was not included in the championships in Russia. In 1906 he was admitted to participate in the A division and won immediately the silver medal in the National championships Allround. In 1907 he beat Sedov in a race over 5000 meter with a mass start. After that event he won all championships in Russia and realized new national records on all distances.
Preparation
Nikolay Vasilyevich Strunnikov was born in 1886. In his youth skating was very popular in Moscow where he lived. The young people went skating whenever possible. He participated also in competitions but till 1905 in the B division. The star who won all races was Sedov. Strunnikovs wife tells that Nikolay was a dedicated skater. He went skating every day at 17.30h, no matter how the weather was, even if the temperature was 40 below zero and nobody was in the streets. He started always with technical exercises then training of speed and after a break with a snack he finished his training with 25 laps even though at that time the race of 10km was not included in the championships in Russia. In 1906 he was admitted to participate in the A division and won immediately the silver medal in the National championships Allround. In 1907 he beat Sedov in a race over 5000 meter with a mass start. After that event he won all championships in Russia and realized new national records on all distances.
To the European championship 1910 in Viborg
In 1910 he was expected to participate in the European Championship Allround that took place in Viborg in Finland, February 26 and 27. He did not get money to go to the World Championships because they would be held in Klagenfurt in Austria and that was too expensive.
His wife wrote that she was waiting for information about his results and suddenly came a telegram: “I have won the World championship, Nikolay”. First she thought that this was a mistake but somebody of the club came along and confirmed the telegram. Finally Nikolay came and here is what he said; “The European Championship I won pretty easily, even surprisingly easily. On the first day I lost only against Oscar Mathisen while I won the 5000 meter race. I remember especially the 1500 meter race. The track was very heavy, just very bad. I had to skate in the pair with Oscar Mathisen. We started slow and neither of us wanted to take the lead but then we increased the speed dramatically. When we entered in the last curve (me being in the outer track) I was sure that Mathisen, who entered the curve at the same time as me, would come out on the last straight part 10 meters ahead of me. Great was my surprise when I came out of the curve 10 meters ahead of Mathisen and I increased the gap at the last part.”
This race was won by the light skater Johansen, Stunnikov became second and Mathisen ended up as 5th.
He continues his report about the last distance.
“In the last distance of 10.000 meter the ice was so bad that it looked more like walking on skates or swimming. My time was 24.42.5 . Mathisen lost by more than a minute. As a consequence I was declared European champion. “
During this championship the message came that in Klagenfurt the World championship could not be organized because of high temperature. The championship was moved to Helsingfors, so Helsinki was called at that time. Then Stunnikov decided also to participate in the World Championship although he had not planned to do so.
In 1910 he was expected to participate in the European Championship Allround that took place in Viborg in Finland, February 26 and 27. He did not get money to go to the World Championships because they would be held in Klagenfurt in Austria and that was too expensive.
His wife wrote that she was waiting for information about his results and suddenly came a telegram: “I have won the World championship, Nikolay”. First she thought that this was a mistake but somebody of the club came along and confirmed the telegram. Finally Nikolay came and here is what he said; “The European Championship I won pretty easily, even surprisingly easily. On the first day I lost only against Oscar Mathisen while I won the 5000 meter race. I remember especially the 1500 meter race. The track was very heavy, just very bad. I had to skate in the pair with Oscar Mathisen. We started slow and neither of us wanted to take the lead but then we increased the speed dramatically. When we entered in the last curve (me being in the outer track) I was sure that Mathisen, who entered the curve at the same time as me, would come out on the last straight part 10 meters ahead of me. Great was my surprise when I came out of the curve 10 meters ahead of Mathisen and I increased the gap at the last part.”
This race was won by the light skater Johansen, Stunnikov became second and Mathisen ended up as 5th.
He continues his report about the last distance.
“In the last distance of 10.000 meter the ice was so bad that it looked more like walking on skates or swimming. My time was 24.42.5 . Mathisen lost by more than a minute. As a consequence I was declared European champion. “
During this championship the message came that in Klagenfurt the World championship could not be organized because of high temperature. The championship was moved to Helsingfors, so Helsinki was called at that time. Then Stunnikov decided also to participate in the World Championship although he had not planned to do so.
The World championship
So he continues his report to his wife as follows. “This time the fight was harder. Mathisen said that he certainly would beat the “black line” as he called me because I always skate in a black suit. Indeed the Norwegian started very well. Mathisen beat me on both distances the 500 and the 5000 meter and was in the lead in ranking numbers. (Important is to remark the Mathisen did not win both distances). The second day started with the 10.000 meter and I had to skate long before Mathisen. I decided to do everything I could in this race. When I finished the race I thought that my heart would jumb out of my body. Mathisen after me performed much worse (Strunnikov ended up first and Mathisen as number 6). By this result I could even lose a little time to Mathisen on the last distance. He indeed beat me with only 0.4 seconds but I became the World Champion. “
He became world champion because of a lower total of ranking numbers. The key for this result was according to him mainly his daily skating of 10 km at the end of his trainings.
His sports club made a big feast for the occasion where more than 200 people participated..
So he continues his report to his wife as follows. “This time the fight was harder. Mathisen said that he certainly would beat the “black line” as he called me because I always skate in a black suit. Indeed the Norwegian started very well. Mathisen beat me on both distances the 500 and the 5000 meter and was in the lead in ranking numbers. (Important is to remark the Mathisen did not win both distances). The second day started with the 10.000 meter and I had to skate long before Mathisen. I decided to do everything I could in this race. When I finished the race I thought that my heart would jumb out of my body. Mathisen after me performed much worse (Strunnikov ended up first and Mathisen as number 6). By this result I could even lose a little time to Mathisen on the last distance. He indeed beat me with only 0.4 seconds but I became the World Champion. “
He became world champion because of a lower total of ranking numbers. The key for this result was according to him mainly his daily skating of 10 km at the end of his trainings.
His sports club made a big feast for the occasion where more than 200 people participated..
Strunnikow breaks the 5000 meter record of Jaap Eden but where is Mathisen?
The year 1911 started with an effort of Strunnikov to improve the world record of Jaap Eden made in 1895 on the 5000meter. This took place on February 4 in Kristiania. Strunnikov indeed improved this last world record of Jaap Eden with .4 second. It was reported in a Norwegian newspaper that the skating of Strunnikov was a picture of elegance. He had completely abandoned the movement of the upper body that the experts criticized most Norwegian skaters for.
The Norwegians were also wondering where Oscar Mathisen was. Why did he not participate in these races and also not in the European Championships in Hamar that year? There was a rumor that he lost his amateur status because he had sold his sports medals in order to support in his living costs. Others were suggesting that there was another reason that he lost his amateur status but that he would come back soon (Lars Finsen). There were also suggestions that he did not participate because he was trying to improve his skating style, more like the one of Strunnikov, in order to compete next year better with him.
Whatever may have been the reason, without him being there, Strunnikov won on 1911 the European and World championships, winning in both cases all 4 distances.
The year 1911 started with an effort of Strunnikov to improve the world record of Jaap Eden made in 1895 on the 5000meter. This took place on February 4 in Kristiania. Strunnikov indeed improved this last world record of Jaap Eden with .4 second. It was reported in a Norwegian newspaper that the skating of Strunnikov was a picture of elegance. He had completely abandoned the movement of the upper body that the experts criticized most Norwegian skaters for.
The Norwegians were also wondering where Oscar Mathisen was. Why did he not participate in these races and also not in the European Championships in Hamar that year? There was a rumor that he lost his amateur status because he had sold his sports medals in order to support in his living costs. Others were suggesting that there was another reason that he lost his amateur status but that he would come back soon (Lars Finsen). There were also suggestions that he did not participate because he was trying to improve his skating style, more like the one of Strunnikov, in order to compete next year better with him.
Whatever may have been the reason, without him being there, Strunnikov won on 1911 the European and World championships, winning in both cases all 4 distances.
1912 The come back of Mathisen but where is Strunnikov?
In the beginning of 1912 Oscar Mathisen came back and immediately skated excellent times. So people were expecting an interesting fight between him and Strunnikov in the European and World Championships. However, when it was so far, Strunnikov was not there. Russia was represented by an unknown teenager Vasilij Ippolitov who also would make it difficult for Mathisen to win the next year.
Strunnikova reports in her memories, that the journal Russian Sport presented in an article, the following under the title:"To have or not to have a Russian World champion."
“It is a fact that Strunnikov alone is not enough to guarantee victories. One also needs a representative with the capacity to control the fairness of the competition and defends the interests of the Russian skater. Because this is necessary Strunnikov refused categorically to go to the world championship alone. One has only to remember the problems during the famous world championship in 1910: the people who had to announce the last lap did not do so at the right moment, the person who counts the laps confused him and there were other disturbances. Not mentioning the problems a person has who is not familiar with foreign languages. While the club spent enormous amounts of money for the pleasures of its leaders, it did not want to spend the necessary $100 for a representative and therefore Strunnikov refused to participate in the championships. In this way imperial Russia treated with disdain this brilliant and very talented sportsman."
Why did he not return later?
Ippolito was asked why Strunnikov was not there and he explained approximately the same. He also mentioned that in Russia skating was seen as a sport for kids. Probably the reason for this was that there were no older skaters because with 21 people had to serve in the army for 3 to 5 years and afterwards it was too late to take up the sport again.
Maybe these remarks have led to the bad rumor that Strunnikov did not participate any more in championships because he had to go in the army and after that he had a problem with alcohol for which the Russians were known.
This suggestion does not seem to be true given that Strunnikova mentions: “After the revolution Nikolay Strunnikov continued with his favorite activity skating. After 6 o´clock he could be seen in the stadium Petrel in the Samara Lane. He did what was necessary under all circumstances; I was helping him and regularly he participated in championships. Later he became trainer of young skaters.”
In the beginning of 1912 Oscar Mathisen came back and immediately skated excellent times. So people were expecting an interesting fight between him and Strunnikov in the European and World Championships. However, when it was so far, Strunnikov was not there. Russia was represented by an unknown teenager Vasilij Ippolitov who also would make it difficult for Mathisen to win the next year.
Strunnikova reports in her memories, that the journal Russian Sport presented in an article, the following under the title:"To have or not to have a Russian World champion."
“It is a fact that Strunnikov alone is not enough to guarantee victories. One also needs a representative with the capacity to control the fairness of the competition and defends the interests of the Russian skater. Because this is necessary Strunnikov refused categorically to go to the world championship alone. One has only to remember the problems during the famous world championship in 1910: the people who had to announce the last lap did not do so at the right moment, the person who counts the laps confused him and there were other disturbances. Not mentioning the problems a person has who is not familiar with foreign languages. While the club spent enormous amounts of money for the pleasures of its leaders, it did not want to spend the necessary $100 for a representative and therefore Strunnikov refused to participate in the championships. In this way imperial Russia treated with disdain this brilliant and very talented sportsman."
Why did he not return later?
Ippolito was asked why Strunnikov was not there and he explained approximately the same. He also mentioned that in Russia skating was seen as a sport for kids. Probably the reason for this was that there were no older skaters because with 21 people had to serve in the army for 3 to 5 years and afterwards it was too late to take up the sport again.
Maybe these remarks have led to the bad rumor that Strunnikov did not participate any more in championships because he had to go in the army and after that he had a problem with alcohol for which the Russians were known.
This suggestion does not seem to be true given that Strunnikova mentions: “After the revolution Nikolay Strunnikov continued with his favorite activity skating. After 6 o´clock he could be seen in the stadium Petrel in the Samara Lane. He did what was necessary under all circumstances; I was helping him and regularly he participated in championships. Later he became trainer of young skaters.”
Comment
Nikolay Strunnikov was a very good skater and never lost a championship against one of the most famous skaters of his time: Oscar Mathisen. At some point Strunnikov was the second best skater of the world, given his best times on the distances which make up the Allround championship. Nevertheless he is not well known and is not mentioned in the book of the best skaters ever (Sierksma and Snoep). The reason is that he skated only two years internationally and not 4 years as required for the ranking. I hope by this short story to have given some honor to this dedicated and highly qualified skater who lived in a difficult time in his country. Due to that he could not realize the results he possibly would have realized under other circumstances.
Nikolay Strunnikov was a very good skater and never lost a championship against one of the most famous skaters of his time: Oscar Mathisen. At some point Strunnikov was the second best skater of the world, given his best times on the distances which make up the Allround championship. Nevertheless he is not well known and is not mentioned in the book of the best skaters ever (Sierksma and Snoep). The reason is that he skated only two years internationally and not 4 years as required for the ranking. I hope by this short story to have given some honor to this dedicated and highly qualified skater who lived in a difficult time in his country. Due to that he could not realize the results he possibly would have realized under other circumstances.