Frogner stadion
Encyclopedia
Frogner stadion is a sports stadium
in Oslo
, Norway
. It is located close to the Frogner Park
, between the park and Majorstuen
.
. In 1914, the stadium was moved to its current position, due to the Oslo Jubilee exhibition. At the re-opening race in 1914, two speed skating
world records were set by Oscar Mathisen
, in 500 m and 1,500 m. In 1928, the Municipality of Oslo took over responsibility for the stadium.
Frogner stadion was the most important skating arena in Norway until 1940. A long series of championships were held at Frogner stadion, both in figure skating
and in speed skating
. A total of 23 speed skating world records have been set at the stadium (including some not officially listed). Seventeen of the records from Frogner are listed among the official ISU world records in speed skating.
Outside the stadium are statues of Oscar Mathisen
and Sonja Henie
.
Frogner stadion has been the venue for international matches both in football and bandy
, as well as international track and field athletics competitions. The venue hosted the Norwegian Athletics Championships in 1906, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1917, 1918, 1920, 1922 and 1924.
In 1911, Nikolay Strunnikov
skated the 5,000 m distance in a world record time of 8:37.2. This record was originally not approved by ISU, but is now listed among the world records. Oscar Mathisen set two records on 17 and 18 February 1912. The 500 m time was 44.2, while the 10,000 m record was 17:46.3. He improved his own record twice in 1913, first in Trondhjem
and later at Frogner, and the new record was 17:22.6.
World records at the new stadium from 1914
Oscar Mathisen set two world records at the opening of the new stadium in 1914. The time was 43.7 over 500 m and 2:19.4 over 1,500 m. In 1916, Oscar Mathisen set a world record over 5,000 m, with the time 8:36.3. In 1921, Harald Strøm
set the record 8:27.7, and in 1922 he improved his own record to 8:26.5, both at Frogner stadion. Strøm's 5,000 m record from 1922 lasted seven years, the longest lasting of all world records set at Frogner, until it was beaten by Ivar Ballangrud
in Davos
in 1929.
In 1932, Clas Thunberg
skated the 1,000 m distance in 1:27.4, better than the world record, but this time is not registered as an official record. In 1936, Allan Potts
set a world record over 500 m, with the time 42.4, improving on Hans Engnestangen
's time from Davos three years earlier. This record lasted only 12 days, when Engnestangen set another world record in Davos. Ivar Ballangrud set a world record at Frogner over 5,000 m in 1936, with the time 8:17.2, and this record lasted five years.
's 50.3 over 500 m in 1934, and Laila Schou Nilsen
's 49.3 in 1935. Verné Lesche
set a world record over 1,000 m in 1934, with 1:45.7. For the 1,500 m distance, three world records set at Frogner stadium are listed: Synnøve Lie's 3:08.1 in 1932, Undis Blikken
's 2:40.0 in 1934, and Laila Schou Nilsen's 2:38.1 in 1937.
station on the Frogner Line
; the station is named Frogner stadion.
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is located close to the Frogner Park
Frogner Park
Frogner Park is a public park located in the borough of Frogner in Oslo, Norway. The park contains the world famous Vigeland Sculpture Park designed by Gustav Vigeland....
, between the park and Majorstuen
Majorstuen
Majorstuen is a neighbourhood in the Frogner borough in the western part of Oslo, Norway.Majorstuen is known for its vibrant downtown, especially its shopping area. The area has several elegant townhouses circa 1880-1890. The area is also an important public transport junction in Oslo, where all...
.
History
It opened in 1901, and was built by Kristiania SkøiteklubOslo SK
Oslo Skøiteklub is a sports club in Oslo. Its home arena is Frogner Stadion. The club has departments for speed skating and figure skating.-Establishment:...
. In 1914, the stadium was moved to its current position, due to the Oslo Jubilee exhibition. At the re-opening race in 1914, two speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
world records were set by Oscar Mathisen
Oscar Mathisen
Oscar Wilhelm Mathisen was a Norwegian speed skater and celebrity, almost rivalling Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen as symbols for a young nation...
, in 500 m and 1,500 m. In 1928, the Municipality of Oslo took over responsibility for the stadium.
Frogner stadion was the most important skating arena in Norway until 1940. A long series of championships were held at Frogner stadion, both in figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
and in speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
. A total of 23 speed skating world records have been set at the stadium (including some not officially listed). Seventeen of the records from Frogner are listed among the official ISU world records in speed skating.
Outside the stadium are statues of Oscar Mathisen
Oscar Mathisen
Oscar Wilhelm Mathisen was a Norwegian speed skater and celebrity, almost rivalling Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen as symbols for a young nation...
and Sonja Henie
Sonja Henie
Sonja Henie was a Norwegian figure skater and film star. She was a three-time Olympic Champion in Ladies Singles, a ten-time World Champion and a six-time European Champion . Henie won more Olympic and World titles than any other ladies figure skater...
.
Frogner stadion has been the venue for international matches both in football and bandy
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
, as well as international track and field athletics competitions. The venue hosted the Norwegian Athletics Championships in 1906, 1911, 1912, 1914, 1917, 1918, 1920, 1922 and 1924.
Men's records
World records at the old stadium (before 1914)In 1911, Nikolay Strunnikov
Nikolay Strunnikov
Nikolay Vasilyevich Strunnikov was a Russian World Champion in speed skating. In addition, he was also successful as a cyclist....
skated the 5,000 m distance in a world record time of 8:37.2. This record was originally not approved by ISU, but is now listed among the world records. Oscar Mathisen set two records on 17 and 18 February 1912. The 500 m time was 44.2, while the 10,000 m record was 17:46.3. He improved his own record twice in 1913, first in Trondhjem
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
and later at Frogner, and the new record was 17:22.6.
World records at the new stadium from 1914
Oscar Mathisen set two world records at the opening of the new stadium in 1914. The time was 43.7 over 500 m and 2:19.4 over 1,500 m. In 1916, Oscar Mathisen set a world record over 5,000 m, with the time 8:36.3. In 1921, Harald Strøm
Harald Strøm
Harald Strøm was a Norwegian speed skater, world champion, European champion and world record holder on 5000 metres...
set the record 8:27.7, and in 1922 he improved his own record to 8:26.5, both at Frogner stadion. Strøm's 5,000 m record from 1922 lasted seven years, the longest lasting of all world records set at Frogner, until it was beaten by Ivar Ballangrud
Ivar Ballangrud
Ivar Ballangrud was a Norwegian speed skater, a four-time Olympic champion in Speed Skating. As the only triple gold medalists at the 1936 Winter Olympics, Ballangrud was the most successful athlete there.-Biography:Ivar Ballangrud was one of the best speed skaters in the world for a period of 15...
in Davos
Davos
Davos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
in 1929.
In 1932, Clas Thunberg
Clas Thunberg
Arnold Clas Robert Thunberg was a Finnish speed skater who won five Olympic gold medals – three at the inaugural Winter Olympics held in Chamonix in 1924 and two at the 1928 Winter Olympics held in St. Moritz...
skated the 1,000 m distance in 1:27.4, better than the world record, but this time is not registered as an official record. In 1936, Allan Potts
Allan Potts
Allan W. Potts was an American National Indoor and Outdoor Champion speed skater who competed in the 1932 Winter Olympics and in the 1936 Winter Olympics Inducted May 18, 1967 at Detroit, Michigan into The National Speedskating Hall of Fame and also once known as The Fastest Human.He was born in...
set a world record over 500 m, with the time 42.4, improving on Hans Engnestangen
Hans Engnestangen
Hans Engnestangen was a Norwegian speed skater and world champion. He held the world records on both the 500 and 1500 meter distance for more than ten years....
's time from Davos three years earlier. This record lasted only 12 days, when Engnestangen set another world record in Davos. Ivar Ballangrud set a world record at Frogner over 5,000 m in 1936, with the time 8:17.2, and this record lasted five years.
Women's records
Several records from Frogner stadion from the 1930s are not listed as official world records. Those that are listed are Synnøve LieSynnøve Lie
Synnøve Lie was a Norwegian speed skater.-Biography:Representing Oslo Skøiteklub , Lie became Norwegian Allround Champion in 1933 after having already won the unofficial Norwegian Allround Championships the year before...
's 50.3 over 500 m in 1934, and Laila Schou Nilsen
Laila Schou Nilsen
Laila Schou Nilsen was a Norwegian speed skater, alpine skier and tennis player. She was one of the pioneers in Norwegian as well as international speed skating for women.-Biography:...
's 49.3 in 1935. Verné Lesche
Verné Lesche
Verné Lesche, married Vanberg, was a speed skater from Finland who twice won the World Allround Championships....
set a world record over 1,000 m in 1934, with 1:45.7. For the 1,500 m distance, three world records set at Frogner stadium are listed: Synnøve Lie's 3:08.1 in 1932, Undis Blikken
Undis Blikken
Undis Blikken was a Norwegian female speed skating pioneer.She won the unofficial World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women in 1934, ahead of Verné Lesche from Finland. Her winning time on the 1500 metres distance was also world record for women.She participated at the official world...
's 2:40.0 in 1934, and Laila Schou Nilsen's 2:38.1 in 1937.
Transport
The stadium is served by a nearby light railLight rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
station on the Frogner Line
Frogner Line
The Frogner Line is a section of the Oslo Tramway which runs between Solli and Majorstuen, serving the neighborhood of Frogner. The line is served by tram number 12, and the Frogner section makes up the westernmost part of this line...
; the station is named Frogner stadion.