▁Americans ▁had ▁discovered ▁a ▁love ▁of ▁the ▁sport , ▁and ▁the ▁all - ste el ▁bla de ▁was ▁later ▁developed ▁there . ▁In ▁Norway ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁also ▁became ▁pop ual ar , ▁as ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁huge ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁race ▁at ▁F rog ner kil en ▁between ▁Ax el ▁Paul sen ▁and ▁Ren ke ▁van ▁der ▁Ze e . ▁The ▁Netherlands ▁came ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁fore ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁with ▁the ▁organization ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁world ▁champion ships . ▁The ▁IS U ▁( Intern ational ▁Sk ating ▁Union ) ▁was ▁also ▁born ▁in ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 2 . ▁By ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁sk ating ▁and ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁had ▁come ▁into ▁its ▁own ▁as ▁a ▁major ▁popular ▁sport ing ▁activity . ▁ ▁IS U ▁development ▁ ▁Organ ized ▁races ▁on ▁ice ▁sk ates ▁developed ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁Norwegian ▁clubs ▁hosted ▁compet itions ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁with ▁races ▁in ▁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 ▁held ▁an ▁ice - sk ating ▁event ▁they ▁called ▁a ▁world ▁championship , ▁with ▁participants ▁from ▁Russia , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and