Hugh J. McCormick
Encyclopedia
Hugh J. McCormick was the World Professional Speed Skating
Champion from 1890 to 1891.
Hugh McCormick was born at McCormick House on Kennebecasis Island
, New Brunswick
, Canada
which is located at the confluence of the St. John River and Kennebecasis River
. Because these rivers freeze over for most of the Canadian winter a very conducive environment is naturally provided supporting ice skating of all varieties; the local area has been a producer of many champion speed skaters.
His career as a professional speed skater spanned the years 1883 through 1895 and he held numerous championship titles including New Brunswick
Professional Speed Skating Champion, Canadian Maritime Champion, North American Champion and World Champion. In 1890, he defeated reigning World Champion Axel Paulsen
of Norway
in a series of races held at Minneapolis, Minnesota
to become the World Professional Speed Skating Champion. In 1892, McCormick travelled to Oslo
(then Christiania), Norway
to race the new Norwegian champion, Harold Hagen. Hagen defeated McCormick and was crowned the new World Professional Speed Skating Champion. McCormick raced Hagen a second time the following season in 1893 in a three-race meet at Minneapolis but was again unsuccessful. McCormick retired from professional competition two years later at the end of the 1895 season.
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
Champion from 1890 to 1891.
Hugh McCormick was born at McCormick House on Kennebecasis Island
Kennebecasis Island
Kennebecasis Island is a small Canadian island located in the Province of New Brunswick at the confluence of the St. John River and Kennebecasis River....
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
which is located at the confluence of the St. John River and Kennebecasis River
Kennebecasis River
The Kennebecasis River is a tributary of the Saint John River in southern New Brunswick, Canada. The name Kennebecasis is thought to be derived from the Mi'kmaq "Kenepekachiachk", meaning "little long bay place." It runs for approximately 95 kilometres, draining an area in the Caledonia Highlands,...
. Because these rivers freeze over for most of the Canadian winter a very conducive environment is naturally provided supporting ice skating of all varieties; the local area has been a producer of many champion speed skaters.
His career as a professional speed skater spanned the years 1883 through 1895 and he held numerous championship titles including New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
Professional Speed Skating Champion, Canadian Maritime Champion, North American Champion and World Champion. In 1890, he defeated reigning World Champion Axel Paulsen
Axel Paulsen
Axel Paulsen was a Norwegian figure skater and speed skater. He is the inventor of the figure skating Axel jump.-Biography:Paulsen first publicly executed the Axel jump in 1882 at the World Championships in Vienna while wearing speed skates...
of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in a series of races held at Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
to become the World Professional Speed Skating Champion. In 1892, McCormick travelled to Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
(then Christiania), Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to race the new Norwegian champion, Harold Hagen. Hagen defeated McCormick and was crowned the new World Professional Speed Skating Champion. McCormick raced Hagen a second time the following season in 1893 in a three-race meet at Minneapolis but was again unsuccessful. McCormick retired from professional competition two years later at the end of the 1895 season.