The ISU creates structure in the chaos
In the period of 1885 till 1892 more and more international championships were organized in different countries in Europe, The Netherlands, England, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Russia and Austria and in the USA and Canada. Each of these countries had its preferred distances. So was the 160 meters a typical Dutch distance. The British preferred the 400 meters and the mile (1609 meters). In the USA they liked longer distances such as 5, 10, 20 miles or even more. In Austria they organized races of 202m, ¼ mile, ½ mile but also 10 and 27 miles. There also were races held of 3500 meters which is close to 2 miles (3218 meters) but nevertheless different.
Besides that the forms of the tracks for the races were rather different at different places. This is important because the size of the curves determines clearly the speed with which one can skate in the race.
Different countries announced world championships on different distances for which different people were invited and participated.
Because all of this the so called “World records” made in the different countries were not comparable, ignoring the limitation of the time registration at that time.
Besides that the forms of the tracks for the races were rather different at different places. This is important because the size of the curves determines clearly the speed with which one can skate in the race.
Different countries announced world championships on different distances for which different people were invited and participated.
Because all of this the so called “World records” made in the different countries were not comparable, ignoring the limitation of the time registration at that time.
"Structure in the chaos
The Netherlandse Schaatsenrijders Bond" took the initiative to invite representatives from all skating loving nations to create an international skating organization which should create order in this chaos. They were invited to the Kurhaus in Scheveningen, close to The Hague. There they established the presently called International Skating Union or ISU. Pim Mulier was chosen as the first chairman.We have written about him before as skater of the “Elfstedentocht” and the promotor of the first official “Elfstedentocht”.
He and his colleagues of the board of the ISU made several decisions to organize the competitions in figure skating and speed skating on short and long distances. The most important decisions with respect to speed skating were:
The Netherlandse Schaatsenrijders Bond" took the initiative to invite representatives from all skating loving nations to create an international skating organization which should create order in this chaos. They were invited to the Kurhaus in Scheveningen, close to The Hague. There they established the presently called International Skating Union or ISU. Pim Mulier was chosen as the first chairman.We have written about him before as skater of the “Elfstedentocht” and the promotor of the first official “Elfstedentocht”.
He and his colleagues of the board of the ISU made several decisions to organize the competitions in figure skating and speed skating on short and long distances. The most important decisions with respect to speed skating were:
- The world championships will consist of 4 distances: 500, 1500, 5000 and 10.000 meters. This decision still holds true.
- On the 500 and 1500 meters the 4 skaters with the best registered times will compete about the first 4 places.
- The world champion will be the person who wins 3 out of the 4 distances.
- The organization of the world championship will be given each year to another country of the countries participating in the ISU.
- The European championship will be organized as well every year in the same way.
he start of a new era in speed skating
Having made these decisions the official European and world championships of the ISU started. The first world championship for amateurs in 1892/93 was provided to the Netherlands and was organized by the very active skating club of Amsterdam. The races took place on the skating track behind the Rijksmuseum where in the past already several championships were organized.
In order to be able to compete with the skaters from countries where the winters were much longer and so more possibilities for training on ice existed, the best skaters were from now on regularly sent for training to Hamar in Norway or Sankt Moritz in Switzerland. For the Dutch skater Jaap Eden this had clearly a good effect because the first World championships were won by Jaap Eden. In the previous years the Dutch skaters had not always been so successful against the skaters from abroad.
Below I have summarized the results of the different world championships allround speedskating organized under supervision of the ISU in the 19th century.
Year place country winner country number distances won
1893 Amsterdam Netherlands Jaap Eden Netherlands 3
1894 Neglingeviken Sweden no winner - maximal 2
1895 Hamar Norway Jaap Eden Netherlands 3
1896 Petersburg Russia Jaap Eden Netherlands 4
1897 Montreal Canada Jack McCulloch Canada 3
1898 Davos Switzerland Ostlund Norway 3
1899 Berlin Germany Ostlund Norway 3
1900 Christiania Norway Engelsaas Norway 3
Having made these decisions the official European and world championships of the ISU started. The first world championship for amateurs in 1892/93 was provided to the Netherlands and was organized by the very active skating club of Amsterdam. The races took place on the skating track behind the Rijksmuseum where in the past already several championships were organized.
In order to be able to compete with the skaters from countries where the winters were much longer and so more possibilities for training on ice existed, the best skaters were from now on regularly sent for training to Hamar in Norway or Sankt Moritz in Switzerland. For the Dutch skater Jaap Eden this had clearly a good effect because the first World championships were won by Jaap Eden. In the previous years the Dutch skaters had not always been so successful against the skaters from abroad.
Below I have summarized the results of the different world championships allround speedskating organized under supervision of the ISU in the 19th century.
Year place country winner country number distances won
1893 Amsterdam Netherlands Jaap Eden Netherlands 3
1894 Neglingeviken Sweden no winner - maximal 2
1895 Hamar Norway Jaap Eden Netherlands 3
1896 Petersburg Russia Jaap Eden Netherlands 4
1897 Montreal Canada Jack McCulloch Canada 3
1898 Davos Switzerland Ostlund Norway 3
1899 Berlin Germany Ostlund Norway 3
1900 Christiania Norway Engelsaas Norway 3
When the Dutch skater Jaap Eden was excluded from participating in these amateur championships because he participated in professional cycling races the first position was taken over by skaters from other countries and we see in the last years that the Norwegians with their extended possibilities to skate during their long winters took the lead which would continue also in the next century.
In this overview we see that all countries that participated in the ISU got an opportunity to organize a championship. I want to ask your attention for the small town, Davos, that will play an important role in the world of speed skating. After its first championship it has organized 40 more European and World Championships. The reason for this is clear because this townis situated at 1600 meter in the Swiss Mountains. Its history as skating is very remarkable. Therefore I will pay special attention to this town.
In this overview we see that all countries that participated in the ISU got an opportunity to organize a championship. I want to ask your attention for the small town, Davos, that will play an important role in the world of speed skating. After its first championship it has organized 40 more European and World Championships. The reason for this is clear because this townis situated at 1600 meter in the Swiss Mountains. Its history as skating is very remarkable. Therefore I will pay special attention to this town.
The professionals?
One may wonder if the ISU also organized world championships for professionals. The answer is that they only have done it once, in 1894. In Zwolle. Netherlands, the championship was organized but it was different from the amateur championships because it was not an all-round competitions but a world championship for 4 distances also skated by the amateurs. In this case the world championship would lead to 4 champions and there were also prizes to be won on all four distances. The big winner was the Norwegian Harald Hagen who won the 1500 meter, 5000 meter and the 10.000 meter. On all these distances the Dutchman, Marten Kingsma was each time the second. He only won the 500 meter although Hagen did not agree with this decision and complained a lot about this decision. Because of this problem and the general aversion of the ISU members at that time had of professional speed skating, this was the last professional speed skating competition the ISU organized for a long time.
Herewith the condition was created for the speed skating in the next century: The speed skating on short distances got much less attention than the long distance speed skating and one went from professional sport to amateur sport.
One may wonder if the ISU also organized world championships for professionals. The answer is that they only have done it once, in 1894. In Zwolle. Netherlands, the championship was organized but it was different from the amateur championships because it was not an all-round competitions but a world championship for 4 distances also skated by the amateurs. In this case the world championship would lead to 4 champions and there were also prizes to be won on all four distances. The big winner was the Norwegian Harald Hagen who won the 1500 meter, 5000 meter and the 10.000 meter. On all these distances the Dutchman, Marten Kingsma was each time the second. He only won the 500 meter although Hagen did not agree with this decision and complained a lot about this decision. Because of this problem and the general aversion of the ISU members at that time had of professional speed skating, this was the last professional speed skating competition the ISU organized for a long time.
Herewith the condition was created for the speed skating in the next century: The speed skating on short distances got much less attention than the long distance speed skating and one went from professional sport to amateur sport.