Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - IV. Education and Mental Culture. Introd. by P. E. Lindström - 7. Athletics and Sport (Idrott). By [V. G. Balck] G. Åsbrink
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454
iv. education and mental cultulle.
lekar (The Society for the Promotion of Outdoor Sports for the Young), at
Humlegården in Stockholm, where, on school holidays, toboggans can be reckoned
by the thousand. Grown-up people, too, of both sexes, indulge in tobogganing,
which is a very ancient winter sport much in vogue in social circles. There
are many excellent toboggan-runs in the neighbourhood of Stockholm, such as
those at Djursholm and Saltsjöbaden. Of låte years, bob-sleighing has become
naturalized in Sweden, and is now a much-liked winter-sport, especially at that
great centre of Swedish wipter-sports, Are, in Jämtland.
Summer sports. Among such sports, the oldest and the most national is
sailing, which dates back to the times of the Vikings. The sea-washed, tideless
coasts and great inland waters of Sweden offer splendid opportunities for a sport
so generally loved. Sailing clubs exist all over the country and, where none
exist, sailing is nevertheless carried on. The love of boats and of water is
inherent in the Swedes. Sailing has developed to an unheard-of extent during
the last decade. Kungl. Svenska segelsällskapet (the Royal Swedish Yacht Club),
which has its head quarters in Stockholm, is the largest yacht club in the world,
both as regards the number of its members and of boats. Skill in boat-designing
and boat-building increased in the same degree as Swedish yachtmen
became filled with a livelier sporting instinct and, consequently, races increased
in number and severity. For Swedish conditions, the building of yachts is
carried on on an immense scale. A whole staff of skilful designers has arisen,
and Swedish yachts which have won prizes on the racing-waters have become
articles of export much in demand. Swedish yacht constructors have carried off
international prizes for yacht-designs. National and international sailing-matches
take place throughout the summer, everywhere in the country. The Royal
Swedish Yacht Club’s Week has become a kind of national festival, and international
challenge cups are competed for interesting sailing-matches.
The sailing club next in importance to that mentioned above is Göteborgs
Kungl, segelsällskap (the Gothenburg Royal Yacht Club), which has also a very
grand racing-week. The Swedish yacht clubs form an association called "the
Swedish Yachtsmen’s Association".
No country is more suitable for rowing and canoeing than Sweden. The
English have termed Sweden "the paradise of the canoeist". These sports are
pretty actively pursued, and rowing clubs are found in most of the large towns.
The rowing-boats used consist, as a rule, of racing outriggers of English type;
on the coast, however, ordinary gigs are also used. Annual boat-races are held
nearly everywhere, and, in the Sound, the Scanian rowing clubs have maintained
their reputation by earring off the Sound Challenge Cup, presented for
competition among the Danish and Swedish rowing clubs. The Stockholm Rowing Club
had, in its day, crews that were considered invincible. These boat-races, too,
have in many places developed into .national sport festivals.
Among summer sports, swimming, however, may be said to be that most
practised, and in this kind of sport Swedes hold a distinguished place, especially as
regards diving and floating. Swedish swimmers have greatly distinguished
themselves at swimming matches abroad, when their beautiful "swan-dive" has been
much admired and has been described as unrivalled in its kind. Skill in
swimming is fairly general among educated people of both sexes, and the many
lakes in Sweden offer admirable opportunities for practice in the art.
Swimming-and diving-matches are arranged annually in Stockholm, and it is chiefly in
the capital that the art of swimming has reached such a high standard of
development. There are, however, swimming clubs in many places, of which the
oldest — that in Uppsala — has been in existence more than one hundred
years. Swedes won the first prizes in diving at the Olympic Games in London
in 1908 and at those held in Stockholm in 1912.
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