1897 World Allround Speed Skating Championships
| World Allround Speed Skating Championships | |||||
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Alfred Næss
Participant of the 1897 World Championship |
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| Venue | Crystal Stadium, Montréal, Canada | ||||
| Dates | 5, 6 and 9 February 1897 | ||||
| Competitors | 10from 3 nations | ||||
| Medalist men | |||||
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| Medalist women | |||||
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Jack McCulloch |
 CAN
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The 1897 World Allround Speed Skating Championships took place on 5, 6 and 9 February 1897 at the ice rink Crystal Stadium in Montréal, Canada. It was the first World championship outside of Europe. Canada had the honour of organizing this World championship because it was the first non-European member of the International Skating Union.
Jaap Eden was the defending champion; he stopped with ice skating after the 1896 season and did not defend his title. He started a career as cyclist.
The Norwegian Alfred Næss won the first distance (500 meters) and the Canadian Jack McCulloch the second distance (5000 meters). At the third distance (1500 meters), Næss and McCulloch skated both the fastest time; a skate-off was needed to decide who was the winner and was still able to win three distances. McCulloch won the skate-off and had to win the 10000 meter to become world champion. McCulloch won the 10000 meters (there were only three other participants) and became World champion.
They found out that the 5000 meter was too short, they had skated two rounds less than needed. On 9 February, that mistake was corrected by re-skating the 5000 meters. Some skaters had already left and so it was skated by only four skaters. McCulloch won again and was then World champion for real.
Source: SpeedSkatingStats.com
Four distances have to be skated:
One could only win the World Championships by winning at least three of the four distances, so there would be no World Champion if no skater won at least three distances.
Silver and bronze medals were not awarded.
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