After the glorious days of
Oscar Mathisen
there was a vacuum in Norwegian speed skating. Several skaters tried to
challange him. It was however Ivar Ballangrud
who finally succeeded in becoming the new king of Norwegian speed skating.
Ballangrud was
world champion in 1926, 1932, 1936 and 1938, european champion in 1929, 1930,
1933 and 1936 and was olympic gold medalist 4 times (once in 1928 and 3 times
in 1936). His main competitors were
Clas Thunberg
and later Michael
Staksrud. Ballangrud died in 1969.
Back to other skaters.