▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁host ▁country . ▁The ▁Intern ationale ▁E is lauf ▁Verein igung , ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁International ▁Sk ating ▁Union , ▁was ▁founded ▁at ▁a ▁meeting ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁national ▁represent atives ▁in ▁Sch even ingen ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁the ▁first ▁international ▁winter ▁sports ▁feder ation . ▁The ▁Nederlandse ▁Sch a ats rij der b ond ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 ▁and ▁organ ised ▁the ▁world ▁champion ships ▁of ▁ 1 8 9 0 ▁and ▁ 1 8 9 1 . ▁Compet itions ▁were ▁held ▁around ▁tracks ▁of ▁varying ▁lengths — the ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁match ▁between ▁Ax el ▁Paul sen ▁and ▁Rem ke ▁van ▁der ▁Ze e ▁was ▁sk ated ▁on ▁a ▁track ▁of ▁ 6 / 7 ▁mile ▁( 1 4 0 0 ▁metres ) — but ▁the ▁ 4 0 0 ▁met re ▁track ▁was ▁standard ised ▁by ▁the ▁IS U ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁standard ▁distances ▁for ▁world ▁champion ships , ▁ 5 0 0   m , ▁ 1 5 0 0   m , ▁ 5 0 0 0   m ▁and ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0   m . ▁Sk aters ▁started ▁in ▁pairs , ▁each ▁to ▁their ▁own ▁l ane , ▁and ▁changed ▁lan es ▁for ▁every ▁lap ▁to ▁ensure ▁that ▁each ▁sk ater ▁completed ▁the ▁same ▁distance . ▁This ▁is ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁long ▁track ▁speed