sk ating , ▁inline ▁speed sk ating , ▁and ▁quad ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁are ▁also ▁called ▁speed ▁sk ating . ▁ ▁Long ▁track ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁enjo ys ▁large ▁popular ity ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁and ▁has ▁also ▁had ▁champion ▁athlet es ▁from ▁Austria , ▁Canada , ▁China , ▁Finland , ▁Germany , ▁Japan , ▁Italy , ▁Norway , ▁Poland , ▁South ▁Korea , ▁Russia , ▁Sweden , ▁the ▁Czech ▁Republic ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Speed ▁sk aters ▁att ain ▁maximum ▁spe eds ▁of ▁. ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁IS U ▁development ▁ ▁Organ ized ▁races ▁on ▁ice ▁sk ates ▁first ▁developed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁Norwegian ▁clubs ▁hosted ▁compet itions ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁with ▁races ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁Christian ia ▁drawing ▁five - digit ▁crow ds . ▁In ▁ 1 8 8 4 , ▁the ▁Norwegian ▁Ax el ▁Paul sen ▁was ▁named ▁Am ateur ▁Champion ▁Sk ater ▁of ▁the ▁World ▁after ▁winning ▁compet itions ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁Five ▁years ▁later , ▁a ▁sports ▁club ▁in ▁Amsterdam ▁invited ▁participants ▁from ▁Russia , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁host ▁country ▁to ▁an ▁ice ▁sk ating ▁event ▁they ▁called ▁a ▁world ▁championship . ▁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