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The winters on the Baltic Sea can be cold, and natural conditions for the development of skating were good in Estonia. But skates were expensive, and in the first races, arranged in 1892 and 1894, only some local German gentry entered. A skating track was made on the Ema river near to Tartu in 1890, and a Tartu skater, A. Riemer, participated in St. Petersburg races 1897, winning 2nd prize. The country was poor and severely suppressed by the Czarist regime, but inspired by the popularity of skating among their Finnish neighbours in the north, who endured the same situation, Estonia was the first Baltic nation to participate in an international championship when Arthur Kuk finished last among those who completed all the distances at the European championship in St. Petersburg 1913.

After the war and the cruel battle for independence, the country maintained its lead in Baltic speedskating, but struggled to find the money to send skaters abroad. Christian Burmeister participated in the world championship in Helsinki 1924, achieving good results, the best a 10000 m at 18.56.8 in 8th place. Unfortunately, due to a 500 m fall, he also finished last in the overall reckoning. He was not sent to the Olympic games in Chamonix, but participated in the St. Moritz games 4 years later, finishing around the middle of the lists, like his compatriot Alexander Mitt, who accompanied him there and skated until the Garmisch-Partenkirchen games in 1936, at about the same level. Mitt also participated at the world championships in Helsinki 1931 and 1934, and his 7th place in the 500 m at the latter one must be the highlight of his career. By now, Latvia was overtaking Estonia for the Baltic skating hegemony and soon developed into a major skating power. But their success didn't seem to inspire the Estonians particularly. To the European championship in Riga in Latvia 1939, they sent only one skater, Leopold Reivart, who failed to excel at all.

Now, the Russians were banging on the doors again, and another era starts in Estonian speedskating. There are few signs of increased activity or popularity, but central facilities are available for talents that have the potential to increase the prestige of the mother country. In the Soviet championship 1962, Ants Antson from the sportclub Kalev in Tallinn looks like a promising allrounder with a 13th place overall and an 8th place in the 1500 m, already his favourite. They rewarded him with a spot on the B national team to meet and defeat Norway in the country-match at Bislett next year. Here, he and the rest of the team achieved excellent times, but were blown to pieces by the rejuvenated Norwegian team. This called for revenge, and the preparations for the Olympic season were intense. Antson absorbed the new training doses better than most, and after the early season races, he was already a slight favourite to win the European championship at Bislett. He sprinted well and after a 5000 m breathing the feared Norwegians in the neck, he and his teammate Yumashev secured a good advantage on Moe and Johannesen, and increased it with good 1500 meters, the distance being won by Antson. Now, both the Norwegians counter-attacked strongly in the last distance, but with a small margin, Antson landed the laurels, narrowly ahead of Yumashev.

Now, Antson was the favourite to win the 1500 m in the Olympic games as well. He skated a superior race after skipping the 5000 m, and seemed to be on his way to a stunning victory, but the ice condition improved as the day wore on and his time was attacked from unexpected quarters in late pairs. With 3/10 of a second, it stood its ground and the Olympic gold became his. After the games, he set a world record in the 3000 m at 4.27.3 in the Bislett celebration races, and the Helsinki world championship was next. But this turned out to be a disappointment. Few Estonian fans showed up there, and a 500 m fall spoilt his chances. He didn't even win the 1500 m, but still needed only 42.7 in the 500 m to beat the eventual winner, and this must have been within reach. After another accident, now in the 1500 m, he also lost the Soviet championship, but at the country-match with Norway in Sverdlovsk, he was best overall again and along with the upcoming star Matusevich made the rest of the field look like beginners in the 1500 m.

Antson didn't quite follow up this fabulous success, but skated well in 1965 and 1967 with two 4th, one 5th and one 6th place in the allround championships and in total won one gold, two silver and four bronze medals in the distances, all medals except three of the bronzes in the 1500 m. He won the Soviet championship in 1967, was runner-up in 1965 and 1968 and third in 1966. Curiously, he never won the 1500 m in the Soviet championships, but twice the 5000 m. Like the rest of the Soviet team, he suffered from overtraining in 1968, and shelved his skates after the season.

After Antson, little is heard from Estonian skating. His success never kindled any real skating fever in his country. Then, long sequences of mild winters in the early 70s and around 1990 without any refrigeration defence crippled the activity, and today, it is virtually non-existent. But there is a hockey rink in Tallinn, where short-track has been practised since about 1995. The young nation has not forgotten Ants Antson, who is revered particularly for his Olympic status. And wonderously, 5 young Estonians Eerik and Evelina Idarand, Danila Ruusu, Tonu Tunnel, and Katre Rannu, turned up at a race in Helsinki last season (2004). It remains to be seen what effect this will have on the future of Estonian skating. But the Baltic winters still can be cold…

Statistics:

Estonian records:

Ants Antson 40.7 Medeo 16 Jan 1968
R Korn 1.45.2 1951
Ants Antson 2.07.2 Grenoble 16 Feb 1968
Ants Antson 4.27.3 Bislett 11 Feb 1964
Ants Antson 7.34.8 Medeo 16 Jan 1968
Ants Antson 15.57.7 Bislett 19 Jan 1964
Eerik Idarand 251.950 Helsinki 3-4 Jan 2004
59.80 - 2.13.87 - 61.13 - 2.08.17
Ants Antson 176.092 Inzell 25-26 Feb 1967
42.0 - 4.27.7 - 2.08.0 - 7.48.1
Ants Antson 177.198 Medeo 16-17 Jan 1968
40.7 - 7.34.8 - 2.08.2 - 16.05.7

I Ernston 55.5 1951
Kh Sarapuu 1.48.3 1957
Kh Sarapuu 2.55.8 Petrozavodsk 8 Jan 1955
Kh Sarapuu 6.18.1 Petrozavodsk 9 Jan 1955
I Ernston 11.05.6 1951

Estonian participants in international championships and olympic games:

(0.Ants Antson 11 times)
1.Alexander Mitt 4 times
2.Christian Burmeister 2
3.Arthur Kuk,
R Jürgenson, and
Leopold Reivart 1