One curious thing about the first Winter Olympics was that athletes and spectators didn't know they were at the first Winter Olympics.
The first Winter Games were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France, but they were originally called “Winter Sports Week.” It wasn't until two years later that the International Olympic Committee retroactively recognized the event as the first Winter Olympics.
Team USA speedskater Charles Jewtraw earned the first Winter Olympic medal by winning the 500m speedskating event, one of four medals the United States took home from the Chamonix Games.
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Norway, the all-time leader in medals at the Winter Olympics, earned the most medals at the 1924 Winter Games with 17, including four gold medals.
Sixteen countries took part in the first Winter Games, which included 16 events. Of those, only military patrol, a cross-country skiing event that included ski mountaineering and rifle shooting, is no longer an Olympic discipline, although its rules are similar to those of the biathlon.
However, it wasn't the first time that winter events were held at the Olympics. Ice hockey was previously a part of the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, while figure skating debuted at the 1908 London Games.
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Even though it doesn't receive as much fanfare as its summer counterpart, the Winter Olympics is still an impressive display of sporting achievement. Bringing in audiences and competitors from around the globe, this event spotlights the greatest athletes of snow and ice sports. It's well known that the original Summer Olympics date back to Greek competitions as early as 800BCE. So where did the Winter Olympics originate?
The Nordic Games
Considered to be the predecessor to the Winter Olympics, the Nordic Games started in 1901. It was the first international winter multi-sports event. Originally established in Sweden by General Viktor Gustaf Balck, it was intended not only to promote winter sports, but also Swedish and Nordic culture. Throughout the years, events were held in Sweden, Norway, and Finland. Competition was limited to athletes from Nordic countries only.
Viktor Gustaf Balck was a member of the Olympic Committee at the time. He strived to include winters sports in the Olympic Games. His successes with the Nordic Games eventually convinced the committee to host a week of winter sports as part of the main Olympic Games.
When the Winter Olympics as we know it was established, the Nordic countries were initially opposed to it. However, its success could not be ignored. It wasn't long before the Winter Olympics became the premiere winter sporting event.
The last ever Nordic Games was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 1926.
The First Winter Olympics
It was a cold January in 1924 where at the foot of Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France, the first Winter Olympics got underway. Originally, it was named the "International Winter Sports Week". Upon its roaring success, it officially became the first Winter Olympics.
Norway celebrated a victory with seventeen medals that year. Finland was a close second with eleven.
Though the original event took place on the same year as its summer counterpart, it was eventually decided that they should be split. The 1992 games in Albertville, France, was the last time the Summer and Winter Olympics took place in the same year.
What Are the Oldest Winter Olympics Sports?
Figure Skating
An elegant and well-respected sport, figure skating is all about beautiful movement on ice. It is technically the oldest Winter Olympic sport, having been previously featured in both the Summer Olympics of 1908 and 1920. It was then introduced as a mainstay in the first event of 1924 and has been a part of every event since.
Ice Hockey
Though it may seem like a modern sport, ice hockey was originally played as far back as the 1920 Summer Olympics. The game has appeared in every event to date.
Cross-Country Skiing
Introduced in the very first Winter Olympics, cross-country skiing is iconic to the games. Cross-country skiing is a long ski challenge that has competitors race over formidable distances. It is a test of stamina, speed, and strength. There has never been a year without this sport.
Ski Jumping
Land the farthest jump; that's the goal of ski jumping. Competitors speed down a large slope onto a ramp and use numerous techniques to fly as far as they can. Like cross-country skiing, ski jumping has been a part of the event since the very beginning.
Nordic Combined
Mixing cross-country skiing and ski-jumping, the Nordic Combined is a test of a skier's true ability. Since 1924, only the best have competed in this event.
Speed Skating
Also known as long track speed skating, this sport is a test of athlete's stamina and speed. Competitors are timed while crossing a set distance as fast as they can. It has been a mainstay since 1924.
Curling
Even though curling was first played in the original Winter Olympics of 1924, it wasn't a competitive event again for another 74 years. Being reintroduced in 1998, curling is a less intense sport that rewards patience and accuracy. Considered the most strategic game at the event, curling is a favourite among many.
Skeleton
Skeleton had its first event in 1928, but its next appearance wasn't until twenty years later in 1948. After those games, it went on an even longer hiatus until it was eventually brought back in 2002. It has been in every Winter Olympics since.
In skeleton, racers lay face-down on a sled and hurtle down a frozen track. Their goal is to get to the bottom the fastest.
British Achievements in the Winter Olympics
Although Great Britain are not the most proficient when it comes to winter sports, the nation has still achieved some lofty feats during the Winter Olympics.
Great Britain has only placed in the top ten a handful of times. Our best position was sixth place in the original 1924 Winter Olympics. In total, we have achieved 11 gold medals throughout every Winter Olympics event. This places us at rank 19 out of 46 Olympic Committee nations.
When tallying all medals across every event, Great Britain impressively ranks second place in skeleton and third place in curling. Great Britain's most successful Winter Olympics athlete is Lizzy Yarnold, who won two of Great Britain's three gold medals in skeleton during the 2014 and 2018 games.
Which Country Will Host the 2026 Winter Olympics?
In 2026, Italy will host the next Winter Olympics. It will be hosted by twin cities: Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. The start date will be the 6th of February, and it will end on the 22nd of February.
2026 will mark the twenty-fifth Winter Olympics and will be the fourth Olympic event hosted in Italy. It also coincides with the twenty-year anniversary since Italy last hosted the games.
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(STACKER) – The first Winter Olympics—then called International Winter Sports Week—were held from Jan. 25 through Feb. 5, 1924, in the small French town of Chamonix. The multi-sport event featured 260 athletes representing 16 countries in five sports: bobsleigh, curling, ice hockey, Nordic skiing, and skating. Chamonix emerged from obscurity and into the spotlight as athletes publicly displayed their talents in various competitions from figure skating to cross-country skiing in front of more than 10,000 spectators. In 1926, the event was retroactively reclassified as the first-ever Olympic Winter Games.
Stacker curated a collection of 25 vintage photos from the competition, drawing from various sources to showcase groundbreaking sports milestones and athletic visionaries.
Coverage of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games
Among the nations participating in the first Winter Olympics were France, the United States, Canada, Norway, Italy, Great Britain, Poland, and Yugoslavia. The U.S. dominated the 500-meter speed skating event, while Canada secured several wins in ice hockey. The 1920s were also a time when women and young girls were allowed more freedom to partake in sports, even if it was a predictable winter sport such as figure skating. The photos in this collection showcase the excitement of the Games, stunning landscapes, and strikingly sparse gear of the athletes—including ice hockey players and bobsleigh teams competing without helmets.
The Winter Games were held every four years thereafter, pausing in 1940 and 1944 because of World War II. Olympic schedules were altered in the ’90s, and over the years more sports and competitions have been added including luge, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding. Keep reading to learn more about the first Winter Olympics and to see stunning photos from the various events.
Delegates gather for the opening ceremony
In this photo, delegates from competing nations gather on Jan. 25, 1924, in front of the Saint-Michel Church and Hotel de Ville for the opening ceremony of the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France. The first-ever games, aptly held in the French Alps, were originally pegged as “International Winter Sports Week.”
Italian athletes at the inaugural parade
Italian athletes stand proudly while attending the inaugural parade on Feb. 10, 1924. Italy sent 23 men to compete in four sports; the athletes didn’t win any medals. Italy has hosted two Winter Olympics: the 1956 Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo and the 2006 Winter Games in Turin. The country is slated to host again for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
A pledge to sportsmanship
French athletes are seen taking the pledge to participate in the games with integrity during the 1924 Winter Olympics opening.
American skaters practice
A group of American speed skaters preparing for competition at the 1924 Winter Games. Five all-male speed skating events were held.
10,000-meter speed skate commences
Spectators gather in anticipation at the beginning of the 10,000-meter speed skating competition at the Winter Games.
500-meter speed skate
Speed skater Charles Jewtraw represented the United States in the men’s 500-meter speed skating competition.
First American winter Olympian
Charles Jewtraw became the first American speed skater to score a gold medal, winning the 500-meter speed skating competition at the Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Jewtraw’s historic win set the American record and in 1963 the Olympian was inducted into the National Speedskating Hall of Fame in Chicago.
Ladies’ singles figure skating
Eleven-year-old Norwegian actress and figure skater Sonja Henie competes in the ladies singles figure skating competition at the Stade Olympique. Henie previously won the senior Norwegian championships at the age of 10.
Women’s figure skating
Austrian figure skater Herma Planck-Szabo glides to victory, winning the gold medal in ladies’ singles. Planck-Szabo was a powerhouse in the figure skating scene during the 1920s, having won five world titles.
Doubles figure skating
Belgian figure skaters Georgette Herbos and Georges Wagemans glide in the rink together.
Skaters pose for a group photo
Figure skaters Herma Planck-Szabo of Austria (winning gold), Beatrix Loughran of the United States (winning silver), and Ethel Muckelt of Britain (winning bronze) pose for a photo together on Jan. 30, 1924.
Ready for play
Members of the U.S. Olympic hockey team take a moment to take photos before training. The American team was triumphant in their first match against France.
American hockey practice
In this photo, Alphonse Albert Lacroix, the goalkeeper for the American hockey team, is seen training for the 1924 Winter Games.
Final Winter Olympics hockey match
In this photo, the Canadian team lands a victorious win over the American team in the final Olympic hockey match.
Canadian team scores
Canada’s Toronto Granites ice hockey team makes their final score, securing a victory over the United States in the final 6-1 to take home the gold medal.
A winning team
Canada’s men’s ice hockey team stands tall and proud after winning gold.
Getting into position
In this shot, the Olympians take to the bobsled track, Piste de Bobsleigh des Pellerins, the starting post specifically constructed for the 1924 Winter Games.
Swiss bobsled team
The Swiss bobsled team makes their way to winning the first-ever gold medal for the four-man event.
British team takes a turn
The four-man British bobsled team—comprised of Alexander Richardson, Ralph Broome, Thomas Arnold, and Rodney Soher—sleigh on to winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games.
British curlers
The British curling team won gold at the first curling event; Sweden took silver and France took the bronze medal.
Readying for the 18-kilometer cross-country
Czech cross-country skier Štěpán Hevák prepares to compete in the men’s 18-kilometer event.
Chamonix’s ski jump
Attendees take in the mountain view during the 1924 Winter Olympics.
Nordic combined takeoff
Czechoslovak skier Josef Bím came in 13th place in the Nordic combined event and 26th in the ski jumping competition.
Norwegian ski jumpers
Seen in this photo are Norwegian Olympians Jacob Tullin Thams, who won the first gold in ski jumping; Narve Bonna, who won the first silver medal in ski jumping; and Einar Lanvik, who placed fifth.
First ski jumping gold medalist in action
Jacob Tullin Thams soars through the air, attracting dozens of onlookers as he competes on Feb. 4, 1924. The Norwegian athlete, who won the first Olympic gold medal in ski jumping, is captured here using a technique he created called the Kongsberger, which is still widely used in the sport today.