The competition took place on 13 February in London, United Kingdom. It was the first World Championships held on artificial ice.[1]
It was assumed that only men would compete in the event, and just four skaters participated. However, one of them was a woman, Madge Syers. After the competition, the winner, Ulrich Salchow, delighted with Syers, presented her with the gold medal he had just won.[2] At the time, the International Skating Union rules did not specify that only men are allowed to participate. In the following year, rules were changed and separate championships for females and males were introduced. However, it was several years before the ladies' event first took place in 1906.
The 1902 championships were the first to hold a pairs competition alongside the singles. The title of "world champions" and medals were not awarded, since the only pair to enter were Madge Syers / Edgar Syers.[3]
References
^Hines, James R. (2011). Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating. Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press. p. 24. ISBN978-0-8108-6859-5.
^Absaliamova, I. V. (1997). Stletniaya Istoria Chempionatov Mira po Figurnomu Kataniu na Konkach (Odinochnoe Katanie) (in Russian). Moscow: FON. p. 122. ISBN5-89022-046-2.
^Panin-Kolomenkin, N. A. (1951). Stranitsy iz proschlogo. Moscow: FiS.
