Hans Engnestangen
Given name | Hans |
Surname | Engnestangen |
Sex | Male |
Born | 28 March 1908 |
Died | 9 May 2003 in Brandbu (NOR) |
Hans Engnestangen, born in Brandbu, was a Norwegian speed skater in the late 20s and 30s. He was a member of the "Hadeland trio" (<Ballangrud, Staksrud and Engnestangen) who dominated both Norwegian and international speed skating in the 1930s.
He was first and foremost a sprinter, and held 4 world records on 500 m and 1500 m. At the break of World War II he held both these records, and they were both standing until they were beaten by Russian skaters at Medeo January 1952. Since that no Norwegian skater has been holding the 500 m World Record.
In international championships he had 8 distance wins in the two shortest distances, but his long distances were usually not good enough to fight for an overall podium position. But in the World Championships 1933 he was close to Staksrud and Ballangrud on 5000 m and he even beat Ballangrud on the 10000 m, and he won his only international title.
He had no luck in Olympic Games. Unfamiliar with the mass start style he did not qualify for the final in any of the races in Lake Placid 1932. He was one of the medal favourites in Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936, at least for the 500 m. But the crispy ice on the Rießersee did not suit his hard skating strokes. He fell and gave up on the 500 m and he placed 8th on the 1500 m.
Engnestangen switched to the Workers' Sports Federation in 1928 and 19 years old he won both 500 m and 1500 m in the Winter Spartakiade held at Bislett, in competition with the best Russian speed skaters, among them Yakov Melnikov and Platon Ippolitov. He was Norwegian Workers' Champion three years in a row, until he switched back to "bourgeois" skating in 1931. He immediately made the national team and placed 5th in his first European Championships. Together with Michael Staksrud he represented Hamar and was coached by former top-skater Peter Sinnerud. He was Norwegian Champion 1937 and 1938
Highest rank on the Adelskalender: 4 (1938)
Last updated on 26 November 2005 by Bjarte Hetland.
International Championship Results
World Records
Distance | Time | Rink | Date |
500 m Men | 42,5 | Davos | 21 January 1933 |
500 m Men | 42,3 | Davos | 30 January 1937 |
500 m Men | 41,8 | Davos | 5 February 1938 |
1500 m Men | 2.13,8 | Davos | 29 January 1939 |