Statistics 1914
After the last Trondhjem record races the season faded out in Norway. Oscar went back home to his beloved Sigrid and was determined to concentrate on the National, European and World championships next year and let go of the rest. Then hopefully she would get more peace of mind.
Next weekend, Kristiania Idrætsforening organised a meet at Bislett on ice softened by the spring sun. There a young glazier’s son, inspired by Oscar’s exploits, skated his first 1500m. He had completed his first competitive race two weeks before, a 1000m in 2.00,2. Now he clocked 3.03,9 and only two boys in the 14 to 16 ageclass were ahead of him. His name? Roald Morel Larsen.
The Finns also were in a good mood after beating the Norwegians in the Nordic Cup match and the fine times of their new top skaters. They didn’t want to end the season now that things were going so well and kept on arranging meets as long as the ice was reasonably skatable. Walter Tverin improved his 500m pb to 46,1 in Helsingfors on March 15., and again to 46,0 on the 21st, which was good enough for 13th place in the world all-time list. The meet on March 21st and 22nd was attended by all the top Helsingfors skaters and hence probably a good audience as well. Skutnabb and Bergström again fought hard for the 5000m win, the latter clinching it now by a 10th of a second, 9.03,9 to 9.04,0. But on Sunday they were paired in the 10000 m, and then Skutnabb won rather easily with 18.39,5 vs. 18.53,2.
In the 500m, a 20 year old who had pbs of 50,4, 2.42,9, 9.52,9 and 21.20,0 going into the meet surprised everyone with 47,0 and a 2nd place in the 500 m, no doubt inspired by the Finnish successes lately. His time was equal to 32nd place in the world all-time list, along with such a fine legendary name as Einar Halvorsen. This guy also skated the 5000 and the 1500m, with equally substantial improvements, 9.24,3 og 2.36,6, both within the 100 best of the lowland world all-time lists. In the 1500 m, on softer ice, he was right in there with the best, only 4/10 behind the winner. It may have been different without Skutnabb’s fall, but must have been fun anyway. Maybe a distance to give extra attention to in the future. Of course, the name of this young guy is Clas Thunberg, and as the season faded out in Finland, too, he and the other top Finnish skaters already were looking forward to the next one, to the big championships and new encounters with the great Mathisen. The time for dethroning was at hand.
Thunberg did, by the way, climb into 120th place in Adelskalenderen, one behind Harald Hagen.
A. Complete adelskalender after the 1914 season
B. World records after the 1914 season
C. Distance statistics
D. Lowland records after the 1914 season
E. Complete lowland adelskalender after the 1914 season
F. Distance statistics lowland
G. Uni-Koeln anno 1914:
Here are my votes. What are yours?
Best skater from:
Austria: Thomas Bohrer
Bohemia: Karl Hladky
Britain: Frederick W. Dix
Canada: Lot Roe
Estonia: Johannes Villemson
Finland: Julius Skutnabb
France: Jean de Marthille
Germany: Henri Kretzer
Hungary: Desider Gyurmán
Italy: Sella
Netherlands: Jacques de Koning
Norway: Oscar Mathisen
Russia: Vasilij Ippolitov
Sweden: Paul Zerling
Switzerland: Alexander Spengler
USA: Bobby McLean
Best male allrounder: Oscar Mathisen
Best male sprinter: Oscar Mathisen
Best male long distance skater: Julius Skutnabb
Best female allrounder: Braun
Best female sprinter: Braun
Best junior: Melvin Johansen
Break-through of the year: Julius Skutnabb
Comeback of the year: none in particular
Biggest surprise: Waldemar Bergström
Biggest disappointment: Petrus Axelson
Unluckiest skater: Vasilij Ippolitov
Wednesday skater: Trygve Lundgreen
Most feared farewell: World peace
Best coach: ---no comment
Best team: HSK
Best meet: International meet in Davos on Jan 17-18
Duel of the year: Mathisen and Skutnabb in 10000 m at Helsingfors on Mar 1
Best race: 2.17,4
Best track: Davos
Scandal of the year: The organisation of the European Championship
Skater of the year: Oscar Mathisen