who invented speed skating

Speed skating has ancient roots but no single inventor—it's an evolution from practical ice travel in Northern Europe. The Dutch in the 13th century pioneered early skating on canals for transport, laying the groundwork for racing.

Origins in Europe

Skating began over 1,000 years ago with bone "ice legs" in Scandinavia and the Netherlands for crossing frozen waters. By the 13th-14th centuries, Dutch designs with wooden platforms and metal runners advanced it toward sport.

A Scotsman created the first all-iron skates in 1592, boosting speed and popularity. This innovation spread racing, leading to the Skating Club of Edinburgh in 1642 and the world's first organized race in England in 1763 over 24 km.

Key Milestones

• 1763 : First detailed speed skating race on England's Fens, won by John Lamb.

• 1849 : Edinburgh Skating Club holds Britain's first official race; U.S. gets its first club in Philadelphia.

• 1850 : E.W. Bushnell invents all-steel skates, enabling faster speeds without frequent sharpening.

• 1885 : International Skating Union (ISU) forms, standardizing rules; Axel Paulsen debuts the "Axel jump."

The sport reached the Olympics in 1924 at Chamonix, with long-track and later short-track events.

Evolution to Modern Sport

From transportation to competition, innovations like clap skates in the 1990s revolutionized technique. Dutch dominance persists due to cultural passion, though Norwegians and others excel.

No sole inventor exists —it's collective progress, with iron/steel skate creators as pivotal figures.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.