During the Edwardian era, the International Skating Union was presided over by Lieutenant Colonel Viktor Gustaf Balck, a Swedish former military gymnastics instructor who was one of the original members of the International Olympic Committee. During Balck's thirty year reign as ISU President, the World Championships were held in Sweden no less than five times - a number only tied by Austria-Hungary - drawing some to perceive a conflict of interest between his involvements with both the Swedish federation and the ISU.
Want to learn more about figure skating history? You are in the right place! Created in , Skate Guard is a blog that focuses on overlooked and underappreciated areas of the history of figure skating, whether that means a topic completely unknown to most readers or a new look at a well-known skater, time period, or event.
There's plenty to explore, so pour yourself a cup of coffee and get lost in the fascinating and fabulous history of everyone's favourite winter sport! His wife, later Queen Alexandra sits in the background. Photo courtesy BIS Archive. Colour lithograph circa , courtesy the Victoria and Albert Museum. Donated by Noel D. Photo courtesy Parnell Square Cultural Quarter.
With its acrobats, equestrian acts, clowns and equilibrists , Hengler's Grand Cirque was a popular attraction well after its namesake's death in In , Hengler's sons sold the property to a restauranteur. After less than a year the land was sold again, this time to the National Skating Palace Ltd. A plan was put into motion to develop a lavish ice rink on the property that would put some of the earlier London ice rinks to shame.
Henning Grenander. World Champion Henning Grenander, whom Digby engaged to give exhibitions at the Palace remarked, "Everything is simply beautiful, and what surprises me most is that the place is warm.
