How it all Began

 

Archaeologists believe skating began during northern Europe's harsh Winters over one thousand years ago. In those days skating was a means of survival- afterall some way of crossing the frozen rivers and lakes simply had to be found. Lunch may have depended on it! Style, glamour, and sequins were not major concerns, but getting somewhere in a hurry and staying upright were!

The earliest skates were made from sharpened oxen or reindeer bones and would have been bound to the feet with leather. But no matter how sharp the rib or shin bones were they could not cut into and grip the ice sufficiently. Progress was slow.

A hand held long stick was the answer to the early skater's difficulties. Using one with a spiked end as you would use a ski pole today, enabled skaters to push themselves forwards and stay upright. With this simple equipment people could now skate quickly across frozen rivers and lakes rather than travel long distances around the outside.

Over time people looked for new ways to improve the first skates. The materials used became more effective, supportive and comfortable, and new skating techniques gradually developed. Ice skating also became the solution to the winter problems and a popular past time. Skates allowed traders to use the icey stretches as roadways for their goods. Impressed onlookers, meanwhile began to join them on the ice just for fun. All this sudden interest encouraged the Dutch to redesign the iron skates thathad first appeared in Iceland some years earlier. The resulting skates finished in the late 1500's, were heavy but they could carve and grip the ice quite successfully. Sticks and poles were thrown away. Unlike the skates before them the particular shape did not slip on the ice.

Fact: The word "skate" comes from the Dutch word "Schaats" meaning leg shank or bone

Fact: Between 1901, and 1905  and between 1907 and 1911, Ulrich Salchow won 10 World Figure Skating Titles, the worlds record for the most mens singles titles.

Fact: In 1928 Sonja Henie of Norway, won the Olympic Gold Medal at 15 years of age and became the youngest figure skater to ever have won. In 1998 Tara Lipinski of the USA also aged 15 years of age broke this record 70 years later. 

By the 17th century, canal racing on wooden skates with iron blades was popular amongst the Dutch. It only took a winter in exile in the Netherlands for James(younger son of British Monarch Charles 1) to fall for the sport. On his arrival home in 1662 James, Duke of York was excited to find that Englands rivers had also frozen. No time was wasted in introducing the new sport to the British Aristocracy.

THE AMERICAN DREAM "TO STEEL THE SHOW"

In 1850 the first steel skate was produced in America. Once sharpened, steel blades gripped the ice like no other blade before them. They were also strong and lighter iron. Suddenly it became possible for skaters to perform all sorts of tricky moves on ice, figure skating had reached an all time high!

 

created by Blade