Roald Aas


Roald Edgar Aas was a speed skater and cyclist from Norway. He was born in Oslo. Aas was the number two speed skater in Norway through the entire 1950s—initially after Hjalmar Andersen, later after Knut Johannesen. He became Norwegian champion once, in 1956, but finished second seven times.
Aas participated in all international championships between 1951 and 1960, almost always finishing in the top ten. He won bronze at the World Allround Speed Skating Championships in 1958, and at two European Speed Skating Championships, in 1957 and 1960. At the Oslo Winter Olympics, he won bronze on the 1500 m, while at the Squaw Valley Winter Olympics in 1960, he finally won gold, shared with Yevgeny Grishin, also in 1500 m.
Aas also was a successful cyclist, winning the 1956 Norwegian Championships in both road cycling and track cycling. For his achievements as both a speed skater and a cyclist, Aas was awarded the prestigious Egebergs Ærespris in 1956.
Until 1956, Aas represented Oslo Idrettslag – from 1957 on, he represented Oslo Skøiteklub. When he ended his skating career, he became a coach at Oslo Skøiteklub.

Medals

An overview of medals won by Aas at important championships he participated in, listing the years in which he won each:
ChampionshipsGold medalSilver medalBronze medal
Winter Olympics1960 –1952
World Allround––1958
European Allround––1957
1960
Norwegian Allround19561952
1953
1955
1957
1958
1959
1960		1951

Personal records

To put these personal records in perspective, the WR column lists the official world records on the dates that Aas skated his personal records.
EventResultDateVenueWR
500 m42.328 February 1960Squaw Valley40.2
1000 m1:27.4
1500 m2:10.426 February 1960Squaw Valley2:06.3
3000 m4:41.722 March 1958Geilo4:40.2
5000 m8:01.629 January 1956Misurina7:45.6
10000 m17:08.219 January 1958Notodden16:32.6

Aas has an Adelskalender score of 185.337 points. His highest ranking on the Adelskalender was a thirteenth place.