History

The International Olympic Committee originally planned to have the same country host both the summer and winter games in each Olympiad. But Holland, the host country for the 1928 Summer Olympics, had no skiing facilities, so the Winter Olympics were held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, that year.

Nearly 500 athletes from 25 countries competed, erasing any doubts that the IOC might have had about staging separate Winter Games.

Because Chamonix had been hit by warm weather when the 1924 games opened in late January, the opening ceremony at St. Moritz was held on February 11. Nevertheless, warm weather was a problem again. The number of bobsledding starts was cut from four to two and many competitors dropped out of the 50-kilometer cross-country ski race because the course was slush rather than snow.

Irving Jaffee of the United States beat Norway's Bernt Evensen in the first heat of the 10,000-meter speed skating event. After six more heats, with three remaining, the ice began. Officials planned to cancel the results and re-run all the heats after the temperature dropped again. However, Evensen and the other Norwegian skaters packed up and went home, so the event was cancelled. Although medal winners are listed for the 10,000 meter race, they are unofficial.

A 15-year-old Sonja Henie of Norway won the first of her three consecutive gold medals in figure skating. Because of the coverage given the Winter Olympics by the press in Europe and North America, Henie was the first woman to become a genuine international sports figure. Henie had competed without medaling at the first Winter Olympics in 1924, when she was only 11.

Billy Fiske, a 16-year-old, drove the U. S. to victory in the five-man bobsled event. He was to win a second gold medal in 1932, in the four-man boblsed.

Canada thoroughly dominated in ice hockey, winning all three matches and outscoring opponents 38-0 in the process.

Led by Evensen's four medals in speed skating and Johan Gröttumsbråten's two golds in Nordic skiing, Norway easily led all nations with a total of 15 medals. The United States finished second with six.

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