In the years 1933–1935, three distances were skated: 500 m, 1000 m and 1500 m.
In the years 1936–1955, four distances were skated: 500 m, 1000 m, 3000 m and 5000 m (the old combination).
In the years 1956–1982, four distances were skated: 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and 3000 m (the mini combination).
Since 1983, four distances are skated: 500 m, 1500 m, 3000 m and 5000 m (the small combination).
Ranking systems used
Since 1933, the samalog system has been in use. However, the rule that a skater winning at least three distances (at least two distances in 1933–1935) was automatically World Champion remained in effect until (and including) 1986. This rule was applied in 1949 when Maria Isakova from the Soviet Union won three distances and thus become World Champion despite after end of fourth distance (5000 m) she had a worse samalog score than her compatriots Zoya Kholshevnikova and Rimma Zhukova who won silver and bronze medals respectively.
The youngest World Allround Champion is Laila Schou Nilsen from Norway who won her first of three world allround titles in 1935 at age 15 (although it was unofficial world championships). Two years later she won official world championships at age 17 (which is also a record).
The oldest World Allround Champion is Atje Keulen-Deelstra from Netherlands who won her fourth and last world allround title in 1974 at age 35.
Claudia Pechstein from Germany hold record by number of participations in the championships (25 times in 1992–2022).
The biggest point margin between the winner and the second placed skater at the end of competition is 20.923 points between Verné Lesche from Finland and Else Marie Christiansen from Norway in 1947.
At the 1949 championships, Maria Isakova from the Soviet Union won three distances and thus become World Allround Champion in accordance with then-existing rule. Being de-facto champion, she finished in 6th place at final distance (5000 m) and in third place in points classification by losing 1.510 points to her compatriot Zoya Kholshevnikova who eventually become silver medalist. Without taking into account this case, the smallest winning margin between the champion and the runner-up is 0.073 points between Soviet skaters Khalida Shchegoleyeva and Rimma Zhukova in 1953.
There are five female speed skaters who become champions both at the World Allround and the World Sprint Championships – Sylvia Burka from Canada (Allround: 1976; Sprint: 1977), Natalya Petrusyova from the Soviet Union (Allround: 1980, 1981; Sprint: 1982), Karin Kania (Enke, Busch) from East Germany (Allround: 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988; Sprint: 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987), Anni Friesinger from Germany (Allround: 2001, 2002, 2005; Sprint: 2007) and Miho Takagi from Japan (Allround: 2018; Sprint: 2020, 2024). Karin Kania (Enke, Busch) remained the only female speed skater who win both championships in one calendar year by firstly achieving this feat in 1984 and then repeating this success in 1986 and 1987. Anni Friesinger and Miho Takagi are the only female speed skaters who won world titles at three different championships – World Allround Championships, World Sprint Championships and World Single Distances Championships (at the latter competition Friesinger won 12 gold medals in 1998–2009 and Takagi won five gold medals in 2015–2024).
