The Maier Arena Tønsberg (formerly the Tønsberg Stadion and Tønsberg Kunstisbane) is a stadium and artificial ice skating rink in Tønsberg, used for long-track speed skating. The track was previously also used for athletics. It is the home track for the speed skating group of Tønsberg's Gymnastics Association and the rink is located 57 meters above sea level.[1][2]
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| Former names | Tønsberg Stadion and Tønsberg Kunstisbane |
|---|---|
| Location | Stadion, 3111 Tønsberg, Norway |
| Coordinates | 59°16′58″N 10°24′38″E / 59.28278°N 10.41056°E |
| Field size | 400 metres |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 27 January 1924 |
| Renovated | 1996 (changed to artificial) |
History
editThe arena opened on 27 January 1924 for speed skating.
Tønsberg Stadion (as it was known at the time) hosted motorcycle speedway, when it held the finals of the 1950 and 1957 Norwegian Individual Speedway Championship.[3]
The most important event to be held at the stadium was the 1961 World Allround Speed Skating Championships for Women.[4]
In 1996, the natural ice rink was converted into an artificial rink.
In 2002, the rink organised the Norwegian sprint championship.
In 2012, the rink organised the Norwegian all-round championship.
In 2015, the stadium was renamed, taking the name of Tønsberg's Gymnastics Association's Olympic champion Fred Anton Maier, who died later that year. A statue of Maier was erected at the stadium's south entrance.[5]
Major Championships
edit- 1926 - National Championships NK all-round men
- 1938 - National Championships NK all-round women
- 1949 - National Championships NK all-round men
- 1961 - World Allround Women's World Championships
- 1964 - National Championships NK all-round men
- 1972 - National Championships all-round men
References
edit- ^ "Maier Arena - utendørs skøytebane". Tønsberg Commune. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "Maier Arena Tønsberg". Visit Tønsberg. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "Individual Speedway Norwegian Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "Speed Skating - World Allround Championships Women - 1960/1961". Sports Org. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
- ^ "Skøytelegende hedres med Maier Arena". Vestfold og Telemark. Retrieved 15 February 2024.