Skijoring (also Skijoering) was a demonstration sport at the 1928 Winter Olympics, held in St. Moritz, Switzerland from February 11 through 19, 1928. The sole skijoring event of the Games was held on February 12, the second day of the Games. The sport of skijoring is one in which a person on skis is pulled by dogs, horses, or a form of mechanized transportation such as a snowmobile. In the 1928 Olympics, athletes were towed behind horses. [1] [2]
Skijoring's roots are in Norway and Sweden, where the sport was considered a military competition, being a method of transportation for military dispatches. It was included on the program of the Nordic Games in 1901, 1905, and 1909. [2] Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, and media outlets like The Times admired the sport after its inclusion in the Nordic Games, and contributed to the brief popularization which led to its inclusion as a demonstration sport in the Games. [3] Coubertin in particular, in his report on the 1901 Nordic Games in the publication Revue Olympique, expressed interest in incorporating such winter sports into the Olympic Games, and mentioned skijoring in particular as being of interest. [3] [4] Thus, it was included in the 1928 Winter Olympics as a demonstration sport.
The competition in St. Moritz was held on a frozen lake. [5] Unlike modern equestrian skijoring in North America, there were no riders on the horses, there were no jumps on the course, and athletes competed simultaneously. [6] The event was swept by three Swiss athletes. Although the sport was included as a demonstration sport in 1928, the Official Report of those Olympic Games does not list results of the contest. [7] This would be the last time the sport was included at the Games; it would never again appear as either a demonstration or medal sport.
Place | Nation | Athlete |
---|---|---|
1 | R. Wettstein | |
2 | Torriani | |
3 | Muckenbrün |
The Winter Olympic Games is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held in Chamonix, France. The modern Olympic Games were inspired by the ancient Olympic Games, which were held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. Baron Pierre de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, leading to the first modern Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 1896. The IOC is the governing body of the Olympic Movement, with the Olympic Charter defining its structure and authority.
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held from 30 January to 8 February 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936.
The 1928 Winter Olympics, officially known as the II Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 11–19, 1928 in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
The 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. Originally held in association with the 1924 Summer Olympics, the sports competitions were held at the foot of Mont Blanc in Chamonix, and Haute-Savoie, France between January 25 and February 5, 1924. The Games were organized by the French Olympic Committee, and were originally reckoned as the "International Winter Sports Week." With the success of the event, it was retroactively designated by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the I Olympic Winter Games.
Skijoring is a winter sport in which a person on skis is pulled by a horse, a dog or a motor vehicle. It is derived from the Norwegian word skikjøring, meaning "ski driving". Although skijoring is said to have originated as a mode of winter travel, it is currently primarily a competitive sport.
Canada competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Canada has competed at every Winter Olympic Games.
Japan competed at the Winter Olympic Games for the first time at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Austria competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Finland competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Finland took home 4 medals, all in speed skating. These were won by Clas Thunberg, Julius Skutnabb, and Jaakko Friman. Finland also took second place in the Military Patrol, at that time classed as a demonstration event with no medals.
France competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Norway competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Norway ranked first in the total medal count, as they had in the inaugural 1924 Games.
Athletes from Sweden competed in the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Switzerland was the host nation for the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. The lone bronze medal won in men's ice hockey remains the lowest output by a host nation at a modern Olympic games.
Poland competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Hungary competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Italy competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
The United States competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Germany competed at the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Germany had not been invited to the inaugural 1924 Games.
Switzerland was the host nation for the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz. It was the second time that Switzerland had hosted the Winter Games, after the 1928 Winter Olympics, also in St. Moritz.