The distances the boys have to skate in a championship were the 500m, 1500m, 3000m, and the 5000m. In 2015 the 1000 metres replaced the 3000m as part of the allround competition. Girls have the 500m, 1000m, 1500m and the 3000m on the programme. In 2002 the team pursuit was added to the allround competition and the 2009 edition saw the introduction of medals for the individual distances. In 2015 the team sprint and mass start events were added.
| Year | Location | GOLD {{Gold1 | SILVER {{silver2 | BRONZE {{bronze3 |
|---|
| 1972 | Lisleby | URS|1955}} Yuri Kondakov | URS|1955}} Nikolay Kuzmenko | NOR}} Terje Andersen |
| 1973 | Assen | NED}} {{illm|Jan Heida|fy | } | URS|1955}} Nikolaj Kuzmenko | NOR}} Kay Stenshjemmet |
| 1974 | Cortina d'Ampezzo | GDR}} Manfred Winter | NED}} Jan de Vries | POL|1928}} {{illm|Jan Miętus|pl|}} |
| 1975 | Strömsund | JPN|1947}} {{illm|Masayuki Kawahara|ja|川原正行}} | NED}} Jan de Vries | NED}} Joop Pasman |
| 1976 | Madonna di Campiglio | KOR|1949}} Lee Young-ha | USA}} Eric Heiden | NED}} Jan de Vries |
| 1977 | Inzell | USA}} Eric Heiden | SWE}} Jan Junell | NED}} Hilbert van der Duim |
| 1978 | Montreal | USA}} Eric Heiden | URS|1955}} Vitaliy Zazerskiy | NOR}} Tom Erik Oxholm |
| 1979 | Grenoble | SWE}} Tomas Gustafson | GDR}} Andreas Ehrig | USA}} Craig Kressler |
| 1980 | Assen | SWE}} Tomas Gustafson | USA}} Craig Kressler | URS}} {{illm|Sergej Berezin|pl|Siergiej Bieriezin (łyżwiarz)}} |
| 1981 | Elverum | NOR}} Bjørn Nyland | CAN}} {{illm|Jean Pichette|pl|}} | GDR}} Jörg Mademann |
| 1982 | Innsbruck | NOR}} Geir Karlstad | URS}} Igor Zhelezovski | CAN}} {{illm|Jean Pichette|pl|}} |
| 1983 | Sarajevo | URS}} {{illm|Andrej Bobrov|nl | } | URS}} Viatsjeslav Vidov | FRG}} {{illm|Hansjörg Baltes|de|}} |
| 1984 | Assen | URS}} {{illm|Valeri Guk|nl|Valeri Goek}} | URS}} {{illm|Alexandr Klimov|no|Aleksandr Klimov|pl|Aleksandr Klimow (łyżwiarz)}} | URS}} Bronislav Snetkov |
| 1985 | Røros | URS}} {{illm|Valeri Guk|nl|Valeri Goek}} | URS}} Ildar Garaev | URS}} Bronislav Snetkov |
| 1986 | Sainte-Foy | URS}} Bronislav Snetkov | URS}} Ildar Garaev | JPN|1947}} Takuya Nakamura |
| 1987 | Strömsund | JPN|1947}} Masahiko Omura | JPN|1947}} Naoki Kotake | GDR}} {{illm|Michael Spielmann|pl|}} |
| 1988 | Seoul | GDR}} {{illm|Michael Spielmann|pl|}} | NED}} {{illm|Cor-Jan Smulders|nl|}} | JPN|1947}} Naoki Kotake |
| 1989 | Kyiv | URS}} {{illm|Andrej Anufrienko|nl|Andrej Anoefriejenko|pl|Andriej Anufrijenko|ru|Ануфриенко, Андрей}} | NED}} Rintje Ritsma | JPN|1947}} Naoki Kotake |
| 1990 | Obihiro | NED}} Falko Zandstra | NOR}} Ådne Søndrål | NED}} {{illm|Arjan Schreuder|nl | Yūsuke Imai (łyżwiarz)} |
| 1991 | Calgary | NED}} Falko Zandstra | URS}} Sergey Baryshev | JPN|1947}} Keiji Shirahata |
| 1992 | Warsaw | NED}} Jeroen Straathof | JPN|1947}} {{illm|Hiroyuki Noake|ja|野明弘幸|nl | } | NED}} Jakko Jan Leeuwangh |
| 1993 | Baselga di Pinè | USA}} Brian Smith | NED}} Ids Postma | JPN|1947}} Keiji Shirahata |
| 1994 | Berlin | NED}} Jan Bos | NED}} Marco Kramer | JPN|1947}} Shinya Tanaka |
| 1995 | Seinäjoki | NED}} Bob de Jong | CAN}} Mark Knoll | JPN|1947}} {{illm|Yusuke Imai|ja|今井裕介|nl | } |
| 1996 | Calgary | NED}} Bob de Jong | CAN}} Mark Knoll | JPN|1947}} Mitsuru Watanabe |
| 1997 | Butte | NED}} Jelmer Beulenkamp | NED}} {{illm|André Vreugdenhil|nl|}} | NED}} Gijs Buitelaar |
| 1998 | Roseville | RUS}} Dmitry Shepel | NED}} Mark Tuitert | NED}} {{illm|Bjarne Rykkje|nl|}} |
| 1999 | Geithus | NED}} Mark Tuitert | NED}} {{illm|Yuri Solinger|nl|}} | KOR}} Choi Jae-bong |
| 2000 | Seinäjoki | SWE}} Johan Röjler | JPN}} {{illm|Takaharu Nakajima|de | 中嶋敬春|nl|} | GER}} {{illm|Jan Friesinger|de | } |
| 2001 | Groningen | JPN}} {{illm|Shingo Doi|ja|土井槙悟|nl | } | KOR}} Mun Jun | KOR}} Yeo Sang-yeop |
| 2002 | Collalbo | NED}} Beorn Nijenhuis | RUS}} Ivan Skobrev | NED}} {{illm|Remco olde Heuvel|de | } |
| 2003 | Kushiro | NED}} {{illm|Remco olde Heuvel|de | } | GER}} Robert Lehmann | KOR}} Lee Seung-hwan |
| 2004 | Roseville | CAN}} Justin Warsylewicz | NED}} Sven Kramer | KOR}} Yeo Sang-yeop |
| 2005 | Seinäjoki | NED}} Sven Kramer | NED}} Wouter olde Heuvel | NOR}} Håvard Bøkko |
| 2006 | Erfurt | NOR}} Håvard Bøkko | NED}} Wouter olde Heuvel | JPN}} Shingo Hashibami |
| 2007 | Innsbruck | NED}} {{illm|Sjoerd de Vries|fy|Sjoerd de Vries (reedrider)|nl|Sjoerd de Vries (schaatser)}} | NED}} {{illm|Tim Roelofsen|nl|}} | USA }} Trevor Marsicano |
| 2008 | Changchun | NED}} Jan Blokhuijsen | NED}} Koen Verweij | NED}} Berden de Vries |
| 2009 | Zakopane | NED}} Koen Verweij | USA}} Jonathan Kuck | USA}} Brian Hansen |
| 2010 | Moscow | NED}} Koen Verweij | USA}} Brian Hansen | CAN}} Antoine Gélinas-Beaulieu |
| 2011 | Seinäjoki | NOR}} Sverre Lunde Pedersen | NOR}} Simen Spieler Nilsen | NOR}} {{illm|Kristian Reistad Fredriksen|nl | } |
| 2012 | Obihiro | NOR}} Sverre Lunde Pedersen | NED}} Thomas Krol | NOR}} Simen Spieler Nilsen |
| 2013 | Collalbo | KOR}} Seo Jeong-su | NOR}} Simen Spieler Nilsen | ITA}} Andrea Giovannini |
| 2014 | Bjugn | NED}} Patrick Roest | NED}} {{illm|Willem Hoolwerf|nl|}} | USA}} Emery Lehman |
| 2015 | Warsaw | NED}} Patrick Roest | KOR}} Kim Min-seok | NED}} Marcel Bosker |
| 2016 | Changchun | CAN}} Benjamin Donnelly | KOR}} Kim Min-seok | NED}} Marcel Bosker |
| 2017 | Helsinki | NED}} Chris Huizinga | NOR}} Allan Dahl Johansson | CAN}} Tyson Langelaar |
| 2018 | Salt Lake City | NOR}} Allan Dahl Johansson | CAN}} Tyson Langelaar | ITA}} Francesco Betti |
| 2019 | Baselga di Pinè | KOR}} Jaewon Chung | RUS}} Stepan Chistiakov | ITA}} Francesco Betti |
| Year | Location | GOLD {{Gold1 | SILVER {{silver2 | BRONZE {{bronze3 |
|---|
| 1973 | Assen | CAN}} Sylvia Burka | NED}} Froukje Jongsma | USA}} Kay Lunda |
| 1974 | Cortina d'Ampezzo | POL|1928}} Erwina Ryś-Ferens | URS|1955}} Tatyana Fradina | URS|1955}} Tatyana Timoshina |
| 1975 | Strömsund | GDR}} Heike Lange | POL|1928}} Erwina Ryś-Ferens | NED}} Pietje Postma |
| 1976 | Madonna di Campiglio | CAN}} Liz Appleby | USA}} Beth Heiden | GDR}} Katrin Lorenz |
| 1977 | Inzell | USA}} Kim Kostron | USA}} Beth Heiden | NOR}} Bjørg Eva Jensen |
| 1978 | Montreal | USA}} Beth Heiden | NOR}} Bjørg Eva Jensen | GDR}} Ines Bautzmann |
| 1979 | Grenoble | USA}} Beth Heiden | NOR}} Bjørg Eva Jensen | NED}} Ria Visser |
| 1980 | Assen | NOR}} Bjørg Eva Jensen | USA}} Sarah Docter | NED}} Ria Visser |
| 1981 | Elverum | USA}} Sarah Docter | GDR}} Elke Wirsing | NED}} Yvonne van Gennip |
| 1982 | Innsbruck | GDR}} Angela Stahnke | NED}} Yvonne van Gennip | JPN|1947}} Seiko Hashimoto |
| 1983 | Sarajevo | GDR}} Angela Stahnke | JPN|1947}} Seiko Hashimoto | GDR}} Sjouke Hoffmann |
| 1984 | Assen | GDR}} Angela Stahnke | URS}} Galina Voilochnikova | PRK|1948}} Song Hwa-son |
| 1985 | Røros | GDR}} Cornelia Dick | URS}} Ljudmila Tuberozova | GDR}} Monique Garbrecht |
| 1986 | Sainte-Foy | GDR}} Monique Garbrecht | GDR}} Anja Ulbricht | URS}} Ljudmila Tuberozova |
| 1987 | Strömsund | GDR}} Monique Garbrecht | GDR}} Anja Ulbricht | GDR}} Silke Luding |
| 1988 | Seoul | JPN|1947}} Emi Tanaka | GDR}} Claudia Pechstein | JPN|1947}} Shiho Kusunose |
| 1989 | Kyiv | GDR}} Ulrike Adeberg | GDR}} Anke Baier | NED}} Sandra Zwolle |
| 1990 | Obihiro | GDR}} Ulrike Adeberg | GDR}} Anke Baier | JPN|1947}} Takako Tetsuda |
| 1991 | Calgary | GDR}} Anke Baier | URS}} Svetlana Bazhanova | GER}} Sabine Völker |
| 1992 | Warsaw | JPN|1947}} Nami Nemoto | GER}} Sabine Völker | CIS}} Tatyana Trapeznikova |
| 1993 | Baselga di Pinè | GER}} Franziska Schenk | JPN|1947}} Mie Shimizu | JPN|1947}} Maki Tabata |
| 1994 | Berlin | JPN|1947}} Mie Shimizu | GER}} Anni Friesinger | NED}} Marianne Timmer |
| 1995 | Seinäjoki | USA}} Becky Sundstrom | GER}} Anni Friesinger | USA}} Chris Scheels |
| 1996 | Calgary | GER}} Anni Friesinger | NED}} Renate Groenewold | JPN|1947}} Aki Tonoike |
| 1997 | Butte | USA}} Kirstin Holum | KOR}} Baek Eun-bi | JPN|1947}} Kanae Kobayashi |
| 1998 | Roseville | JPN|1947}} Aki Tonoike | USA}} Catherine Raney | NED}} Frijke Schaafsma |
| 1999 | Geithus | NED}} Helen van Goozen | JPN}} Yuri Obara | JPN}} Keiko Taguchi |
| 2000 | Seinäjoki | NED}} {{illm|Frédérique Ankoné|nl|}} | NED}} Wieteke Cramer | GER}} {{illm|Heike Hartmann|de | } |
| 2001 | Groningen | NED}} {{illm|Frédérique Ankoné|nl|}} | GER}} {{illm|Heike Hartmann|de | } | NED}} Elma de Vries |
| 2002 | Collalbo | NED}} Elma de Vries | JPN}} Eriko Ishino | GER}} Judith Hesse |
| 2003 | Kushiro | CAN}} Shannon Rempel | JPN}} Eriko Ishino | USA}} Maria Lamb |
| 2004 | Roseville | JPN}} Eriko Ishino | NED}} Ireen Wüst | CAN}} Shannon Rempel |
| 2005 | Seinäjoki | NED}} Ireen Wüst | NED}} Annette Gerritsen | KOR}} Lee Sang-hwa |
| 2006 | Erfurt | KOR}} Kim Yoo-rim | CZE}} Martina Sáblíková | KOR}} Lee Ju-yeon |
| 2007 | Innsbruck | KOR}} Noh Seon-yeong | NED}} Laurine van Riessen | CHN}} Fu Chunyan |
| 2008 | Changchun | NED}} Marrit Leenstra | {{Flagicon|CAN}} {{illm|Justine L'Heureux|nl|}} | NED}} {{illm|Jorieke van der Geest|nl|}} |
| 2009 | Zakopane | NED}} {{illm|Roxanne van Hemert|nl|}} | NED}} Yvonne Nauta | POL}} Katarzyna Woźniak |
| 2010 | Moscow | NED}} Lotte van Beek | NOR}} Hege Bøkko | CZE}} Karolína Erbanová |
| 2011 | Seinäjoki | CZE}} Karolína Erbanová | NED}} {{illm|Pien Keulstra|nl | Кёлстра, Пин} | NED}} Lotte van Beek |
| 2012 | Obihiro | JPN}} Miho Takagi | CZE}} Karolína Erbanová | KOR}} Kim Bo-reum |
| 2013 | Collalbo | JPN}} Miho Takagi | NED}} Antoinette de Jong | SUI}} {{illm|Kaitlyn McGregor|nl|}} |
| 2014 | Bjugn | NED}} Antoinette de Jong | NED}} Melissa Wijfje | RUS}} Elizaveta Kazelina |
| 2015 | Warsaw | NED}} Melissa Wijfje | NED}} Sanneke de Neeling | RUS}} Elizaveta Kazelina |
| 2016 | Changchun | RUS}} Elizaveta Kazelina | CHN}} Mei Han | KOR}} Park Ji-woo |
| 2017 | Helsinki | NED}} Jutta Leerdam | NED}} Joy Beune | NED}} Sanne in 't Hof |
| 2018 | Salt Lake City | NED}} Joy Beune | NED}} Jutta Leerdam | NED}} Elisa Dul |
| 2019 | Baselga di Pinè | NED}} Femke Kok | POL}} Karolina Bosiek | NOR}} Ragne Wiklund |