Laila Schou Nilsen
Encyclopedia
Laila Schou Nilsen was a Norwegian
speed skater
, alpine skier
and tennis
player. She was one of the pioneers in Norwegian as well as international speed skating for women.
) at Oslo Frogner stadion
in 1935. At the World Championships
of Davos
, Switzerland
in 1937, she won all four distances (500 m, 1,000 m, 3,000 m, and 5,000 m) in world record time. She also won the World Championships in Oslo
in 1938. The record on the 500 m (46.4) lasted until 1955, when Tamara Rylova
of the Soviet Union
beat it at the Medeo
track in Alma Ata
. Her record on 1,500 m lasted until 1950.
Laila Schou Nilsen became Norwegian champion of speed skating in 1935, 1937, 1939, and 1940.
At the 1936 Winter Olympic Games, she won the bronze in the alpine combined. For this, she was the same year awarded the Egebergs Ærespris
for her achievements in alpine skiing, in speed skating, but also in tennis, where sho won a number of Norwegian championships.
After the World War II
Laila Schou Nilsen competed in alpine skiing at the 1948 Winter Olympics
in St. Moritz
, where she finished 7th in downhill and 14th in slalom.
She was also a member of the national team in handball
, and participated in the Monte Carlo Rally
in 1963.
Note that the World Allround Championships were unofficial from 1933 to 1935
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
speed skater
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
, alpine skier
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player. She was one of the pioneers in Norwegian as well as international speed skating for women.
Biography
Laila Schou Nilsen won the last unofficial World Championship for women (from a series of three that were organised by the club OSKOslo SK
Oslo Skøiteklub is a sports club in Oslo. Its home arena is Frogner Stadion. The club has departments for speed skating and figure skating.-Establishment:...
) at Oslo Frogner stadion
Frogner stadion
Frogner stadion is a sports stadium in Oslo, Norway. It is located close to the Frogner Park, between the park and Majorstuen.-History:It opened in 1901, and was built by Kristiania Skøiteklub. In 1914, the stadium was moved to its current position, due to the Oslo Jubilee exhibition...
in 1935. At the World Championships
World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women
The International Skating Union has organised the World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women since 1936. Unofficial Championships were held in the years 1933-1935.-Distances used:...
of Davos
Eisstadion Davos
Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1937, she won all four distances (500 m, 1,000 m, 3,000 m, and 5,000 m) in world record time. She also won the World Championships in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in 1938. The record on the 500 m (46.4) lasted until 1955, when Tamara Rylova
Tamara Rylova
Tamara Nikolayevna Rylova is a former speed skater.After World War II had ended, Soviet women started dominating speed skating and would continue do so for at least 20 years. Tamara Rylova was one of them. She trained at Burevestnik in Leningrad...
of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
beat it at the Medeo
Medeo
The Medeu , or Medeo , is an outdoor speed skating and bandy rink. It is located in a mountain valley on the south-eastern outskirts of Almaty, Kazakhstan. Medeu sits 1,691 metres above sea level, making it the highest skating rink in the world...
track in Alma Ata
Almaty
Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...
. Her record on 1,500 m lasted until 1950.
Laila Schou Nilsen became Norwegian champion of speed skating in 1935, 1937, 1939, and 1940.
At the 1936 Winter Olympic Games, she won the bronze in the alpine combined. For this, she was the same year awarded the Egebergs Ærespris
Egebergs Ærespris
The Egebergs Ærespris is a prize awarded to Norwegian athletes who excel in more than one sport. The prize was created by Ferdinand Julian Egeberg, and consists of a bronze statuette modelled by sculptor Magnus Vigrestad.-History:...
for her achievements in alpine skiing, in speed skating, but also in tennis, where sho won a number of Norwegian championships.
After the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Laila Schou Nilsen competed in alpine skiing at the 1948 Winter Olympics
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
in St. Moritz
St. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
, where she finished 7th in downhill and 14th in slalom.
She was also a member of the national team in handball
Team handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
, and participated in the Monte Carlo Rally
Monte Carlo Rally
The Monte Carlo Rally or Rally Monte Carlo is a rallying event organised each year by the Automobile Club de Monaco which also organises the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix and the Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique. The rally takes place along the French Riviera in the Principality of Monaco and...
in 1963.
Speedskating Medals
An overview of speedskating medals won by Laila Schou Nilsen at important championships she participated in, listing the years in which she won each:| Championships | Gold medal | Silver medal | Bronze medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Allround World Allround Speed Skating Championships The World Allround Speed Skating Championships are a series of speed skating events held annually to determine the best allround speed skater of the world... |
(1935) 1937 1938 |
– | – |
| Norwegian Allround | 1935 1937 1939 1940 |
1934 1938 1939 |
– |
Note that the World Allround Championships were unofficial from 1933 to 1935
Personal speed skating records
To put these personal records in perspective, the WR column lists the official world records on the dates that Laila Schou Nilsen skated her personal records.| Event | Result | Date | Venue | WR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 m | 46.4 | 30 January 1937 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
49.3 |
| 1,000 m | 1:38.8 | 31 January 1937 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
1:42.3 |
| 1,500 m | 2:38.1 | 23 January 1937 | Oslo Oslo Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King... -Frogner stadion Frogner stadion Frogner stadion is a sports stadium in Oslo, Norway. It is located close to the Frogner Park, between the park and Majorstuen.-History:It opened in 1901, and was built by Kristiania Skøiteklub. In 1914, the stadium was moved to its current position, due to the Oslo Jubilee exhibition... |
2:40.0 |
| 3,000 m | 5:29.6 | 30 January 1937 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
6:12.0 |
| 5,000 m | 9:28.3 | 31 January 1937 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
10:15.3 |
| Old combination Samalog Samalog is a scoring system in speed skating. It is used in allround tournaments to convert results at various distances into points in order to determine an overall champion... |
207.563 | 31 January 1937 | Davos Eisstadion Davos Vaillant Arena is an arena in Davos, Switzerland. It is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Davos. It holds 7,080 people, of which 3,280 are seated... |
none |
External links
- Laila Schou Nilsen at SkateResults.com
- Historical World Records. International Skating Union.
- National Championships results. Norges Skøyteforbund (Norwegian Skating Association).