Laila Schou Nilsen

Laila Schou Nilsen (18 March 1919 – 30 July 1998) was a Norwegian speed skater, alpine skier and tennis player. She was one of the pioneers in Norwegian as well as international speed skating for women. Laila Schou Nilsen won the last unofficial World Championship for women (from a series of three that were organised by the club OSK) at Oslo Frogner stadion in 1935. At the World Championships of Davos, Switzerland in 1937, she won all four distances (500 m, 1,000 m, 3,000 m, and 5,000 m) in world record time. She also won the World Championships in Oslo in 1938. The record on the 500 m (46.4) lasted until 1955, when Tamara Rylova of the Soviet Union beat it at the Medeo track in Alma Ata. Her record on 1,500 m lasted until 1950. Laila...