Alfred Næss Explained

Karl Alfred Ingvald Næss
Other Names:Karl Alfred Ingvald Naess
Alfred Naess
Birth Date:26 April 1877
Birth Place:Oslo, Norway
Nationality:Norwegian
Known For:500 meter speed skating record
Death Place:Strasshof an der Nordbahn, Austria
Occupation:Skater
Spouse:
  • Agnes Mjolstad
Parents:Anne Jette Jensen (1847–?)
Christian Andersen Næss (1848–?)
Relatives:Carl Frederick Tandberg, nephew

Karl Alfred Ingvald Næss (26 April 1877 – 6 July 1955) was a Norwegian speed skater.[1] He set the men's world record for 500 meter speed skating on 5 February 1893 at 49.4 seconds in Hamar, Norway. He then broke his own world record 21 days later on 26 February 1893 at 48.0 seconds, then lowered it to 47.0 seconds on 24 February 1894 at Hamar. He was the youngest European champion of all time, in 1895 he was 17 years and 276 days when he won the European Speed Skating Championships for Men.[2]

Biography

He was born on 26 April 1877 to Anne Jette Jensen (1847–?) of Kragerø or Skåtøy; and Kristian Andersen Næss (1848–?) of Grue, Norway. He was baptized as "Karl Alfred Ingvald Næss" on 27 May 1877 in the Garnison Menighet, in Oslo, Norway, but he always used the name "Alfred Næss". His father, Christian, was an army sergeant. Alfred had two siblings: Carl Albert Næss (1874–?); and Alvilde Marie Magdalene Næss (1875–1933) who married Thorvald Martin Tandberg (1874–1970).[3] [4] Næss grew up in Vika.[5] On 6 February 1897 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, he competed against Canadian Jack McCulloch in the 1,500-meter race, McCulloch and Næss tied, invoking a run-off. McCulloch won the run-off by two-fifths of a second.[6] Also on 6 February 1897 Næss equaled the world record of 46.8 seconds set by Wilhelm Mauseth on 3 February 1895 in Trondheim, Norway, but on 7 February 1897 the record was broken by Peder Østlund with a time of 46.6. After Montreal he visited his sister in Portland, Maine, and gave a demonstration on 17 February 1897.[7]

Næss won the Norwegian Allround Championships in Oslo in 1898, with gold medals in the 500 meter and the 1,500 meter, and a silver medal in the 5,000 meter. He set world records on three occasions in the 500 meter at Akersvika on Lake Mjøsa in Hamar, Norway. His best time was 47.0 in the European championships in 1894. Næss was in three European championships and three world championships, and he won the 500 meter race in two European championships and two world championships.[8]

He went on the vaudeville circuit doing ice skate tricks on ice he would create in the theaters.[9] [10] In 1913 Næss returned to the United States. He married Agnes Mjolstad on 18 September 1919 in Manhattan, New York City and in 1920 he was living in a rented room in Manhattan.[11] [12]

He died on 6 July 1955 in Austria and was buried in Austria.

Legacy

Personal bests

DistanceTimeDateLocationTournament
500 meters46.8 seconds6 February 1897 MontrealWorld Allround Championships
1,500 meters 2 minutes, 35.0 seconds
5,000 meters 9 minutes, 29.8 seconds
10,000 meters 19 minutes, 17.0 seconds

Tournament results

Between 1894 and 1900 he competed in seven tournaments:

TournamentYearDateLocation500 meter1,500 meter5,000 meter10,000 meterHighestReferences
World Allround Championships1894 10–11 February 1894 50.4 s (1/q), 51.4 s (3) 2 m 55.4 s (6/q)
European Allround Championships1894 24–25 February 1894 48.2 s (2/so), 47.0 s (1), 48.6 s (2/q) 2 m 36.6 s (5/q)
European Allround Championships1895 26–27 January 1895 47.6 s (1), 47.8 s (1/q) 3 m 15.2 s (1), 2 m 49.8 s (2/q) 9 m 38.4 s (1) bgcolor=gold Gold
World Allround Championships1897 5–6 February 1897 46.8 s (1) 2 m 42.4 s (1), 2 m 41.2 s (2/so) 9 m 01.5 s (7) [13] [14] [15] [16]
European Allround Championships1898 19–20 February 1898 49.4 s (2) 2 m 39.0 s (2) 9 m 41.8 s (4)
Norwegian Allround Championships1898 25–26 February 1898 47.4 s (1) 2 m 42.2 s (1) 9 m 55.0 s (2) bgcolor=gold Gold
World Allround Championships1900 24–25 February 1900 47.2 s (2) 2 m 42.0 s (2) 9 m 59.2 s (7) 20 m 49.2 s (4) Second

Personal 500 meters progression

See main article: World record progression 500 m speed skating men. Between 1893 and 1894 he lowered his record in the 500 meter skate from 50.0 seconds to 46.8 seconds, setting three world records:[17] [18] [19]

DateEventSecondsLocationComments
29 January 1893 500 meters50.0
5 February 1893 500 meters49.4 World record
19 February 1893 500 meters48.0
26 February 1893 500 meters48.0 World record [20]
24 February 1894 500 meters47.0 World record [21]
16 January 1895 500 meters47.0
12 January 1896 500 meters46.8 Personal best
5 February 1897 500 meters46.8 Personal best

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Harry Sundby-Hansen . Norwegian Immigrant Contributions to America's Making . International Press . 1921 . Several of these Norwegian champions have visited the United States, Axel Paulsen, Alfred Næss, ... . Harry Sundby-Hansen.
  2. News: nl . Kramer lacht, Wüst huilt . De jongste Europees kampioen aller tijden is de Noor Alfred Naess. In 1895 was hij 17 jaar en 276 dagen toen hij het EK won. . . 15 January 2007 . 2009-11-21 .
  3. 1900 Census of Grue, Norway
  4. Birth and baptisms, Garnison Menighet, 1857-1880
  5. News: Pipervika. Norway's first international amateur speed skating champion, Alfred Næss, grew up in Vika. So did the two champion brothers Sigurd and Oscar Mathisen. None of their homes have survived.. Skyggespill. 2007-08-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20071012050732/http://www.skyggespill.no/skate/baner.html. 2007-10-12. dead.
  6. Web site: Jack McCulloch . 2008-10-12 . His next major amateur competition was at the 1897 world championships which were held in Montreal and featured speed skaters from Canada, U.S., and Norway, including the famed Norwegian skater Alfred Nass [sic]. In the 1,500-metre race, he and Nass [sic] finished in a dead heat, forcing a second race. In front of a large crowd, McCulloch won the run-off by only two-fifths of a second. . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080126094140/http://www.cshof.ca/hm_profile.php?i=33 . 2008-01-26 .
  7. News: Champion Skater of The World . There is in store for the people of Portland a great treat. The managers of the Portland Ice rink have made arrangements with Mr. Alfred Nass [sic], who is one of the greatest skaters in the world to give at the rink Wednesday evening, the 17th, an exhibition of fancy and trick skating. Mr. Nass [sic] is just from the great international championship skating contest which has just closed at Montreal, where the greatest skaters in Europe and America have been in competition with each other. In that contest he won two medals of great value which he will wear at the rink. He is in possession of scores of medals won from skating all over the world, and besides has more than $400 worth of presents. He gave an exhibition of fancy work before the managers of the rink and they say that what he can do is simply wonderful, and what he can't do isn't worth doing. Mr. Nass [sic] has an engagement at Minneapolis to do fancy skating, and the great M. A. A. A. rink of Montreal has engaged him to give an exhibition there, and he is in great demand. He would not have been in Portland only for his sister, who lives here. The American skaters are not up in the art of fancy work as are the Norwegian people, this you will say when you have seen him. . . 1897 .
  8. Web site: Alfred Næss - norsk skøytepionèer . no . 2008-11-17 . Oslo Skøiteklub . https://web.archive.org/web/20081206203847/http://www.oslosk.no/index_2.htm . 6 December 2008 . dead . dmy-all .
  9. News: Playbills of the Week . https://web.archive.org/web/20121023192250/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/383253541.html?dids=383253541:383253541&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jun+28,+1914&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Playbills+of+the+Week.&pqatl=google . dead . October 23, 2012 . Alfred and Sigrid Naess will headline all week. They are skaters, and they will have ice on which to skate. . . 28 June 1914 . 2009-11-21 .
  10. News: Clifford Milner . Alfred Naess . [He] later he went on the vaudeville circuit doing ice skate tricks, like jumping over a series of pool tables. .
  11. [:File:Alfred Ingvald Næss in the World War I draft registration.jpg|Alfred Næss]
  12. [:File:1900 census Naess.jpg|Alfred Næss]
  13. News: World Beaters . Many world's records were broken at today's racing meeting of the amateur skating association of Canada. In the 500-meter race Alfred Nass [sic], the Norweglan, equaled the world's record of 46 4-5s. . . 6 February 1897 .
  14. News: Championship Skating . The ninth annual race meeting of the Amateur Skating Association of Canada, in connection with which is held the world's championship races. amateur and professional, was begun today, and was favored with the best of weather. The ice was the best that any of the most exacting experts could ask for. There was a slight east wind which was against the flyers. ... Alfred Næss Equals the World's Record at 500 Meters.. . 6 February 1897 .
  15. News: Skating In Montreal; Remarkable Records Made In Spite Of Bad Weather. Nilsson of Minneapolis Breaks the World's Record in a Five-Mile Race and Is Cheered by the Many Spectators. . Despite the fact that the elements were unpropitious, some remarkable records were made today at the meeting of the Amateur Skating Association of Canada. A light sleet, half snow and half rain, which commenced to fall during the morning, rendered the ice extremely heavy, and a very strong wind blew during the afternoon. ... J. K. McColloch, Winnipeg, 2:404-5, won; Alfred Nass [sic], 2:41 4-5, second; Julius Seyler, Switzerland, 2-A3 1-5, third; John, Davidson, Montreal, 2:472-5, ... . . 7 February 1897 . 2008-10-12 .
  16. News: Swift Skating in Montreal. Records Broken in the Ninth Annual Canadian Race Meeting. . The New York Times . 6 February 1897 . 2008-10-12 .
  17. Web site: Alfred Næss. SpeedSkatingStats.com. 28 August 2012.
  18. Web site: Evolution of the world record 500 meters Men. SpeedSkatingStats.com. 28 August 2012.
  19. News: Complete List of Historical Speed Skating Records. International Skating Union. 2007-08-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20040524162403/http://ww2.isu.org/historical/sswrecs.html. 2004-05-24. dead.
  20. News: Speed Skating . . 2007-08-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060221054642/http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_168.pdf . February 21, 2006 .
  21. Book: Suzanne Treat. Encyclopaedia of Sports . 1975 . Suzanne Treat.

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