▁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   met res ) — but ▁the ▁ 4 0 0 - met re ▁track ▁was ▁standard ised ▁by ▁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 . ▁ ▁Compet itions ▁were ▁exclus ively ▁for ▁amateur ▁sk aters . ▁Peter ▁S inner ud ▁was ▁dis qual ified ▁for ▁professional ism ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁and ▁lost ▁his ▁world ▁title . ▁ ▁World ▁records ▁were ▁registered ▁since ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁and ▁improved ▁rapidly : ▁Ja ap ▁E den ▁lower ed ▁the ▁world ▁ 5 0 0