First Winter Olympics 1924: Chamonix Photos

On January 25, 1924, a new chapter in sports history opened at the foot of Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France. What began as the “International Winter Sports Week” became the first-ever Winter Olympic Games. Sixteen events across five sports were contested, and 16 nations sent athletes to compete on snow and ice in the French Alps.

The United States is represented during opening ceremonies for the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, on Jan. 25, 1924.

The road to Chamonix started in 1921, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) met in Lausanne and called for winter sports to receive equal standing alongside summer events. Figure skating and ice hockey had already appeared at the Summer Olympics in London and Antwerp, but advocates wanted a dedicated winter competition. After debate, the IOC approved an international winter week for 1924.

French athletes swear that they will conduct the Winter Olympic Games in a loyal way at the opening of the first Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, on Jan. 25, 1924.

The Olympic Stadium in Chamonix served as the centerpiece of the games, hosting ceremonies and skating events against the dramatic backdrop of the Alps.

The Olympic Stadium at Chamonix, France, is seen in 1924.

Speed skating produced the Games’ first-ever gold medalist. American Charles Jewtraw crossed the finish line first in the 500-meter event, claiming a place in history as the inaugural Winter Olympic champion.

Charles Jewtraw became the first competitor to win a gold medal in a Winter Olympics when he sped to victory in the 500 meter speedskating event in Chamonix, France, 1924.

British speed skaters arrived early to prepare. B. H. Sutton, L. H. Cambridgeshire, and A. E. Tibbet were among those who hit the ice well before competition began, logging practice sessions as early as January 16.

English speed skaters B. H. Sutton (from left), L. H. Cambridgeshire and A. E.

American skaters also put in serious preparation time on the Chamonix ice, training in a group as they readied for their events.

A group of American skaters practices during the 1924 Winter Olympics at Chamonix, France, in 1924.

Figure skating drew some of the most memorable performances of the Games. Austria’s Herma Planck-Szabo captured gold in the ladies’ singles, while Beatrix Loughran of the United States took silver and Britain’s Ethel Muckelt earned bronze.

The Olympic medalists in figure skating are seen at the Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, in 1924.

Herma Planck-Szabo of Austria skates on her way to winning the ladies' singles figure skating Olympic gold medal at the 1924 Chamonix Winter Olympics in January 1924. — Herma Planck-Szabo of Austria skates on her way to winning the ladies’ singles figure skating Olympic gold medal at the 1924 Chamonix Winter Olympics in January 1924.

One of the most talked-about competitors in figure skating was not a gold medalist. Eleven-year-old Norwegian skater Sonja Henie took to the ice and finished eighth out of eight in the ladies’ singles. She was still learning her craft, but Chamonix was only the beginning.

Norwegian figure skater Sonja Henie, 11, practices during the Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, in 1924.

Norwegian figure skater Sonja Henie practices during the Winter Olympic Games on Jan. 29, 1924.

Norway's Sonja Henie competes in her first Olympic Games at the age of 11, at Chamonix, France, in January 1924. — Norway’s Sonja Henie competes in her first Olympic Games at the age of 11, at Chamonix, France, in January 1924.

Henie posed for photos at Chamonix alongside Sweden’s Gillis Grafström, who won gold in the men’s singles. Grafström had already claimed gold at the 1920 Antwerp Games and would win again in 1928. The two skaters represented very different stages of their careers — one at the peak, the other just starting out.

Figure skaters Sonja Henie, 11, of Norway and Gilles Grafstrom of Sweden pose at the Olympic Games in Chamonix, France, in 1924.

The bobsleigh track at Chamonix saw fierce competition. Italy’s four-man team navigated the course at speed, while the British squad — Ralph Broome, Thomas Arnold, Alexander Richardson, and Rodney Soher — pushed hard enough to take the silver medal.

The four-man bobsleigh team from Italy rides the bobsleigh track at the Winter Games in Chamonix, France, in February 1924.

The British four-man bobsleigh team — Ralph Broome, Thomas Arnold, Alexander Richardson and Rodney Soher — is seen in action at the Winter Olympics at Chamonix, France, in February 1924.

Curling was contested at Chamonix, though its official status was debated for decades. In February 2006, the IOC formally recognized curling as part of the 1924 Olympic program and added those medals to the official record. The British curling team was among those active on the ice during the games.

The British curling team practices during the Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, on Jan. 28, 1924.

Ice hockey delivered one of the most dominant performances of the entire Games. Canada’s entry, the Toronto Granites, steamrolled their competition throughout the tournament. In the gold medal final on February 3, they defeated the United States 6–1 to claim the top prize. The American goalkeeper La Croix had practiced hard ahead of the tournament, but the Granites were simply unstoppable.