▁able ▁to ▁sk ate ▁mar ath ons ▁on ▁natural ▁ice ▁became ▁the ▁Altern ative ▁El f sted ento cht . ▁The ▁Altern ative ▁El f sted ento cht ▁races ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁other ▁countries , ▁such ▁as ▁Austria , ▁Finland ▁or ▁Canada , ▁and ▁all ▁top ▁mar athon ▁sk aters ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁thousands ▁of ▁recre ative ▁sk aters ▁travel ▁from ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁to ▁the ▁location ▁where ▁the ▁race ▁is ▁held . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁N RC ▁Hand els bl ad ▁journalist ▁Ja ap ▁Blo ember gen , ▁the ▁country ▁" t akes ▁a ▁car n ival ▁look " ▁during ▁international ▁sk ating ▁champion ships , ▁despite ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁" people ▁outside ▁the ▁country ▁are ▁not ▁particularly ▁interested ." ▁ ▁Olympic ▁Games ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁Olympic ▁Congress , ▁the ▁deleg ates ▁agreed ▁to ▁include ▁long ▁track ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁Olympics , ▁after ▁figure ▁sk ating ▁had ▁featured ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁Olympics . ▁However , ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁put ▁an ▁end ▁to ▁the ▁plans ▁of ▁Olympic ▁competition , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁the ▁winter ▁sports ▁week ▁in ▁Cham on ix ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 — ret ro act ively ▁awarded ▁Olympic ▁status — that ▁ice ▁speed ▁sk ating ▁reached ▁the ▁Olympic ▁programme . ▁Charles ▁Jew t raw ▁from ▁Lake ▁P lac id , ▁New ▁York , ▁won ▁the ▁first ▁Olympic ▁gold ▁medal , ▁though ▁several ▁Norweg ians ▁in ▁attend ance ▁claimed ▁O sk ar