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Explore a treasure trove of articles on the history of figure skating, highlighting Olympic Medallists, World and National Champions and dazzling competitions, shows and tours. Written by former skater and judge Ryan Stevens, Skate Guard Blog also offers intriguing insights into the evolution of the sport over the decades. Delve into Stevens' books for even more riveting stories and information about the history of everyone's favourite winter Olympic sport.
When you dig through skating history, you never know what you will unearth. In the spirit of cataloguing fascinating tales from skating history, #Unearthed is a once a month 'special occasion' on Skate Guard where fascinating writings by others that are of interest to skating history buffs are excavated, dusted off and shared for your reading pleasure. From forgotten fiction to long lost interviews to tales that have never been shared publicly, each #Unearthed is a fascinating journey through time.
Today's 'buried treasure' - entitled "Some Facts And A Few Fancies On Ice" - comes to you from the February 1888 edition of the American illustrated magazine "Outing". Interestingly, the author, Calvert Bowyer Vaux, was better known as an expert on canoeing than figure skating. That said, his memories and thoughts on skating are an interesting read! EXCERPTS FROM "SOME THOUGHTS AND A FEW FANCIES ON ICE" (C. BOWYER VAUX)
I can remember very distinctly when I learned to read, and the first book that I read through from title page to "The End." That job took a long time, and a great amount of close study; and the supreme satisfaction that I felt when the book was finally conquered was so complete, that I did not care to lessen it by another trial for a long time. I used to hate children that learned to read at an early age, unless I could catch them out of doors and show them some things that I could do and they could not - even if I was stupid at books. I must have been at least ten years old before I could read, or did read for my own amusement and instruction; but when I learned to skate I cannot remember. It was before or during my fifth year. I learned to swim about the same time I began to read a little, but I could row a boat years before that. My mother explains the fact of my not knowing how to read till quite late in
life, comparatively, by stating that when I was very young I was so clever, and accumulated ideas so rapidly, that she was worried for fear my brain would be affected, and, therefore, encouraged all
out-door occupations; but, then, I was her first child, which, perhaps, will explain the situation. Her ideas have not been justified by my career thus far.
A very active circulation, perfect breath, short and strong legs, sound ankles and a love of open-air exercise made the difficulties of skating very fascinating to me, and most of them were easily conquered. Although dressed lightly I rarely felt cold, and never got tired, not even after a whole
Saturday on the ice without sitting down once; it was my rule never to rest while off for a skate. I had no fear of falling, as there was such a short distance to go a serious hurt was out of the question.
Therefore, in trying a new figure I went at it heart, soul and legs, and never allowed tumbles to affect me in the least, and I got many of them - especially when working on the outside edge figures, in
which a slip or false step results surely in a roll over, as there is no way of saving one's self. When falling, the one thought always was, "Save your head, sonny." Hit any other part of the body and you
may get a sore spot - nearly all the bones have cushions of flesh over them - but give the skull a hard rap and you are done for, at least for a time.
I never yet broke anything skating (either bones or the record) except the ice. Every school-boy has "got in" at some time or other of his skating career. Early in the winter, perhaps, after the first hard
freeze, the ice on the ponds will be thin, but very tough. Then is the time when the daring ones skate over ice that heaves up and down in big waves, and finally becomes what all boys call "pompy." The ice gets cracked in every direction, and some one is sure to get a ducking if the sport is kept up. More than once have I trudged home of a cold day, after breaking through, with clothes frozen so stiff that they would stand up of themselves when taken off. Being a light weight, the boys would always send me ahead to try the new ice, after stones had been thrown on it and failed to go through. Sprawled out
on all fours I would crawl over the thin ice, and, if it did not crack too much, I would gradually get up on my feet and skim about, daring the heavier weights to "come on." We never played fast and loose on "pompy" ice over deep water, but always on shallow ponds, or the upper ends of mill dams, where the worst that could happen was a wetting.
In the country the snow comes and spoils the skating, except on ponds and rivers where the ice harvesters clear it off and cut openings which soon freeze over and make good skating for those who
seek it. The city boy looks to the park for his skating, and the city pays men to keep the ponds clear of snow. The park ponds are small and the number of people who want to skate is large, therefore
the public is not allowed on the ponds till the ice is very strong. The country boy begins his skating often three or four weeks before his city cousin has thought of it. So it has come about that the enthusiastic city skaters do not wait for the "ball to be up," but go in search of ice early to the various ice-house ponds within a few miles of town; and frequently get up evening parties, in which ladies are included.
The country boy generally has plenty of room for his skating, and, quite naturally, works for speed or figures that make a big show, like the "spread eagle," "locomotive," and one-foot dodges. The boy who can crouch down when going at top speed, put one leg out in front of him with the foot clear off the ice and slide on the other foot till momentum runs down is a great man, and his skill is envied by his companions. If the skater loses his balance while trying this trick, he quietly sits down on the ice and slides on his pants. Mothers have been known to object to their sons trying this, and have threatened to sew a sheet of tin into the trousers to save the constant patching which the acquiring of this skating feat makes necessary.
There are games the country boys play on skates, shinny (or hockey), now generally called in polite
society "ice polo," "Lil, Lil" or "head on," a species of fox and geese, tag, "snap the whip," and many others, all calling for fast skating, quick turning and strong lung power. The country boy who can
skate backwards, cut big circles forward and backward, do the "locomotive" and "spread eagle," is a talented individual in the eyes of his companions - except in Canada, where good skating is more common than here, both on account of the longer season and the many rinks even in quite small towns.
The city skater's field is limited and he naturally tries to do all he can in a small space and therefore figure skating interests him. Very little has been done for years in cities to make skating popular - always excepting Canada - and now very few ladies even know how to skate! Yet it is a splendid exercise, fascinating, healthful and the most graceful yet invented - dancing cannot compare with it. When will skating get such a lift as tobogganing has had? Soon, I hope. Last year's ice can be used as it is on the toboggan slides and the rink opened early in the season and kept in good condition all
through it with a little care and attention. The experiment is certainly worth trying. Why are billiards and chess such universally popular games? Perhaps this term can hardly be applied to the latter, but there is no doubt about the former. There is no end to the skill that can be acquired. The problems to be worked out are innumerable and various, and with billiards the mechanical skill has no limit. Mind and body are both brought into play. So it is with skating.
Exercise and enjoyment can be got out of simple straight ahead skating. One breathes fresh air, and, if in the country, has something pleasant to look upon - for the country has many attractive features in winter, though there are people alive in this nineteenth century who cannot see them. Has any one ever mastered everything that can be done on skates? Surely not. A large negro one winter appeared on the Central Park pond and performed a feat that it is safe to say no other man in New York could then do - spread the eagle with toes together and heels out to right and left, both feet in line. He could not do many of the fancy figures then pretty generally known to the clever skaters, but no one else could get legs into the positions that he could - it was a sort of contortion act that "stumped" them all.
[E.B.] Cook's toe spread eagle with legs straight was something that many Canadian champions who exhibited here could not master even if they could do twirls that Cook himself had to admit were beyond him. In trying an outside edge eight backward once the heel of my skate struck a twig and threw me out of balance. By a quick turn of body, done instinctively to save myself from a bad fall, and a double toe maneuver, I kept my feet, and got the idea for a new dance figure that I have since perfected. It is very easy to do - yet I had never seen any one else do it - and even after being shown how, to my surprise most skaters find it difficult to catch. The double grape-vine twist straight
backward is another figure I stumbled into when trying something else. The head and shoulders are kept in the same position always, facing the same way. The figure is described by the feet, propelled
by a turn of the hips and lower body trunk, the body turn being made a little ahead of the feet movement so that the feet are going one way when the hips have made the reverse turn.
I have seen wonderful things done on the ice by experts - but thus far no one has happened on my little pet figures to my knowledge. It is not the satisfaction of being able "to show off" that makes figure skating so attractive, but the fascination of thinking out new things and trying to do them, that is a never-ending source of delight to the skater. Let him work out a problem alone and successfully solve it by teaching himself to do the difficult figure gracefully and accurately, and the feeling of victory will be found to be very sweet even if he never performs it for the amusement or instruction of others. Every such success achieved is the result of long and patient work, and frequently - incidentally of course - many falls. The more one learns the more there seems to be to learn, for the field ever widens with each new conquest...
The man that can spin like a top, standing in one place, is sure to draw "crowded houses" wherever he goes, even if he cannot do anything else on ice. Therefore if you, gentle reader, crave notoriety,
devote yourself to this one figure, for it is the royal road to popular fame on skates...
The moral of it all is, "Go skating." Whether you skate ten miles on a stretch or ten yards matters not. The exercise is healthful anyway, and a great reviver of low spirits. Let the theatre go for one evening with its close and exhausted air, and go where fresh air is all that you can breathe. The sleep that will follow an hour's skate does not bless a man every night, and the new interest that he will find in the ordinary drudgeries of life the next day will surprise him. Nature makes the ice and man the skates. The ice costs nothing and the skates very little. Perhaps you have not skated since you were a boy. Then put on skates once more, and, my old bald headed friend, you will find yourself a boy once more.
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
In the days before the U.S. government provided funding for Olympic athletes, an annual benefit show for the U.S. Olympic Fund at Madison Square Garden in New York City was an important fundraiser for America's Olympic figure skating hopefuls.
"Superskates" was first held on November 25, 1974. A who's who of figure skating participated, including Janet Lynn, Toller Cranston and John Curry. The event was sponsored by the Women's Division of the New York State Olympic Committee and narrated by Dick Button. Following the event an 'Après-Patinage" supper-dance was held in honour of the skaters at the Rainbow Grill in the R.C.A. Building at Rockefeller Center. With tickets for the supper-dance going at fifty dollars a pop in 1974, some serious change was made at the latter event as well.
One of the driving forces behind the event's early success was its founder Edwin H. Mosler, Jr., the President of the Mosler Safe Company which made the vaults that protected the Declaration Of Independence, the Constitution and Bill of Rights in Washington. Mosler was a private benefactor to many elite skaters and also the National Finance Chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee. He passed away in 1982 - while "Superskates" was still going on - but the event wouldn't have happened without his philanthropic contributions and fundraising efforts.
"Superskates" was unique for a couple of reasons. It was one of the first major standalone shows in America to focus almost entirely on solo performances rather than lavish ensemble pieces. It was also one of the first large scale ice shows in the United States that allowed amateur and professional skaters to perform alongside each other.
Linda Fratianne leading a group spiral in one of the "Superskates" shows
Toller Cranston observed how exposing amateur skaters to the more 'glamourous' world of professional skating could have its benefits. On November 14, 1978, he told a reporter from the "New York Times", "There is a whole theatricality, the show biz side of amateur sport [skaters need or] they can't become top notch. It's a step they have to take to be a seasoned entertainer. Part of the sport, which is very much in evidence but hasn't been a criteria for excellence, is the glamour. Even in practice sessions in the world competitions there is an underlying theme of glamour. Everyone almost has matching underwear. They come out in costumes in practice. The Russians, they look like Hollywood in the 1920's. I saw them last year in Ottawa. They were the most glamourous things you'll ever see in your life. The Bolshoi Ballet designed their costumes, their hair was done by so and so. It was the Russian crown jewels that popped on to the ice. But it makes the show richer and advances the popularity of skating. The audience sees people dressed like movie stars performing super routines. They all want their sons and daughters to skate."
Over the years, the show exposed audiences to legends from years past like Tenley Albright, Belita Jepson-Turner and Richard Dwyer, as well as fresh new faces like Katherine Healy. It also played host to many unique performances, such as Allen Schramm's "Black Widow" number and a four consisting of Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner and Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov.
Photos courtesy "Skating" magazine
At the 1976 show, John Curry premiered his iconic collaboration with Twyla Tharp, a seven-minute piece called "After All" set to a selection from Albinoni's "Concerto For Trumpet In B. Flat". Although dismissed by "New York Times" critic Anna Kisselgoff as "a solo in love with itself", Curry's minimalist interpretive piece mesmerized the audience at Madison Square Garden. The crowd's applause led Twyla Tharp to the ice for a bow.
At the 1980 show, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney and Edwin Mosler presented Dick Button with the first annual Superskates Award for his contributions to amateur figure skating.
Advertisement for the final "Superskates" show
In 1984, an agreement was signed between CBS and China Central Television for sixty four hours of CBS television broadcasting to be played in China. These were the first regularly scheduled broadcasts of U.S. television ever in China... and among the content was coverage of "Superskates". Unfortunately, a year later the event was held for the last time.
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
"The boom has been great for absolutely everybody - the skaters, skating fans, coaches, TV and advertisers - except the skating federations... because they haven't been able to control it." - Michael Rosenberg, "Newsweek" magazine, February 13, 1995
After the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, professional figure skating exploded. The world's top skaters competed almost weekly in head-to-head and team competitions for serious prize money in events like the World, U.S. and Canadian Professional Championships, Ice Wars, The Legends Of Figure Skating Competition, The Great Skate Debate, Miko Masters, Ladies Professional Championships and The Challenge Of Champions. Some people lined up at box offices for tickets to these events in snowstorms; others publicly dismissed them as 'cheesefests' while privately gorging on Cheetos and watching camel spins from their chesterfields.
In the decades since 'Speedy' Cinquanta came knocking with his hand out, the reasons for the decline of professional competitions have been pondered ad nauseum. Did the skaters price themselves out of the market? Was it oversaturation? Too many rules? Not enough rules? Too many 10.0's? Not enough 6.0's? That conversation has been done to death, and that's not what this feature is about.
"The Almanac Of Professional Figure Skating Competitions" is about re-examining what we think we know about professional figure skating competitions, about setting aside the misguided notion that these events suddenly came out of nowhere in 1994 and died down three or four years later because pro-am's came in, people got tired of Team USA competing against the World Team... or/and/or.
This compilation of chronological results from professional figure skating competitions, dating back to the Victorian era, paints a different picture about these events than the one we've told ourselves... and it doesn't even start at the beginning.
During the Reconstruction Era following the American Civil War, challenges and contests amongst professional 'fancy' skaters for prizes were extremely common. Contests involving American skaters like William H. Bishop (a.k.a. Frank Swift), E.T. Goodrich and Callie Curtis were largely dubious affairs, to put it mildly. There were accounts of skaters bringing in their own judges, penning nasty letters to the hometown newspapers of their fellow competitors and even, if the case of Curtis, masquerading as a woman to win a prize in a 'contest for ladies'. For this reason, results from these events have been excluded.
During the first half of the twentieth century, many professional competitions didn't even feature prize money or if they did, it was a pittance and not skaters' sole motivator for participating. The competitors were instructors and show skaters who had lost their amateur status, but not their love of of competing. As you sift through these results and anecdotes and take a trip down memory lane, I'd like you to thank some of the many people who made this project possible:
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
Bibliothèque Forney
Yvonne Butorac
Jeri Campbell
Isabelle Cérix
Douglas Chapman
Craig Cichy
Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
Robin Cousins
Dayton Metro Library
Daytona Beach Regional Library
Edmonton Public Library
Diana Flynn
Sandra Garde
Randy Gardner
Kathleen Gazich
Debi Gold
Vicki Heasley
Craig Heath
Elaine Hooper, BIS Historian
Halifax Public Libraries
Jaya Kanal
Karen Kresge
Burt Lancon
Nashville Public Library
Lennart Månsson
Bob Mock
Amy Mossman
National Diet Library, Tokyo
Christopher Nolan
Frazer Ormondroyd
Frédéric Ortiz
Professional Skaters Association
Nancy Pluta
Jirina Ribbens
Rochester Public Libraries
Seattle Public Library
St. Louis Public Library
John Rait
Carole Shulman
Frank Sweiding
Elizabeth Thornton
Toronto Reference Library
Worcester Public Library
I'd also like to acknowledge The Rev. Dr. Joelle Colville-Hanson, Traci Lyn and Paula Slater, whose work in cataloguing results from professional competitions in the 1990's and early 2000's served as a great starting point in my research.
These results, compiled the good old-fashioned hard way through hours of sifting through old newspaper and magazine archives, are a 'working document'. If you can contribute in any way by filling in any blanks, I'd love to hear from you!
THE 1882 INTERNATIONALEN PREIS-FIGURENLAUFEN (January 21, 1882, Vienna, Austria)
Internationalen Preis-Figurenlaufen For Professionals:
1. Callie C. Curtis (USA)
2. Edwin Paulsen (NOR)
*One of the first major international figure skating competitions of note on the Continent, the Internationelen Preis-Figurenlaufen (or "Great International Skating Tournament") had categories for amateur and professional skaters, as well as speed skating races. Leopold Frey, Eduard Engelmann Jr. and Axel Paulsen were the top two-finishers in the amateur men's event, while America's Callie C. Curtis won first prize (a gold medal and 1000 francs) in the professional men's event. Axel Paulsen's brother Edwin was the runner-up.
THE 1885 INTERNATIONALES PREIS-SCHLITTSCHUHLAUFEN (January 17-19, 1885, Hamburg, Germany)
Internationales Preis-Schlittschuhlaufen Open To Professionals:
1. Axel Paulsen (NOR)
2. Carl Werner (NOR)
3. Svend Lundblad (SWE)
4. Herr Dr. Töppen (GER)
5. Herr Hansen (GER)
*This competition was held in conjunction with amateur men's, women's and pairs events and speed skating races. As figure skating clubs and organizations became more organized, this event evolved into the national amateur competition we know today as the German Championships.
THE 1886 INTERNATIONALES WETTLAUFEN UM DEN MEISTERSCHAFTSPREIS VON DEUTSCHLAND (January 22-23, 1886, Hamburg, Germany)
Internationales Preis-Schlittschuhlaufen Open To Professionals:
1. Carl Werner (NOR)
2. Callie C. Curtis (USA)
3. Axel Paulsen (NOR)
4. Edwin Paulsen (NOR)
5. Thorwald Groth (DEN)
*This competition was held in conjunction with amateur figure skating contests and speed skating races. As figure skating clubs and organizations became more organized, this event evolved into the national amateur competition we know today as the German Championships.
THE 1887 INTERNATIONALES WETTLAUFEN UM DEN MEISTERSCHAFTSPREIS VON DEUTSCHLAND (January 19, 1887)
Internationales Preis-Schlittschuhlaufen Open To Professionals:
1. Carl Werner (NOR)
2. Callie C. Curtis (USA)
3. Alfred Samuelsen Franklin (USA)
4. Thorwald Groth DEN
*This competition was held in conjunction with amateur figure skating contests and speed skating races. As figure skating clubs and organizations became more organized, this event evolved into the national amateur competition we know today as the German Championships.
THE 1896 BENEFIT OF 'THE PALACE' PROFESSORS (May 18, 1896, London, England)
Ladies And Instructors:
1(t). Miss Brooks and unnamed professor (GRB)
1(t). Miss Wallace and unnamed professor (GRB)
Children And Instructor:
1. Madge Cave and unnamed professor (GRB)
2. Miss Carl and unnamed professor (GRB)
Single Skating By Gentlemen:
1. Edwin Cleary (GRB)
2. Mr. Gordon (GRB)
Ladies Single:
1(t). Miss Brooks (GRB)
1(t). Miss Wallace (GRB)
Lady And Gentlemen:
1. Elizabeth and Edward Jarvis Cave (GRB)
2. Miss Wilson and Mr. Cleary
Children (Under Fifteen Years):
1(t). Master Cave (GRB)
1(t). Miss Wallace (GRB)
Children's Double:
1. Miss Earl and Master Digby (GRB)
*This open event, held at the National Skating Palace in London, is a fine example of the problems that surrounded professionalism and sanctions in figure skating in Victorian England. Arranged as a fundraiser for the instructors at the rink, these contests were for prizes furnished by Lady Archibald Campbell. Though the society pages praised the "fashionable folk [who] whiled away an agreeable hour... watching... the graceful gyrations of the lucky beneficiaries in their picturesque uniforms of Lincoln green and black, with orange shoulder sashes", the festivities led to a major controversy within the National Skating Association. In his book "Our Skating Heritage", late NSA Historian Dennis Bird recalled, "The records show that there were certain strains and differences between [NSA President James Drake Digby] and his colleagues, particularly over 'the Pinero case.' This caused a great rumpus, involving the wife of the Lord Chief Justice of England, a well-known actress, a distinguished playwright, and Digby himself. It arose over a competition at the National Skating Palace in May 1896. It all seems a typhoon in a teapot now, but it evoked earnest argument and even a formal committee of inquiry. All that happened was that some society ladies headed by Lady Russell of Killowen decided to organize some competitions as a Benefit for 'the Palace Professors' - the skating instructors of the rink. The secretary of Lady Russell's little committee was Myra Pinero (the actress Myra Holme); her husband was the author of 'The Second Mrs. Tanqueray' and was later knighted to become Sir Arthur Wing Pinero. Mrs. Pinero innocently put up posters advertising competitions for 'Best Lady Skater, skating with a Professor,' and was alarmed when it was pointed out that amateurs who competed with professionals might lose their status. However, James Drake Digby came gallantly to her aid, personally authorizing the contests, which took place to the general gratification of the participants and audience. The snag was that Mr. Digby had no power to give such an authority. The NSA solemnly set up an inquiry, of which Edgar Syers was a member. Seeking to question Mrs. Pinero, they received a magisterial rebuke from her husband. No further was taken, except that a report was issued which was strongly critical of J.D. Digby. He was understandably hurt, and probably even more so when, a few months later, the comparative newcomer Edgar Syers was appointed Joint General Secretary with him." It should be noted that the participants in these events included Edgar's future wife Madge, her parents and one of her brothers. Madge, of course, went on to win the first Olympic gold medal in women's figure skating in 1908.
THE 1901 PROFESSORS CHAMPIONSHIP AT NIAGARA HALL* (London, England, March 13, 1901)
Men:
1. Karl Aufholz (GER)
2. Harry Stiegert (GER)
*This event was held as a as a last minute substitution for the 1901 World Championships in London, which were moved to Stockholm after Queen Victoria's death. The March 14, 1901 issue of "The Sportsman" reported, "Two of the best skaters among the professional teachers whom the opening of ice rinks has brought to the front were pitted against each other yesterday for a medal and a purse given by the management, plus, of course, the likewise accruing honour. The two contestants were Messrs Karl Aufholz and Harry Stiegert, for several years instructors at the rink. Each man deposited with the appointed judges - Messrs Edgar Syers, Clement Hopkins and H. Torromé - a sealed envelope in which he appointed six figures to be executed, each having to do his own and his rival's feats, making twelve in all. A couple of hours in the afternoon were set apart for this portion of the display, which was watched with most interest by practical skaters who could understand the difficulties overcome and the triumph achieved. At night half an hour was given up to free skating, and here the appeal was to the normal as well as to the educated eye. How close the struggle was appears from the fact that while the winner, Mr. Aufholz, scored 965 points, Mr. Stiegert, who was second, had 990 to his credit, the apparent topsy-turviness of these figures being accounted for by the method of scoring, so that with his 965 Aufholz had two firsts and a second, while Stiegert, not withstanding his 990, had two seconds and one first."
Arthur Held
THE 1916 HIPPODROME CHALLENGE CUP* (New York City, New York, February 19, 1916)
Men:
1. Arthur Held (GER)
2. Gerald Bowden (USA)
3. Walter William Brewer (GRB)
4. C.H.L. Veins (USA)
5. Adolf Windsperger (AUT)
*The Hippodrome Challenge Cup was a series of 'fancy' skating contests held at the Hippodrome Theatre in New York, home of Charlotte Oelschlägel of the Admiralspalast Eisballets, in February of 1916. Broadway impresario Charles Dillingham (who was responsible for bringing Charlotte over from Europe) donated the Hippodrome Challenge Cup for "the best skater, man or woman, of the International Style of skating". A separate contest held in conjunction with this event, the Professional Free Skating Cup, was judged by audience ballot. The fourth place finisher, C.H.L. Veins, performed on fifteen inch stilt skates and the third place finisher, Professor Brewer, did "a somersault from a straight jump." The 1917 Hippodrome Cup did not include a contest for professionals, the success of 1916 event inspired Harry Paulsen, the Norwegian Champion from 1908 to 1911, to lobby for a separate "contest to decide the World's Professional Fancy Skating Championship" in 1917. He convinced Thomas Healy, whose rooftop ice shows at the Golden Glades restaurant on Columbus Avenue and West 66th Street in New York were a huge hit, to put up a five hundred dollar cash prize for the competition. "The winners", according to the "Buffalo Courier", were "to be selected and the terms and conditions decided by a committee of sporting writers. All admissions are to be presented to charity." Unfortunately, Paulsen's idea never made it off the ground.
THE 1926 TESTS INTERNATIONAUX DE L'ASSOCIATION ROMANDE DE PATINAGE* (St. Moritz, Switzerland, January and February 1926)
Internationale 1re Classe Pour la Médaille d'Or (3rd Series):
1. Howard Nicholson (USA)
2. Phil Taylor (GRB)
Internationale 2e Classe Pour la Médaille d'Or (3rd Series):
1. Phil Taylor (GRB)
2. Rudolf Angola (GER)
Internationale 2e Classe Pour la Médaille d'Or:
1. Howard Nicholson (USA)
Internationale 3e Classe Pour la Médaille d'Or (3rd Series):
1. Phil Taylor (GRB)
2. Rudolf Angola (GER)
3. Comtesse Frida Finckenstein (PRU)
4. Elsie Derksen (GER)
Internationale 3e Classe Pour la Médaille d'Or (2nd Series):
1. Paul Kreckow (GER)
2. Howard Nicholson (USA)
3. Mlle. Lucille Kaulbach (CAN)
Le Concours De Valse Sur Glace (Waltzing):
1. Mlle. Grice and M. Petre (SUI)
2. Mlle. Wegelin and M. Wili (SUI)
*In 1926, L'Association Romande de Patinage hosted a series of tests at the ice rinks at the Grand Hôtel, Kulm and Kurverein in St. Moritz that were an important precursor to the Professional Championships that would held in Great Britain and Switzerland in the early thirties. Though not a professional competition per se, this was one of the first times a large group of (mostly) well-established professional figure skaters took international tests at the same time and had their scores published publicly. It is perhaps through publication of these scores in the Fédération Française des Sports d'Hiver's widely-read journal "Sports de neige et de glace" that top professional skaters of the roaring twenties like Howard Nicholson and Phil Taylor were being announced as Champions in Switzerland and France before they ever entered a skating competition, amateur or professional.
THE 1931 OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP OF GREAT BRITAIN IN THE INTERNATIONAL STYLE FOR MEN* (London, England, April 13, 1931)
Men:
1. Howard Nicholson (USA)
*. Phil Taylor (GRB)
*. Ernst Hartung (GER)
*. Albert Enders (AUS)
*. Fritz Mattauch (AUT)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). The National Skating Association's first Professional Championships were held at the Golders Green Rink in London. The April 1931 issue of "The Skating Times" noted, "This is open to all male professionals who have practiced during the season on British rinks." Women's and pairs events weren't added until the following year. The same school figures skated at the British Championships were performed. The skaters were required to meet a minimum total mark to receive a placement. Nicholson, recalled Benjamin T. Wright, won "the first competition in 1931 in a 'walk-over,' as the only entry skating to the required standard."
THE 1931 WALTZ AND TEN-STEP COMPETITIONS FOR PROFESSIONALS ONLY* (Bournemouth, England, October 22, 1931)
*One of the earliest examples of ice dance competitions specifically for professionals in England were contests organized in conjunction with the Westover Ice Rink in Bournemouth's gymkhanas in October of 1931. A record of the winners was not published in a report in the "Bournemouth Graphic", but they may well have been May Wyatt and W. Styles, instructors at the rink who regularly gave exhibitions there.
Sadie Cambridge and Albert Enders
THE 1932 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (men and pairs - Oxford, April 4, 1932, women - April 11, 1932, London, England)
Men:
1. Howard Nicholson (USA) 2. Walter Arian (AUT) 3. Ernst Hartung (GER) 4. Albert Enders (AUS) 5. Walter E. Gregory (GRB)* 6. Sidney Charlton (GRB) 7. Fritz Mattauch (AUT) WD. Armand Perren (SUI)
Women:
1. Melitta Brunner (AUT) 2. Joyce Macbeth (GRB)* 3. Sadie Cambridge (AUS) 4. Miss Watkins (GRB) 5. Pearl Kelly (GRB) 6. Christl Müller (AUT)
Pairs:
1. Sadie Cambridge and Albert Enders (AUS) 2. Trudy Harris and Paul Kreckow (GRB/GER)* 3. Phyllis Smiles and Orrin Markhus (GRB/USA) 4. Madge Austin and Colin Ford (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). In their early days, the World and British Open Professional Championships were often broken up and held separately at different rinks on different dates. It was quite common for the professional pairs event, for instance, to be held in conjunction with an exhibition gala and the men's alongside an amateur junior women's free skating contest. The women's event at Streatham Ice Rink drew fifteen hundred spectators.
THE 1933 CHAMPIONNAT SUISSE PROFESSIONNEL DE PATINAGE ARTISTIQUE (Neuchâtel, Switzerland, March 5, 1933)
Singles:
1. Jacques Gerschwiler (SUI)
2. Alfred Mégroz (SUI)
3. Arnold Gerschwiler (SUI)
4. Mme. Tony Schmid-Rogger (SUI)
5. H. Kaufmann (SUI)
Pairs:
1. Mme. and M. Lorentz (SUI)
2. Mlle. Platzer and M. Gugelmann (SUI)
3. Mme. and Charly Inauen (SUI)
*Jacques Gerschwiler was so impressed with the 1932 World and British Open Professional Championships that he, through the CPA Neuchâtel and Schweizer Eislauflehrer Verband, organized (and competed in) Switzerland's first official competition for professional instructors in 1933. Gersch brought his student Cecilia Colledge to give an exhibition at the event. The competition consisted of compulsory figures and free skating for singles (mixed - men and women) and pairs skating. Despite poor weather, this outdoor competition drew skaters from Zuoz, Caux, Arbon, Grindelwald, Zermatt, Adelboden, Gstaad and Zürich. An article about the event which appeared in the March 6, 1933 issue of "L'Express" expressed the CPA's sentiment, "We certainly do not pretend to want to create a Swiss school; the meeting of the different teachers who operate in our country, besides being an excellent stimulus, allows to establish a comparison between the different methods employed, which can only have the happiest effect on the art of skating in general... It is comforting to note that today we already have a sufficient number of qualified national teachers, who will allow us, as has been done in other sports, to gradually dispense with foreign forces."
THE 1933 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (women - Oxford, England, April 10, 1933, men - London, England, April 21, 1933, pairs - Manchester, England, April 24, 1933, ice dance - London, England, June 1933)
Men:
1. Howard Nicholson (USA) 2. Jacques Gerschwiler (SUI) 3. Walter Arian (AUT) 4. Otto Gold (CZE) 5. Walter E. Gregory (GRB)*
Women:
1. Joyce Macbeth (GRB)* 2. Melitta Brunner (AUT)
Pairs:
1. Sadie Cambridge and Albert Enders (AUS) 2. Emmie Boyd and Len Stewart (GRB)* 3. Kathleen Shaw and R. Crook (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Elsie Heathcote and Erik van der Weyden (GRB)*
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). In the first professional ice dance competition in England (organized by the National Association) at the Westminster Ice Rink, couples were required to perform a Foxtrot. In "Skating World" magazine in 1958, Erik van der Weyden recalled the problems that early ice dance competitions in England faced: "At that time there were no dance records and each musical director more or less pleased himself regarding tempo, although the tempo was even then apt to change from day to day, according to who was in the rink and had the loudest say!"
THE 1933 NATIONAL SKATING ASSOCIATION NEW DANCE COMPETITION* (London, England, April 1933)
Ice Dance:
1. Slow Fox (Keats Foxtrot) - Eva Keats and Erik van der Weyden (GRB)
*The National Skating Association organized this event to encourage couples to present new ice dances. Professionals and amateurs competed against one another. The winners, Eva Keats and Erik van der Weyden, unveiled their Foxtrot at this event.
Nate Walley
THE 1934 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (women - London, England, April 19, 1934, men - London, England, April 26, 1934, pairs - Birmingham, England, April 12, 1934, ice dance - Manchester, England)
Men:
1. Nate Walley (USA) 2. Howard Nicholson (USA) 3. Jacques Gerschwiler (SUI) 4. Edi Scholdan (AUT)
Women:
1. Joyce Macbeth (GRB)* 2. Joan Dix (GRB)
3. Christl Müller (AUT)
Pairs:
1. Sadie Cambridge and Albert Enders (AUS) 2. Fredi Meerkamper and Eugene Mikeler (SUI/AUT) 3. Phyllis Smiles and Orrin Markhus (GRB/USA)*
Ice Dance:
1. Barbara Wright and Jack Wake (GRB)*
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers)
THE 1934 INTER-RINK PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMPETITION* (Manchester, England, April 21, 1934)
Ice Dance:
1. Elsie Heathcote and Jack Wake (GRB)
*This competition consisted of four different rounds of dances, each with a five pound prize. The Waltz, Foxtrot, Ten-Step and Tango were all won by Heathcote and Wake. Judges included Daphne Walllis and Reginald Wilkie, Roy Scott Hewett and Sydney Wallwork.
THE 1934 SKATING TIMES NEW DANCE COMPETITION* (London, England, December 15, 1934)
Ice Dance:
1. Viennese Waltz - Eva Keats and Erik van der Weyden (GRB)
2. Blues - Lesley Turner and Robert Dench (GRB)
3. Rocker Foxtrot - Eva Keats and Erik van der Weyden (GRB)
*"The Skating Times", in cooperation with the National Skating Association, organized this event at Streatham Ice Rink to encourage couples to present new ice dances. Professionals and amateurs competed against one another.
THE 1935 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (women - London, England, April 3, 1935, pairs - Manchester, England, April 5, 1935, men - London, England, April 24, 1935, ice dance - Manchester, England, April 13, 1935)
Men:
1. Nate Walley (USA) 2. Hope Braine (GRB)* 3. Helmut Rolle (GER)
4. Arnold Gerschwiler (SUI)
5. Eugen Mikeler (AUT)
6. Fritz Dietl (AUT)
7. Edi Scholdan (AUT)
Women:
1. Joyce Macbeth (GRB)*
2. Joan Dix (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Sadie Cambridge and Albert Enders (AUS) 2. Fredi Meerkamper and Eugene Mikeler (SUI/AUT) 3. Madge Austin and Colin Ford (GRB)*
Ice Dance:
1. Barbara Wright and Jack Wake (GRB)*
3. Lesley Turner and Bob Dench (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers)
THE 1936 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (men, women and pairs - London, England, April 7, 1936, ice dance - Manchester, England)
Men:
1. Hope Braine (GRB)* 2. Helmut Rolle (GER) 3. Arnold Gerschwiler (SUI)
1. Sadie Cambridge and Albert Enders (AUS) 2. Madge Austin and Colin Ford (GRB)* 3. Emmie Boyd and Len Stewart (GRB)
Waltz:
1. Barbara Wright and Jack Wake (GRB)*
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers)
THE 1936 SKATING TIMES WALTZING COMPETITION* (London, England, April 8, 1936)
Ice Dance:
1. Daphne Wallis and Reginald J. Wilkie (GRB)
2. Violet and Leslie Cliff (GRB)
3. Rosemarie Stewart and Ernest H.C. Yates (GRB)
4. Miss Hieronimos and Mr. Francis (GRB)
5. Miss Lightfoot and Monty Readhead (GRB)
*This contest, sponsored by "The Skating Times", was open to both amateur and professional ice dancers. A report in the magazine noted, "Ten couples entered for the competition, and after a preliminary few minutes of free waltzing five of these were eliminated and five remained to skate alone one by one."
Andrée and Pierre Brunet
THE 1937 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Harringay, North London, England, April 12, 1937)
Men:
1. Hope Braine (GRB)* 2. Helmut Rolle (GER)
Women:
1. Pamela Prior (GRB)*
Pairs:
1. Sadie Cambridge and Albert Enders (AUS) 2. Andrée and Pierre Brunet (FRA)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). Pamela Prior was the only entrant in the women's event but was still expected to achieve specific scores in both compulsory figures and free skating to earn the crown. She was only seventeen years old. The 1937 Championships were the final ones for singles and pairs to be held before the outbreak of World War II. A report by George Graham in "The Skating Times" in 1938 noted, "The National Skating Association have decided not to hold the Open Professional Championships of Great Britain this year. The reason for this decision is a lack of support on the part of the professionals themselves. I understand that a circular was sent out to all likely competitors and that the entries received by the closing date numbered only two: one for the ladies' and one for the pairs' event... It seems a great pity that an event... should be allowed to lapse... There is no doubt that professionals have certain legitimate grievances against the N.S.A. but the salient fact which seems to have slipped from their minds is that but for the N.S.A., and its comprehensive system of tests and amateur championships, the professionals themselves would hardly be in a position to earn a decent livelihood on ice. One of the grievances of the pros is that the monetary award of winning is very small. This, however, seems hardly to be a matter for the Association as much as for the rink management staging the event. A substantial monetary prize offered by the rink would compensate the winner for the lost time and work which he puts in during the season whilst training for the title... The question of judging and the draw for compulsory figures, which is another grievance of the professionals, could be adjusted as time went on. Perhaps it is not too late to mend matters yet. Now is the chance for rink managements to step in and close the rapidly widening breach between the ice teachers and the National Skating Association."
Photo courtesy Elaine Hooper, BIS Archive
THE 1938 SKATING TIMES COMPETITION FOR NEW ICE DANCES* (London, England, November 22, 1938)
Ice Dance:
1. Argentine Tango - Daphne Wallis and Reginald J. Wilkie (GRB)
2. Waltz 48 - Eva Keats and Erik van der Weyden (GRB)
3. Waltz 58 (Westminster Waltz) - Eva Keats and Erik van der Weyden (GRB)
*. Quickstep - Daphne Wallis and Reginald J. Wilkie (GRB)
*. Paso Doble - Daphne Wallis and Reginald J. Wilkie (GRB)
*. Reverse Waltz - M. Longster and H.H. MacKeown (GRB)
*. Swing-Step - Gladys Hogg and Monty Readhead (GRB)
*. Rhumba - Gladys Hogg and Monty Readhead (GRB)
*. Roquina Waltz - Peggy Stephany and R.F.G. Hamilton (GRB)
*. Argentina - Margaret Newson and Cyril Grace (GRB)
*. Foxtrot - Joanne Stanbrook and H.F. Pope (GRB)
*. Ice Polka - D. Kahn and E.V. Taylor (GRB)
*. Slow Fox-Trot - Mrs. Monty Readhead and L. Ward (GRB)
*. Swing Fox-Trot - Peggy Stephany and John Hildrow (GRB)
WD. Argentina Foxtrot - J.W. Harnett and partner (GRB)
*"The Skating Times", in cooperation with the National Skating Association, organized this event to encourage couples to present new ice dances. Professionals and amateurs competed against one another. The judges marked a tick next to the dances they wanted to see a second time and decided upon the top three thusly.
THE 1938 WESTMINSTER NEW ICE DANCE COMPETITION* (London, England, December 1938)
Ice Dance:
1. Roquina Waltz - Peggy Stephany and R.F.G. Hamilton (GRB)
*. Quickstep - Daphne Wallis and Reginald J. Wilkie (GRB)
*. Paso Doble - Daphne Wallis and Reginald J. Wilkie (GRB)
*The Westminster Ice Club, in cooperation with the National Skating Association, organized this event to encourage couples to present new ice dances. Professionals and amateurs competed against one another.
THE 1939 BRITISH PROFESSIONAL ICE DANCING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, April 26, 1939)
Ice Dance:
1. Muriel Roberts and Walter E. Gregory (GRB)*
*This event was held at Westminster Ice Rink in conjunction with the British Ice Dance Championships. Professional dancers performed four compulsories (Kilian, Rocker Foxtrot, Blues and Waltz) and "a two and half minute exhibition of free skating... [differing] from ordinary pair skating as every evolution must be recognisable as a definite dance-step as opposed to figure-skating."
Olive Robinson. Photo courtesy New York Heritage Digital Collections.
THE 1946 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, April 8-9, 1946)
1. Joyce and Colin Bosley (GRB)* 2. Gladys Hogg and Edwin 'Nibs' Edmonds (GRB) 3. Joy Ricketts and Jimmy Macaulay (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). This event was held in conjunction with the Amateur Junior Figure Skating Competition for Men and Ladies at the Richmond Sports-Drome. The men's event was not held owing to a lack of entries following World War II.
Photo courtesy "Ice Skating" magazine.
THE 1947 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, March 18, 1947)
Women:
1. Cecilia Colledge (GRB)*
2. Anne Westcott (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Gladys Hogg and Ronnie Baker (GRB)* 2. Joy Ricketts and Jimmy Macaulay (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Gladys Hogg and Ronnie Baker (GRB)*
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). The men's event was not held because there was only one entrant, Herbert Alward.
Cecilia Colledge. Photo courtesy National Portrait Gallery.
THE 1948 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, May 24, 1948)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). This event was held in conjunction with the Amateur Junior Figure Skating Competition for Men, Ladies and Pairs. The men's event was not held due to a lack of entries. Cecilia Colledge was under a three hundred pound a week contract with Tom Arnold to skate in his ice revue at the Manchester Ice Palace at the time of the event. She defended her title on her day off.
THE 1949 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (men, women, pairs and ice dance - Brighton, England, April 25, 1949, ice dance - London, England December 9, 1949)
Men:
1. Herbert Alward (AUT) 2. Fernand Leemans (BEL) 3. Ian Currie (GRB)*
1. Elvire Collin and Fernand Leemans (BEL) 2. Winnie and Dennis Silverthorne (GRB)* 3. Marjorie Taylor and Ronnie Baker (GRB) 4. Joan and Bob Ogilvie (GRB)
WD. Joyce and Colin Bosley (GRB)
Ice Dance (April):
1. Marjorie Taylor and Ronnie Baker (GRB)* 2. Joyce and Colin Bosley (GRB) 3. Joan Hawkins and Monty Readhead (GRB) 4. Jacqueline Vives and Lucien Alliot (FRA)
Ice Dance (December):
1. Gladys Hogg and Bernard Spencer (GRB)* 2. Violet Thomson and Kenneth Vickers (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). In her formidable textbook of ice dance history, Lynn Copley-Graves explained how the amateur free dance, part of a May 1949 proposal by Reginald Wilkie and Bill Hickok to the International Skating Union, got its trial start in professional competition: "On December 9, 1949, two professional couples tried out the new ISU rules in England, the first reported use of the rules in a major competition. The free dancing of Gladys Hogg and Bernard Spencer won both acclaim and the title. Gladys and Bern, already two of the finest British dance trainers of the era, set a standard for what free dancing could be." Finishing second behind Hogg and Spencer but also noteworthy in their contribution to skating history by performing one of the first two ISU free dances in the world were another British couple, Violet Thomson and Kenneth Vickers. The December event was held in conjunction with the British Championships (amateur) for men, women and pairs and British Speed Skating Championships at Earl's Court.
THE 1950 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, May 22, 1950)
Men:
1. Herbert Alward (AUT)
2. Arthur Apfel (SAF)
Pairs:
1. Joyce and Colin Bosley (GRB)*
2. Joan Hawkins and Monty Readhead (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Gladys Hogg and Bernard Spencer (GRB)*
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). Moira June MacDonald entered to defend her title in 1950 at Queen's, but the NSA cancelled the women's event "due to an insufficient number of entries."
THE 1951 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (ice dance - Nottingham, England, March 31, 1951, women and pairs - London, England, April 25, 1951)
Women:
1. Marilyn Hoskins (GRB)* 2. Moira June MacDonald (GRB) 3. J. Cox (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Olive Robinson and Bernard Spencer (GRB)*
2. Pamela Murray and Len Liggett (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Joan Hawkins and Monty Readhead (GRB)*
2. Pamela Murray and Len Liggett (GRB) 3. Wendy Mann and Harry Parnell (GRB)
4. Myrtle Leeds and Don Crosthwaite (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). The men's event was not held due to a lack of entries.
Photo courtesy "Skating World" magazine
THE 1952 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (ice dance - Nottingham, England, April 5, 1952, women and pairs -Brighton, England, April 21, 1952)
Women:
1. Beryl Bailey (GRB)*
Pairs:
1. Pamela Murray and Len Liggett (GRB)* 2. Joan Waterhouse and Gordon Holloway (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Pamela Murray and Len Liggett (GRB)*
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). In a report in "Skating World" magazine, NSA Historian Dennis Bird suggested the reason that there were no men's entrants (for a second year in a row) might have been the fact "the factor five-figures kept them off". Though Beryl Bailey was the only women's entry, she still had to execute six figures and a free skating program. The figures were the BBI Double-Three, LFI Counter, RBO Three-Change-Three, LFO Rocker, RFO Loop-Change-Loop and LFO Bracket-Change-Bracket. Compulsory figures - and compulsory dances - were an important part of the World and British Open Professional Championships in the fifties.
Reg Park. Photo courtesy "Ice Skate" magazine.
THE 1953 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Nottingham, England, March 28, 1953)
Men:
1. Reg Park (AUS)
Women:
1. Moira June MacDonald (GRB)*
Pairs:
1. Maureen Pain and Bill Hinchy (GRB/AUS)* 2. Barbara and Monty Readhead (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Pamela Murray and Len Liggett (GRB)* 2. Wendy Mann and Harry Parnell (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). This event was held at the Nottingham Ice Stadium in conjunction with the Amateur Junior Championships for Men, Ladies and Pairs.
THE 1954 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (ice dance - March 6, 1954, Nottingham, England, women and pairs - March 25, 1954, London, England)
Women:
1. Moira June MacDonald (GRB)*
2. Carole Ann Potter (GRB)
3. Audrey Bailey (GRB)
4. Beryl Hodgson (GRB)
5. Delicia E. Dudek (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Moira June MacDonald and Tony Scott (GRB)*
2. Gladys Jagger and Willie Rae (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Pamela Murray and Len Liggett (GRB)*
2. Barbara and Monty Readhead (GRB)
3. Wendy Mann and Harry Parnell (GRB)
4. Doreen and Len Sayward (GRB)
5. Mary and Fred Borodaile (GRB)
6. Audrey Bailey and Frank Clegg (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). The ice dance event was held in Nottingham in conjunction with the British Ice Dance Championships (amateur) and the women's and pairs were held at the Richmond Sports-Drome in conjunction with the Amateur Junior Championships for Men, Ladies and Pairs. Moira June MacDonald made history as the first skater (man or woman) to win both a singles and pairs title in the same year at the Open Professional Championships.
THE 1955 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Nottingham, England, April 30, 1955)
Men (Free Skating):
1. Douglas Chapman (GRB)* 2. Jack Lee (AUS) 3. Gordon Holloway (GRB)
4. Leonard Brown (GRB)
Women:
1. Jennifer Nicks (GRB)*
2. Beryl Hodgson (GRB)
Women (Free Skating):
1. Elaine Skevington (GRB)*
2. Carole Ann Potter (GRB)
3. Gladys Jagger (GRB)
4. June M. Hughes (GRB)
5. Delicia E. Dudek (GRB)
6. P.A. Rees (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Olive Robinson and Bernard Spencer (GRB)*
2. Gladys Jagger and Willie Rae (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Joan (Dewhirst) and John Slater (GRB)*
2. Wendy Mann and Harry Parnell (GRB)
3. Doreen and Len Sayward (GRB)
4. Mme. and Mr. Lucien Boyer (FRA)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). At the 1955 event at the Nottingham Ice Stadium, there were Open Professional Championships for women, pairs and ice dance and separate Open Professional Free Skating Competitions for men and women.
THE 1956 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Nottingham, England, May 12, 1956)
Men (Free Skating):
1. Jack Lee (AUS)
2. Alex McGowan (GRB)
3. Leonard Brown (GRB)
4. I. Mann (GRB)
Women:
1. Jennifer Nicks (GRB)*
2. Beryl Hodgson (GRB)
Women (Free Skating):
1. Vivien Higson (GRB)*
2. May Johnstone (GRB)
3. Carol M. Pound (GRB)
4. June M. Hughes (GRB)
5. Delicia E. Dudek (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Olive (Robinson) and Bernard Spencer (GRB)*
2. Rosina Blackburn and Raymond Lockwood (GRB)
3. Anne Double and Alan Foster (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Joan (Dewhirst) and John Slater (GRB)* 2. Rosina Blackburn and Raymond Lockwood (CAN) 3. Betty Loach and Len Sayward (GRB) 4. Wendy Mann and Harry Parnell (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). At the 1956 event at the Nottingham Ice Stadium, there were separate Open Professional Championships and Open Professional Free Skating Competitions as in 1955. After the 1956 event, the National Skating Association relinquished control of the Open Professional Championships to the Imperial Professional Skating Association of Great Britain and International Professional Skating Association, and a Championship Committee consisting of Roy Callaway, Joan Hawkins, Don Crosthwaite and Peggy Tomlins set to work revamping the event.
Top: Advertisement for the 1957 World and British Open Professional Championships. Bottom left: George Miller preparing backstage. Bottom right: Women's medallists. Photos courtesy "Skating World" magazine.
THE 1957 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Nottingham, England, May 11, 1957)
Men:
1. Martin Minshull (GRB)* 2. Alex McGowan (GRB) 3. Basil Cudlipp-Green (GRB) WD. George Miller (GRB)
Women:
1. Maryvonne Huet (FRA) 2. Moira June MacDonald (GRB)* 3. Betty Hiscock (CAN) 4. Vivien Higson (GRB) 5. Toni Congdon (GRB) 6. Linda Shanian (GRB) 7. Thelma Perry (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Rosina and Raymond Lockwood (CAN) 2. Jacqueline Ward and George Miller (GRB)*
Ice Dance:
1. Joan (Dewhirst) and John Slater (GRB)* 2. Rosina and Raymond Lockwood (CAN) 3. Betty Loach and Len Sayward (GRB) 4. Peri Horne and Ron Barnett (GRB) 5. Wendy and Harry Mann (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). The 1957 Open Professional Championships marked the first time that skaters would compete for considerable prize money - a total purse of five hundred pounds. It was also the first year that the competition fell under the organization of the International Professional Skaters Association, previous events having been organized by the National Skating Association. T.D. Richardson noted that there was initially a lot out doubt as to whether or not the event would work out under the organization of IPSA, and when there were few international entries in 1957, there were "a lot of 'I told you so's'." School figures were dropped, to the delight of busy professionals who simply hadn't the time to devote to practicing loops and brackets between giving lessons or while performing in ice pantomimes. The judging system was also revamped in 1957, with six judges (five in dance) and marks given on a 10.0 scales. The total points, not ordinals, decided the winners, and each judge presided over one aspect of the skater's performance. In singles skating, there was a judge apiece for spins, jumps, steps, general performance, musical interpretation and artistic conception. In pairs, judges looked at spins, jumps and lifts, steps, performance, musical interpretation and artistic conception. In compulsory dances, they assessed correct edges, correct pattern style, correctness of footwork, rhythm and timing and interpretation of music, and in the free dance contents and difficulty, rhythm and timing, unison and co-ordination and musical interpretation.
Photos courtesy "Skating World" magazine
THE 1958 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Nottingham, England, May 31, 1958)
Men:
1. Ronnie Robertson (USA) 2. Martin Minshull (GRB)* 3. Douglas Chapman (GRB)
Women:
1. Catherine Machado (USA) 2. Patricia Edwards (GRB)* 3. Toni Congdon (GRB) 4. Jill Patterson (GRB) 5. Audrey McColl (GRB) 6. May Johnstone (GRB) 7. Margaret Sclare (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Rosina and Raymond Lockwood (CAN) 2. Peri Horne and Basil Cudlipp-Green (GRB)* 3. Carol and Michael Weldon (a.k.a. Carole and Michel, Carol-Anne Dallow and Michel Henry) (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Rosina and Raymond Lockwood (CAN) 2. Joan (Dewhirst) and John Slater (GRB)* 3. Betty McLeod and Len Sayward (GRB) 4. Anne Palmer and Roy Lee (GRB) 5. June Mann and John Pearce (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). A hugely important development for the Open Professional Championships came in 1958, when the BBC televised all four disciplines of the event held at Nottingham Ice Stadium, allowing television audiences in England their first glimpse at professional competition. With Alan Weeks and Max Robertson as commentators, this television coverage continued well into the sixties. The concept of tasking judges with scoring one specific aspect of a skater or couple's performance was already established at the time of this event. In the ice dance event, judges were assigned to Correct Edges and Pattern, Style, Rhythm and Timing, Interpretation and Correctness of Footwork in the compulsories and Contents and Difficulty, Style, Rhythm and Timing, Unison and Coordination and Musical Interpretation in the free dance. This system, likewise having judges score jumps, spins, footwork, artistry etc. in free skating, was later employed at the Jaca, U.S. Open and other events.
Left: Pairs medallists at the 1957 World and British Open Professoonal Championships. Photo courtesy "Skating World" magzine. Right: World and British Professional Champion Martin Minshull. Photos courtesy Joseph Butchko Collection, an acquisition of the Skate Guard Archive.
THE 1959 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Nottingham, England, May 23, 1959)
Men:
1. Martin Minshull (GRB)* WD. Ronnie McKenzie (GRB)
1. Lesley Norfolk and John Pearce (GRB)* 2. Suzanne Park and Kevin McGrath (GRB) 3. Peri Horne and Basil Cudlipp-Green (GRB) 4. Margaret Bessell and Michael Marians (GRB)
Dance:
1. Joan (Dewhirst) and John Slater (GRB)* 2. June Markham and Ron Barnett (GRB) 3. Betty Loach and Len Sayward (GRB) 4. Anne Palmer and Roy Lee (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). In his book "This Skating Age", sportswriter Howard Bass noted how much more support the Open Professional Championships would have received if they'd managed to draw in more big-name stars. Promoters and agents had floated the idea of professional competitions among big name stars for years. In the thirties, Bess Ehrhardt of the Ice Follies told reporters she'd gladly give Maribel Vinson Owen a run for her money. In the forties and fifties, there was talk of skate-off's between Barbara Ann Scott and Sonja Henie... and Barbara Ann Scott and Mary Rose Thacker. Howard Bass suggested, "Parallel to the delight of seeing tennis giants like Gonzales, Hoad, Sedgman and Segura in an open Wimbledon, in ice skating it would indeed pull in the crowds if professionals of the Sonja Henie, Belita or Cecilia Colledge class were permitted to match their free-style ability with that of Carol Heiss and company. School figures, of course, entail too much preparation time to be competitively practical for theatrical or tutorial professionals."
Women's (top) and pairs (bottom) medallists at the 1960 World's and British Open Professional Figure Skating Championships. Photos courtesy "Skating World" magazine.Canadi
THE 1960 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, May 21, 1960)
Men:
1. Martin Minshull (GRB)*
2. Richard Dwyer (USA)
3. Rodney Ward (GRB)
4. George Miller (GRB)
5. Alex McGowan (GRB)
6. Derek James (GRB)
Women:
1. Thelma Perry (GRB)*
2. Susan E.H. Judge (GRB)
3. Maria Roche (GRB)
4. Audrey (Bailey) Bexley (GRB)
5. Gillian M. Thorpe (GRB)
6. Audrey Hargreaves (GRB)
7. Brenda Martin (GRB)
WD. Rickie Ann Rendich (USA)
WD. Christine Ellard (GRB)
WD. Iris Lloyd-Webb (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Carol and Michael Weldon (a.k.a. Carole and Michel, Carol-Anne Dallow and Michel Henry) (GRB)*
2. Lesley Norfolk and John Pearce (GRB)
3. Joyce Coates and Anthony Holles (GRB)
4. Janette Dimmock and Tommy Duckett (GRB)
5. Lola Farrell and George Miller (GRB)
6. Suzanne Park and Kevin McGrath (GRB)
7. Iris Baker and Alain Herminjard (SUI)
8. Pat Mills and Norman Stratford (GRB)
WD. Jo Barnum and Tommy McInnish (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Joan (Dewhirst) and John Slater (GRB)*
2. Anne Palmer and Roy Lee (GRB)
3. Betty Loach and Len Sayward (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). Lesley Norfolk and John Pearce and Joyce Coates and Anthony Holles tied in points, but under the rules of the event the marks of the two non-skating judges (Reginald Swinney, who judged musical interpretation and Louie Barker, who judged artistic conception) were eliminated, resulting in Norfolk and Pearce taking second by one tenth of a point based on the marks of the other four judges. The last-place pair, Pat Mills and Norman Stratford, had two costume mishaps. She lost a feather from her costume; he his bowtie.
Left: Joan and John Slater. Right: Thelma Perry. Photos courtesy "Skating World" magazine.
THE 1961 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, May 20, 1961)
Men:
1. Michael Carrington (GRB)*
2. David Clements (GRB)
3. Derek James (GRB)
4. Rodney Ward (GRB)
5. Joseph W. Price (GRB)
6. István Szenes (HUN)
Women:
1. Thelma Perry (GRB)*
2. Bärbel Martin (FRG)
3. Audrey Hargreaves (GRB)
4. Desira Skene (CAN)
5. Doreen Holton (GRB)
6. Heather Belbin (GRB)
7. Wendy J. Mills (GRB)
8. Susan E.H. Judge (GRB)
9. Joyce Pope (GRB)
10. Sonya Baruch (GRB)
11. Maria Roche (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Peri Horne and Basil Cudlipp-Green (GRB)*
2. Yvonne Reyner and Harry Glick (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Joan (Dewhirst) and John Slater (GRB)*
2. Anne Palmer and Roy Lee (GRB)
3. Jane F.P. Gray and Syd Brown (GRB)
New Dances:
1. Foxtrot (Joan Dewhirst and John Slater)
2. Polka (Peri Horne and Basil Cudlipp-Green)
3. Reverse Waltz (Joan Hawkins and Erik van der Weyden)
4. Samba (Anne Palmer and Roy Lee)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). A competition for new ice dances was planned in conjunction with this event. Held separately from the ice dance event, which consisted of three compulsories (the Viennese Waltz, Rhumba and Fourteenstep) and a free dance was a competition for new ice dancers. Sixty-four year old Erik van der Weyden, who'd won new dance events back in the thirties, participated. The IPSA judging system where each judge was responsible for evaluating a different aspect of each performance came under fire when István Szenes, the only non-British skater in the men's event, placed dead last. Szenes received the highest marks for artistic conception and the second highest marks for jumps (packing his program with doubles) but received only a 7.5 for steps from Erik van der Weyden, which put him in last because less than two points separated the six skaters. His consolation prize was the Gerald Palmer Trophy, a special award given to the skater with the most applause in any event.
THE 1962 ORIGINAL DANCE COMPETITION* (London, England, May 1962)
Ice Dance:
1. Tango-Bolero
?. Samba
?. Samba
?. Beguine
?. Beguine
?. Foxtrot
?. Polka
?. Mazurka
?. Reverse Waltz
*Similar to the Competitions for New Dances held prior to World War II and at the previous year's World and British Professional Championships, this event (organized by Courtney Jones) was held with the purpose of sourcing new pattern dances with Viennese Waltz, Rhumba, Polka and Samba tempos and/or rhythms for both competition and dance intervals and rinks. Held at Queen's Ice Rink, the event was open to both amateurs and professionals and held under the auspices of the National Skating Association's Ice Dance Committee. Ice dances were required to submit a written diagram and description of each dance they demonstrated.
Left: Men's medallists at the 1962 World's and British Open Professional Championships. Photo courtesy "Skating World" magazine. Right: Ronnie McKenzie. Photo courtesy "Ice Skate" magazine.
Ice dance medallists at the 1962 World's and British Open Professional Championships. Photo courtesy "Skating World" magazine.
THE 1962 WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Nottingham, England, May 11-12, 1962)
Men:
1. Ronnie McKenzie (GRB)*
2. Alex McGowan (GRB)
3. Christopher Robin Jones (GRB)
4. Robert W. McKay (GRB)
5. Rodney Ward (GRB)
Women (World):
1. Barbara Conniff (GRB)
2. Bärbel Martin (FRG)
3. Anne P.M. Reynolds (GRB)
4. Lesley Towndrow (GRB)
5. Heather Anne Moir (GRB)
6. Petra Damm (FRG)
7. Heather Belbin (USA)
8. Wendy J. Mills (GRB)
9. Wendy Paton (GRB)
10. Jocelyn Davidson (CAN)
11. Joanne Henderson (USA)
Women (British):
1. Barbara Conniff (GRB)*
2. Anne P.M. Reynolds (GRB)
3. Heather Anne Moir (GRB)
4. Lesley Towndrow (GRB)
5. Wendy Paton (GRB)
6. Wendy J. Mills (GRB)
7. Jill Patterson (GRB)
8. Audrey Hargreaves (GRB)
9. Janet Hunter (GRB)
10. Sonya Baruch (GRB)
11. Heather Hibbert (GRB)
12. Doreen Holton (GRB)
13. Joyce Pope (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Joyce Coates and Anthony Holles (GRB)*
2. Carol and Clive Phipson (SAF)
3. Heather Hibbert and Harry Glick (GRB)
4. Charlotte Wegmuller and Alain Herminjard (SUI)
5. Shirley Moorman and Robert Nunne (GRB)
6. June Porter and Len Sayward (GRB)
7. Bärbel Martin and Rodney Ward (FRG/GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Anne Palmer and Roy Lee (GRB)* 2. Betty Loach and Keith Kelley (GRB) 3. Iris Lloyd-Webb and David Clements (GRB) 4. Gillian M. Thorpe and Gerard Rigby (GRB) 5. Jane Gray and Sydney Brown (GRB) 6. Thelma Perry and Steven Boardman (GRB) 7. Dena Hargreaves and Thomas Duckett (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). Due a large number of entries, separate World and British women's events were held, with the top six skaters from the British event qualifying for the World's free skating competition. Writing in "Skating World" magazine, Marilyn K. Beavon suggested, "In view of the large entry of British ladies, it might be better another time to either set a standard (to avoid any eliminating) or hold the British Championships at an early date." Barbara Conniff's prizes for winning were two cups, a replica of one of the cups she could keep, a pair of skating boots and £70. Of special note about the 1962 Championships was that Howard Nicholson, the very first winner of the event, came from America to judge.
THE 1963 NEW DANCE COMPETITION* (London, England, March 1963)
Ice Dance:
?. Starlight Waltz (Peri Horne and Courtney Jones)
?. Silver Samba (Peri Horne and Courtney Jones)
?. Samba (Joan Dewhirst and John Slater)
?. Jamaican Rhumba (Joan Dewhirst and John Slater)
?. Cuban Rhumba (Peri Horne and Courtney Jones)
?. Polka (Peri Horne and Basil Cudlipp-Green)
*This event, as in 1962, was held at Queen's and was open to both amateurs and professionals. Though the 1963 competition had fewer entries than the previous year, two compulsory dances survived and went on to be included in the ISU schedule: the Silver Samba and Starlight Waltz. The ISU had released a Communication in September of 1962 inviting member federations to develop their own "methods of selection with a view to originating new dances in the foregoing rhythms". The rhythms the ISU listed in their Communication were the Viennese Waltz, Rumba, Polka and Samba.
Left: Jacqueline Harbord. Right: Men's medallists at the 1963 Professional Ice Skating Championships Of The World and Great Britain. Photo courtesy "Skating World" magazine.
THE 1963 PROFESSIONAL ICE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS OF THE WORLD AND GREAT BRITAIN* (London, England, May 15, 1963)
Men:
1. Michael Carrington (GRB)* 2. Lorin O'Neil (USA) 3. Robert W. McKay (GRB)
4. Preston Lee (USA)
5. Ronald Hughes (SAF)
6. Kurt Culver (SUI)
7. J. Anderson (GRB)
8. Rodney Ward (GRB)
WD. Martin Minshull (GRB)
Women:
1. Jacqueline Harbord (GRB)*
2. Julie Graham (USA)
3. Liliane Crosa (SUI)
4. Anne Langford (GRB)
5. Heather Anne Moir (GRB)
6. Toni Congdon (GRB)
7. Ginette Scherer (SUI)
8. Carol Hughes (GRB)
9. Sonya Baruch (GRB)
10. Christine Ellard (GRB)
WD. Anna Galmarini (ITA)
WD. Regine Allwardt (FRG)
Pairs:
1. Margret Göbl and Franz Ningel (FRG) 2. Carol and Clive Phipson (SAF)
3. Carol and Michael Weldon (a.k.a. Carole and Michel, Carol-Anne Dallow and Michel Henry) (GRB)*
4. Heather Ann Muir and Robert W. McKay (GRB)
5. Luba Natova and George Miller (GRB)
6. Toni Congdon and Basil Cudlipp-Green (GRB)
7. Angela Francis and Tony Scott (GRB)
WD. Charlotte Wegmuller and Alain Herminjard (SUI)
Ice Dance:
1. Heather Hibbert and Christopher Robin Jones (GRB)* 2. Betty Loach and Keith Kelley (GRB) 3. Iris Lloyd-Webb and David Clements (GRB) 4. Gillian M. Thorpe and Len Sayward (GRB) 5. Peri Horne and Bobby Thompson (GRB) 6. Sally Sweeting and Michael Abbott (GRB)
WD. M. Toutain and J. Faugère (FRA)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). Liliane Crosa and Anne Langford tied in points. Their tie was broken by subtracting the marks for musical interpretation and general performance.
THE 1964 DAILY HERALD WORLD'S AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, May 15, 1964)
Men:
1. Martin Minshull (GRB)* 2. Michael Carrington (GRB) 3. Ronnie McKenzie (GRB)
1. Diana and John Hulme (GRB)* 2. Joan and Red Humphries (GRB) 3. Vera Jeffrey and Peter Webb (GRB)
4. Yvonne Reyner and Gordon Holloway (GRB)
5. Angela Francis and Tony Scott (GRB)
WD. Joyce Coates and Anthony Holles (GRB)
WD. Carol Ann Warner and Basil Cudlipp-Green (GRB)
WD. Sara Jo and George Joseph (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Heather Hibbert and Christopher Robin Jones (GRB)* 2. Linda Shearman and Michael Phillips (GRB) 3. Betty Loach and Keith Kelley (GRB) 4. Gillian M. Thorpe and John Phillips (GRB) 5. Thérèse Lassalle and Jean-Pierre Faugère (FRA)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). Joan and Red Humphries and Vera Jeffrey and Peter Webb tied on points, but a new system devised by the IPSA (using ordinals instead of nullifying the marks of the judges who didn't have a skating background) broke the tie for second.
THE 1964 WORLD'S PROFESSIONAL INVITATIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Lake Placid, New York, December 19, 1964)
Men:
1. Donald Jackson (CAN)
2. Bill Neale (CAN)
3. Pieter Kollen (USA)
4. Mac Cummins (USA)
5. Greg Folk (CAN)
6. Alan Minton (USA)
Women:
1. Sonya Klopfer Dunfield (USA)
2. Anne Batdorf (USA)
3. Mary Batdorf (Scotvold) (USA)
4. Norvetta Pinch (USA)
WD. Carole Jane Pachl (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Maria and Otto Jelinek (CAN)
2. Janet and Jim Browning (USA)
3. Diane Anderson and Sandy Swanson (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Marilyn Meeker Durham and Ron Ludington (USA)
2. Susan Sebo and Pieter Kollen (USA)
3. Sally Schantz and Tom McGinnis (USA)
4. Beverly Muir and Donald Tobin (CAN)
*This event, organized by Howard Nicholson (the first World Professional Champion in 1931), was the first professional competition to be televised in North America. A follow-up to this event was scheduled for January 16 and 17, 1965 in Manchester, New Hampshire. The 1965 event was then postponed to the spring to open the second season of the New York World's Fair, then scrapped in favour of a lavish ice show presented by Dick Button and Paul Feigay called "Ice-Travaganza".
THE 1965 HORLICKS AND REDIFFUSION WORLD AND BRITISH PROFESSIONAL SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, May 28, 1965)
Men:
1. Donald McPherson (CAN) 2. Michael Carrington (GRB)* 3. Derek James (GRB)
4. Reg Park (AUS)
5. Robert W. McKay (GRB)
6. Tilo Gutzeit (FRG)
7. Ronnie McKenzie (GRB)
8. Ricki Gray (GRB)
WD. Hywel Evans (GRB)
Women:
1. Anna Galmarini (ITA) 2. Marei Langenbein (von Saher) (FRG) 3. Karin Frohner (AUT)
4. Bärbel Martin (FRG)
5. Dany Rigoulot (FRA)
6. Jill Patterson (GRB)*
7. Janice C. Low (GRB)
8. Suzanne Walker (USA)
9. Sonya Baruch (GRB)
10. Regine Allwardt (FRG)
11. Gloria Dawson (GRB)
WD. Carol Ann Warner (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Marianne Althammer and Karl-Heinz Kramer (FRG)
2. Helga Neff and Theo Ernst (FRG/SUI)
3. Annette Gardner and George Joseph (AUS)
4. Nicole Rigoulot and Leandre Periquet (FRA)
5. Dena Hargreaves and Bernard Fletcher (GRB)*
6. Karin Frohner and Reg Park (AUT/AUS)
7. Elinor and Rafe Caldicott (SAF)
8. Diana and John Hulme (GRB)
9. Claudine Villier and Michael Ricoux (FRA)
Ice Dance:
1. Eva Romanová and Pavel Roman (CZE) 2. Heather Hibbert and Christopher Robin Jones (GRB)* 3. Gillian M. Thorpe and John Phillips (GRB) 4. Carol Windebank and Bernard Spencer (GRB) 5. Anne Palmer and Roy Lee (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). 1965 pairs winner Marianne Althammer of West Germany would later spend eighteen days in jail in Poland after getting into a fight with Warsaw police while touring with Holiday On Ice.
Top: Ticket stub for the 1965 World and British Open Profesional Championships. Bottom: 1966 World and British Professional Champion Derek James. Photo courtesy Joseph Butchko Collection, an acquisition of the Skate Guard Archive.
THE 1966 HORLICKS WORLD AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, May 19-20, 1966)
Men:
1. Derek James (GRB)* 2. Eddie Grill (USA) 3. Reg Park (AUS) 4. Robert McKay (GRB) 5. Jim Keller (USA) 6. Ricki Gray (GRB)
7. Preston Lee (USA)
Women:
1. Barbara Conniff (GRB)* 2. Gloria Tatton (CAN) 3. Janice C. Low (GRB)
4. Anita Teuber (SUI)
5. Jill Patterson (GRB)
6. Lesley Towndrow (GRB)
7. Joanne Henderson (USA)
8. Patricia Francey (GRB)
9. Gail McKnight (GRB)
10. Susan E.H. Judge (GRB)
11. Margaret McKone (GRB)
12. Maureen Pierce (GRB)
WD. Jacqueline Harbord (GRB)
WD. Sandra Brugnera (ITA)
WD. Inge Paul (FRG)
WD. Dany Rigoulot (FRA)
WD. Jana Kyjanková (CZE)
Pairs:
1. Sonja Pfersdorf and Günter Matzdorf (FRG) 2. Gerda and Rüdi Johner (SUI) 3. Carol and Clive Phipson (SAF)
4. Margaret Godfrey and Alain Herminjard (AUS/SUI)
5. Marei Langenbein (von Saher) and Reg Park (FRG/AUS)
6. Helga Neff and Theo Ernst (FRG/SUI)
7. Jill Kent and William Hinchy (GRB/AUS)*
8. Dany Rigoulot and Leandre Periquet (FRA)
9. Iris and Gunnar Haenal - 'The Toddys' (FRG)
10. Charlotte Wegmuller and Andrew Nairn (SUI/GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Marjorie McCoy and Ian Phillips (GRB)* 2. Gillian M. Thorpe and John Phillips (GRB) 3. Betty Loach and Howard Richardson (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). Only the top seven women competed in the televised finals of the competition at the Empire Pool, Wembley on May 20, 1966. The skaters ranked eighth and lower were eliminated in a 'skate-off' held on May 19, 1966 at Streatham Ice Rink.
THE 1967 WORLD AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, May 26, 1967)
Men:
1. Bodo Bockenauer (FRG) 2. Allan Williamson (GRB)* 3. Richard Callaghan (USA)
4. Reg Park (AUS)
5. Peter Grütter (SUI)
6. Ricki Gray (GRB)
7. Pieter Kollen (USA)
8. Beat Ferdinand Mayer (SUI)
Women:
1. Regine Heitzer (AUT) 2. Ann-Margret Frei (SWE)
3. Heather Anne Moir (GRB)*
4. Robbi LaLonde (USA)
5. Karin Frohner (AUT)
6. Anita Teuber (SUI)
7. Irene F. Clement (GRB)
8. Barbara Franklin (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Gertrude Desjardins and Guy Revell (CAN) 2. Sonja Pfersdorf and Günter Matzdorf (FRG) 3. Helga and Jorge Valle (USA)
4. Charlotte Wegmuller and Andrew Nairn (GRB)*
Ice Dance:
1. Betty Loach and Howard Richardson (GRB)* 2. Marjorie McCoy and Ian Phillips (GRB) 3. Peri Horne and Patrick C.B. Dean (GRB) 4. Dianne C. Peach and Anthony Beresford (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers). Bodo Bockenauer and Allan Williamson actually tied, and the judges had to decide upon a winner by jury. This was the closest result since 1937, when Sadie Cambridge and Albert Enders defeated The Brunet's by 0.5. At twelve years of age, Robbi LaLonde was the youngest skater ever to participate in this event. She came from a skating family, and made her debut as a professional at nineteen months old.
Left: Poster advertising the 1968 World and British Professional Championships. Right: Medallists in the 1968 British Professional Championships. Photos courtesy "Skating World" magazine.
THE 1968 W.D. & H.O. WILLS WORLD AND BRITISH PROFESSIONAL ICE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, April 19, 1968)
1. Iris Lloyd-Webb and Michael Webster (GRB)* 2. Gabriele and Rudi Matysik (FRG) 3. Marjorie McCoy and Ian Phillips (GRB) 4. Pamela Davies and Bernard Spencer (GRB) 5. Dolly Rodenbaugh and Thomas Lescinski (USA) 6. Peri Horne and Patrick C.B. Dean (GRB) 7. Alison Smith and David Gregory (GRB)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers)
THE 1969 W.D. & H.O. WILLS WORLD AND BRITISH PROFESSIONAL ICE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, April 18, 1969)
Men:
1. Gary Visconti (USA) 2. Paul McGrath (USA) 3. Ferdinand Dedovich (AUT)
4. Michael Williams (GRB)*
5. Ricki Gray (GRB)
6. Johann Poschebu (AUT)
WD. Peter Grütter (SUI)
WD. Derek James (GRB)
WD. Marián Filc (CZE)
Women:
1. Wendy Jones (USA) 2. Linda Davis (GRB)* 3. Carol Ann Jones (GRB)
4. Regine Allwardt (FRG)
5. Sandra Brugnera Hansen (ITA)
6. Judith Elliott (GRB)
7. Linda Ewbank (GRB)
WD. Hana Mašková (CZE)
WD. Christine Ellard (GRB)
WD. Susan English (GRB)
WD. Teresa Millns (GRB)
WD. Irene F. Clement (GRB)
WD. Sandra Joyce (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Gudrun Hauss and Walter Häfner (FRG) 2. Margaret Godfrey and Alain Herminjard (AUS/SUI) 3. Paula Martin and Mark Mason (GRB)*
4. Jane Praoline and Gordon Nixey (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Diane Towler and Bernard Ford (GRB)* 2. Yvonne Suddick and Malcolm Cannon (GRB) 3. Vivienne Dean and John Phillips (GRB) WD. Dana (Novotná) Holanová and Jaromír Holan (CZE)
*Asterisks denote British Professional Champion (top British finishers).
THE 1970 W.D. & H.O. WILLS WORLD AND BRITISH OPEN PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS* (London, England, April 17, 1970)
Men:
1. Donald Jackson (CAN)
2. Paul McGrath (USA)
3. Michael Edmonds (GRB)*
4. Harold E. Williams (GRB)
5. Peter Grütter (SUI)
6. Bernard Eddy (GRB)
7. Michael Scott-Mason (GRB)
Women:
1. Hana Mašková (CZE)
2. Lorna Brown (GRB)*
3. Karin Frohner (AUT)
4. Linda Galbraith Leaver (USA)
5. Suzanne Russell (CAN)
6. Pauline Williams (GRB)
7. Mary-Ellen Holland (AUS)
8. Friederike Weihs-Marx (AUT)
9. Dany Rigoulot (FRA)
10. Terry Meister (SUI)
11. Judith Elliott (GRB)
12. Susan Kay (GRB)
13. Rosina Anne Henry (GRB)
WD. Linda Ewbank (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Linda Bernard and Raymond Wilson (GRB)*
2. Edith Sperl and Heinz Wirz (SUI)
3. Margret (Göbl) and Franz Ningel (FRG)
4. Paula Martin and Scott Mason (GRB)
Dance:
1. Yvonne Suddick and Ian Phillips (GRB)*
2. Vivienne Dean and Jon Lane (GRB)
3. Gabriele and Rudi Matysik (FRG)
*denotes British Professional Champion (top British finishers). This was one of the closest contests ever in the women's event at the World and British Open Professional Championships. Only half a point separated Hana Mašková and Lorna Brown.
THE 1973 $100,000 INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING FESTIVAL* (Tokyo, Japan, December 22-23, 1973)
Men:
1. Ronnie Robertson (USA)
2. Donald Jackson (CAN)
3. Donald Knight (CAN)
4. John 'Misha' Petkevich (USA)
5. Emmerich Danzer (AUT)
6. Atoy Wilson (USA)
Women:
1. Janet Lynn (USA)
2. Cathy Lee Irwin (CAN)
3. Zsuzsa Almássy (HUN)
4. Susie Berens (USA)
5. Tina Noyes (USA)
Pairs:
1. Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov (SOV)
2. Almut Lehmann and Herbert Wiesinger (FRG)
3. Cynthia and Ron Kauffman (USA)
4. Susie Berens and Richard Dwyer (USA)
*This event held at Yoyogi Stadium was a precursor to the World Professional Championships later held in Landover, Maryland, organized by Dick Button and broadcasted in North America with the help of Barry Frank of Trans-World International. Dick envisioned "a sort of graduate school for World Champions. The World Pro is really about skaters who have earned their college degrees, and are now out performing their craft and developing their artistry." That 'graduate school' was the first professional event to include a technical and artistic program. The World and British Open Professional Championships in England had included school figures and compulsory dances, but never a technical or short program. The judges were all pioneering champions in their own right: Bob Paul, Carol Heiss, Ája Zanová, Maria and Otto Jelinek and Nobuo Sato. Dick recalled inviting Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov to compete. It was the first time a skater who hadn't defected from behind the Iron Curtain had competed in a professional competition. "I had no idea if they would be allowed out! I couldn't be certain they were coming until they walked off the plane," he remembered in 1998. "When I saw them, I threw up my hands in joy. Nobody in Russia knew professional skating existed."
THE 1974 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, April 3-4, 1974)
Men:
1. Paul McGrath (USA)
2. Jimmy Demogines (USA)
3. Derek James (GRB)
4. Peter Grütter (SUI)
5. Robert Lee (GRB)
6. Ramon Sainero Sanchez (SPN)
Women:
1. Lorna Brown (GRB)
2. Jennie Walsh (USA)
3. Pauline Williams (GRB)
4. Jan Voich (USA)
5. Gail Linda Deal (GRB)
6. Angela Hilton (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Iris and Gunnar Toddy (FRG)
2. Gill Kent and Alain Herminjard (SUI)
THE 1975 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATITHE 1974 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, April 4-6, 1975)
Men:
1. Jimmy Crockett (USA)
2. John Baldwin Sr. (USA)
3. Paul Heath (GRB)
4. Jimmy Demogines (USA)
5. Per Larsen (NOR)
6. Peter Weston (GRB)
7. Robert Lee (GRB)
8. Vlatislav Hurych (SOV)
9. Reg Park (AUS)
10. Jackie Torrance (GRB)
Women:
1. Jennie Walsh (USA)
2. Ann-Margreth Frei (SWE)
3. He Kyong Kim (KOR)
4. Angela Hilton (GRB)
5. Susan Mason (GRB)
6. Bernice Allen (GRB)
7. Louisa Chappel (GRB)
8. Rosa Hurych (SOV)
Pairs:
1. Carie Richardson and Joop van der Sluijs (HOL)
2. Margret (Göbl) and Franz Ningel (FRG)
3. Inga Schilling and Tom Lawler (FRG/USA)
4. Lisa Illsley and Daniel Henry (USA)
5. Andrea and Roland Meier (SUI)
Ice Dance:
1. Gabriele and Rudi Matysik (FRG)
2. Jo Butterwick and David Lunn (GRB)
3. Jenni Giles and David Gregory (GRB)
4. Yvonne Francey and Richard Saunders (GRB)
THE 1976 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, March 1976)
Men:
1. Paul Thibert (USA)
2. Stephen Savino (USA)
3. Bill Marchyshyn (CAN)
4. Peter Grütter (SUI)
5. Jacques Mrozek (FRA)
6. Paul Heath (GRB)
7. Derek James (GRB)
8. Reg Park (AUS)
9. Richard Davies (GRB)
Women:
1. Danièle Dubuis (SUI)
2. Lorna Brown (GRB)
3. Susan Mason (GRB)
4. Kathy Brunner (SUI)
5. Yvonne Visser (AUS)
6. Laurie Fergusson (USA)
7. Karolin Stanford (USA)
8. Catherine Foulkes (USA)
9. Peggy Naughton (GRB)
10. Frances Waghorn (GRB)
11. Judith Scarpinito (USA)
12. Irene Tenger (SUI)
13. Nichola Lambert (GRB)
14. Anne Gilardi Furham (USA)
Pairs:
1. Karin and Christian Künzle (SUI)
2. Iris and Gunnar Toddy (FRG)
3. Gale and Joel Fuhrman (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Vivienne Dean and Jon Lane (GRB)
2. Gabriele and Rudi Matysik (FRG)
3. Agnes Arco and Rudi Hauptner (AUT)
4. Elaine Herwin and Philippe Morel (FRA)
THE 1977 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, April 8-11, 1977)
Men:
1. Paul McGrath (USA)
2. Harold Williams (GRB)
3. Robert Allan Graham (USA)
4. Bill Marchyshyn (CAN)
5. Reg Park (AUS)
6. Peter Weston (GRB)
Women:
1. Wendy Burge (USA)
2. Angela Greenhow (GRB)
3. Sonia Balun (AUT)
4. Susan Mason-Zamborain (SPN)
5. Nicole Nardini (USA)
6. Scootie Paulsen (USA)
7. Silvia Biellmann (SUI)
8. Dana Vaucher (SUI)
9. Jacqueline Kiefer (SUI)
10. Christine Richards (GRB)
11. Jan Voich (USA)
12. Marylyn Kruse (USA)
13. June Edwina Smith (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. Cathy Mishkin and Don Bonacci (USA)
3. Lisa Carey and Chris Harrison (USA/GRB)
4. Linda Tasker and Allen Carson (CAN)
5. Lisa Illsley and Daniel Henry (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Barbara Berezowski and David Porter (CAN)
2. Gabriele and Rudi Matysik (FRG)
3. Dorothy Smith and David Barker (AUS/GRB)
4. Sandra Hess and Peter Dalby (USA/GRB)
5. Kathy Macri and Jeff Platzer (USA)
6. Debbie and Steve Mutehan (CAN/GRB)
The women's podium at the 1977 World Professional Championships in Jaca, Spain. Photo courtesy "Ice & Roller Skate" magazine.
THE 1977 WORLD SKATE CHALLENGE - THE BATTLE OF THE ICE STARS (Atlanta, Georgia, December 13, 1977)
Team:
1. The Blue Team (Stars Of Canada's 'The Ice Show'): Toller Cranston, Gordon McKellen Jr., Wendy Burge, Kath Malmberg, Candy Jones and Don Fraser, Janet and Mark Hominuke
2. The Yellow Team (Stars From America's Ice Shows): Donald Knight, Richard Ewell, Janet Lynn, Karen Magnussen, JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley, Melissa Militano and Johnny Johns
THE 1978 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO* (Jaca, Spain, March 23-26, 1978)
Men:
1. Harold Williams (GRB)
2. Harald Kuhn (FRG)
3. Ted Barton (CAN)
4. Martin Sochor (SUI)
5. Russell Sessions (USA)
6. Robert Steiner (GRB)
7. Leslie Robinson (USA)
8. Francis Demarteau (SUI)
9. Derek James (GRB)
10. Michael Harris (USA)
11. Paul Thibert (USA)
12. Russell Marshall (AUS)
Women:
1. Susan Mason-Zamborain (SPN)
2. Gerti Schanderl (FRG)
3. Lindall Hicks (AUS)
4. Patricia Mollon (GRB)
5. Phillida Beck (GRB)
6. Deborah Lynn Paul (USA)
7. Kim Quinton (CAN)
8. Michaela Schrott (SUI)
9. Jennifer Russell (USA)
10. Petra Hensel (AUT)
11. Yvonne Cameron (GRB)
12. Lori Parker Reid (CAN)
13. Marie Luise Malfer (FRA)
14. Marianne de Sutter (SUI)
15. Lucille Queffeleant (FRA)
16. Anita Clement (SUI)
17. Kim Millett Verde (USA)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. Almut Lehman and Herbert Weisinger (FRG)
3. Mona and Peter Szabo (SUI)
4. Penny Booth and Michael Nemec (GRB/AUT)
Ice Dance:
1. Christine Smith and Glyn Watts (GRB)
2. Gabriele and Rudi Matysik (FRG)
3. Dorothy Smith and David Barker (AUS/GRB)
*Keeping in line with the amateur world, the 1978 Jaca event featured short programmes for singles and pairs. The pairs short programme didn't have any required elements "in order to permit Adagio Acrobatic Pairs to enter these Championships." Singles skaters were required to perform a two-minute short programme that included a single Axel, two double jumps (free choice), a spin combination with six revolutions in each spin and a step sequence that was either circular, serpentine or straight line. Ice dancers performed two compulsories (Rhumba and Viennese Waltz) and a free dance not exceeding four minutes and thirty seconds.
THE 1979 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, April 1979)
Men:
1. Ronald Koppelent (AUT)
2. Russell Sessions (USA)
3. Kenneth Polk (CAN)
4. Paul Thibert (USA)
5. Francis Demarteau (BEL)
6. Kevin Robertson (CAN)
7. Günter Anderl (AUT)
8. Richard Davies (GRB)
9. Brice Tripard (FRA)
Women:
1. Robyn Burley (AUS)
2. Susan Mason Zamborain (SPN)
3. Jennie Bartley (GRB)
4. Phillida Beck (GRB)
5. Michaela Schrott (ITA)
6. Yvonne Visser (AUS)
7. Deborah Lynn Paul (CAN)
8. Jennifer Russell (USA)
9. Kim Quinton (CAN)
10. Bibiana Pruyn (HOL)
11. Patricia Mollon (GRB)
12. Lori Parker Reid (CAN)
13. Petra Hensel (FRG)
14. Marieluise Malfer (ITA)
15. Anita Clement (SUI)
16. Marianne De Sutter (BEL)
17. Lucille Queffeleant (FRA)
18. Kim Millett Verde (USA)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. Emily Benenson and Jack Courtney (USA)
3. Penny Booth and Michael Nemec (GRB/AUT)
4. Andrea and Roland Meier (SUI)
5. Joyce Hanson and Tony Paul Kudrna (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Dee Osseroff and Craig Bond (USA)
2. Judie Jeffcott and Keith Swindlehurst (CAN)
3. Susan Whillance and Michael Fish (GRB)
4. Penny Macefield and Gary Irving (GRB)
5. Barbara and Mike Wayland (USA)
6. Sylvie Hélène and Jean Laurent (FRA)
THE 1980 CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Scarborough, Ontario, January 26-27, 1980, Organized By FSCC - Figure Skating Coaches of Canada)
Men:
1. Kenneth Polk (CAN)
2. Raymond Naismith (CAN)
3. Jack Frizelle (CAN)
Women:
1. Carol Farmer-Wright (CAN)
2. Elizabeth Purtle (CAN)
3. Sherri Diane Hunt (CAN)
4. Diana Flynn (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Sandra and Val Bezic (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Judie Jeffcott and Keith Swindlehurst (CAN)
2. Shelley MacLeod and John Rait (CAN)
The ice dance podium at the 1980 World Professional Championships in Jaca, Spain. Photo courtesy "Ice & Roller Skate" magazine.
THE 1980 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, April 3-6, 1980)
Men:
1. Scott Cramer (USA)
2. Minoru Sano (JPN)
3. Billy Schober (AUS)
4. Reggie Stanley (USA)
5. Kenneth Polk (CAN)
6. Martin Sochor (SUI)
7. Russell Sessions (USA)
8. Raymond Naismith (CAN)
9. Jack Frizelle (CAN)
10. Pierre Trente (FRA)
11. Rolando Bragaglia (ITA)
WD. David Sadleir (AUS)
WD. Ronald Koppelent (AUT)
WD. Gunter Anderl (AUT)
WD. Francis Martineau (BEL)
Women:
1. Young Soon Choo (KOR)
2. Sherri Diane Hunt (CAN)
3. Amy Brown (USA)
4. Carol Farmer-Wright (CAN)
5. Elizabeth Purtle (CAN)
6. Susan Mason Zamborain (SPN)
7. Lucille Queffeleant (FRA)
8. Linda Dean (GRB)
9. Wendy Base (GRB)
10. Diana Flynn (CAN)
11. Belinda Coulthard (AUS)
12. Phillida Beck (GRB)
13. Juli McKinstry (USA)
14. Heather Crinall (GRB)
15. Yvonne Visser (AUS)
WD. Marianne de Sutter (BEL)
WD. Viviane Gillard (BEL)
WD. Elizabeth Purtle (CAN)
WD. Hyun-Joo Lee (KOR)
WD. Patty Gyllenswan (FRA)
WD. Dana Vaucher (SUI)
Pairs:
1. Sandra and Val Bezic (CAN)
2. Kyoko Hagiwara and Hisao Ozaki (JPN)
3. Tania Buhlman and Edgar Pfaner (SUI)
4. Dana and Edward Reisman (USA)
WD. Penny Booth and Michael Nemec (AUT)
WD. Ofelia Pueyo and Javier Lopez (SPN)
WD. Hamae Koto and Hiroshi Nagakubo (JPN)
WD. Kathie Laisure and Brian Kader (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Shelley MacLeod and John Rait (CAN)
2. Judie Jeffcott and Keith Swindlehurst (CAN)
3. Kathryn Winter and Kim Spreyer (GRB)
4. Susan Whillance and Michael Fish (GRB)
5. Stefania Bertele and Walter Cecconi (ITA)
6. Lorella Sertori and Maurizio Belledonna (ITA)
7. Sylvie Hélène and Jean Laurent (FRA)
8. Brigitte Scheijbal and Peter Schubl (AUT)
THE 1980 WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 15, 1980)
Team:
1. Stars Of The 1980 Winter Olympics: Robin Cousins, Charlie Tickner, Linda Fratianne, Emi Watanabe, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, Krisztina Regőczy and András Sallay
2. World And Olympic Professional Stars: John Curry, Toller Cranston, Gordon McKellen Jr., Dorothy Hamill, Peggy Fleming, Janet Lynn, JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley, Sandra and Val Bezic, Colleen O'Connor and Jim Millns
THE 1981 UNITED STATES PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, February 21-22, 1981)
Men:
1. Scott Cramer (USA)
2. Michael Tokar (USA)
3. Tim Murphy (USA)
4. Shane Douglas (USA)
Women:
1. Amy Brown (USA)
2. Teresa Romano (USA)
3. Bernae Peterson (USA)
4. Lisa Carey (USA)
5. Jan Vienneau (USA)
6. Joyce Newell (USA)
7. Linda Thompson (USA)
8. Patti Snyder (USA)
9. Valerie Levine (USA)
10. Mary Jill Braley (USA)
11. Debbie Gallant (USA)
12. Joanne Zwingenberg (USA)
Pairs:
1. Lisa Carey and Chris Harrison (USA)
2. Emily Benenson and Jack Courtney (USA)
3. Sheryl Franks and Michael Botticelli (USA)
4. Cynthia Van Valkenberg and Phillipp Grout (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Stacey Smith and John Summers (USA)
2. Jennifer and David Young (USA)
3. Cathy Macri and Lee Cobb (USA)
Photo courtesy Diana Flynn
THE 1981 CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Toronto, Ontario, March 14, 1981, Organized By FSCC - Figure Skating Coaches of Canada)
Men:
1. Vern Taylor (CAN)
2. Ron Shaver (CAN)
3. Henri April (CAN)
4. Jean-Pierre Martin (CAN)
5. Steven Perley (CAN)
Women:
1. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
2. Sherri Diane Hunt (CAN)
3. Jamie Lynn Kitching CAN)
4. Sandra Mattiussi (CAN)
5. Heather Kemkaran (CAN)
6. Carol Farmer-Wright (CAN)
7. Shelly Winters (CAN)
8. Maurina Kathleen Fahlgren (CAN)
9. Donna Marie Graham (CAN)
10. Monica Hille (CAN)
11. Diana Flynn (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Leslie Casper and Ted Barton (CAN)
2. Christine McBeth and Dennis Johnson (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Judie Jeffcott and Keith Swindlehurst (CAN)
2. Diana Flynn and Bob Knapp (CAN)
THE 1981 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, April 16-19, 1981)
Men:
1. Ron Shaver (CAN)
2. Michael Tokar (USA)
3. Vern Taylor (CAN)
4. Paul Huber (SUI)
5. Tim Murphy (USA)
6. Billy Schober (AUS)
7. Henri April (CAN)
8. Yamakawa Atsushi (JPN)
9. Jean-Pierre Martin (CAN)
10. Gilles Beyer (FRA)
11. Kevin Marshall (GRB)
12. Kim Spreyer (GRB)
13. Gary Greig (GRB)
14. Glenn Neate (AUS)
15. Jan Bergfors Glerup (DEN)
Women:
1. Danielle Rieder (SUI)
2. Jamie Lynn Kitching (CAN)
3. Teresa Romano (USA)
4. Anita Siegfried (SUI)
5. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
6. Amy Brown (USA)
7. Sandra Mattiusi (CAN)
8. Susan Mason-Zamborain (SPN)
9. Sherri Diane Hunt (CAN)
10. Kumiko Imai (JPN)
11. Belinda Coulthard (AUS)
12. Bernae Peterson (USA)
13. Heather Bytheway (GRB)
14. Wendy Base (GRB)
15. Immaculada Tona (SPN)
Pairs:
1. Tania Buhlman and Edgar Pfaner (SUI)
2. Lisa Carey and Chris Harrison (USA)
3. Emily Benenson and Jack Courtney (USA)
4. Leslie Casper and Ted Barton (CAN)
5. Cynthia Van Valkenberg and Phillipp Grout (USA)
6. Christine Macbeth and Dennis Johnson (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Stacey Smith and John Summers (USA)
2. Judie Jeffcott and Keith Swindlehurst (CAN)
3. Susi and Peter Handschmann (AUT)
4. Anna Pisánská and Jiří Musil (CZE)
5. Sandra Brown and Trevor Howard (GRB)
6. Natascha Devisch and Rudi Matysik (FRG)
7. Cathy Macri and Lee Cobb (USA)
8. Jennifer and David Young (USA)
9. Diana Flynn and Bob Knapp (CAN)
THE 1981 WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 17, 1981)
Team:
1. All Stars: John Curry, Toller Cranston, Dorothy Hamill, Janet Lynn, Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov, JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley
2. Pro Stars: Robin Cousins, Charlie Tickner, Randy Gardner, John Carlow Jr., Linda Fratianne, Dianne de Leeuw, Audrey King, Sandra and Val Bezic
Photo courtesy Diana Flynn
THE 1982 CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Toronto, Ontario, March 20, 1982, Organized By FSCC - Figure Skating Coaches of Canada)
Men:
1. Henri April (CAN)
2. Jean-Pierre Martin (CAN)
Women:
1. Heather Kemkaran (CAN)
2. Carol-Ann Simon (CAN)
3. Susan Wilson (CAN)
4. Shelley-Lynn Owens (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Shelley Winters and Keith Davis (CAN)
2. Leslie Rupp and Dennis Johnston (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Susan Carscallen and Marty Fulkerth (CAN)
2. Diana Flynn and Tom Kalweit (CAN)
3. Bambi Schaff and Ruark Roswell Smith (CAN)
4. Leslie Rupp and Dennis Johnston (CAN)
THE 1982 LABATT'S PRO-SKATE MONTREAL* (Montreal, Quebec, March 28-29, 1982)
Men:
1. Toller Cranston (CAN)
2. Robin Cousins (GRB)
3. Gordon McKellen Jr. (USA)
4. David Santee (USA)
5. Ron Shaver (CAN)
6. Bob Rubens (CAN)
Women:
1. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
2. Heather Kemkaran (CAN)
3. Jamie Lynn Kitching (CAN)
5. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
?. Kath Malmberg (USA)
?. Dianne de Leeuw (HOL)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. Shelley Winters and Keith Davis (CAN)
3. Janet and Mark Hominuke (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan (USA)
2. Judie Jeffcott and Keith Swindlehurst (CAN)
3. Shelley MacLeod and John Rait (CAN)
4. Colleen O'Connor and Jim Millns (USA)
5. Susan Carscallen and Marty Fulkerth (CAN)
*A special award presentation was made to Barbara Ann Scott at this event. Shortly after the start of the first Labatt Pro-Skate tour, an announced U.S. tour was cancelled. The American cities initially booked were Boston, Philadelphia, Hartford, Houston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York and (yes, really) Landover, Maryland. Quoted in "The New York Times" on December 13, 1982, John Curry said of the tour: "Pro Skate will be instrumental in changing the idea that when you turn professional in skating, you're useless. A lot of skaters are still burning for the competition when they retire. Professional competitive skating gives them an outlet for that hunger."
THE 1982 LABATT'S PRO-SKATE VANCOUVER (Vancouver, British Columbia, April 5-6, 1982)
Men:
1. Fumio Igarashi (JPN)
2. Toller Cranston (CAN)
3. Robin Cousins (GRB)
4. David Santee (USA)
5. Bob Rubens (CAN)
6. Ron Shaver (CAN)
7. Gordon McKellen Jr. (USA)
Women:
1. Janet Lynn (USA)
2. Dianne de Leeuw (HOL)
3. Kath Malmberg (USA)
4. Jamie Lynn Kitching (CAN)
5. Heather Kemkaran (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan (USA)
Top: Suzy and Jeffrey Nolt posing in their "Send In The Clowns" costumes. Bottom: Angela Greenhow after winning the 1982 World Professional title in Jaca, Spain. Photo courtesy "The Canadian Skater" magazine.
THE 1982 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, April 8-11, 1982)
Men:
1. Robert Wagenhoffer (USA)
2. Henri April (CAN)
3. Billy Schober (AUS)
4. Garey Dye Jr. (USA)
5. Jean-Pierre Martin (CAN)
6. István Simon (HUN)
7. Bruno Watschinger (AUT)
8. Yamakawa Atsushi (JPN)
9. Kamikura Hideo (JPN)
10. George Scolari (USA)
11. Patrice Caule (FRA)
12. David Dobbie (GRB)
Women:
1. Angela Greenhow (GRB)
2. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
3. Editha Dotson (BEL)
4. Chantal Zürcher (SUI)
5. Priscilla Hill (USA)
6. Astrid Jansen in de Wal (HOL)
7. Anne-Sophie Kristoffy (FRA)
8. Carol-Ann Simon (CAN)
9. Heidi Meyer (SUI)
10. Heather Bytheway (GRB)
11. Beth Ann Carolin (USA)
12. Ursi Fisch (SUI)
13. Susan Wilson (CAN)
14. Silvia Villellas (SPN)
15. Irene Meyer (SUI)
16. Shelley-Lynn Owens (CAN)
17. Karen Gingell (GRB)
18. Susan Persson (SWE)
19. Lieve Westerlinck (BEL)
20. Laura Cierco (SPN)
Pairs:
1. Rulona Roland and Jack Campbell (USA)
2. Suzy and Jeffrey Nolt (USA)
3. Natascha Devish and Rudi Matysik (FRG)
4. Cynthia Van Valkenberg and Phillipp Grout (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Anna Pisánská and Jiří Musil (CZE)
2. Natascha Devish and Rudi Matysik (FRG)
3. Susi and Peter Handschmann (AUT)
4. Diana Flynn and Tom Kalweit (CAN)
5. Teresa Weyna-Urban and Piotr Bojańczyk (POL)
6. Bambi Schaff and Ruark Roswell Smith (CAN)
THE 1982 LABATT'S PRO-SKATE EDMONTON (Edmonton, Alberta, April 9-10, 1982)
Men:
1. Toller Cranston (CAN)
2. Ron Shaver (CAN)
3. Fumio Igarashi (JPN)
?. Bob Rubens (CAN)
?. David Santee (USA)
Women:
1. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
?. Janet Lynn (USA)
?. Heather Kemkaran (CAN)
?. Dianne de Leeuw (HOL)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. Shelley Winters and Keith Davis (CAN)
3. Janet and Mark Hominuke (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan (USA)
2. Colleen O'Connor and Jim Millns (USA)
3(t). Shelley MacLeod and John Rait (CAN)
3(t). Judie Jeffcott and Keith Swindlehurst (CAN)
THE 1982 LABATT'S PRO-SKATE TORONTO (Toronto, Ontario, April 18, 1982)
Men:
1. Toller Cranston (CAN)
2. David Santee (USA)
3. Ron Shaver (CAN)
4. Gordon McKellen Jr. (USA)
5. Bob Rubens (CAN)
?. Fumio Igarashi (JPN)
Women:
1. Janet Lynn (USA)
2. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
3. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
4. Dianne de Leeuw (HOL)
5. Heather Kemkaran (CAN)
6. Kath Malmberg (USA)
7. Jamie Lynn Kitching (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. Shelley Winters and Keith Davis (CAN)
3. Janet and Mark Hominuke (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan (USA)
2. Judie Jeffcott and Keith Swindlehurst (CAN)
3. Shelley MacLeod and John Rait (CAN)
?. Susan Carscallen and Marty Fulkerth (CAN)
?. Colleen O'Connor and Jim Millns (USA)
THE 1982 WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 17, 1982)
Team:
1. Pro Stars: Donald Jackson, Charlie Tickner, Linda Fratianne, Janet Lynn, Sandra and Val Bezic, Krisztina Regőczy and András Sallay
2. All Stars: Toller Cranston, John Carlow Jr., Dorothy Hamill, Dianne de Leeuw, Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov, JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley, Lorna Wighton and John Dowding
WD. Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner
THE 1982 INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS - PRO-SKATE NEW YORK* (New York City, New York, December 18-19, 1982)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Toller Cranston (CAN)
3. Brian Pockar (CAN)
?. Fumio Igarashi (JPN)
?. Terry Kubicka (USA)
?. Bob Rubens (CAN)
?. David Santee (USA)
?. Billy Schober (AUS)
?. Allen Schramm (USA)
?. Ron Shaver (CAN)
Women:
1. Janet Lynn (USA)
2. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
3. Angela Greenhow (GRB)
?. Lorna Brown (GRB)
?. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
?. Wendy Burge (USA)
?. Patricia Dodd (GRB)
?. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
?. Priscilla Hill (USA)
?. Kath Malmberg (USA)
?. Emi Watanabe (JPN)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
3. Shelley Winters and Keith Davis (CAN)
4. Janet and Mark Hominuke (CAN)
5. Cynthia and Ron Kauffman (USA)
6. Elizabeth Chabot and Bruce Hurd (USA)
Ice Dance:
?. Colleen O'Connor and Jim Millns (USA)
?. Judie Jeffcott and Keith Swindlehurst (CAN)
?. Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan (USA)
?. Lillian Heming and Murray Carey (CAN)
?. Nancy Berghoff and Jim Bowser (USA)
Team:
1. Peggy Fleming and John Curry's team: Peggy Fleming, John Curry, Toller Cranston, Fumio Igarashi, Bob Rubens, Billy Schober, Lorna Brown, Wendy Burge, Lynn Nightingale, Shelley Winters and Keith Davis, Janet and Mark Hominuke, Nancy Berghoff and Jim Bowser, Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan
2. Dorothy Hamill and Robin Cousins' team: Dorothy Hamill, Robin Cousins, Allen Schramm, David Santee, Gordon McKellen Jr., Karen Magnussen, Angela Greenhow, Emi Watanabe, Elizabeth Chabot and Bruce Hurd, Candy Jones and Don Fraser, Colleen O'Connor and Jim Millns, Judie Jeffcott and Keith Swindlehurst, Lillian Heming and Murray Carey
*This event marked one of the first occasions where a television broadcast of a professional competition addressed 10.0's being given to skaters who didn't skate cleanly. After landing a double Axel, Robin Cousins fell. Several judges still gave him perfect marks. Bruce Hyland, the referee, blew his whistle and spoke to the judges about the marks they gave. He remarked to Dick Button, who was commentating for television, "I have the power to change a mark of a judge if it happens to be out of line completely. Judge #3, Emmerich Danzer, gave a 10.0 but his marks were based on Overall Performance plus spins and footwork. Judge #4, Ája Zanová - she judges the overall technical content of the program. I questioned Aja and she said... she was boxed in." Hyland and Zanová's remarks spoke to the fact that most referees at professional competitions did have fairness in mind and most judges were doing the best they could.
THE 1983 UNITED STATES PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Troy, Ohio, February 18-19, 1983)
Men:
1. Glenn Replogle (USA)
?. Robert Graham (USA)
?. Bill Tilghman (USA)
?. Ken Tekancic (USA)
Women:
1. Melissa Jeanne Thomas (USA)
2. Kathleen Schmelz (USA)
?. Lesa Cook (USA)
?. Catherine Amy Fischer (USA)
?. Katherine Gelecinskyj Fontaine (USA)
?. Becky Fosha (USA)
?. Gail Godfrey (USA)
?. Wendy Jane Lufrano (USA)
?. Lisa Marie Ruggero (USA)
?. Caroleen Irene Voelcker (USA)
Pairs:
1. Laurie Johnson and Glenn Replogle (USA)
2. Sue Kearney and Chuck Stafford (USA)
3. Cynthia Van Valkenberg and Phillipp Grout (USA)
Ice Dance:
?. Nina Schuster and Jack Hackett (USA)
?. Karen and Douglas Mankovich (USA)
?. Ellen and Alan Mathews (USA)
THE 1983PRO-SKATE CALGARY (Calgary, Alberta, March 3, 1983)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Brian Pockar (CAN)
3. Fumio Igarashi (JPN)
?. Terry Kubicka (USA)
?. Ron Shaver (CAN)
?. David Santee (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Wendy Burge (USA)
3. Priscilla Hill (USA)
?. Patricia Dodd (GRB)
?. Young Soon Choo (KOR)
?. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
?. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
WD. Janet Lynn (USA)
THE 1983PRO-SKATE VANCOUVER (Vancouver, British Columbia, March 4, 1983)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Fumio Igarashi (JPN)
3. Brian Pockar (CAN)
4. Allen Schramm (USA)
5. David Santee (USA)
6. Terry Kubicka (USA)
7. Ron Shaver (CAN)
8. Bob Rubens (CAN)
9. Tim Murphy (USA)
Women:
1. Wendy Burge (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
4. Priscilla Hill (USA)
5. Patricia Dodd (GRB)
6. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
WD. Janet Lynn (USA)
THE 1983PRO-SKATE EDMONTON (Edmonton, Alberta, March 5, 1983)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Brian Pockar (CAN)
3. Fumio Igarashi (JPN)
WD. Toller Cranston (CAN)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Wendy Burge (USA)
3. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
5(t). Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
WD. Janet Lynn (USA)
WD. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
WD. JoJo Starbuck (USA)
THE 1983 PRO-SKATE TORONTO* (Toronto, Ontario, March 20, 1983)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Toller Cranston (CAN)
3. David Santee (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Wendy Burge (USA)
3. Janet Lynn (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan (USA)
2. Nancy Berghoff and Jim Bowser (USA)
3. Lillian Heming and Murray Carey (CAN)
*The final three legs of the 1983 Pro-Skate tour (Montreal, Ottawa and Halifax) were cancelled.
Photo courtesy "Ice And Roller Skate" magazine
THE 1983 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, March 31-April 3, 1983)
Men:
1. Daniel Béland (CAN)
2. Billy Schober (AUS)
3. Michael Shinniman (CAN)
4. Olivier Piedfort (FRA)
5. Ronald Green (GRB)
6. Kevin Marshall (GRB)
7. Glenn Replogle (USA)
8. Kim Spreyer (GRB)
9. Gerhard Hubman (AUT)
10. Marek Chrolenko (POL)
11. Frederick Lert (FRA)
12. Ken Tekancic (USA)
13. Robert Graham (USA)
14. Richard Beamish (GRB)
15. Glenn Hill (CAN)
16. Jacek Tascher (POL)
Women:
1. Editha Dotson (BEL)
2. Lori Nichol (CAN)
3. Kathleen Schmelz (USA)
4. Melissa Thomas (USA)
5. Susan Mason-Zamborain (SPN)
6. Carol-Ann Simon (CAN)
7. Suzanne Dionne (CAN)
8. Iris Koppelent (AUT)
9. Heather Bytheway (GRB)
10. Anita Curtis (GRB)
11. Beverley Dempsey (GRB)
12. Catherine Varin (FRA)
13. Caroleen Irene Voelcker (USA)
14. Irene Meyer (SUI)
15. Heidi Meyer (SUI)
16. Sally Patton (AUS)
Pairs:
1. Penny Booth and Michael Nemec (GRB/AUT)
2. Lynne Begin and Mark Gignac (CAN)
3. Natascha Devish and Rudi Matysik (FRG)
4. Laurie Johnson and Glenn Replogle (USA)
5. Cathryn McCabe and Stephen Baker (GRB)
6. Yolanda Centeno and Evaristo Rodriguez (SPN)
7. Sue Kearney and Chuck Stafford (USA)
8. Cynthia Van Valkenberg and Rick Turlay (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Nancy Berghoff and Jim Bowser (USA)
2. Lillian Heming and Murray Carey (CAN)
3. Joanne French and Kris Barber (CAN)
4. Karen and Douglas Mankovich (USA)
5. Janet Thompson and Garry Hoppe (GRB)
6. Natascha Devish and Rudy Matisyk (BEL)
7. Nina Schuster and Jack Hackett (USA)
8. John Towil and Daphne Cronhelm (GRB)
9. Teresa Weyna-Urban and Piotr Bojańczyk (POL)
10. Marilena Medea and Luigi Frenoni (ITA)
11. Linda Van Daele and Werner Tars (CAN)
THE 1983 INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS - MITA PRO-SKATE NEW YORK (New York City, New York, December 10-11, 1983)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Allen Schramm (USA)
3. Toller Cranston (CAN)
4. David Santee (USA)
5. Terry Kubicka (USA)
6. Nathan Birch (USA)
7. Brian Pockar (CAN)
WD. Fumio Igarashi (JPN)
WD. Bob Rubens (CAN)
Women:
1. Angela Greenhow (GRB)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
8. Priscilla Hill (USA)
?. Wendy Burge (USA)
?. Patricia Dodd (GRB)
?. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. Elina Viola and Keith Green (USA/CAN)
3. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
4. Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner (USA)
5. Shelley Winters and Keith Davis (CAN)
Team:
1. John Curry and Dorothy Hamill's team: John Curry, Dorothy Hamill, Katherine Healy, David Santee and others*
2. Robin Cousins and Denise Biellmann's team: Robin Cousins, Denise Biellmann, Toller Cranston, Brian Pockar, Angela Greenhow, Wendy Burge, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, Elina Viola and Keith Green
*When this event was filmed for television, Katherine Healy (then thirteen) fell twice due to issues with the spotlights. Robin Cousins and Denise Biellmann's team were announced as the winners, but John Curry and Robin Cousins both pushed to allow Katherine a re-skate. She skated brilliantly, and John and Dorothy Hamill's team were announced as the winners.
THE 1983 WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 16, 1983)
Men:
1. Charlie Tickner (USA)
2. Toller Cranston (CAN)
3. John Carlow Jr. (USA)
4. Donald Jackson (CAN)
Women:
1. Janet Lynn (USA)
2. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
3. Linda Fratianne (USA)
4. Dianne de Leeuw (HOL)
Pairs:
1. Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov (SOV)
2. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
3. Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Lorna Wighton and John Dowding (CAN)
2. Krisztina Regőczy and András Sallay (HUN)
Team:
1. All Stars: Toller Cranston, John Carlow Jr., Dorothy Hamill, Dianne de Leeuw, Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov, JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley, Lorna Wighton and John Dowding
2. Pro Stars: Charlie Tickner, Donald Jackson, Linda Fratianne, Janet Lynn, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, Krisztina Regőczy and András Sallay
THE 1984 PRO-SKATE TOKYO (Tokyo, Japan, February 25-26, 1984)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Allen Schramm (USA)
3. David Santee (USA)
4. Brian Pockar (CAN)
5. Fumio Igarashi (JPN)
6. Mitsuru Matsumura (JPN)
7. Bob Rubens (CAN)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Wendy Burge (USA)
3. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
4. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
5. Angela Greenhow (GRB)
6. Priscilla Hill (USA)
7. Emi Watanabe (JPN)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
3. Elina Viola and Keith Green (USA/CAN)
4. Shelley Winters and Keith Davis (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan (USA)
2. Lillian Heming and Murray Carey (CAN)
3. Shelley McLeod and John Rait (CAN)
4. Colleen O'Connor and Jack Courtney (USA)
THE 1984 PRO-SKATE SAPPORO (Sapporo, Japan, March 3-4, 1984)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Fumio Igarashi (JPN)
3. Allen Schramm (USA)
4. Terry Kubicka (USA)
5. David Santee (USA)
6. Brian Pockar (CAN)
7. Mitsuru Matsumura (JPN)
8. Bob Rubens (CAN)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Wendy Burge (USA)
3. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
4. Lynn Nightingale ((CAN)
5. Angela Greenhow (GRB)
6. Priscilla Hill (USA)
7. Emi Watanabe (JPN)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
3. Elina Viola and Keith Green (USA/CAN)
4. Shelley Winters and Keith Davis (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Lillian Heming and Murray Carey (CAN)
2. Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan (USA)
3. Shelley MacLeod and John Rait (CAN)
4. Colleen O'Connor and Jack Courtney (USA)
THE 1984 PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS OF AUSTRALIA (Sydney, Australia)
Men:
1. Michael Pasfield (AUS)
THE 1984 CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Toronto, Ontario, March 10, 1984, Organized By FSCC - Figure Skating Coaches of Canada)
Men:
1. Mitch Giffin (CAN)
2. Jack Frizelle (CAN)
3. John Knight (CAN)
Women:
1. Susan Smith (CAN)
2. Gia Guddat (CAN)
3. Suzanne Dionne (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Karen Taylor and Robert Burk (CAN)
2. Marie McNeil and Hans-Peter Ponikau (CAN)
3. Lenore Kay and Danny Sorley (CAN)
Photo courtesy Professional Skaters Association
THE 1984 RIEDELL OPEN UNITED STATES PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP (Troy, Ohio, March 16-17, 1984)
Men:
1. J. Scott Driscoll (USA)
2. Scott Cramer (USA)
3. Kevin Bryzek (USA)
4. Bill Woehrle (USA)
5. Gregory Bell (USA)
Women:
1. Vicki Heasley (USA)
2. Priscilla Hill (USA)
3. Roslynn van Horn (USA)
4. Elise Davison (USA)
5. Valery Beth Levine (USA)
6. Jacki Farrell (USA)
7. Gail Godfrey (USA)
Pairs:
1. Katie Baxter and Greg Taylor (USA)
2. Lauren Laakso and Bob Young (USA)
3. Heidi Meissner and Kevin Bryzek (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan (USA)
2. Moira North and Patrick Dean (USA)
3. Carol Schultz and Kevin Poit (USA)
THE 1984 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, April 16-22, 1984)
Men:
1. Brian Pockar (CAN)
2. Adam Leib (USA)
3. Daniel Béland (CAN)
4. Leonardo Azzola (FRG)
5. Michael Pasfield (AUS)
6. J. Scott Driscoll (USA)
7. Bill Woehrle (USA)
8. Kim Spreyer (GRB)
9. Olivier Piedfort (FRA)
10. Mitch Giffin (CAN)
11. Jonathan Levers (GRB)
12. Rudy Kleinert (AUT)
13. Jack Frizelle (CAN)
14. John Knight (CAN)
Women:
1. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
2. Claudia Kristofics-Binder (AUT)
3. Karen Wood (GRB)
4. Amy Brown (AUS)
5. Roslyn Van Horn (HOL)
6. Gia Guddat (CAN)
7. Susan Smith-Haut (CAN)
8. Claudia Cariboni (SUI)
9. Suzanne Dionne (CAN)
10. Anita Curtis (GRB)
11. Valery Levine (USA)
12. Jeannette Arnall (GRB)
13. Elise Davidson (USA)
14. Claudia Houdek (AUT)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Lea Ann Miller and Billy Fauver (USA)
3. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
4. Jill Scott and Bill O'Neil (CAN)
5. Elina Viola and Keith Green (USA/CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Karen Taylor and Robert Burk (CAN)
2. Wendy Sessions and Stephen Williams (GRB)
3. Moira North and Patrick Dean (USA)
4. Marie McNeil and Hans-Peter Ponikau (CAN)
5. Lenore Kay and Danny Sorley (CAN)
5. Silvia Biellmann and Roland Teyssot (SUI/FRA)
THE 1984 INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS - MITA PRO-SKATE NEW YORK (New York City, New York, December 9, 1984)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Toller Cranston (CAN)
3. Brian Pockar (CAN)
4. Allen Schramm (USA)
5. David Santee (USA)
Women:
1. Lynn Nightingale (CAN)
2. Angela Greenhow (GRB)
3. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
4. Wendy Burge (USA)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
3. Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner (USA)
4. Elina Viola and Keith Green (USA/CAN)
Team:
1. Robin Cousins and Denise Biellmann's team: Robin Cousins, Denise Biellmann, Allen Schramm, Brian Pockar, JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley and others
2. Dorothy Hamill and John Curry's team: Dorothy Hamill, John Curry, Toller Cranston, David Santee, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, Katherine Healy and others
THE 1984 WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 14, 1984)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Toller Cranston (CAN)
3. Charles Tickner (USA)
4. Norbert Schramm (FRG)
Women:
1. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
2. Elaine Zayak (USA)
3. Linda Fratianne (USA)
4. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov (SOV)
3. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
4. Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (GRB)
2. Carol Fox and Richard Dalley (USA)
3. Lorna Wighton and John Dowding (CAN)
4. Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan (USA)
Team:
1. All Stars: Scott Hamilton, Norbert Schramm, Rosalynn Sumners, Elaine Zayak, Kitty and Peter Carruthers, Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, Carol Fox and Richard Dalley
2. Pro Stars: Toller Cranston, Charlie Tickner, Dorothy Hamill, Linda Fratianne, Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, Lorna Wighton and John Dowding, Kim Krohn and Barry Hagan
THE 1985 PRO-SKATE TOKYO (Tokyo, Japan, February 2, 1985)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Toller Cranston (CAN)
3. David Santee (USA)
4. Mitsuru Matsumura (JPN)
5. Allen Schramm (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Wendy Burge (USA)
3. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
3. Elina Viola and Keith Green (USA/CAN)
4. Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver (USA)
THE 1985 PRO-SKATE SAPPORO (Sapporo, Japan, February 3, 1985)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Toller Cranston (CAN)
3. Mitsuru Matsumura (JPN)
4. David Santee (USA)
5. Allen Schramm (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Wendy Burge (USA)
3. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
3. Elina Viola and Keith Green (USA/CAN)
THE 1985 PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS OF AUSTRALIA (Sydney, Australia)
Men:
1. Michael Pasfield (AUS)
Pairs:
1. Belinda Coulthard and Mark Lynch (AUS)
THE 1985 PRO-SKATE SUN CITY (Bophuthatswana, South Africa, July 1985)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Toller Cranston (CAN)
3. Norbert Schramm (FRG)
4. David Santee (USA)
5. Allen Schramm (USA)
6. Brian Pockar (CAN)
Women:
1. Lynn Nightingale (USA)
2. Kay Thomson (CAN)
3. Elaine Zayak (USA)
4. Angela Greenhow (GRB)
5. Yun Hyo Jean (KOR)
Pairs:
1. Candy Jones and Don Fraser (CAN)
2. Almut Lehmann and Herbert Weisinger (FRG)
3. Lisa Carey and Chris Harrison (USA)
4. Lauren Kaakso and Bob Young (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Carol Fox and Richard Dalley (USA)
2. Lorna Wighton and John Dowding (CAN)
3. Sue Jorgenson and Robert Yokabaskas (USA)
4. Wendy Sessions and Stephen Williams (GRB)
THE 1985 PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING'S WORLD CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS (Paris, France, December 1985)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Toller Cranston (CAN)
4. Norbert Schramm (FRG)
Women:
1. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
2. Linda Fratianne (USA)
3. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
4. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
Pairs:
1. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
2. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
3. Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov (SOV)
4. Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner (USA)
THE 1985 WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 1985)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Norbert Schramm (FRG)
4. Toller Cranston (CAN)
Women:
1. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
2. Linda Fratianne (USA)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Elaine Zayak (USA)
Pairs:
1(t). Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner (USA)
1(t). Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov (SOV)
3. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
4. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (GRB)
2. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (USA)
Team:
1. All Stars: Robin Cousins, Toller Cranston, Dorothy Hamill, Linda Fratianne, Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert
2. Pro Stars: Scott Hamilton, Norbert Schramm, Rosalynn Sumners, Elaine Zayak, Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini, Kitty and Peter Carruthers, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean
THE 1986 WORLD CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS (Paris, France)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Robin Cousins (GRB)
3. Norbert Schramm (FRG)
4. Toller Cranston (CAN)
Women:
1. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
2. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
3. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
4. Linda Fratianne (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov (SOV)
3. Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver (USA)
4. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
THE 1986 WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 12, 1986)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Robin Cousins (GRB)
3. Norbert Schramm (FRG)
4. Toller Cranston (CAN)
Women:
1. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
2. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
3. Linda Fratianne (USA)
4. Elaine Zayak (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver (USA)
3. Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov (SOV)
4. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Carol Fox and Richard Dalley (USA)
2. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (USA)
Photo courtesy Professional Skaters Association
THE 1986 UNITED STATES OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP (Rochester, Minnesota, December 19-21, 1986)
Masters Men:
1. Brian Pockar (CAN)
2. Charlie Tickner (USA)
3. Bobby Beauchamp (USA)
?. Vern Taylor (CAN)
?. Mark Cockerell (USA)
?. Michael Pasfield (AUS)
?. Stewart Sturgeon (USA)
?. Jeff Carstensen (USA)
?. Jeff Whelan (USA)
?. Mark Stanger (USA)
Masters Women:
1. Kathleen Schmelz (USA)
2. Kay Thomson (CAN)
3. Kacey Yoreson (USA)
?. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
?. Yun Hyo Jean (KOR)
?. Tracy Shulman (USA)
?. Bernae Gunderson (USA)
Masters Pairs:
1. Tricia Burton and Burt Lancon (USA)
2. Lisa Carey and Chris Harrison (USA)
3. Sandy Lenz and Keith Green (USA/CAN)
Masters Ice Dance:
1. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (USA)
2. Nina Newby and Rick Berg (USA)
3. Micheline Coyne and John Sally (CAN)
Challenge Cup Men:
1. Stewart Sturgeon (USA)
2. Jeff Carstensen (USA)
3. Jeff Whelan (USA)
?. Mark Stanger (USA)
Challenge Cup Women:
1. Tracy Shulman (USA)
2. Kacey Yoreson (USA)
3. Bernae Gunderson (USA)
Challenge Cup Pairs:
1. Tricia Burton and Burt Lancon (USA)
Challenge Cup Dance:
1. Nina Newby and Rick Berg (USA)
2. Micheline Coyne and John Sally (CAN)
3. Eva Hunyadi and Jay Pinkerton (USA)
THE 1987 WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 11, 1987)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Toller Cranston (CAN)
4. Norbert Schramm (FRG)
Women:
1. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
2. Elaine Zayak (USA)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Tiffany Chin (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
3. Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver (USA)
4. Ludmila and Oleg Protopopov (SOV)
Ice Dance:
1. Carol Fox and Richard Dalley (USA)
2. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (USA)
Kelly Johnson and John Thomas
THE 1987 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, December 18-21, 1987)
Men:
1. Daniel Béland (CAN)
2. Shaun McGill (CAN)
3. Bobby Beauchamp (USA)
4. Laurent Depouilly (FRA)
5. Kevin Parker (CAN)
6. Vern Taylor (CAN)
7. Adam Leib (USA)
8. Robert DuPlessis (SAF)
9. Philippe Paulet (FRA)
10. Billy Schober (AUS)
11. Mark Roberts (GRB)
12. Sikmon Paul Newman (UAE)
13. John McCarryck (GRB)
14. Daniel J. Nicholson (GRB)
Women:
1. Vicky Heasley (USA)
2. Julie Brault (CAN)
3. Kathleen Schmelz (USA)
4. Cynthia Coull (CAN)
5. Claudia Kristofics-Binder (AUT)
6. Gia Guddat (CAN)
7. Rosa Pardo (SPN)
8. Merrian Twinn (CAN)
9. Linda Dean (GRB)
10. Pamela Shellard (GRB)
11. Myriam Oberwiler (SUI)
12. Tracy Shulman (USA)
13. Rudina Pasveer (NED)
14. Dawn Spendlove (GRB)
15. Nancy Sophie (FRA)
16. Charlotta Isaksson (FIN)
Pairs:
1. Tricia Burton and Burt Lancon (USA)
2. Tracey Solomons and Ian Jenkins (GRB)
3. Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver (USA)
4. Isabel Kourie and Guy Trudeau (CAN)
5. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
6. Lauren Laakson and Bob Young (USA)
7. Viviane Gillard and Francis Demarteau (BEL)
Ice Dance:
1. Kelly Johnson and John Thomas (CAN)
2. Kristan Lowery and Chip Rossbach (USA)
3. Micheline Sally and John Coyne (CAN)
4. Moira North and Patrick Dean (USA)
5. Nina Newby and Rick Bert (USA)
6. Nathalie Jaccard and Ronald Teyssot (SUI/FRA)
The pairs podium at the 1988 World Professional Championships in Jaca, Spain. Photo courtesy "Ice & Roller Skate" magazine.
THE 1988 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, December 5-7, 1988)
Men:
1. Gary Beacom (CAN)
2. Shaun McGill (CAN)
3. Mark Cockerell (USA)
4. Fernand Fédronic (FRA)
5. Billy Lawe (USA)
6. David Santee (USA)
Women:
1. Julie Brault (CAN)
2. Lori Benton (USA)
3. Aimee Kravette (USA)
4. Katrien Pauwels (BEL)
5. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
6. Laurie Miller (USA)
7. Alison Paget (GRB)
8. Cynthia Coull (CAN)
9. Pamela Shelard (GRB)
10. Charlotta Isaksson (FIN)
11. Rudina Pasveer (NED)
Pairs:
1. Tracey Solomons and Ian Jenkins (GRB)
2. Terry Pagano and Tony Paul Kudrna (USA)
3. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
4. Isabel Kourie and Guy Trudeau (CAN)
5. Laurene Colllin and John Penticost (CAN)
6. Nadine Shimmin and Mark Roberts (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Micheline Sally and John Coyne (CAN)
2. Géraldine Inghelaere and Hervé Casier (FRA)
3. Nathalie Jaccard and Ronald Teyssot (SUI/FRA)
THE 1988 WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 9, 1988)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Robin Cousins (GRB)
Women:
1. Debi Thomas (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
5. Elaine Zayak (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
3. Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver (USA)
4. Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (USA)
2. Tracy Wilson and Rob McCall (CAN)
Kathleen Schmelz. Photo courtesy "The Professional Skater Magazine", Kathleen (Schmelz) Gazich.
THE 1988 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Daytona Beach, Florida, December 17-19, 1988)
Masters Men:
1. Gary Beacom (CAN)
2. Shaun McGill (CAN)
3. Mark Cockerell (CAN)
4. David Santee (USA)
5. Tom Zakrajsek (USA)
6. Perry Meek (AUS)
7. David Jamison (USA)
8. Ronald Phillip LeFevre (USA)
Masters Women:
1. Kathleen Schmelz (USA)
2. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
3. Aimee Kravette (USA)
4. Janet Lee (USA)
Masters Pairs:
1. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
2. Carrie Buddecke and Don Yontz (USA)
3. Laurie Johnson and Gary Strangman (USA)
WD. Tracey Solomons and Ian Jenkins (GRB)
Masters Ice Dance:
1. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (USA)
2. Kristan Lowery and Chip Rossbach (USA)
3. Kelly Johnson and John Thomas (CAN)
4. Micheline Sally and John Coyne (USA)
Challenge Cup Men:
1. Perry Meek (AUS)
2. Tom Zakrajsek (USA)
3. Ronald Phillip LeFevre (USA)
4. David Jamison (USA)
Challenge Cup Women:
1. Janet Lee (USA)
2. Leslie Shackelford (USA)
3. Beth-Anne Duxbury (USA)
4. Jodi Gleberman (USA)
Challenge Cup Pairs:
1. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
2. Carrie Buddecke and Don Yontz (USA)
3. Laurie Johnson and Gary Strangman (USA)
Challenge Cup Ice Dance:
1. Kristan Lowery and Chip Rossbach (USA)
2. Kelly Johnson and John Thomas (CAN)
3. Micheline Sally and John Coyne (CAN)
*This event was moved from Orlando to Daytona Beach's Ocean Center at the last minute.
THE 1988 NUTRASWEET WORLD CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS (Paris, France, December 19, 1988)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Brian Orser (CAN)
3. Scott Hamilton (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
3. Debi Thomas (USA)
4. Elaine Zayak (USA)
5. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
Pairs:
1. Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard (USA)
2. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
3. Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver (USA)
4. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
THE 1988 WORLD CUP OF FIGURE SKATING (Ottawa, Ontario, December 21, 1988)
Men:
1. Toller Cranston (CAN),
2. Brian Pockar (CAN)
3. Gary Beacom (CAN)
4. Charlie Tickner (USA)
Women:
1. Liz Manley (CAN)
2. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
3. Elaine Zayak (USA)
4. Tiffany Chin (USA)
Pairs:
1. Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard (USA)
2. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
3. Lisa Carey and Chris Harrison (USA)
4. Sandy Lenz and Keith Green (USA/CAN)
WD. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (USA)
2. Lorna Wighton and John Dowding (CAN)
THE 1989 JEEP MAIN EVENT OF SKATING (Montreal, Quebec, April 7, 1989)
Men:
1. Brian Orser (CAN)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Gary Beacom (CAN)
4. Toller Cranston (CAN)
THE 1989 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, December 5-7, 1989)
Men:
1. Robert Wagenhoffer (USA)
2. Fernand Fédronic (FRA)
3. Mark Cockerell (USA)
4. Didier Monge (FRA)
5. Christopher Nolan (CAN)
6. Mark Basto (AUS)
7. Man Shung Lai Sunny (HKG)
8. Edward Vancampen (HOL)
9. David Reynolds (GRB)
10. Alain Groussard (FRA)
Women:
1. Lori Benton (USA)
2. Aimee Kravette (USA)
3. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
4. Katrien Pauwels (BEL)
5. Janet Lee (USA)
6. Kathrin Schoroeter (SUI)
7. Jayne Campbell (GRB)
8. Fabianne Del Bazo (FRA)
9. Charlotta Isaksson (FIN)
10. Kitty Kelly (CAN)
11. Jennifer Shorten (GRB)
12. Marion Waller (GRB)
13. Rudina Pasveer (HOL)
14. Nancy Sophie (FRA)
Pairs:
1. Tracey Solomons and Ian Jenkins (GRB)
2. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
3. Shelley Winters and John Taylor (CAN)
4. Tracey Prussack and Garret Petrov (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Kristan Lowery and Chip Rossbach (USA)
2. Karen Quinn and Alan Abretti (GRB)
3. Géraldine Inghelaere and Hervé Casier (FRA)
4. Laurie Benson and Graham Payne (USA)
5. Lisa Gold and Gary Irving (GRB)
6. Federica Quaranta and Alessandro De Leonardis (ITA)
THE 1989 NUTRASWEET WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 8, 1989)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Gary Beacom (CAN)
4. Brian Orser (CAN)
Women:
1. Debi Thomas (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Elaine Zayak (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (SOV)
3. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
4. Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Tracy Wilson and Rob McCall (CAN)
2. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (SOV)
3. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (USA)
4. Carol Fox and Richard Dalley (USA)
THE 1989 CAMPBELL'S WORLD CUP OF FIGURE SKATING II (Ottawa, Ontario, December 10, 1989)
Men:
1. Robin Cousins (GRB)
2. Charlie Tickner (USA)
3. Robert Wagenhoffer (USA)
4. Jozef Sabovčík (CZE)
Women:
1. Liz Manley (CAN)
2. Tiffany Chin (USA)
3. Linda Fratianne (USA)
4. Tracey Wainman (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard (USA)
3. Natalie and Wayne Seybold (USA)
4. Irina Korina and Viktor Yelchin (SOV)
Ice Dance:
1. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (USA)
2. Lorna Wighton and John Dowding (CAN)
THE 1989 NUTRASWEET CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS (Moscow, Soviet Union, December 14, 1989)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Brian Orser (CAN)
3. Gary Beacom (CAN)
4. Scott Hamilton (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Debi Thomas (USA)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Elaine Zayak (USA)
Pairs:
1. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
2. Elena Valova and Oleg Vassiliev (SOV)
3. Elena Kvitchenko and Rashid Kadyrkaev (SOV)
Ice Dance:
1. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (SOV)
2. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (SOV)
3. Tracy Wilson and Rob McCall (CAN)
4. Judy Blumberg and Michael Seibert (USA)
Bottom photo courtesy Professional Skaters Association
THE 1989 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Orlando, Florida, December 15-17, 1989)
Masters Men:
1. Robert Wagenhoffer (USA)
2. Jaimee Eggleton (CAN)
3. Paul Guerrero (USA)
6. Scott Williams (USA)
?. Bryan Rabin (USA)
?. John Brancato (USA)
Masters Women:
1. Liz Manley (CAN)
2. Kathleen Schmelz (USA)
3. Lori Benton (USA)
4. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
?. Tracy Prussack (USA)
?. Janet Lee (USA)
?. Laura Steele (USA)
Masters Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
3. Natalie and Wayne Seybold (USA)
4. Sheryl Franks and Michael Botticelli (USA)
?. Tracy Prussack and Garret Petrov (USA)
Masters Ice Dance:
1. Lorna Wighton and John Dowding (CAN)
2. Nina Newby and Bill Aquilino (USA)
3. Kelley Morris and Victor Farrow (USA)
4. Laurie Benson and Graham Payne (USA)
Challenge Cup Men:
1. Paul Guerrero (USA)
2. Bryan Rabin (USA)
3. John Brancato (USA)
4. Scott Williams (USA)
Challenge Cup Women:
1. Tracy Prussack Fedourich (USA)
2. Janet Lee (USA)
3. Laura Steele (USA)
Challenge Cup Pairs:
1. Tracy Prussack and Garret Petrov (USA)
2. Jodi Needham and Nathan Alden (USA)
3. Christy Naud and Wayne Melton (USA)
Challenge Cup Ice Dance:
1. Nina Newby and Bill Aquilino (USA)
2. Kelley Morris and Victor Farrow (USA)
3. Laurie Benson and Graham Payne (USA)
*The Challenge Cup was held at the Ice Rink International in Dowdy Pavilion; the Masters Cup at Orlando Arena. Olympic Medallists Katarina Witt, Scott Hamilton and Liz Manley all skated exhibitions at this event.
THE 1990 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO (Jaca, Spain, December 7-8, 1990)
Men:
1. Scott Williams (USA)
2. Dmitri Gromov (SOV)
3. Kevin Parker (CAN)
4. Fernand Fédronic (FRA)
5. Didier Monge (FRA)
6. Billy Lawe (USA)
7. Alain Croussard (BEL)
8. Mazin Thomas (CAN)
9. Man Shung Lai Sunny (HKG)
10. John MacCarrick (GRB)
Women:
1. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
2. Natalia Lebedeva (SOV)
3. Karin Hendschke (GER)
4. Charlene Wong (CAN)
5. Kay Thomson (CAN)
6. Janet Lee (USA)
7. Donna McCarthy (GRB)
8. Tracey Wainman (CAN)
9. Kathrin Schröter (SUI)
10. Fabianne Del Bazo (FRA)
11. Marie-Laure Mathieu (FRA)
12. Jayne Campbell (GRB)
13. Rudina Pasveer (HOL)
14. Rachel Eckert (SUI)
15. Betty Martin Mora (SPN)
Pairs:
1. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
2. Elena Mechnik and Vladimir Bogolyubov (SOV)
3. Sabine Baeß and Tobias Schröter (GER)
4. Christine Reeves and Dion Beleznay (CAN)
5. Isabelle Kourie and Jim Williams (CAN)
6. Dawn Spendlove and Gary Culvewell (GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Sharon Jones and Paul Askham (GRB)
2. Lisa Bradby and Alan Towers (GRB)
3. Kelley Morris and Donald Adair (USA)
4. Nathalie Lessard and Michael Farrington (CAN)
5. Federica Quaranta and Alessandro De Leonardis (ITA)
THE 1990 NUTRASWEET WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (December 8, 1990, Landover, Maryland)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Robin Cousins (GRB)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Gary Beacom (CAN)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
3. Debi Thomas (USA)
4. Liz Manley (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (SOV)
3. Larisa Selezneva and Oleg Makarov (SOV)
4. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (SOV)
5. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (GRB)
2. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (SOV)
3. Susie Wynne and Joseph Druar (USA)
4. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA/SOV)
*A highlight of this event was the singing of "The Star Spangled Banner" by Cara Stewart, a mother of three from Kingsville, Maryland. At the age of fifteen, Cara was unable to walk after being injured in a car accident. She became an advocate for people with disabilities and told a reporter from the "Baltimore Sun", "I believe that society is changed one person at a time. I'm excited about the opportunities that we have to encourage children to look beyond the outward appearance, and to understand that all people are the same on the inside."
THE 1990 MCCAIN WORLD CUP OF FIGURE SKATING (Kitchener, Ontario, December 9, 1990)
Men:
1. Jozef Sabovčík (CZE)
2. Alexandr Fadeev (SOV)
3. Robert Wagenhoffer (USA)
4. Brian Pockar (CAN)
Women:
1. Liz Manley (CAN)
2. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
3. Elaine Zayak (USA)
4. Tiffany Chin (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Cindy Landry and Peter Oppegard (CAN/USA)
3. Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver (USA)
4. Natalie and Wayne Seybold (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (SOV)
2. Lorna Wighton and John Dowding (CAN)
3. Susie Wynne and Joseph Druar (USA)
1990 NUTRASWEET WORLD CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS (Barcelona, Spain, December 14, 1990)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Brian Orser (CAN)
3. Robin Cousins (GRB)
4. Gary Beacom (CAN)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Debi Thomas (USA)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Liz Manley (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (SOV)
3. Larisa Selezneva and Oleg Makarov (SOV)
4. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
5. Elena Valova and Oleg Vassiliev (SOV)
Ice Dance:
1. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (GRB)
2. Olga Volozhinskaya and Alexander Svinin (SOV)
3. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (SOV)
4. Susie Wynne and Joseph Druar (USA)
THE 1990 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Orlando, Florida, December 15-17, 1990)
Masters Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Robert Wagenhoffer (USA)
3. Scott Williams (USA)
4. Angelo D'Agostino (USA)
?. Fernand Fédronic (FRA)
Masters Women:
1. Charlene Wong (CAN)
2. Elaine Zayak (USA)
3. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
4. Stephanee Grosscup (USA)
?. Beth-Anne Duxbury (USA)
?. Jane Alioto (USA)
Masters Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Cindy Landry and Peter Oppegard (CAN/USA)
3. Lea Ann Miller and Bill Fauver (USA)
4. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
?. Elena Mechnik and Vladimir Bogolyubov (SOV)
?. Leanne Knight and Jeff LaBrake (USA)
?. Tammy Crowson and John Kanicka (USA)
Masters Ice Dance:
1. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (SOV)
2. Susie Wynne and Joseph Druar (USA)
3. Suzanne Semanick and Igor Shpilband (USA/SOV)
4. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA/SOV)
Challenge Cup Men:
1. Scott Williams (USA)
2(t). Fernand Fédronic (FRA)
2(t). Angelo D'Agostino (USA)
4. Paul Guerrero (USA)
Challenge Cup Women:
1. Stephanee Grosscup (USA)
2. Beth-Anne Duxbury (USA)
3. Jane Alioto (USA)
4. Brenda Welliver-Muth (USA)
Challenge Cup Pairs:
1(t). Elena Mechnik and Vladimir Bogolyubov (SOV)
1(t). Leanne Knight and Jeff LaBrake (USA)
3. Tammy Crowson and John Kanicka (USA)
4. Laura McGraw and Patrick Hancock (USA)
*Two-time Olympic Gold Medallist Katarina Witt gave an exhibition at this event.
THE 1991 LES DIEUX DE LA GLACE - MASTERS PROFESSIONELS DE PATINAGE* (Paris-Bercy, France, June 19-20, 1991)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Brian Orser (CAN)
3. Robert Wagenhoffer (USA)
4. Scott Williams (USA)
5. Scott Hamilton (USA)
6. Gary Beacom (CAN)
7. Alexandr Fadeev (SOV)
Women:
1. Katarina Witt (GER)
2. Charlene Wong (CAN)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Debi Thomas (USA)
5. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
6. Liz Manley (CAN)
7. Anna Kondrashova (SOV)
*Presented by Canal and Miko, Les Dieux de la Glace (The Ice Gods) was the first Miko Masters competition. It was part of a planned four-event series called The Skater's Championships, organized in cooperation with Jefferson Pilot Communications.
THE 1991 NUTRASWEET WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 7, 1991)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Robin Cousins (GRB)
4. Brian Orser (CAN)
Women:
1. Debi Thomas (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
Pairs:
1. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)
2. Cindy Landry and Peter Oppegard (CAN/USA)
3. Larisa Selezneva and Oleg Makarov (SOV)
4. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
5. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
2. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
3. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA/RUS)
4. Susie Wynne and Joseph Druar (USA)
Left: Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov. Right: Susie Wynne and Joseph Druar. A. Raclave Kanal photos, courtesy Jaya Kayal. An acquisition of the Skate Guard archive.
THE 1991 NUTRASWEET CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS (Oslo, Norway, December 13, 1991)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Brian Orser (CAN)
3. Scott Hamilton (USA)
4. Robin Cousins (GRB)
Women:
1. Debi Thomas (USA)*
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Anna Kondrashova (RUS)
Pairs:
1. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)
2. Larisa Selezneva and Oleg Makarov (RUS)
3. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
4. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
2. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
3. Susie Wynne and Joseph Druar (USA)
4. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA/RUS)
*One week after winning this event, Debi Thomas announced her plans to retire from professional skating at the end of that year's Stars On Ice tour and attend medical school.
THE 1991 INTERNATIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Atlanta, Georgia, December 22, 1991)
Women:
1. Liz Manley (CAN)
2. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
4. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
5. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
6. Kathleen Schmelz (USA)
7. Charlene Wong (CAN)
8. Tiffany Chin (USA)
*This event was part of a planned four-event series called The Skater's Championships, organized in cooperation with Jefferson Pilot Communications. This was the first-ever women's only professional competition. Scott Hamilton gave a special exhibition.
Photo courtesy Professional Skaters Association
THE 1991 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Seattle, Washington, December 27-29, 1991)
Masters Men:
1. Scott Williams (USA)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. J. Scott Driscoll (USA)
4. Jozef Sabovčík (CZE)
5. Doug Mattis (USA)
6. Stewart Sturgeon (USA)
7. Billy Lawe (USA)
8. Daniel Doran (USA)
Masters Women:
1. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
2. Charlene Wong (CAN)
3. Rory Flack (USA)
4. Rebecca Safai (USA)
5. Brenda Welliver-Muth (USA)
6. Julie Morris (USA)
Masters Pairs:
1. Gillian Wachsman and Todd Waggoner (USA)
2. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
3. Natalie and Wayne Seybold (USA)
4. Larisa Selezneva and Oleg Makarov (RUS)
?. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
Masters Ice Dance:
1. Susie Wynne and Joseph Druar (USA)
2. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
3. Suzanne Semanick and Igor Shpilband (USA/RUS)
4. Sharon Jones and Paul Askham (GRB)
Challenge Cup Men:
1. Doug Mattis (USA)
2. J. Scott Driscoll (USA)
3. Stewart Sturgeon (USA)
4. Billy Lawe (USA)
?. Sean Abram (AUS)
?. Michael Bautista (USA)
?. Jean-Pierre Boulais (CAN)
?. Frank D'Agostino (USA)
?. John Kanicka (USA)
?. Tony Leung (USA)
?. Man Shung Lai Sunny (HKG)
?. Christian Newberry (GRB)
?. Steven Rice (USA)
?. Kelby Riley (USA)
?. Jeff Whalen (USA)
Challenge Cup Women:
1. Rory Flack (USA)
2. Rebecca Safai (USA)
3. Brenda Welliver-Muth (USA)
4. Stephanee Grosscup (USA)
5. Julie Morris (USA)
?. Heather McLaughlin (USA)
?. Judie Blake (USA)
?. Kathryn Curielli (USA)
?. Carla Anne Krause (USA)
?. Michelle Millikan (USA)
?. Sharron Nelson (USA)
?. Amy Sitterle-Bergqvist (USA)
?. Peggy Sinner (USA)
*Dorothy Hamill skated special exhibitions at this event.
THE 1992 DIET COKE SKATERS' CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Cincinnati, Ohio, April 4, 1992)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Viktor Petrenko (USA)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Robin Cousins (GRB)
5. Jozef Sabovčík (CZE)
6. Robert Wagenhoffer (USA)
7. Gary Beacom (CAN)
8. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
Women:
1. Katarina Witt (GER)
2. Debi Thomas (USA)
3. Liz Manley (CAN)
4. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
5. Denise Biellmann (USA)
6. Charlene Wong (CAN)
7. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
*This event was part of a planned four-event series called The Skater's Championships, organized in cooperation with Jefferson Pilot Communications. This competition was Olympic Gold Medallist Viktor Petrenko's first as a professional.
THE 1992 MASTERS MIKO* (Paris-Bercy, France, June 10-11, 1992)
Men:
1. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
2. Petr Barna (CZE)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
5. Scott Williams (USA)
6. Paul Wylie (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (USA)
2. Jill Trenary (USA)
3. Claudia Leistner (GER)
4. Debi Thomas (USA)
5. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
6. Charlene Wong (CAN)
*Twenty six thousand spectators watched the second Masters Miko (in 1991 titled 'Les Dieux de la Glace') at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko and Tracey Solomons and Ian Jenkins gave special exhibitions at this event.
Debi Thomas (left) and Denise Biellmann (right) at the 1992 Masters Miko. Photo courtesy "Patinage" magazine.
THE 1992 CHRYSLER CONCORDE PRO-AM FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Hershey, Pennsylvania, November 23-24, 1992)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Mark Mitchell (USA)
3. Scott Hamilton (USA)
4. Todd Eldredge (USA)
Women:
1. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
2. Tonya Harding (USA)
3. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
4. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
*This event was the very first televised pro-am competition ever held. In his book "Skating In America", Benjamin T. Wright recalled that this event was "open only to U.S. skaters, since [it was] conducted USFSA and not the ISU rules, the ISU, as yet, not having permitted the holding of such competitions with international skaters participating. The permission to conduct pro-am competitions had been granted by the ISU as a 'clarification' of its rule change permitting the Member associations to conduct purely 'professional' competitions." The judges were all USFSA International or World judges.
THE 1992 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Minneapolis, Minnesota, December 4-6, 1992)
Masters Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
3. Grzegorz Filipowski (POL)
4. Brian Orser (CAN)
5. Petr Barna (CZE)
6. Angelo D'Agostino (USA)
7. Scott Williams (USA)
8. Tom Dickson (USA)
9. Cameron Medhurst (AUS)
10. Stewart Sturgeon (USA)
11. J. Scott Driscoll (USA)
Masters Women:
1. Jill Trenary (USA)
2. Rory Flack (USA)
3. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
4. Liz Manley (CAN)
5. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
6. Charlene Wong (CAN)
7. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
8. Carrie Weber (USA)
9. Rebecca Safai (USA)
10. Stephanee Grosscup (USA)
Masters Pairs:
1. Natalia Mishkutenok and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
2. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
3. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (USA)
4. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
5. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
6. Natalie and Wayne Seybold (USA)
7. Cheryl Peake and Andrew Naylor (GRB)
8. Anne E. Lieber and Joseph Mero (USA)
Masters Ice Dance:
1. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
2. Kristan Lowery and Chip Rossbach (USA)
3. Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith (CAN)
Challenge Cup Men:
1. Tom Dickson (USA)
2. Angelo D'Agostino (USA)
3. Cameron Medhurst (AUS)
4. Stewart Sturgeon (USA)
Challenge Cup Women:
1. Rebecca Safai (USA)
2. Carrie Weber (USA)
3. Stephanee Grosscup (USA)
Challenge Cup Pairs:
1. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
2. Anne E. Lieber and Joseph Mero (USA)
Left: Natalia Mishkutenok and Artur Dmitriev. Right: Denise Biellmann. A. Raclave Kanal photo, courtesy Jaya Kayal. An acquisition of the Skate Guard archive.
THE 1992 DURASOFT COLORS WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Landover, Maryland, December 12, 1992)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Paul Wylie (USA)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Jill Trenary (USA)
Pairs:
1. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)
2. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
3. Natalia Mishkutenok and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
4. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
2. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
3. Klára Engi and Attila Tóth (HUN)
WD. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
*There was a little skating superstition going on at the thirteenth edition of the World Professional Championships in Landover. The January/February '93 issue of "PS Magazine" recalled, "The Zamboni broke down. The elegant black draping which covered the dasher boards was pulled off during a resurface and the running lights which surrounded the rink were knocked out... At 5:00 AM a hotel fire alarm sounded arousing guests to an early morning gathering in the hotel lobby. Button and perennial guests proclaimed, there had never been an event like this one!" At the time of this event, Brian Boitano was very much in the spotlight regarding the ISU Congress decision to allow professional skaters to reinstate to the amateur ranks in time for the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer. Because he campaigned for this decision, the rule became popularly known at the time as the 'Boitano rule'. He told a "Baltimore Sun" reporter, "It's not what I lobbied for. I lobbied to let pros back in the Olympics. What they've done is to say they'll forgive your past indiscretions and allow you to regain amateur status... A lot of people think I wanted this for myself, but it's not about me. It was about the betterment of all skating. It was about allowing the best skaters to skate in the Olympics."
THE 1992 DURASOFT COLORS CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS (Los Angeles, California, December 17, 1992)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
3. Brian Boitano (USA)
4. Brian Orser (CAN)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Jill Trenary (USA)
Pairs:
1. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
2. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
3. Natalia Mishkutenok and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
4. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
2. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
3. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
4. Klára Engi and Attila Tóth (HUN)
Group photo from the 1992 show "A Christmas Portrait". Back (left to right): Casey Litz, Eric Harryman, Toller Cranston, Nicole Lesh, Doug Mattis, Terry Pagano. Front (left to right): Jill Schulz, Karen Kresge, Kim Navarro, Paige Carroll Scott, Christopher Nolan. Front (face down): Jarrod Randolph. Photo courtesy Karen Kresge.
THE 1992 TOLLER CRANSTON ARTISTIC COMPETITION (Santa Rosa, California, December 1992)
Overall:
1. Doug Mattis (USA)
2. Christopher Nolan (CAN)
3. Paige Carroll Scott (USA)
*. Toller Cranston (CAN)
*. Karen Kresge (USA)
*. Cindy Stuart (USA)
*. Casey Litz (USA)
*. Nicole Lesh (USA)
*. Jarrod Randolph (USA)
*While in Santa Rosa, California for Charles Schulz' 1992 holiday show "A Christmas Portrait", Toller Cranston organized - and participated in - a very informal interpretive competition for the professional skaters in the show. In his book "When Hell Freezes Over Should I Bring My Skates?" he recalled, "I drew up a list of rules and posted it on the wall. Anyone who wanted to participate in the two-night event was welcome... Male and female skaters would compete in the same field, each skating to the same obscure piece of music (which Karen [Kresge] and I selected for the first night). Everyone would dress in black and perform under full theatrical lighting. I would donate original drawings to the top three and lithographs to the rest of the competitors."
THE 1993 HERSHEY'S KISSES PRO-AM CHALLENGE* (Los Angeles, California, April 6-7, 1993)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Paul Wylie (USA)
4. Mark Mitchell (USA)
5. Michael Chack (USA)
6. Scott Davis (USA)
Women:
1. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
2. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
3. Lisa Ervin (USA)
4. Jill Trenary (USA)
5. Tonia Kwiatkowski (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 1993 MASTERS MIKO (Paris-Bercy, France, June 8-9, 1993)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Petr Barna (CZE)
3. Scott Williams (USA)
4. Brian Orser (CAN)
Women:
1. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Claudia Leistner (GER)
4. Charlene Wong (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (CAN)
3. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
4. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
Photo courtesy Professional Skaters Association
THE 1993 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Worcester, Massachusetts, December 4-5, 1993)
Masters Men:
1. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
2. Grzegorz Filipowski (POL)
3. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
4. Brian Orser (CAN)
5. Scott Williams (USA)
6. Cameron Medhurst (AUS)
7. Steven Rice (USA)
8. Stewart Sturgeon (USA)
WD. Christopher Bowman (USA)
Masters Women:
1. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
2. Liz Manley (CAN)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Catarina Lindgren (SWE)
5. Charlene Wong (CAN)
6. Heather McLaughlin (USA)
WD. Jill Trenary (USA)
Masters Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
3. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (CAN)
Masters Ice Dance:
1. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
2. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
3. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
4. April Sargent-Thomas and John Thomas (USA/CAN)
5. Dara Bailey and Michael Farrington (CAN)
Challenge Cup Men:
1. Stewart Sturgeon (USA)
2. Cameron Medhurst (AUS)
3. Steven Rice (USA)
4. Man Shung Lai Sunny (HKG)
5. Frank D'Agostino (USA)
Challenge Cup Women:
1. Heather McLaughlin (USA)
2. Lisa M. Ware (USA)
3. Michelle Milliank (USA)
4. Rebecca Safai (USA)
5. Susan Elizabeth Hamilton (USA)
6. Elin Gardiner (USA)
7. Lorilee Pritchard (USA)
8. Beth-Anne Duxbury (USA)
9. Jennifer DeRoche (USA)
10. Dawn Duhamel (USA)
11. Stephanee Grosscup (USA)
12. Lisa Bucci (USA)
*This event was supposed to mark the professional competitive debut of Christopher Bowman. He withdrew and ultimately never competed once as a professional.
THE 1993 AT&T PRO-AM FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 5-6, 1993)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Paul Wylie (USA)
4. Todd Eldredge (USA)
5. Aren Nielsen (USA)
WD. Mark Mitchelll (USA)
WD. Michael Chack (USA)
Women:
1. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
2. Nicole Bobek (USA)
3. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
4. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
5. Lisa Ervin (USA)
WD. Jill Trenary (USA)
Pairs:
1. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
2. Karen Courtland and Todd Reynolds (USA)
3. Natalie and Wayne Seybold (USA)
4. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
2. Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow (USA)
3. Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby (USA)
4. Judy Blumberg and James Yorke (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
This event was the successor of the USFSA's first autumn pro-am, the 1992 Chrysler Concorde Challenge. Pairs and ice dance were added to the competition. There were special exhibitions by JoJo Starbuck and Jenny Kaufman, the winner of the Special Olympics figure skating event in Salzburg, Austria. In "Skating" magazine, USFSA President Claire Ferguson reflected upon the success of the organization's first pro-am events thusly: "The Pro-Am competitions have served several valuable purposes to our Association and its athletes. They generate additional sponsorship opportunities for the Association, and the elite athletes also have the opportunity to garner monies directly by competing. Because of the Pro-Ams, additional funds have been generated for USFSA grassroots programs. Additionally, the Pro-Am events have served the purpose of bridging the gap between professional and amateur skating. What other means do we have of bringing all skaters back into the same circle to compete in USFSA sanctioned events in which the USFSA guarantees a certain standard of judging, accounting, uniformity of rules, medical services, music, and any other features offered by a legitimate international competition?"
THE 1993 DURASOFT COLORS WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Landover, Maryland, December 11, 1993)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Robin Cousins (GRB)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Petr Barna (CZE)
Women:
1. Midori Ito (JPN)
2. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
3. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
4. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
5. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
WD. Jill Trenary (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
3. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
2. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
3. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
4. Judy Blumberg and James Yorke (USA)
WD. Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay (FRA)
*In the technical program, Midori Ito made history as the first woman to land a triple Axel in professional competition. Asked what she enjoyed most about life since she'd turned professional, Ito quipped to a "Baltimore Sun" reporter, "Sleeping. Now I have time to sleep." *This event was to have featured a long-anticipated rematch between Klimova and Ponomarenko and The Duchesnay's. Isabelle injured her foot, and she and Paul were forced to withdraw.
THE 1993 DURASOFT COLORS CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS* (Toronto, Ontario, December 18, 1993)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Robin Cousins (GRB)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Petr Barna (CZE)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Midori Ito (JPN)
4. Liz Manley (CAN)
WD. Jill Trenary (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
3. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
4. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
2. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
3. Judy Blumberg and James Yorke (USA)
4. Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith (CAN)
WD. Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay (FRA)
*Denise Biellmann and Midori Ito actually tied in points, but Biellmann took second because her artistic scores were 0.2 higher. Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay were replaced at the eleventh hour by Canadian Champions Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith.
THE 1994 HERSHEY'S KISSES PRO-AM CHALLENGE* (Los Angeles, California, April 7-8, 1994)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Todd Eldredge (USA)
3. Aren Nielsen (USA)
4. Scott Davis (USA)
Women:
1. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
2. Michelle Kwan (USA)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Nicole Bobek (USA)
Pairs:
1. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
2. Kyoko Ina and Jason Dungjen (USA)
3. Natalie and Wayne Seybold (USA)
4. Karen Courtland and Todd Reynolds (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
2. Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow (USA)
3. Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby (USA)
4. Amy Webster and Ron Kravette (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Paul Wylie received six perfect 6.0's at this event and earned a special award from Korbel - an engraved champagne bucket and a $1,000 donation to the USFSA Memorial Fund in his name.
THE 1994 MASTERS MIKO* (Paris-Bercy, France, May 17-18, 1994)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Kurt Browning (CAN)
3. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
4. Petr Barna (CZE)
5. Robert Wagenhoffer (USA)
WD. Scott Williams (USA)
WD. Mark Mitchell (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Katarina Witt (GER)
3. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
4. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
5. Sandra Garde (FRA)
WD. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
*There was also an exhibition gala held in conjunction with the competition, featuring performances by Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay, Philippe Candeloro, Surya Bonaly Sophie Moniotte and Pascal Lavanchy, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov, Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko and Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding. This event marked the professional debut of Kurt Browning and Katarina Witt's reintroduction to the professional ranks after reinstating for the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer. In the lead-up to this event, the Associated Press published articles speculating that Tonya Harding might compete.
Trevor Kruse and Darren Singbeil's program about the military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy at the 1994 Gay Games
THE 1994 GAY GAMES (New York City, New York, June 18-25, 1994)
Men (Level 5):
1. Matthew James Hall (CAN)
2. Edward Vancampen (HOL)
3. Perry Meek (AUS)
Male/Male Pairs (Level 4):
1. Jean-Pierre Martin and Mark Hird (CAN)
Male/Male Compulsory Dance (Level 4):
1. Stéphane Vachon and Charles Sinek (CAN/USA)
2. James Craik and Trevor Kruse (CAN)
Men (Level 4):
1. J.P. Licari (USA)
2. Scott Cudmore (USA)
3. George Kling (SUI)
Women (Level 3):
1. Lisa Labrecque (USA)
2. Lisa Clinton (USA)
3. Elizabeth Rosenberg (USA)
Male/Male Pairs (Level 3):
1. Trevor Kruse and Darren Singbeil (CAN)
2. Bill LeClerc and Gary Pascua (USA)
Male/Female Free Dance (Level 3):
1. Nina Newby and Christopher Lipari (USA)
Male/Female Compulsory Dance (Level 3):
1. Nina Newby and Gerry Kaplan (USA)
Men (Level 3C):
1. Ray Belmonte (USA)
2. William Wassmer (USA)
3. Wynn Miller (USA)
Men (Level 3B):
1. Trevor Kruse (CAN)
2. Garry Braid (SAF)
3. James Mullen (USA)
Men (Level 3A):
1. Stéphane Vachon (CAN)
2. James Craik (USA)
3. Boise Ding (USA)
Women (Level 2):
1. Margaret Fine (USA)
2. Laura Moore (USA)
3. April Martin (USA)
Male/Female Compulsory Dance (Level 2):
1. Sheila Geisler and Ralph Landis (USA)
Female/Female Pairs (Level 2):
1. Linda Carney and Laura Moore (USA)
Male/Male Pairs (Level 2):
1. Lynn Baskin and Mark Todoro (USA)
Male/Female Pairs (Level 2):
1. Sheila Geisler and Ralph Landis (USA)
Men (Level 2B):
1. Wade Corbett (USA)
2. Roger Vanderburg (USA)
3. Claude Dennis (USA)
Men (Level 2A):
1. John Lincoln (USA)
2. Darcy Pleckham (USA)
3. Gary Lynch (USA)
Women (Level 1):
1. Virginia Heath (USA)
2. Linda Carney (USA)
3. Tatum Blass (USA)
Female/Female Compulsory Dance (Level 1):
1. Linda Carney and Laura Moore (USA)
2. Gretchen Jasek and Susan Whiteley (USA)
Female/Female Pairs (Level 1):
1. Charlotte Avery and Sabra Williams (GRB)
Men (Level 1):
1. Jimmy Grape (USA)
2. Jayson S. (USA)
3. Jerry Fox (USA)
Male/Female Pairs (Level 1):
1. Tatum Blass and Brett Kropp (USA)
*The 1994 Gay Games in New York City are kind of a gray area because they weren't officially recognized by the ISU and weren't designed as a professional sporting festival. The figure skating events featured a mix of amateur and professional skaters. A feature on The Queerstory Files blog in 2014 recalled, "This was the first ever same-sex figure skating championship, and the U.S. Figure Skating Association sanctioned the event by waiving regulations prohibiting same-sex couples to allow the participation of professional skaters, who would be banned from future competitions if they competed in a non-sanctioned contest. It also allowed professional judges to officiate." Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner hosted the event and Debi Thomas and Doug Mattis gave special exhibitions. The competition at the 1998 Gay Games in Amsterdam was turned into a series of "public practices" due to sanctioning issues and later events were held using ISI rules and sanctions.
THE 1994 DOROTHY HAMILL CROWN PROFESSIONAL COMPETITION*
Men:
1. Craig Heath (USA)
?. Patrick Brault (CAN)
?. Grant Rorvick (USA)
?. Andrew Naylor (GRB)
?. Vadim Shebeco (RUS)
?. Louis Vachon (USA)
?. Scott O'Neil (CAN)
?. Richard Swenning (USA)
?. David Jamison (USA)
Women:
1. Jeri Campbell (USA)
2. Nancy Pluta (USA)
?. Shallanne Mellor (USA)
?. Elin Gardiner Schran (USA)
?. Kristen Vanick Jamison (USA)
?. Kitty Kelly (USA)
*In 2014, Jeri Campbell recalled, "The Dorothy Hamill Crown Pro Competition was an in-house competition, meaning it was all the performers in her two touring companies with "Cinderella: Frozen in Time" that participated in the competition. We only had a short time to prepare for the competition since we were in the middle of a tour doing shows all the time so it was a challenge to get ready for it. We all set our own programs, then the two touring companies met in one city for the competition. It was the first competition I did as a pro skater, so I was feeling a little nervous. I had a pretty good skate and was happy with the overall performance. The other skaters were fun to watch, and really the best part of the whole experience was the two touring companies came together for a night, and after the competition was over, we all got to hang out and let our hair down for a few hours and have a little fun."
THE 1994 SUN VALLEY CBS OUTDOOR WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Sun Valley, Idaho, October 8, 1994)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Mark Mitchell (USA)
4. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
5. Gary Beacom (CAN)
6. Petr Barna (CZE)
*Interestingly, the advertising for this event billed the competition as the Sun Valley CBS Outdoor World Professional Figure Skating Championships. When televised on CBS, the 'World Professional' was dropped so as not to conflict with Dick Button's World Professional Championships in Landover, Maryland. A separate event, the U.S. Amateur Ladies Skating Challenge, was held the following day. Oksana Baiul, Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov and Denise Biellmann gave exhibitions at this competition.
THE VICKS 44 NORTH AMERICAN OPEN SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP (Cleveland, Ohio, October 19, 1994)
Men:
1. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
2. Brian Boitano (USA)
3. Robin Cousins (GRB)
4. Mark Mitchell (USA)
5. Paul Wylie (USA)
WD. Kurt Browning (CAN)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
5. Elaine Zayak (USA)*
Pairs:
1. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)
2. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
3. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
*Surya Bonaly was initially announced as a competitor in the women's event, but decided to remain in the amateur ranks. She was replaced at the last minute by Elaine Zayak. Kurt Browning withdrew due to a strained left rotator cuff. This event marked Viktor Petrenko's first win in a professional competition held in North America. He told Associated Press reporters, "I really wasn't thinking about winning or losing. I wanted the people to enjoy my program."
THE 1994 CBS NIKON FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (St. Louis, Missouri, October 24, 1994)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
3. Mark Mitchell (USA)
4. Petr Barna (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
3. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
4. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
5. Karen Preston (CAN)
6. Liz Manley (CAN)
7. Lily Lee (KOR)
WD. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
*The event that would have originally 'christened' the brand new Kiel Center (now Scottrade Center) in St. Louis, Missouri on October 12, 1994 was postponed specifically because Oksana Baiul tore cartilage in her left knee during practice on September 28 of that year and required arthroscopic surgery. Her one point five million dollar contract with Jefferson Pilot Sports specified that she participate in this event, and so organizers rescheduled the event for October 24, 1994. An exhibition basketball game between the Chicago Bulls and Washington Bullets replaced the CBS made-for-TV Baiul vehicle. Surya Bonaly was advertised as a competitor, but she decided not to turn professional.
THE 1994 FOX ROCK 'N ROLL FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Memphis, Tennessee, November 2, 1994)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
3. Mark Mitchell (USA)
4. Gary Beacom (CAN)
WD. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
Women:
1. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
2. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
4. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
5. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
*Philippe Candeloro was originally announced as a competitor for the men's event, but he decided not to turn professional. Elvis Stojko gave an exhibition at this event.
THE 1994 ICE WARS: USA .VS. THE WORLD (Uniondale, New York and Providence, Rhode Island, November 10 and 12, 1994)
Team:
1. USA: Brian Boitano, Paul Wylie, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan
2. World: Kurt Browning, Viktor Petrenko, Katarina Witt, Oksana Baiul
THE 1994 GOLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (Edmonton, Alberta, November 19, 1994)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Brian Boitano (USA)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
Top: Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval with their Lalique trophy. Bottom: Poster for the 1994 Lalique Trophée d'Or. Photo courtesy "Patinage" magazine.
THE 1994 LALIQUE TROPHÉE D'OR (Paris-Bercy, France, November 19-20, 1994)
Men:
1. Petr Barna (CZE)
2. Mark Mitchell (USA)
?. Axel Médéric (FRA)
?. Robert Wagenhoffer (USA)
?. Grzegorz Filipowski (POL)
Women:
1. Sandra Garde (FRA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
?. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
?. Elaine Zayak (USA)
?. Linda Fratianne (USA)
?. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
?. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
?. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
?. Cindy Landry and Burt Lancon (CAN/USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
?. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
?. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
?. Judy Blumberg and James Yorke (USA)
*This was an audience-judged competition. Ten million television viewers from seven countries called in to give their votes for the skaters in each discipline they preferred. These votes were tallied with an in-house 'applause-o-meter' which rated the audience's appreciation. Not all of the skaters understood that it was a competition and not a show. In an interview with sportswriter Brian White in 1994, Calla Urbanski joked, "We had no idea why we were getting an award because it was all done in French and there was no interpreter. When we found out it was a vote, it was neat. It'd be nice to have something like that in the States." This event came to be a professional event due to a ratings war between TF1 and France 3 and a series of disputes between the television networks, organizers and the FFSG. The organizers were the Lalique corporation, Club des Français Volants of the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy and the Société Internationale de Productions Artistiques et Sportives. The FFSG presented its autumn international as the Trophée de France and televised it on a different channel at the same time.
THE 1994 MUSIC CITY FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Nashville, Tennessee, November 27, 1994)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Yuka Sato (JPN)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
4. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
5. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
6. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
7. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
2. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
3. Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby (USA)*
4. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
WD. Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith (CAN)
*Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby were a last-minute replacement for Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith. This event was televised on CBS as the American Skating Invitational.
THE 1994 THRIFTY CAR RENTAL INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 30, 1994)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
4. Mark Mitchell (USA)
5. Scott Davis (USA)
WD. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
WD. Scott Hamilton (USA)
WD. Brian Boitano (USA)
Women:
1. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
2. Olga Markova (RUS)
3. Michelle Kwan (USA)
4. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
5. Nicole Bobek (USA)
WD. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
Pairs:
1. Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov (RUS)
2. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
3. Kyoko Ina and Jason Dungjen (USA)
4. Elena Beloussovskaya and Sergei Potalov (UKR)
WD. Natalia Mishkutenok and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov (RUS)
2. Irina Romanova and Igor Yaroshenko (UKR)
3. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
WD. Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
WD. Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow (USA)
*This event was originally titled the International Figure Skating Championships and billed by the USFSA as "the first-ever international pro-am competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union". Only three of the competitors, Viktor Petrenko, Mark Mitchell and Caryn Kadavy were actually professionals.
THE 1994 TOYOTA CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Hamilton, Ontario, December 2-3, 1994)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Mark Mitchell (USA)
3. Kurt Browning (CAN)
4. Robin Cousins (GRB)
5. Brian Orser (CAN)
Women:
1. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Liz Manley (CAN)
5. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
6. Elaine Zayak (USA)
Pairs:
1. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)
2. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
3. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (CAN)
4. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
*Toller Cranston skated a special exhibition at this event.
Photo courtesy Debi Gold
THE 1994 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Worcester, Massachusetts, December 2-4, 1994)
Masters Men:
1. Grzegorz Filipowski (POL)
2. Doug Mattis (USA)
3. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
4. Paul Wylie (USA)
5. Craig Heath (USA)
6. Dmitri Gromov (RUS)
7. Ralph Burghart (AUT)
WD. Petr Barna (CZE)
Masters Women:
1. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
2. Liz Manley (CAN)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Jeri Campbell (USA)
5. Karen Preston (CAN)
6. Laura Steele (USA)
7. Lisa M. Ware (USA)
WD. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
Masters Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Cindy Landry and Burt Lancon (CAN/USA)
3. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
WD. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
Masters Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
2. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
3. Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby (USA)
4. Darlin Baker and Andrzej Dostatni (USA/POL)
WD. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
Challenge Cup Men:
1. Dmitri Gromov (RUS)
2. Craig Heath (USA)
3. Doug Mattis (USA)
4. Marc Mandina (USA)
WD. Axel Médéric (FRA)
Challenge Cup Women:
1. Jeri Campbell (USA)
2. Laura Steele (USA)
3. Lisa M. Ware (USA)
4. Heather McLaughlin (USA)
5. Sandra Garde (FRA)
6. Nicole Lesh (USA)
7. Susan Elizabeth Hamilton (USA)
8. Colleen Maguire (USA)
9. Dana Hordyszynski (USA)
10. Heidi Vanderhoof (USA)
11. Lisa Clinton (USA)
12. Debi Segal Gold (USA)
13. Danielle McCulloch (CAN)
WD. Marie-Laure Mathieu (FRA)
WD. Shannon Call (USA)
Challenge Cup Pairs:
1. Rory Flack Burghart and Ralph Burghart (USA/AUT)
*The Challenge Cup pairs event was labelled as an 'audition' for the Masters as there was only one team entered. A memorable moment in Worcester was the performance of Nicole Lesh in the Challenge Cup. She skated to "Schindler's List" with an eight-foot red ribbon, her program symbolizing that "AIDS is the Holocaust of her generation". Lesh was the first woman in the figure skating community to publicly open up about her HIV diagnosis. The following year's U.S. Open, scheduled for December 1-3, 1995 in Richmond, Virginia, was cancelled. After the 1994 event, the competition wouldn't be held again until 1997.
THE 1994 NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE WORLD TEAM SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Amherst, Massachusetts, December 6, 1994)
Team:
1. Russia: Alexandr Fadeev, Anna Kondrashova, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov, Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin
2. USA: Paul Wylie, Kristi Yamaguchi, Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval, Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby
3. Europe: Robin Cousins, Katarina Witt, Anuschka Gläser and Axel Rauschenbach, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean
4. Canada: Kurt Browning, Josée Chouinard, Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler, Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith
THE 1994 COMPLETE WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 10, 1994)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Paul Wylie (USA)
3. Scott Hamilton (USA)
4. Kurt Browning (CAN)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Midori Ito (JPN)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Katarina Witt (GER)
Pairs:
1. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)
2. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
3. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
4. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
2. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
3. Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby (USA)
WD. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
THE 1994 FRESHLOOK WORLD CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS* (Tokyo, Japan, January 7, 1995)
Men:
1. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
2. Paul Wylie (USA)
3. Kurt Browning (CAN)
4. Masakazu Kagiyama (JPN)
Women:
1. Midori Ito (JPN)
2. Yuka Sato (JPN)
3. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
4. Katarina Witt (GER)
Pairs:
1. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)
2. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
3. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
4. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
2. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
3. Judy Blumberg and James Yorke (USA)
WD. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
*The 1994 version of the Challenge Of Champions was actually held in early January of 1995.
THE 1995 INTERNATIONAL TEAM FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP* (West Palm Beach, Florida, March 28, 1995)
Team:
1. USA 1: Brian Boitano and Nancy Kerrigan
2. USA 2: Paul Wylie and Caryn Kadavy
3. Ukraine: Viktor Petrenko and Oksana Baiul
4. Europe: Petr Barna and Katarina Witt
5. Canada: Kurt Browning and Liz Manley
*This event was marketed as the International Team Figure Skating Championship and billed as Skates X 2 when it was televised on CBS.
THE 1995 HERSHEY'S KISSES INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE* (Los Angeles, California, March 28-29, 1995)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
3. Éric Millot (FRA)
4. Scott Davis (USA)
5. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
3. Olga Markova (RUS)
4. Nicole Bobek (USA)
5. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
Pairs:
1. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
2. Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov (RUS)
3. Kyoko Ina and Jason Dungjen (USA)
WD. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
2. Sophie Moniotte and Pascal Lavanchy (RUS)
3. Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov (RUS)
4. Amy Webster and Ron Kravette (USA)
*This was a pro-am event using ISU eligible judges. The California based home video production company Laurel Canyon Productions hired Surya Bonaly to sign autographs at their booth at this event. Afterwards, it saw a boom in sales of its video "Nutcracker On Ice".
THE 1995 MASTERS MIKO* (Paris-Bercy, France, April 6-7, 1995)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
3. Scott Williams (USA)
4. Petr Barna (CZE)
5. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Yuka Sato (JPN)
3. Liz Manley (CAN)
4. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
5. Sandra Garde (FRA)
*Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov, Isabelle and Paul Duchesnay, Philippe Candeloro, Surya Bonaly and Éric Millot skated exhibitions at this event.
THE 1995 SUN VALLEY CBS OUTDOOR PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Sun Valley, Idaho, September 16, 1995)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Paul Wylie (USA)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
4. Brian Orser (CAN)
5. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
6. Scott Williams* (USA)
7. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
8. Gary Beacom (CAN)
9. Petr Barna (CZE)
WD. Mark Mitchell (CAN)
*Scott Williams was a last-minute replacement for Mark Mitchell, who was forced to withdraw due to injury. Michelle Kwan skated a special exhibition at this event.
THE 1995 BEST OF THE BEST OPEN SKATING COMPETITION (East Rutherford, New Jersey, September 22, 1995)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Paul Wylie (USA)
3. Todd Eldredge (USA)
WD. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
Women:
1. Nicole Bobek (USA)
2. Michelle Kwan (USA)
3. Lu Chen (CHN)
WD. Katarina Witt (GER)
Pairs:
1. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
2. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
3. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
WD. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Televised as The Metropolitan Open, this competition was Jenni Meno and Todd Sand's first competition as a married couple. It was also the first 'true' international pro-am competition using ISU rules, as the previous pro-am events held had used USFSA rules.
THE 1995 JEFFERSON PILOT LEGENDS OF FIGURE SKATING COMPETITION (Huntington, West Virginia, October 10-12, 1995)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Paul Wylie (USA)
5. Gary Beacom (CAN)
Women:
1. Liz Manley (CAN)
2(t). Dorothy Hamill (USA)*
2(t). Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Elaine Zayak (USA)
5. Tiffany Chin (USA)
WD. Katarina Witt (GER)
WD. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
3. Kitty and Peter Carruthers (USA)
4. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
WD. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
WD. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
2. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
3. Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby (USA)
4. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
*Dorothy Hamill was a last-minute replacement for Katarina Witt, who was forced to withdraw due to injury. It was her first professional competition in seven years.
THE 1995 NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE WORLD TEAM SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 20, 1995)
Team:
1. Europe: Jozef Sabovčík, Katarina Witt, Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean
2. USA: Paul Wylie, Kristi Yamaguchi, Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval, Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby
3. Russia: Alexandr Fadeev, Anna Kondrashova, Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov, Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin
4. Canada: Kurt Browning, Karen Preston, Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler, Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith
WD. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)
THE 1995 RIDERS TRIPLE CROWN OF LADIES FIGURE SKATING* (Mankato, Minnesota, Chicago, Illinois and Boston, Massachusetts, October 25, November 3 and November 29-30, 1995)
Women (Finals):
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
3. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
4. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
5. Liz Manley (CAN)
6. Katarina Witt (GER)
7. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
8. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (CAN)
3. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
4. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
2. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
3. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
4. Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby (USA)
Women (Qualifying B):
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
4. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
5. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
6. Yvonne Gomez (SPN)
Women (Qualifying A):
1. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
2. Yuka Sato (JPN)
3. Liz Manley (CAN)
4. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
5. Lily Lee (KOR)
6. Elaine Zayak (USA)
*The pairs event was held at the first women's qualifier in Minnesota and the dance at the second qualifier in Illinois.
THE 1995 STARLIGHT CHALLENGE* (New York City, New York, October 30, 1995)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Todd Eldredge (USA)
Women:
1. Nicole Bobek (USA)
2. Katarina Witt (GER)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
Pairs:
1. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
2. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
3. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
WD. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
2. Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov (RUS)
3. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Held at Wollman Rink in Central Park, it holds the unique distinction of being the only pro-am competition ever staged outdoors.
Professionals didn't take kindly to having to adjust their programs to ISU rules on short notice. Rosalynn Sumners received a deduction for using vocal music in her short program; Katarina Witt received marks as low as 4.0 and 4.3 for missing required elements in hers. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler intentionally performed illegal lifts in their artistic program, believing they had no chance of winning anyway. This event marked Kurt Browning's first competitive win after leaving the amateur ranks following the 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer.
THE 1995 ICE WARS: USA .VS. THE WORLD (Uniondale, New York, November 5, 1995)
Team:
1. USA: Brian Boitano, Paul Wylie, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan
2. World: Kurt Browning, Viktor Petrenko, Oksana Baiul, Liz Manley
WD. Katarina Witt
THE 1995 GOLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (Vancouver, British Columbia, November 18, 1995)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
3. Scott Hamilton (USA)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding at the 1995 Lalique Trophée d'Or. Bottom photo courtesy "Patinage" magazine.
THE 1995 LALIQUE TROPHÉE D'OR* (Paris-Bercy, France, November 18-19, 1995)
Overall:
1. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
2. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
3. Sarah Abitbol and Stéphane Bernardis (FRA)
*. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
*. Gzregorz Filipowski (POL)
*. Daniel Weiss (GER)
*. Petr Barna (CZE)
*. Mark Mitchell (USA)
*. Sandra Garde (FRA)
*. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
*. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
*. Simone Lang (GER)
*. Véronique Fleury (FRA)
*. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
*. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
*. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
*. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
*. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
*. Cindy Landry and Burt Lancon (CAN/USA)
*. Elena Berezhnaya and Oleg Shliakhov (LAT)
*. Jennifer Goolsbee and Samuel Gezalian (GER)
*This was an audience-judged competition. Millions of television viewers called in to give their votes for the skaters whose performances they enjoyed most. All skaters were put in one category. A sanction was obtained and three amateur couples and one singles skater (Sarah Abitbol and Stéphane Bernardis, Jennifer Goolsbee and Samuel Gezalian, Elena Berezhnaya and Oleg Shliakhov and Véronique Fleury) participated in this event. This event came to be a professional event due to a ratings war between TF1 and France 3 and a series of disputes between the television networks, organizers and the FFSG. The organizers were the Lalique corporation, Club des Français Volants of the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy and the Société Internationale de Productions Artistiques et Sportives. The FFSG presented its autumn international as the Trophée de France and televised it on a different channel around the same time.
Cindy Landry and Burt Lancon (left) and Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (right) at the 1995 Lalique Trophée d'Or. Photos courtesy "Patinage" magazine.
THE 1995 U.S. POSTAL SERVICE PRO-AM FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 28-29, 1995)
Team:
1. Eagles: Paul Wylie, Caryn Kadavy, Michelle Kwan, Aren Nielsen
2. 76ers: Scott Hamilton, Elaine Zayak, Scott Davis, Tonia Kwiatkowski
3. Flyers: Rosalynn Sumners, Todd Eldredge, Nicole Bobek, Mark Mitchell
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Sergei Grinkov had passed away just eight days prior to the start of the event, and a moment of silence in his honour was observed in the arena prior to the start of the competition.
THE 1995 TOYOTA CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (December 2-3, 1995)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
4. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
5. Mark Mitchell (USA)
6. Gary Beacom (CAN)
Women:
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Liz Manley (CAN)
3. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
4. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
5. Karen Preston (CAN)
6. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
3. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
4. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (CAN)
THE 1995 FOX ROCK 'N ROLL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP (Charleston, South Carolina, December 6, 1995)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Kurt Browning (CAN)
3. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
Pairs:
1. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
2. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (CAN)
3. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
THE 1995 NUTRASWEET WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Landover, Maryland, December 9, 1995)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Brian Boitano (USA)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
4. Paul Wylie (USA)
Women:
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
3. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
4. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
Pairs:
1. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
2. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
3. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
WD. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (CAN)
Ice Dance:
1. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (GRB)
2. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
3. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
4. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
*A controversial mishap occured in the pairs artistic program during Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný's performance. Radka caught her skate on the rink lights. The referee (Kerry Leitch) actually worked on Radka's damaged blade with a stone from the boards before giving them the choice of restarting their program or picking up after the incident. They chose to reskate, performed even better than they had been the first time and earned a few perfect 10.0's. Sandra Bezic, who was commentating for NBC, argued, "Being allowed to start over again isn't necessary a fair decision because the error was theirs. It wasn't an equipment or an audio failure that caused the accident. It was their error."
THE 1995 ULTIMATE FOUR INTERNATIONAL FIGURE SKATING COMPETITION* (Boston, Massachusetts, December 12-13, 1995)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
3. Paul Wylie (USA)
4. Scott Hamilton (USA)
Women:
1. Lu Chen (CHN)
2. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
3. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
WD. Yuka Sato (JPN)
Pairs:
1. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
2. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
3. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
4. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
Ice Dance:
1. Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
2. Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov (RUS)
3. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
4. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Sadly, Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov were scheduled to participate in this event. Sergei passed away on November 20, 1995, just twenty-two days prior to the start of the competition. The format of this particular pro-am competition faced considerable criticism. The top two skaters/couples after the technical program performed their artistic program in a 'Championship' round, while the two bottom skaters performed in a 'Consolation' round. Paul Wylie and Kristi Yamaguchi both competed in the 'Consolation' round and finished third overall, but received higher marks than the winners.
THE 1995 NUTRASWEET CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS* (London, England, December 14, 1995)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
3. Robin Cousins (GRB)
4. Kurt Browning (CAN)
Women:
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
4. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
3. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (CAN)
4. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
Ice Dance:
1. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (GRB)
2. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
3. Natalia Annenko and Genrikh Sretenski (RUS)
4. Susanna Rakhamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
*This was the first professional competition held on British soil in over twenty years and the final time that Olympic Gold Medallists Robin Cousins, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean competed in England. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov were to have competed in this event. After Sergei's death, they were replaced by Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov. A report by Lois Yuen that appeared in the March 1996 issue of "American Skating World" noted, "The event got off to a rocky start, over a half an hour late and with the announcer finally inviting the two-thirds capacity to move down from 'the gods' to fill the lower seats for TV's sake. He also announced, untruly, that the delay was due to Kurt Browning having skate problems. As Browning later admitted to the press, he had actually been sleeping. He had left a wake-up call with the hotel, and then blocked all incoming calls - including his wake up! [Denise] Biellmann broke a TV-mandated rule that skaters must perform a different competitive program from what they did at Landover, but it is unlikely that she was penalized."
Dorothy Hamill at the 1996 Hershey's Kisses Figure Skating Challenge
THE 1996 HERSHEY'S KISSES FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Boston, Massachusetts, March 25-26, 1996)
Team:
1. Celtics: Todd Eldredge, Dan Hollander, Dorothy Hamill, Michelle Kwan
2. Red Sox: Rudy Galindo, Mark Mitchell, Caryn Kadavy, Tonia Kwiatkowski
3. Bruins: Paul Wylie, Michael Weiss, Rosalynn Sumners, Nicole Bobek
WD. Mark Mitchell
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand gave a special exhibition at this event.
THE 1996 SLIDE FOR PRIDE (March 29-31, 1996, Seattle, Washington)
Men's Masters (Senior):
1. Doug Mattis (USA)
Men's Masters (Junior):
1. Darin Hosier (USA)
Women's Master's (Junior):
1. Lisa Lebrecque (USA)
Pairs Female/Female:
1. Laura Moore and Lisa Lebrecque (USA)
Pairs Male/Female:
1. Anita Rasmussen and Steve Crago (USA)
Adult Silver Dance:
1. Sheila Geisler and Hank Landis (USA)
Men's Adult Gold:
1. Louis Vachon (USA)
Women's Adult Gold:
1. Angela Rasmussen (USA)
Men's Adult Silver:
1. Gary Lynch (USA)
Women's Adult Silver:
1. Didi Marquez (USA)
Adult Bronze Dance::
1. Teresa Kalvig and Dan Young (USA)
Interpretive (50's Rock & Roll):
1. Sheila Geisler (USA)
*This event, a fundraiser for The Pride Foundation which distributed funds to several LGBTQ+ charities, was organized by Team Seattle. In conjunction with the figure skating events, there were men's and women's hockey games drawing teams from British Columbia and California and a performance by the Seattle Ice Theatre. Doug Mattis was the only professional skater that participated.
THE 1996 MASTERS MIKO* (Paris-Bercy, France, April 12-13, 1996)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Scott Williams (USA)
3. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
4. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Charlene von Saher (GRB)
5. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
Pairs:
1. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
2. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
3. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
*As the winners of the pairs event, Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný were awarded the Sergei Grinkov Prize, a special award in tribute to Sergei Grinkov, who had passed away in November of 1995. Sergei and Ekaterina Gordeeva had performed a special exhibition at the 1995 Masters Miko event, and Ekaterina Gordeeva gave her first solo exhibition in France during the 1996 event.
THE 1996 AMERICA'S CHOICE: THE GREAT SKATE DEBATE* (Green Bay, Wisconsin, May 7, 1996)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Kurt Browning (CAN)
3. Paul Wylie (USA)
4. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
5. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
6. Brian Orser (CAN)
7. Mark Mitchell (USA)
Women:
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
4. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
5. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
6. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
7. Liz Manley (CAN)
*Kirk Pereira, a producer with Diamond Sports Intertainment, and Sean Hannish came up with the concept for this event. An article about the event by Preston Shah in the June 1996 issue of "American Skating World" noted, "After each skater, the audience had 30 seconds to enter a score from one to a perfect ten. The data was fed into four different computers placed around the auditorium. They transferred the data to a main computer which performed all the tabulations, dropping the top and bottom five percent of markings and averaging out the remaining data. For demographic purposes, the data was broken down by gender, age category and the level of skating interest. The skaters competed for $5,000 donated to a charity of their choice." Pereira quipped, "Honestly, I can't tell the difference between a triple Axel and a triple Lutz. I think the biggest percentages of the audience, the people that come to see these events, are the same way. So if it's kept in the spirit of fun and entertainment, I don't think there's going to be a problem. If there is anarchy and they start ripping up the handsets, they are the ones responsible for the event. So, if they get upset about the scoring, it is their own doing."
THE 1996 NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE WORLD TEAM SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, September 13, 1996)
Team:
1. Europe: Jozef Sabovčík, Katarina Witt, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean
2. USA: Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi, Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur
3. Canada: Kurt Browning, Josée Chouinard, Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith
4. Russia: Alexandr Fadeev, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin
WD. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin
*A report on the event in the October 1996 issue of "American Skating World" penned by Nancy Fry and Kathy Goedeken noted, "In order to satisfy CBS, who hoped to fit the competition into its broadcast schedule early in the fall, it took place on September 13. CBS subsequently charged the air date several times and settled on a later than expected date... The competition was over a month earlier than last year. This date may have been too early for many of the skaters. Alexandr Fadeev had just skated at Sea World in San Diego all summer on tiny ice, and only had five days to prepare on an arena-sized surface. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin were only given one week's notice to get ready for the competition, after Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin pulled out. B & B also had a previous commitment to spend the week coaching French dancers Sophie Moniotte and Pasacl Lavanchy, so they were coaching and preparing for the competition at the same time... Maybe it was due to the early date, or maybe it was in part because the competition took place on Friday the 13th, but whatever the reason, there were quite a few falls. Despite the mishaps, the audience of 7,000 seemed excited to see the skaters and was supportive and responsive."
THE 1996 JEFFERSON PILOT LEGENDS OF FIGURE SKATING COMPETITION (Pensacola, Florida, October 18-19, 1996)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Gary Beacom (CAN)
5. Petr Barna (CZE)
Women:
1. Katarina Witt (GER)
2. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
3. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
4. Liz Manley (CAN)
5. Elaine Zayak (USA)
Pairs:
1. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
2. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
3. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
4. Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
2. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
3. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
4. Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith (CAN)
Photo courtesy Craig Cichy
THE 1996 U.S. PRO FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Albany, New York, October 26, 1996)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Paul Wylie (USA)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
4. Rudy Galindo (USA)
5. Scott Williams (USA)
WD. Brian Boitano (USA)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Ekaterina Gordeeva (RUS)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
4. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
5. Charlene von Saher (GRB)
Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
3. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
4. Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner (USA)
Top: Judges at the 1996 U.S. Pro Figure Skating Championships. From left to right: Bill Fauver, Yuri Ovchinnikov, Mark Rowsom, Sonya Dunfield, Donald Jackson, Karin Künzle-Watson, Kerry Leitch, Karol Divín and Jim Sladky. Photo courtesy Craig Cichy. Bottom: Competitors at the 1996 Battle Of The Sexes On Ice. From left to right: Liz Manley, Kristi Yamaguchi, Rosalynn Sumners, Brian Boitano, Paul Wylie and Caryn Kadavy. Photo courtesy "American Skating World" magazine.
THE 1996 BATTLE OF THE SEXES ON ICE* (Uniondale, New York, November 8, 1996)
Team:
1. Men (Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano, Kurt Browning, Paul Wylie)
2. Women (Kristi Yamaguchi, Liz Manley, Rosalynn Sumners, Caryn Kadavy)
*A report on the event by Susan K. Cone in the December 1996 issue of "American Skating World" magazine recalled, "Yes, it was a corny made-for-TV competition, put on by something called 'Destiny Productions' for FOX, to air in mid-winter, but the skating was great. The judges were JoJo Starbuck and Bill Fauver; a retired boxer 'Boom Boom' Mancini (who appeared to peek at JoJo's marks before entering his own), a beautiful supermodel, and a retired NHL player, Brian Mullen. The referee was Ina & Dungjen's coach. An interesting panel... The kiss and cry was decorated like a boxing ring, and there were really hokey introductions. Paul Wylie was introduced as the 'Boston Bomber'. The skaters wore boxing gloves and those little bathrobes that fighters wear."
THE 1996 PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Auburn Hills, Michigan, November 10-11, 1996)
Men:
1. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
2. Brian Boitano (USA)
3. Paul Wylie (USA)
4. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
5. Scott Williams (USA)
Women (Finals):
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
4. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
5. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
6. Katarina Witt (GER)
7. Liz Manley (CAN)
8. Charlene Wong (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
3. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
4. Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner (USA)
5. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
Women (Qualifying):
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
3. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
4. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
5. Katarina Witt (GER)
6. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
7. Liz Manley (CAN)
8. Charlene Wong (CAN)
9. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
10. Charlene von Saher (GRB)
11. Tiffany Chin (USA)
12. Elaine Zayak (USA)
*This competition was put together as an effort to combine two events held previously: the Riders Triple Crown Ladies event and the Sun Valley Men's Outdoor Championships. Instead of having two qualifying groups as in the 1995 Riders event, all twelve women competed in the qualifier with the top eight advancing to the finals.
THE 1996 ICE WARS (Tampa, Florida, November 16, 1996)
Team:
1. USA: Brian Boitano, Scott Hamilton, Paul Wylie, Rosalynn Sumners, Jill Trenary, Caryn Kadavy
2. World: Kurt Browning, Viktor Petrenko, Jozef Sabovčík, Katarina Witt, Yuka Sato, Liz Manley
WD. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
WD. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
THE 1996 COTTON INCORPORATED GOLD CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Halifax, Nova Scotia, November 23, 1996)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Scott Hamilton (USA)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Ekaterina Gordeeva (RUS)
3. Katarina Witt (GER)
WD. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
THE 1996 FOX ROCK 'N ROLL SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Charleston, South Carolina, December 4, 1996)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Kurt Browning (CAN)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
4. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
5. Gary Beacom (CAN)
Women:
1. Liz Manley (CAN)
2. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
3. Jill Trenary (USA)
4. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
5. Debi Thomas (USA)
WD. Katarina Witt (GER)
WD. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
THE 1996 TOYOTA CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Ottawa, Ontario, December 6-7, 1996)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
3. Gary Beacom (CAN)
4. Brian Orser (CAN)
WD. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
WD. Mark Mitchell (USA)
Women:
1. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Liz Manley (CAN)
4. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
5. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
6. Karen Preston (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
3. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
4. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
WD. Christine Hough and Doug Ladret (CAN)
THE 1996 NUTRASWEET WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Landover, Maryland, December 14, 1996)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Brian Boitano (USA)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
4. Rudy Galindo (USA)
5. Paul Wylie (USA)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Yuka Sato (JPN)
3. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
4. Ekaterina Gordeeva (RUS)
5. Katarina Witt (GER)
Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
3. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
Ice Dance:
1. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (GRB)
2. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
3. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
Photos courtesy "Skating" magazine
THE 1996 U.S. POSTAL SERVICE PRO-AM FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 18, 1996)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 1996 NUTRASWEET CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS (Innsbruck, Austria, December 19, 1996)
Men:
1. Rudy Galindo (USA)
2. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
4. Petr Barna (CZE)
WD. Kurt Browning (CAN)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Ekaterina Gordeeva (RUS)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Katarina Witt (GER)
Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
3. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
4. Anuschka Gläser and Axel Rauschenbach (GER)
Ice Dance:
1. Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean (GRB)
2. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
3. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
4. Susie Wynne and Russ Witherby (USA)
THE 1996 ROWENTA MASTERS AUF DEM EIS (Frankfurt, Germany, December 20, 1996)*
Men:
1. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
2. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
3. Rudy Galindo (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Liz Manley (CAN)
3. Debi Thomas (USA)
Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Anuschka Gläser and Axel Rauschenbach (GER)
3. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
Ice Dance:
1. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
2. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
2. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
*This competition had a similar, but not identical format, to The Great Skate Debate. Audience members were able to vote using an Ellerbrock Konferenztechnik TED voting system, while television viewers could cast their votes live by phone. The percentage of the vote share each skater received was converted to points (i.e. 21% of audience and home votes = 2.1 points) and this point total was added to the scores (out of 10.0) of a three-judge panel, led by Norbert Schramm. This system mathematically placed more favour on the votes of the judges.
THE 1996 ULTIMATE FOUR* (Boston, Massachusetts, December 22, 1996)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Paul Wylie (USA)
3. Scott Hamilton (USA)
4. Kurt Browning (CAN)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Tonia Kwiatkowski (USA)
WD. Lu Chen (CHN)
Pairs:
1. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
2. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
3. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
4. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
Ice Dance:
1. Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
2. Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov (RUS)
3. Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz (CAN)
4. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 1997 JAPAN OPEN FOR THE HONDA PRELUDE CUP* (Tokyo, Japan, January 4-5, 1997)
Men:
1. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
2. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
3. Todd Eldredge (USA)
4. Takeshi Honda (JPN)
5. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
6. Brian Orser (CAN)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Yuka Sato (JPN)
3. Irina Slutskaya (RUS)
4. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
5. Katarina Witt (GER)
6. Nicole Bobek (USA)
Pairs:
1. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
2. Marina Eltsova and Andrei Bushkov (RUS)
3. Kyoko Ina and Jason Dungjen (JPN/USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Oksana Grishuk and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
2. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
3. Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat (FRA)
4. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 1997 MASTERS MIKO (Paris-Bercy, France, March 27-28, 1997)
Team:
1. Europe: Jozef Sabovčík, Charlene von Saher, Tricia Klocke and Ian Jenkins, Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko
2. The America's: Scott Williams, Josée Chouinard, Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval, Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur
Photo courtesy "Skating" magazine
THE 1997 HERSHEY'S KISSES FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Greensboro, North Carolina, April 11, 1997)
2. Men: Todd Eldredge, Paul Wylie, Rudy Galindo, Scott Davis, Michael Weiss, Dan Hollander
WD. Viktor Petrenko
WD. Jill Trenary
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
Vladimir Besedin and Alexei Polischuk at the American Open. Photo courtesy Scott Williams, Turtle Island Productions.
THE 1997 AMERICAN OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Burbank, California, May 29-June 1, 1997)
Men:
1. Doug Mattis (USA)
2. Craig Heath (USA)
3. Axel Médéric (FRA)
4. Aren Nielsen (USA)
5. Cameron Medhurst (AUS)
5. Vadim Shebeco (RUS)
7. Bobby Beauchamp (USA)
Women:
1. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
2. Charlene Wong (CAN)
3. Natasha Kuchiki (USA)
4. Susan Jackson Wagner (GRB)
5. Tracey Damigella (USA)
6. Natalie Shaby (USA)
7. Lisa M. Ware (USA)
Pairs:
1. Beth-Anne Duxbury and Byron Darden (USA)
2. Kim Fowler and Gray Johnson (USA)
WD. Natalia Mishkutenok and Craig Shepard (RUS/USA)
WD. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
WD. Elena Nikonova and Valeriy Prudsky (RUS)
WD. Rosanna Tovi and Andrew Naylor (USA/GRB)
Ice Dance:
1. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
2. Mimi Wacholder and Collin Sullivan (USA)
3. Tamara Kuchiki and Neale Smull (USA)
Show Act:
1. Vladimir Besedin and Alexei Polischuk (RUS)
2. Ari Zakarian and Akop Manoukian (ARM)
3. Doug Mattis (USA)
4. Debbie Park (USA)
5. Chika Maruta (USA)
6. Beth-Anne Duxbury (USA)
7. Lisa Clinton (USA)
Qualifying Round Men:
?. Doug Mattis (USA)
?. Craig Heath (USA)
?. Aren Nielsen (USA)
?. Axel Médéric (FRA)
?. Cameron Medhurst (AUS)
?. Vadim Shebeco (RUS)
?. Bobby Beauchamp (USA)
?. Man Shung Lai Sunny (HKG)
?. Edward Vancampen (HOL)
Qualifying Round Women:
1. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
2. Charlene Wong (CAN)
3. Natasha Kuchiki (USA)
4. Susan Jackson Wagner (GRB)
5. Tracey Damigella (USA)
6. Lisa M. Ware (USA)
7. Natalie Shaby (USA)
?. Maria Causey (USA)
?. Natalie Luccaro (USA)
?. Brandee Marvin (USA)
?. Bobbi Brown McRae (USA)
?. Kristy Venasky (USA)
?. Jennifer Hunt (USA)
?. Rachel Baer Pascazio (USA)
?. Leslie Brooks (USA)
?. Amy Jaramillo (USA)
?. Cindy Bortz-Gould (USA)
?. Danielle Broussard (USA)
*Scott Williams, whose company Turtle Island Productions created the American Open recalled, "I had benefited from the other pro competitions (World Pro in Jaca and U.S. Open) and felt that more skaters should have that type of opportunity. I also believed that amateur competition rewarded technical expertise heavily which was appropriate in that sporting environment, but there should be a venue that awarded entertainment value and mastery of the art of ice skating. I don't believe that the first necessarily translates into the latter, but the best professional jobs went to the skaters that excelled in what was then amateur competition and some great performers, entertainers and artists often struggled because they did not receive adequate publicity. In short, I enjoyed what I call "professional" skating much more and also enjoyed watching it more. A true artistic and entertaining piece performed by a skater with a mastery of skating skills and performance skills is the apex of the art of ice skating. The rules of competition shouldn't get in the way of the goal, and that was what I set as a standard for The American Open Professional Figure Skating Championships. At the time I created the American Open there was also a good deal of discussion amongst professional skaters about organizing similarly to the ATP in tennis or PGA in golf. It was an exciting discussion but it never seemed to go anywhere. So, when I started the competition we simultaneously created the Professional Figure Skaters Cooperative (now Pro Skaters) so that rules and judging would be handled and overseen by the competitors as members rather than by the producers. It was an effort to make the event as democratic as possible and to also help build interest in joining the pro skaters' organization which I felt was important to the industry... Through the process I had the pleasure of working with a number of passionate individuals and it was such a pleasure to see their enthusiasm. My family all participated substantially and I'm very grateful for their help! They did everything from scoring software to hospitality to legal counsel. Others who participated in major roles include: Susan Austin, Brian Klavano, Tony Kudrna, Ari Zakarian, Sylvia Froescher, Barbara Roles, Phil Valentine, Steve Disson, many fantastic skaters and judges, and skating fans."
THE 1997 JEFFERSON PILOT LEGENDS OF FIGURE SKATING COMPETITION (Little Rock, Arkansas, September 19-20, 1997)
Men:
1. Rudy Galindo (USA)
2. Robin Cousins (GRB)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
5. Scott Williams (USA)
WD. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
Women:
1. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
4. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
5. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
WD. Katarina Witt (GER)
Pairs:
1. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
2. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
3. JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley (USA)
4. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
2. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
3. Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith (CAN)
4. Natalia Bestemianova and Andrei Bukin (RUS)
WD. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
THE 1997 NICE 'N EASY FIGURE SKATING CLASSIC* (Daytona Beach, Florida, October 4-5, 1997)
Team:
1. Men/Ice Dance: Todd Eldredge, Paul Wylie, Rudy Galindo, Michael Weiss, Dan Hollander, Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow
2. Women/Pairs: Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski, Rosalynn Sumners, Caryn Kadavy, Nicole Bobek, Kyoko Ina and Jason Dungjen
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Dorothy Hamill was initially advertised as a competitor, but gave a special exhibition instead. This was the first competition of the season for many of the eligible skaters, and the audience delighted in seeing new programs from Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski, Todd Eldedge, Nicole Bobek and Michael Weiss.
Top: Advertisement for the 1997 U.S. Professional Championships. Bottom: (left to right) Kerry Leitch, Kristi Yamaguchi, Eric Millot, Jirina Ribbens, Viktor Petrenko, Nancy Kerrigan, Paul Wylie, Caryn Kadavy, Brian Boitano, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Denise Biellmann, Rudy Galindo, Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding. Photo courtesy "American Skating World" magazine.
THE 1997 ANASTASIA U.S. PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (San Jose, California, October 18, 1997)
Men:
1. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
2. Rudy Galindo (USA)
3. Brian Boitano (USA)
4. Éric Millot (FRA)
5. Paul Wylie (USA)
WD. Kurt Browning (CAN)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
4. Ekaterina Gordeeva (RUS)
5. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
WD. Katarina Witt (GER)
*This was Nancy Kerrigan's first professional competition since giving birth to her first child.
THE 1997 BATTLE OF THE SEXES ON ICE (Las Vegas, Nevada, October 26, 1997)
Team:
1. Women: Katarina Witt, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Nancy Kerrigan, Caryn Kadavy
2. Men: Viktor Petrenko, Brian Orser, Kurt Browning, Jozef Sabovčík
THE 1997 NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE WORLD TEAM SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 31, 1997)
Team:
1. Canada: Kurt Browning, Josée Chouinard, Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler
2. USA: Paul Wylie, Kristi Yamaguchi, Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval
3. Europe: Jozef Sabovčík, Katarina Witt, Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný
4. Russia: Alexandr Fadeev, Ekaterina Gordeeva, Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov
THE 1997 LADIES PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Boise, Idaho and Pensacola, Florida, November 1-2 and November 7, 1997)
Women Finals:
1. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
2. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
5. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
6. Katarina Witt (GER)
7. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
8. Karen Preston (CAN)
Women Qualifying Group B:
1. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
2. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
3. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
4. Katarina Witt (GER)
5. Charlene Wong (CAN)
6. Marina Kielmann (GER)
Women Qualifying Group A:
1. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
2. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Karen Preston (CAN)
5. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
6. Liz Manley (CAN)
*This was the final edition of the Ladies Professional Championships. A December 1998 edition called the Elite Eight Ladies, scheduled to be held in Fort Myers, Florida, was cancelled.
THE 1997 EQUAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS (Tampa, Florida, November 8, 1997)
Men:
1. Paul Wylie (USA)
2. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
3. Rudy Galindo (USA)
4. Gary Beacom (CAN)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Ekaterina Gordeeva (RUS)
Pairs:
1. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
2. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
WD. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
WD. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
2. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
3. Amy Webster and Ron Kravette (USA)
THE 1997 ICE WARS (Albany, New York, November 15, 1997)
Team:
1. World: Kurt Browning, Viktor Petrenko, Jozef Sabovčík, Oksana Baiul, Katarina Witt, Yuka Sato
2. USA: Brian Boitano, Paul Wylie, Rudy Galindo, Nancy Kerrigan, Rosalynn Sumners, Caryn Kadavy
THE 1997 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Cincinnati, Ohio, November 28-30, 1997)
Masters Men:
1. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
2. Rudy Galindo (USA)
3. Petr Barna (CZE)
4. Doug Mattis (USA)
5. Grzegorz Filipowski (POL)
6. Scott Williams (USA)
WD. Éric Millot (FRA)
Masters Women:
1. Liz Manley (CAN)
2. Karen Preston (CAN)
3. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
4. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
5. Charlene Wong (CAN)
6. Cindy Stuart (USA)
Masters Pairs:
1. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
2. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
3. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
4. Natalie and Wayne Seybold (USA)
5. Elena Valova and Oleg Vasiliev (RUS)
6. Natalia Mishkutenok and Craig Shepard (RUS/USA)
WD. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
Masters Ice Dance:
1. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
2. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
3. Amy Webster and Ron Kravette (USA)
Challenge Cup Men:
1. Axel Médéric (FRA)
2. Sergei Vaipan (RUS)
3. Cameron Medhurst (AUS)
4(t). Dmitri Gromov (RUS)
4(t). Aren Nielsen (USA)
6. Christian J. Conte (USA)
7. Matthew James Hall (CAN)
8. Craig Heath (USA)
9. Sébastien Britten (CAN)
10. Christopher Bourne (CAN)
11. Patrick Brault (CAN)
12. Christopher Nolan (CAN)
13. Akop Manoukian (ARM)
14. David Jamison (USA)
WD. Larry Holliday (USA)
WD. Gene 'Gig' Siruno (USA)
Challenge Cup Women:
1. Cindy Stuart (USA)
2. Katherine Healy (USA)
3. Jennifer Ito (USA)
4. Tracey Damigella (USA)
5. Dawn Latona (USA)
6. Chrisha Leann Gossard (USA)
7. Jill Jackson (USA)
8. Heather McLaughlin (USA)
9. Natalie Luccaro (USA)
10. Amy Jaramillo (USA)
11. Kristen Vanick-Jamison (USA)
12. Becky Dever (USA)
13. Dana Hordyszynski (USA)
14. Danielle Broussard (USA)
15. Hillary Schieve (USA)
16. Limor Shefer Coleman (USA)
17. Shannon Call (USA)
18. Kim Millett Verde (USA)
WD. Rachel Baer Pascazio (USA)
WD. Krista Ruwaldt (USA)
Challenge Cup Pairs:
1. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
2. Jane and John Kanicka (USA)
3. Lyne Houde and Jean-Pierre Martin (CAN)
4. Delene Mackenzie and Bob nylk (SAF/CAN)
5. Romina Baron and Richard Alexander (USA)
Challenge Cup Ice Dance:
1(t). Lia Trovati and Russ Witherby (ITA/USA)
1(t). Jennifer Goolsbee and Hendryk Schamberger (GER)
3. Darlin Baker and Andrzej Dostatni (USA/POL)
4. Kim Callahan and James Yorke (USA)
5. Judy Blumberg and Douglas Webster (USA)
WD. Kaho Koinuma and Nicky Slater (JPN/GRB)
*The first U.S. Open since 1994 produced some world-class skating... and some world-class skating drama. In previous years, the top finishers from the Challenge Cup earned a spots in the seeded Masters final, with the chance of earning some serious prize money. At the 1997 event, a new 'benchmark total' was introduced for the Challenge Cup. Skaters needed to earn at least one hundred and thirty three points (or an average mark of 9.5 on a ten point scale) to make it through to the Masters. A write-up in the January 1998 issue of "American Skating World" noted, "Based on the 133 point average, Cindy Stuart and the pair of Leonova and Khvalko were the only Challenge Cup contestants to advance to the Master round. There was some argument following the event to the effect that the point total required may have been too high. While such quibbling is probably unavoidable, it should be pointed that a one-point difference in the criteria would have led to Katherine Healy, Trovati and Witherby and Goolsbee and Schamberger all making the Master Cup, and that all three are competitors with clear television potential." In 2013, Challenge Cup men's winner Axel Médéric recalled, "I won the U.S. Open Challenge Cup, but a stupid rule of not reaching enough points overall kept me from skating in the Master Cup the next day among great champions with major exposure in the United States. I felt a great satisfaction to win and a great disappointment at the same time, specially because I did my part of the job to win. It felt like the organization and the judges just did not kept their promises towards the winner of the Challenge Cup that year." Particularly burning to the skaters that didn't make it through was the invitation of Natalia Mishkutenok and Craig Shepard to the Masters round. Mishkutenok was, of course, an Olympic Gold Medallist and World Champion and unquestionably deserving of the spot. Her new partner, a hockey player who had never even competed as a figure skater before, was perhaps not. A prominent choreographer later complained that they were "unable to even attempt four of the eight required elements in the technical program."
THE 1997 CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Kitchener, Ontario, December 5-6, 1997)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Brian Orser (CAN)
3. Rudy Galindo (USA)
4. Gary Beacom (CAN)
WD. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
WD. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
Women:
1. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
2. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
5. Liz Manley (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
2. Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini (CAN)
3. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
WD. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
THE 1997 EQUAL WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Washington, D.C., December 12-13, 1997)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Brian Boitano (USA)
3. Rudy Galindo (USA)
4. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
5. Éric Millot (FRA)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Ekaterina Gordeeva (RUS)
3. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
4. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
5. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
6. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
Pairs:
1. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
2. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
3. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
WD. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
2. Maya Usova and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
3. Amy Webster and Ron Kravette (USA)
*For the first year in almost two decades, the World Professional Championships wasn't held in Landover, Maryland. Instead, it was moved to the MCI Center in Washington, D.C. A report in the January 1998 issue of "American Skating World" noted, "In celebrating the 25th anniversary of the inaugural World Professional, promoter Dick Button and Candid Productions combined the event's traditional format - head-to-head competition featuring top professionals - with a number of innovations. Some innovations were fine-tuning - the ladies' field was the largest ever, while fields in dance and pairs matched their smallest size. Others were part of an ongoing process - the U.S. Professional, Canadian Professional and the Challenge of Champions served to qualify skaters for the event to a greater degree than in previous years... Recent World Professionals were endurance tests, sometimes lasting more than five hours. To remedy that, this year's competition was split. Technical programs were contested Friday evening, with artistic programs Saturday. The change produced some of the cleanest artistic programs the event had seen in years, and a more relaxed attitude."j
Group photo from the 1997 World Professional Championships. Photo courtesy Craig Cichy.
THE 1998 GREAT SKATE DEBATE II* (Chicago, Illinois, March 27, 1998)
Men:
1. Scott Hamilton (USA)
2. Paul Wylie (USA)
3. Kurt Browning (CAN)
4. Rudy Galindo (USA)
5. Brian Orser (CAN)
6. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
Women:
1. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
2. Ekaterina Gordeeva (RUS)
3. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
4. Katarina Witt (GER)
5. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
6. Yuka Sato (JPN)
7. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
8. Rosalynn Sumners (USA)
*Kurt Browning and Rory Flack Burghart were both in second place until home votes from the West Coast switched the standings, moving Paul Wylie and Ekaterina Gordeeva both up a spot.
THE 1998 CAMPEONATOS DEL MUNDO DE PATINAJE ARTÍSTICO PROFESSIONAL SOBRE HIELO* (Jaca, Spain, April 10-12, 1998)
Men:
1. Sébastien Britten (CAN)
2. Éric Millot (FRA)
3. Craig Heath (USA)
4. Petr Barna (CZE)
5. Oleg Tataurov (RUS)
6. Igor Pashkevich (AZE)
7. Igor Lioutikov (AZE)
8. Alexandr Fadeev (RUS)
9. Grzegorz Filipowski (POL)
10. Axel Médéric (FRA)
11. Masakazu Kagiyama (JPN)
12. Tony Moffa (ITA)
13. Victor Baryshevtsev (UKR)
14. Doug Mattis (USA)
15. Sergei Vaipan (GRB)
16. Marc Mandina (USA)
17. Mark Schmitke (CAN)
18. Daniel Galliker (SUI)
WD. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
WD. Scott Williams (USA)
Women:
1. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
2. Olga Markova (RUS)
3. Liz Manley (CAN)
5. Chrisha Leann Gossard (USA)
6. Susan Jackson Wagner (GRB)
7. Zuzanna Szwed (POL)
8. Charlene von Saher (GRB)
9. Simone Grigorescu (ROM)
10. Karen Preston (CAN)
11. Sandra Garde (FRA)
12. Cindy Stuart (USA)
13. Laëtitia Bajot (FRA)
WD. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
WD. Ilona Storchenegger (SUI)
Pairs:
1. Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov (RUS)
2. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
3. Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (USA)
4. Michelle Menzies and Jean-Michel Bombardier (CAN)
5. Natalie and Wayne Seybold (USA)
6. Rosanna Tovi and Andrew Naylor (GRB)
7. Jane and John Kanicka (USA)
8. Fiona Zaldua and Dmitri Sukhanov (GRB)
9. Elaine Asanakis and Alcuin Schulten (GRE/HOL)
WD. Jodi Barnes and Rob Williams (CAN)
*After an eight-year hiatus, the World Professional Championships in Jaca, Spain were revived in 1998. This would be the last time the event was ever held.
THE 1998 HERSHEY'S KISSES FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Springfield, Massachusetts, April 17, 1998)
Team:
1. Two: Todd Eldredge, Timothy Goebel, Tara Lipinski, Nancy Kerrigan, Tonia Kwiatkowski, Jenni Meno and Todd Sand, Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow
2. One: Viktor Petrenko, Rudy Galindo, Michael Weiss, Michelle Kwan, Nicole Bobek, Kyoko Ina and Jason Dungjen
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. To counteract the fact that the teams were uneven (one team had no ice dance team and one less woman) only the ISU eligible skaters performed short programs. These were added to their team's respective cumulative totals, with high and low marks dropped. Ilia Kulik, who was training in Marlborough, gave a special exhibition. The timing and location of the event was opportune - the Champions On Ice tour had a stop in Boston the next day. A report by Claudyne Cassella that appeared in the June 1998 issue of "American Skating World" noted that after the results were announced, "Skaters from both teams took a victory lap skating with oversized Hershey bars and thrilled the spectators by throwing miniature bags of Hershey's Kisses into the audience."
THE 1998 ULTIMATE FOUR* (Binghamton, New York, April 23, 1998)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Kurt Browning (CAN)
3. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
4. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
WD. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
3. Irina Slutskaya (RUS)
4. Yuka Sato (JPN)
Pairs:
1. Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze (RUS)
2. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
3. Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
4. Kyoko Ina and Jason Dungjen (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Though there was no ice dance event, Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov and Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow gave special exhibitions. A report by Sue Cone in the June 1998 issue of "American Skating World" noted, "The skaters treated the event seriously, within the confines of the rules skating as full out as if a World title was at stake rather than bragging rights and prize money... The only drawbacks were the small surface and the music system which was either too loud or too soft and sounded awful." Several days after the event, Kyoko Ina and Jason Dungjen announced they were ending their partnership.
THE 1998 SHAKE, RATTLE & ROLL SKATE TV CHAMPIONSHIPS (Charleston, South Carolina, April 24, 1998)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
3. Viacheslav Zagorodniuk (UKR)
4. Scott Williams (USA)
Women:
1. Tara Lipinski (USA)
2. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
3. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
4. Katarina Witt (GER)
THE 1998 MASTERS MIKO* (Paris-Bercy, France, May 30-31, 1998)
Team:
1. The European Union: Philippe Candeloro, Surya Bonaly, Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer, Diane Gerencser and Pasquale Camerlengo, Vladimir Besedin and Alexei Polischuk
2. Rest Of The World: Viacheslav Zagorodniuk, Olga Markova, Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding, Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko, Boris Filipov and Sergei Karelin
*Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat skated a special exhibition at this event.
THE 1998 AMERICAN OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Geneva, Illinois, June 4-6, 1998)
Men:
1. Sébastien Britten (CAN)
2. David Liu (TPE)
3. Grzegorz Filipowski (POL)
4. Craig Heath (USA)
5. Petr Barna (CZE)
6. Richard Swenning (USA)
7. Igor Lioutikov (RUS)
Women:
1. Chrisha Leann Gossard (USA)
2. Olga Markova (RUS)
3. Susan Jackson Wagner (GRB)
4. Zuzanna Szwed (POL)
5. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
6. Tracey Wainman (CAN)
7. Tracey Damigella (USA)
Pairs:
1. Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov (RUS)
2. Christine and Dion Beleznay (CAN)
3. Rosanna Tovi and Andrew Naylor (USA/GRB)
4. Irina Grigorian and Mikhail Panin (RUS)
5. Laurilee and Rosstyn Eduardo Gudiño (VEN)
6. Kim Fowler and Gray Johnson (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Lia Trovati and Russ Witherby (ITA)
2. Emmanuelle Balmori and Jean-Pierre Boyer (CAN)
3. Michelle McDonald and Martin Smith (CAN)
4. Andrea Barnova and Lyndon Johnston (CZE/CAN)
5. Samantha Liegner and Jonathan Stine (USA)
6. Laura Gayton and Collin Sullivan (USA)
Show Act:
1. Irina Grigorian (RUS)
2. Vladimir Besedin and Alexei Polischuk (RUS)
3. Mikhail Panin (RUS)
4. Akop Manoukian and Armen Sakien (ARM)
5. Debbie Park (USA)
6. Lisa Clinton (USA)
7. Sergei Karelin and Boris Filipov (RUS)
8. Greg Wittrock (USA)
Qualifying Round Men:
1. Craig Heath (USA)
2. David Liu (TPE)
3. Sébastien Britten (CAN)
4. Richard Swenning (USA)
5. Grzegorz Filipowski (POL)
6. Petr Barna (CZE)
7. Igor Lioutikov (RUS)
8. Stanislav Jirov (RUS)
9. Edward Vancampen (HOL)
10. Shin Amano (JPN)
11. Marc Alexander (USA)
Qualifying Round Women:
1. Zuzanna Szwed (POL)
2. Lisa-Marie Allen (USA)
3. Susan Jackson Wagner (GRB)
4. Tracey Wainman (CAN)
5. Olga Markova (RUS)
6. Chrisha Leann Gossard (USA)
7. Tracey Damigella (USA)
8. Jennifer Hunt-Nestelberger (USA)
9. Amy Jaramillo (USA)
10. Beth-Anne Duxbury (USA)
11. Larissa Zamotina
12. Nancy Pluta (USA)
13. Debbie Park (USA)
14. Jennifer Lyles (USA)
15. Natalie Luccaro (USA)
16. Elise Ostiguy (CAN)
17. Alicia Narby (USA)
18. Tori Tinari (USA)
THE 1998 FIRST UNION GRAND SLAM OF SKATING* (Charleston, South Carolina, September 25-26, 1998)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
3. Kurt Browning (CAN)
4. Evgeni Plushenko (RUS)
5. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
6. Éric Millot (FRA)
7. Scott Davis (USA)
8. Takeshi Honda (JPN)
WD. Brian Orser (CAN)
WD. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
WD. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Lu Chen (CHN)
5. Nicole Bobek (USA)
6. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
7. Irina Slutskaya (RUS)
8. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
Photo courtesy "Skating" magazine
THE 1998 KERI LOTION FIGURE SKATING CLASSIC* (Daytona Beach, Florida, October 3-4, 1998)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Michael Weiss (USA)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
4. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
5. Rudy Galindo (USA)
6. Timothy Goebel (USA)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Angela Nikodinov (USA)
3. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
4. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
5. Nicole Bobek (USA)
6. Liz Manley (CAN)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. There was a special exhibition by Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman. In 1999 and 2000, the Keri Lotion Figure Skating Classic was staged in Orlando, Florida and Kennewick, Washington. The 1999 event featured a Russia .vs. USA team format with singles, pairs and ice dancers. The 2000 event had seven teams of two entries (from all disciplines) with combined scores. Though both events used formats similar to those used in professional competitions, neither included a single professional skater.
Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko at the 1998 Jefferson Pilot Financial Professional Figure Skating Championships. Photo courtesy Louis DiCesari.
THE 1998 JEFFERSON PILOT FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Greenville, South Carolina, October 9-10, 1998)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Rudy Galindo (USA)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
4. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
5. Viacheslav Zagorodniuk (UKR)
6. Igor Pashkevich (AZE)
Women:
1. Tara Lipinski (USA)
2. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
3. Liz Manley (CAN)
4. Tonia Kwiatkowski (USA)
5. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
Pairs:
1. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
2. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
3. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
4. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
5. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Oksana Grishuk and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
2. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
3. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
4. Lia Trovati and Russ Witherby (ITA/USA)
THE 1998 U.S. PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CLASSIC* (San Jose, California, October 17, 1998)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Todd Eldredge (USA)
3. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
4. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
5. Rudy Galindo (USA)
WD. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Lu Chen (CHN)
3. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
4. Tonia Kwiatkowski (USA)
WD. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
WD. Nicole Bobek (USA)
WD. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. There were a number of last-minute withdrawals. Alexei Urmanov and Maria Butyrskaya pulled out to focus on training for Skate America. Nicole Bobek withdrew due to a concussion sustained in practice and Denise Biellmann withdrew due to illness. Peggy Fleming, who was commentating for the event for ABC, received a standing ovation when she was announced to the crowd. She had recently underwent surgery and radiation therapy for breast cancer.
THE 1998 NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL WORLD TEAM SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, October 22, 1998)
Team:
1. Russia: Alexei Yagudin, Maria Butyrskaya, Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev
2. USA: Todd Eldredge, Nicole Bobek, Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman
3. Canada: Kurt Browning, Josée Chouinard, Kristy Sargeant and Kris Wirtz
4. Europe: Steven Cousins, Katarina Witt, Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 1998 EQUAL SWEETENER CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS* (Sunrise, Florida, November 6, 1998)
Men:
1. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
2. Rudy Galindo (USA)
3. Michael Weiss (USA)
4. Éric Millot (FRA)
Women:
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Katarina Witt (GER)
3. Nicole Bobek (USA)
4. Angela Nikodinov (USA)
5. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
Pairs:
1. Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
2. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
3. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
4. Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 1998 MASTERS OF FIGURE SKATING* (Boise, Idaho, November 14, 1998)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Yuka Sato (JPN)
3. Nicole Bobek (USA)
4. Lu Chen (CHN)
Pairs:
1. Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze (RUS)
2. Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov (RUS)
3. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
4. Jamie Salé and David Pelletier (CAN)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 1998 ICE WARS (Albany, New York, November 18, 1998)
Team:
1. USA: Brian Boitano, Rudy Galindo, Tara Lipinski, Nancy Kerrigan
2. World: Viktor Petrenko, Philippe Candeloro, Oksana Baiul, Surya Bonaly
THE 1998 IMPROV-ICE COMPETITION* (Worcester, Massachusetts, December 3, 1998)
Adagio Pairs:
1. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
2. Cindy Landry and Burt Lancon (CAN/USA)
3. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
4. Terry Pagano and Tony Paul Kudrna (USA)
*Improv-Ice was first organized as a judged competition for men and women, where skaters drew a style of music (classical, jazz, easy-listening, rock 'n roll, theatrical or country) and were given one hour to listen to the music and thirty minutes to rehearse on ice before competing. The format was changed to a non-judged show at the eleventh hour because there were ISU eligible skaters participating. An adagio pairs competition was held in conjunction with the live broadcast on the USA network, where programs that weren't improvised were skated. The event was held several times in subsequent years, but wasn't judged. The skaters who improvised in 1998 were Alexei Yagudin, Viktor Petrenko, Brian Orser, Philippe Candeloro, Rudy Galindo, Michael Weiss, Katarina Witt, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nancy Kerrigan, Rosalynn Sumners, Denise Biellmann and Surya Bonaly.
THE 1998 SEARS CANADIAN OPEN* (Kitchener, Ontario, December 5, 1998)
Men:
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Michael Weiss (USA)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Steven Cousins (GRB)
5. Éric Millot (FRA)
6. Jeffrey Langdon (CAN)
WD. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
Women:
1. Nicole Bobek (USA)
2. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
3. Karen Preston (CAN)
4. Tonia Kwiatkowski (USA)
5. Liz Manley (CAN)
WD. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
WD. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
Pairs:
1. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
2. Kristy Sargeant and Kris Wirtz (CAN)
3. Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov (RUS)
4. Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
2. Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz (CAN)
3. Barbara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio (ITA)*
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Éric Millot was a last-minute replacement for Jozef Sabovčík in men's; Fusar-Poli and Margaglio were a replacement for Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov in dance.
THE 1998 EQUAL SWEETENER WORLD PRO FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Washington, D.C., December 11-12, 1998)
Men:
1. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
2. Kurt Browning (CAN)
3. Todd Eldredge (USA)
4. Rudy Galindo (USA)
WD. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Yuka Sato (JPN)
3. Nicole Bobek (USA)
4. Lu Chen (CHN)
5. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
6. Katarina Witt (GER)
WD. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
Pairs:
1. Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
2. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
3. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
2. Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow (USA)
3. Oksana Grishuk and Alexandr Zhulin (RUS)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. A write-up in the January 1999 issue of "American Skating World" noted, "The World Professional (colloquially known as Landover, although this was the event's second year at MCI Centre in Downtown Washington) has historically been figure skating's premiere professional competition. It was therefore a shock when it joined... the ISU open series as a pro-am event. The decision caused broad unhappiness, with six-time champion Brian Boitano, in particular, vocally opposed to once again facing ISU judges, a position echoed more quietly by Olympic Champion Tara Lipinski. Four-time World Pro Champion Kristi Yamaguchi, defending champions Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur and pairs favourites Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov likewise declined, though those skaters were generally not competing this year. The list of missing persons grew. After rough sledding in earlier Opens, Ilia Kulik declined. Philippe Candeloro was not ready. Surya Bonaly couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to take part. Katia Gordeeva... Jenni Meno and Todd Sand... The question was unavoidable - was all well with the World Pro?" Despite the reservations of many, the event layed to a nearly full house. Many came to see the melodramatic showdown between two new partnerships borne out of successful former ones: Oksana Grishuk and Alexandr Zhulin (dubbed by commentators as 'Pasha and Sasha') and Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov.
THE 1998 BATTLE OF THE SEXES ON ICE (Las Vegas, Nevada, December 19, 1998)
2. Men: Viktor Petrenko, Brian Orser, Rudy Galindo
THE 1999 JAPAN OPEN* (Tokyo, Japan, January 9-10, 1999)
Men:
1. Evgeni Plushenko (RUS)
2. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
3. Todd Eldredge (USA)
4. Kurt Browning (CAN)
5. Takeshi Honda (JPN)
6. Brian Orser (CAN)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
3. Irina Slutskaya (RUS)
4. Yuka Sato (JPN)
5. Fumie Suguri (JPN)
6. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
Pairs:
1. Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze (RUS)
2. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
3. Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
2. Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas (LIT)
3. Nakako Tsuzuki & Rinat Farkhoutdinov (JPN)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
Surya Bonaly and Philippe Candeloro celebrating their win at Ice Wars: Four The World. Photo courtesy "American Skating World" magazine.
THE 1999 ICE WARS: FOUR THE WORLD* (Tucson, Arizona, January 12, 1999)
Team:
1. France: Philippe Candeloro, Surya Bonaly
2. USA: Brian Boitano, Tara Lipinski
3. Canada: Kurt Browning, Josée Chouinard
4. Ukraine: Viacheslav Zagorodniuk, Oksana Baiul
*This event used the Ice Wars name but used a format more similar to the Skates X 2 event held four years prior. When a CBS producer was asked by a puzzled sportswriter why they chose a rink in the Tucson desert to hold the event, they quipped, "It's not Green Bay, Wisconsin".
THE 1999 HERSHEY'S KISSES FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE (Binghamton, New York, April 13, 1999)
Team:
1. World: Alexei Yagudin, Viktor Petrenko, Elvis Stojko, Katarina Witt, Yuka Sato, Maria Butyrskaya, Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov
2. USA: Todd Eldredge, Rudy Galindo, Michael Weiss, Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan, Sarah Hughes, Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman, Danielle and Steven Hartsell, Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow
WD. Surya Bonaly
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 1999 MASTERS MIKO* (Paris-Bercy, France, April 13-14, 1999)
Team:
1. Europe: Philippe Candeloro, Éric Millot, Surya Bonaly, Denise Biellmann, Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer, Irina Romanova and Igor Yaroshenko
2. World: Viacheslav Zagorodniuk, Scott Davis, Olga Markova, Zuzanna Szwed, Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding, Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur
WD. Lu Chen
*Two new twist was added to the scoring of this event in 1999. The first was that theme of 'The Cinema' was introduced. All skaters had to pick music from a film soundtrack for their programs. The second was that each team named a 'joker', whose scores were automatically doubled. The 'jokers' were Denise Biellmann and Viacheslav Zagorodniuk. Evgeni Plushenko, Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat, Vanessa Gusmeroli, Sarah Abitbol and Stéphane Bernadis, Vladimir Besedin and Alexei Polischuk, Céline Masson, Vincent Restencourt and Diane Gerencser and Pasquale Camerlengo skated exhibitions at this event.
THE 1999 GRAND SLAM OF FIGURE SKATING* (Kitchener, Ontario September 25-26, 1999)
Men (Professional):
1. Kurt Browning (CAN)
2. Brian Orser (CAN)
3. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
4. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
Men (ISU Eligible):
1. Evgeni Plushenko (RUS)
2. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
3. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
4. Michael Weiss (USA)
Women (Professional):
1. Tara Lipinski (USA)
2. Yuka Sato (JPN)
3. Ekaterina Gordeeva (RUS)
4. Katarina Witt (GER)
Women (ISU Eligible):
1. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
2. Nicole Bobek (USA)
3. Julia Soldatova (RUS)
4. Sarah Hughes (USA)
Team (Professional):
1. Tara Lipinski and Philippe Candeloro
2. Yuka Sato and Kurt Browning
3. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Brian Orser
4. Katarina Witt and Viktor Petrenkob
Team (ISU Eligible)
1. Sarah Hughes and Evgeni Plushenko
2(t). Nicole Bobek and Alexei Urmanov
2(t). Maria Butyrskaya and Michael Weiss
4. Julia Soldatova and Alexei Yagudin
*This competition was originally slated to take place in the United States but was moved to Canada. Unlike the other pro-ams, amateurs and professionals competed separately. They were scored both individually and as teams, "using the rules appropriate to their status." There was considerable drama about this event, because ISU rules dictated that if amateurs and professionals were going to compete separately in the same event, the two events had to be held independently (on different days) with at least four hours between each segment of the competition or else the sanction for the amateur skaters would be withdrawn. A last-minute schedule change was made, requiring the amateurs to skate both programs on the first night and the professionals to skate all three programs of their programs on the second day. To satisfy the ISU's requirements, the first of the professional's programs was skated at noon in an empty rink. Several of the professional skaters, including Katarina Witt and Philippe Candeloro, were extremely vocal about their displeasure with the format and schedule changes and many ticketholders complained that they didn't get to see the skaters they paid to see. To make matters even more confusing, the 'four hour rule' wasn't observed on the night the amateur events were held, leading to friction between the ISU, IMG Canada, FOX and the officials at the event.
THE 1999 MASTERS OF FIGURE SKATING* (Green Bay, Wisconsin, October 16, 1999)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
3. Kurt Browning (CAN)
4. Brian Orser (CAN)
WD. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Ekaterina Gordeeva (RUS)
5. Angela Nikodinov (USA)
WD. Nicole Bobek (USA)
Pairs:
1. Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov (RUS)
2. Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman (USA)
3. Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao (CHN)
WD. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
WD. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 1999 ESPN PRO FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Huntington, West Virginia, October 19-20, 1999)
Men:
1. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
2. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
3. Viacheslav Zagorodniuk (UKR)
4. Jozef Sabovčík (SVK)
5. Rudy Galindo (USA)
6. Éric Millot (FRA)
Women:
1. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
2. Tonya Harding (USA)
3. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
4. Tonia Kwiatkowski (USA)
5. Liz Manley (CAN)
WD. Oksana Grishuk (RUS)
WD. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
Pairs:
1. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
2. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
3. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
4. Marie-Claude Savard-Gagnon and Luc Bradet (CAN)
5. Anita Hartshorn and Frank Sweiding (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow (USA)
2. Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
3. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
4. Irina Romanova and Igor Yaroshenko (UKR)
*This event was the first (and only) professional competition Tonya Harding competed in. Predictably, her return to competition generated considerable press attention. On the second day of the event, she appeared on Good Morning America. At a press conference following the technical program, Tonya told reporters, "I was very nervous and my legs were shaking, but at the same time the audience was wonderful. I went out and did the best that I could after being off the ice for so long. I just had a great time." Surya Bonaly told an Associated Press reporter, "She was a friend of mine back then, and I'm so glad she's back skating with us."
THE 1999 ICE WARS* (Baton Rouge, Louisiana, November 3-4, 1999)
Team:
1. USA: Brian Boitano, Rudy Galindo, Scott Davis, Kristi Yamaguchi, Tara Lipinski, Tonia Kwiatkowski, Jenni Meno and Todd Sand, Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow
2. World: Kurt Browning, Alexei Urmanov, Philippe Candeloro, Oksana Baiul, Yuka Sato, Surya Bonaly, Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer, Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov
WD. Lu Chen
*Yuka Sato was a last-minute replacement for Lu Chen.
THE 1999 SEARS CANADIAN OPEN* (Mississauga, Ontario, December 4, 1999)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Elvis Stojko (CAN)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Kurt Browning (CAN)
5. Steven Cousins (GRB)
WD. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
Women:
1. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
2. Jennifer Robinson (CAN)
3. Angela Nikodinov (USA)
4. Karen Preston (CAN)
5. Surya Bonaly (JPN)
6. Liz Manley (CAN)
7. Diana Poth (HUN)
Pairs:
1. Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze (RUS)
2. Kristy Sargeant and Kris Wirtz (CAN)
3. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz (CAN)
2. Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
3. Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe (CAN)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 1999 METABOLIFE WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Washington, D.C., December 10-11, 1999)
Men:
1. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
2. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
3. Brian Boitano (USA)
4. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
5. Rudy Galindo (USA)
Women:
1. Tara Lipinski (USA)
2. Denise Biellmann (SUI)
3. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
4. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
5. Tonia Kwiatkowski (USA)
WD. Yuka Sato (JPN)
Pairs:
1. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
2. Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov (RUS)
3. Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
4. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
Ice Dance:
1. Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow (USA)
2. Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
*At just seventeen years of age, Tara Lipinski made history as the youngest winner ever at the World Professional Championships. For one of the first times ever, every single judge had previously won a medal at the Olympics and/or World Championships: Irina Rodnina, Oleg Vasiliev, Petra Burka, Barbara Roles Williams, Paul Duchesnay, Sonya Dunfield, Debi Thomas and Charlie Tickner.
THE 1999 USA .VS. WORLD FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE (Kennewick, Washington, December 18, 1999)
Team:
1. USA: Todd Eldredge, Michael Weiss, Timothy Goebel, Michelle Kwan, Dorothy Hamill, Sarah Hughes
2. World: Kurt Browning, Viktor Petrenko, Elvis Stojko, Liz Manley, Lu Cheb, Surya Bonaly
THE 2000 JAPAN OPEN FOR THE HONDA ODYSSEY CUP* (Tokyo, Japan, January 4, 2000)
Men:
1. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
2. Todd Eldredge (USA)
3. Takeshi Honda (JPN)
4. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
5. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
3. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
4. Vanessa Gusmeroli (FRA)
5. Chisato Shiina (JPN)
Pairs:
1. Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
2. Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao (CHN)
3. Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen (JPN/USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
2. Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas (LIT)
3. Nakako Tsuzuki and Rinat Farkhoutdinov (JPN)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2000 WINTER GOODWILL GAMES* (Lake Placid, New York, February 17-20, 2000)
Men:
1. Brian Boitano (USA)
2. Brian Orser (CAN)
3. Viktor Petrenko (UKR)
4. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
5. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
WD. Rudy Galindo (USA)
Women:
1. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
2. Yuka Sato (JPN)
3. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
4. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
5. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
6. Katarina Witt (GER)
7. Liz Manley (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
2. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
3. Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler (CAN)
WD. Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen (JPN/USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow (USA)
2. Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
3. Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko (RUS)
4. Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko (FIN)
*This event was part of the Winter Goodwill Games, an international multi-sport event created by Ted Turner. They were the only winter version of the Goodwill Games and the only Goodwill Games to feature a competition with professional figure skaters. A pro-am competition had been considered, but the idea was dropped because the event was held during a period when several National Championships were being held. Brian Orser and Katarina Witt both turned heads by landing jumps they hadn't landed in years at this event. Brian did a triple Axel; Katarina a triple toe-loop. Surya Bonaly made history as the only skater in history to win a Goodwill Games title both as an amateur and professional. She'd won the amateur figure skating event at the Goodwill Games in 1994. Judges at this event were a who's who of figure skating, including Donald Jackson, Robin Cousins, Irina Rodnina, Paul Duchesnay, Frances Dafoe, Charlie Tickner, Petra Burka and Richard Dwyer.
THE 2000 ICE WARS: FOUR THE WORLD*(Norfolk, Virginia, March 7, 2000)
Team:
1. Kurt Browning and Surya Bonaly (CAN/FRA)
2. Yuka Sato and Alexei Urmanov (JPN/RUS)
3. Kristi Yamaguchi and Scott Hamilton (USA)
4. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Ilia Kulik (RUS)
*This event used the Ice Wars name but used a format more similar to the Skates X 2 event held five years prior.
THE 2000 INTERNATIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Binghamton, New York, April 11, 2000)
Team:
1. World: Viktor Petrenko, Elvis Stojko, Evgeni Plushenko, Katarina Witt, Surya Bonaly, Irina Slutskaya
2. USA: Todd Eldredge, Michael Weiss, Timothy Goebel, Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan, Sarah Hughes
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. There were six head-to-head match-ups, won by Viktor Petrenko, Evgeni Plushenko, Elvis Stojko, Kristi Yamaguchi, Surya Bonaly and Michelle Kwan. Sasha Cohen gave a special guest performance.
Vanessa Gusmeroli as Lara Croft at the 2000 Masters Miko. Photo courtesy Eddy Lemaistre.
THE 2000 MASTERS MIKO OPEN DE FRANCE*(Paris-Bercy, France, April 27-28, 2000)
Men:
1. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
2. Stanick Jeannette (FRA)
3. Éric Millot (FRA)
Women:
1. Vanessa Gusmeroli (FRA)
2. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
3. Olga Markova (RUS)
Pairs:
1. Sarah Abitbol and Stéphane Bernadis (FRA)
2. Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat (FRA)
2. Irina Lobacheva and Ilya Averbukh (RUS)
Ice Dance:
Team:
1. France (Éric Millot, Stanick Jeannette, Vanessa Gusmeroli, Sarah Abitbol and Stéphane Bernadis, Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat)
2. Russia (Alexei Yagudin, Maria Butyrskaya, Olga Markova, Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin, Irina Lobacheva and Ilya Averbukh)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. The two teams tied with eight hundred and sixty points, but the judges "gave credit to the French skaters because Russians have made more mistakes during free skating."
THE 2000 GRAND SLAM OF SKATING: THE SUPER TEAMS CHALLENGE (St. Paul, Minnesota, October 5-6, 2000)
Team:
1. Yuka Sato and Brian Boitano (JPN/USA)
2. Surya Bonaly and Rudy Galindo (FRA/USA)
3. Nicole Bobek and Philippe Candeloro (USA/FRA)
4. Steven Cousins and Caryn Kadavy (GRB/USA)
5. Viktor Petrenko and Lu Chen (UKR/CHN)
6. Katarina Witt and Brian Orser (GER/CAN)
7. Ekaterina Gordeeva and Ilia Kulik (RUS)
8. Oksana Baiul and Alexei Urmanov (UKR/RUS)
American Open poster (left) and Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (right). Photos courtesy Scott Williams, Turtle Island Productions.
THE 2000 AMERICAN OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (October 6-8, 2000, Geneva, Illinois)
Men:
1. Dan Hollander (USA)
2. Craig Heath (USA)
3. Viacheslav Zagorodniuk (UKR)
4. Matt Kessinger (USA)
5. Shin Amano (JPN)
6. Edward Vancampen (HOL)
WD. Yevgeny Martynov (UKR)
WD. Vyacheslav Chili (UKR)
Women:
1. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
2. Aimee Marissa Micu (USA)
3. Lisa Bell (USA)
4. Beth-Anne Duxbury (USA)
5. Elin Gardiner Schran (USA)
6. Katherine Healy (USA)
7. Colleen Maguire (USA)
8. Amy Jaramillo Lambert (USA)
9. Claudia Sersanti (USA)
WD. Shannon L. Call (USA)
Pairs:
1. Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen (JPN/USA)
2. Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný (CZE)
3. Svetlana Butova and Maxim Fomin (RUS)
WD. Rosanna Tovi and Andrei Bannikov (USA/RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Sarah Simpson and Nicholas Clowers (USA)
2. Darlin Baker and Andrzej Dostatni (USA/POL)
Show Act:
1. Vladimir Besedin and Alexei Polischuk (RUS)
2. Dan Hollander (USA)
3. Gia Guddat (CAN)
4. Violetta Afanasieva (RUS)
5. Debbie Park (USA)
6. Akop Manoukian and Armen Sakien (ARM)
7. Oxana Anichkina (RUS)
8. Michael Kho (CAN)
THE 2000 MASTERS OF FIGURE SKATING* (Boise, Idaho, October 12, 2000)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
3. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
4. Steven Cousins (GRB)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Irina Slutskaya (RUS)
3. Yuka Sato (JPN)
4. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
5. Lu Chen (CHN)
Pairs:
1. Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze (RUS)
2. Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman (USA)
3. Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao (CHN)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2000 ICE WARS* (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, November 9, 2000)
Team:
1. World: Kurt Browning, Philippe Candeloro, Katarina Witt, Surya Bonaly
2. USA: Brian Boitano, Rudy Galindo, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nicole Bobek
WD. Tara Lipinski (USA team)
*Nicole Bobek was a last-minute replacement for Tara Lipinski.
THE 2000 SEARS CANADIAN OPEN* (Hamilton, Ontario, December 1, 2000)
Men:
1. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
2. Kurt Browning (CAN)
3. Todd Eldredge (USA)
4. Brian Orser (CAN)
5. Emanuel Sandhu (CAN)
6. Steven Cousins (GRB)
Women:
1. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
2. Michelle Kwan (USA)
3. Sarah Hughes (USA)
4. Jennifer Robinson (CAN)
5. Lu Chen (CHN)
6. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
Pairs:
1. Jamie Salé and David Pelletier (CAN)
2. Kristy and Kris Wirtz (CAN)
3. Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman (USA)
4. Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen (JPN/USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2000 HALLMARK WORLD PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIP (Washington, D.C., December 8-9, 2000)
Men:
1. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
2. Rudy Galindo (USA)
3. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
4. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
Women:
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Nicole Bobek (USA)
3. Lucinda Ruh (SUI)
4. Surya Bonaly (FRA)
5. Oksana Baiul (UKR)
WD. Tara Lipinski (USA)
Pairs:
1. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
2. Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
3. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
4. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
Ice Dance:
1. Elizabeth Punsalan and Jerod Swallow (USA)
2. Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
3. Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov (RUS)
THE 2000 HERSHEY'S KISSES FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Detroit, Michigan, December 10, 2000)
Team:
1. USA: Todd Eldredge, Timothy Goebel, Michael Weiss, Kristi Yamaguchi, Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, Sarah Hughes
2. World: Alexei Yagudin, Kurt Browning, Brian Orser, Yuka Sato, Maria Butyrskaya, Irina Slutskaya, Surya Bonaly
WD. Elvis Stojko
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
Midori Ito at the 2001 Japan Open
THE 2001 JAPAN INTERNATIONAL OPEN FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Tokyo, Japan, January 4, 2001)
Men:
1. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
2. Evgeni Plushenko (RUS)
3. Todd Eldredge (USA)
4. Takeshi Honda (JPN)
5. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
Women:
1. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
2. Irina Slutskaya (RUS)
3. Midori Ito (JPN)
4. Lu Chen (CHN)
5. Yoshie Onda (JPN)
Pairs:
1. Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze (RUS)
2. Sarah Abitbol and Stéphane Bernadis (FRA)
3. Kyoko Ina and Jason Dungjen (USA)
4. Yuko Kawaguchi and Alexander Markuntsov (JPN)
WD. Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao (CHN)
Ice Dance:
1. Barbara Fusar-Poli and Maurizio Margaglio (ITA)
2. Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas (LIT)
3. Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz (CAN)
WD. Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat (FRA)
WD. Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov (RUS)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. This was Midori Ito's first competition since her comeback at the 1996 World Championships. In a press conference prior to the event, she said, "The performance may be difficult. I want to perform a performance that will remain in everyone's hearts regardless of the ranking."
THE 2001 MASTERS MIKO OPEN DE FRANCE* (Paris-Bercy, France, March 29-30, 2001)
Men:
1. Frédéric Dambier (FRA)
2. Alexandr Abt (RUS)
3. Stanick Jeannette (FRA)
4. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
Women:
1. Vanessa Gusmeroli (FRA)
2. Lu Chen (CHN)
Pairs:
1. Sabrina Lefrançois and Jérôme Blanchard (FRA)
2. Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov (RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat (FRA)
2. Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas (LIT)
Team:
1. France: Stanick Jeannette, Frédéric Dambier, Vanessa Gusmeroli, Sabrina Lefrançois and Jérôme Blanchard, Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat
2. Rest Of The World: Alexei Urmanov, Alexandr Abt, Lu Chen, Maria Petrova and Alexei Tikhonov, Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2001 MASTERS OF FIGURE SKATING* (San Diego, California, October 13, 2001)
Men:
1. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
2. Todd Eldredge (USA)
3. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
4. Steven Cousins (GRB)
Women:
1. Irina Slutskaya (RUS)
2. Michelle Kwan (USA)
3. Yuka Sato (GRB)
4. Sasha Cohen (USA)
5. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
Pairs:
1. Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman (USA)
2. Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao (CHN)
3. Mandy Wötzel and Ingo Steuer (GER)
WD. Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2001 FIRST UNION WORLD ICE CHALLENGE* (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, November 8, 2001)
Team:
1. USA: Brian Boitano, Rudy Galindo, Kristi Yamaguchi, Tara Lipinski
2. World: Kurt Browning, Philippe Candeloro, Yuka Sato, Surya Bonaly
*In the weeks leading up to this event, promotional materials billed the event as Ice Wars. The name was changed to the First Union World Ice Challenge in late October due to concerns by CBS over the name in the months after the September 11 attacks. This was just one of several changes that CBS made to its programming after the tragedy. "Survivor: Arabia" was scrapped and the fourth season was filmed in the Marquesas islands. The first season "The Amazing Race" was delayed by a week after airing the first episode just days before the tragedy, and suffered poor ratings due to a lack of interest in international travel at the time.
Caryn Kadavy (left) and Alexei Urmanov (right) at the 2001 American Open. Photos courtesy Scott Williams, Turtle Island Productions.
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THE 2001 MOTRIN AMERICAN OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 3-5, 2001)
Men:
1. Alexei Urmanov (RUS)
2. Steven Cousins (GRB)
3. Craig Heath (USA)
4. Viacheslav Zagorodniuk (UKR)
5. David Liu (TPE)
6. Yevgeny Martynov (UKR)
7. Dan Hollander (USA)
8. Masakazu Kagiyama (JPN)
Women:
1. Nicole Bobek (USA)
2. Rory Flack Burghart (USA)
3. Lucinda Ruh (SUI)
4. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
5. Caryn Kadavy (USA)
6. Junko Yaginuma (JPN)
7. Lu Chen (CHN)
8. Charlene Wong (CAN)
9. Yukiko Kawasaki (JPN)
Pairs:
1. Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko (RUS)
2. Jodeyne Higgins and Sean Rice (CAN)
3. Rosanna Tovi and Andrei Bannikov (USA/RUS)
Ice Dance:
1. Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov (RUS)
2. Jennifer Jones and Zachary Ortogero (USA)
Show Act:
1. Vladimir Besedin and Alexei Polischuk (RUS)
2. Violetta Afanasieva and Pete Dack (RUS/CAN)
3. Victor Baryshevtsev (RUS)
4. Dan Hollander (USA)
5. Gia Guddat (CAN)
6. Debbie and Lee Park (USA)
Qualifying Round Men:
1. Yevgeny Martynov (UKR)
2. David Liu (TPE)
3. Masakazu Kagiyama (JPN)
4. Shin Amano (JPN)
5. Sergey Minaev (RUS)
6. Edward Vancampen (HOL)
Qualifying Round Women:
1. Junko Yaginuma (JPN)
2. Charlene Wong (CAN)
3. Yukiko Kawasaki (JPN)
4. Roselle Soussana (USA)
5. Katherine Healy (USA)
6. Amy Jaramillo Lambert (USA)
7. Miriam Gelfand Pereira (USA)
8. Amber Leigh Anderson (USA)
WD. Hanae Yokoya (JPN)
WD. Lisa Bell (USA)
WD. Donna Lewandowski (USA)
WD. Joy Thomas (USA)
THE 2001 HALLMARK SKATERS CHAMPIONSHIP* (Washington, D.C., December 7-8, 2001)
Men:
1. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
2. Kurt Browning (CAN)
3. Brian Orser (CAN)
4. Steven Cousins (GRB)
5. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
Women:
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Kristi Yamaguchi (USA)
3. Lucinda Ruh (SUI)
4. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
5. Nicole Bobek (USA)
Pairs:
1. Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
2. Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen (JPN/USA)
3. Jenni Meno and Todd Sand (USA)
Ice Dance:
1. Angelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsiannikov (RUS)
2. Renée Roca and Gorsha Sur (USA)
3. Maya Usova and Evgeni Platov (RUS)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2001 HERSHEY'S KISSES FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (Auburn Hills, Michigan, December 7, 2001)
Men:
1. Todd Eldredge (USA)
2. Michael Weiss (USA)
3. Timothy Goebel (USA)
4. Rudy Galindo (USA)
5. Matt Savoie (USA)
Women:
1. Michelle Kwan (USA)
2. Sasha Cohen (USA)
3. Dorothy Hamill (USA)
4. Sarah Hughes (USA)
5. Angela Nikodinov (USA)
6. Jennifer Kirk (USA)
7. Nancy Kerrigan (USA)
Team:
1. Team Hamill: Dorothy Hamill, Michelle Kwan, Michael Weiss, Matt Savoie
2. Team Galindo: Rudy Galindo, Sarah Hughes, Timothy Goebel, Sasha Cohen
3. Team Kerrigan: Nancy Kerrigan, Todd Eldredge, Angela Nikodinov, Jennifer Kirk
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2001 SEARS CANADIAN OPEN* (Ottawa, Ontario, November 30-December 1, 2001)
Men:
1. Brian Orser (CAN)
2. Emanuel Sandhu (CAN)
3. Kurt Browning (CAN)
4. Elvis Stojko (CAN)
5. Todd Eldredge (USA)
6. Steven Cousins (GRB)
Women:
1. Josée Chouinard (CAN)
2. Jennifer Robinson (CAN)
3. Nicole Bobek (USA)
4. Viktoria Volchkova (RUS)
5. Lu Chen (CHN)
6. Nicole Watt (CAN)
Pairs:
1. Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman (USA)
2. Kristy and Kris Wirtz (CAN)
3. Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev (RUS)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2002 MASTERS MIKO OPEN DE FRANCE*(Paris-Bercy France, April 6-7, 2002)
Men:
1. Stanick Jeannette (FRA)
2. Andrejs Vlaščenko (GER)
Women:
1. Laetitia Hubert (FRA)
2. Viktoria Volchkova (RUS)
Pairs:
1. Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin (RUS)
2. Marie-Pierre Leray and Nicolas Osseland (FRA)
Ice Dance:
1. Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat (FRA)
2. Irina Lobacheva and Ilya Averbukh (RUS)
Team:
1(t). France: Stanick Jeannette, Laetitia Hubert, Marie-Pierre Leray and Nicolas Osseland, Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat
1(t). Russia: Andrejs Vlaščenko, Viktoria Volchkova, Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin, Irina Lobacheva and Ilya Averbukh
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Andrejs Vlaščenko, a former Latvian skater who later represented Germany, competed on the Russian team. The two teams tied with seven hundred and eighty points.
THE 2002 HERSHEY'S KISSES GREAT AMERICAN FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE* (New Haven, Connecticut, April 16, 2002)
Team:
1. Team Lang: Naomi Lang and Peter Tchernyshev, Todd Eldredge, Timothy Goebel, Michael Weiss, Matt Savoie, Johnny Weir
2. Team Zimmerman: Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman, Michelle Kwan, Sasha Cohen, Angela Nikodinov, Jennifer Kirk
*This event was held using pro-am rules, with one interpretive free skate performed, but did not technically contain any professional skaters. Todd Eldredge had not yet technically participated in an ISU ineligible competition at the time the competition was held. Following the 2001/2002 season, the USFSA continued to stage made-for-TV team competitions in the spring and autumn for several years. The autumn event was called the Campbell's International Figure Skating Classic or Challenge and the spring event the Marshalls U.S./International Figure Skating Classic. These events are not included in this listing, as they weren't pro-am's because they only featured ISU eligible skaters.
THE 2002 OLAY ICE WARS (Manchester, New Hampshire, November 14, 2002)
Team:
1. USA: Brian Boitano, Scott Hamilton, Tara Lipinski, Nicole Bobek
2. World: Ilia Kulik, Kurt Browning, Maria Butyrskaya, Surya Bonaly
THE 2002 SEARS CANADIAN OPEN* (Red Deer, Alberta, December 5-7, 2002)
Men:
1. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
2. Todd Eldredge (USA)
3. Jeffrey Buttle (CAN)
4. Takeshi Honda (JPN)
Women:
1. Sasha Cohen (USA)
2. Jennifer Robinson (CAN)
3. Viktoria Volchkova (RUS)
4. Angela Nikodinov (USA)
5. Jennifer Kirk (USA)
WD. Yuka Sato (JPN)
Pairs:
1. Jamie Salé and David Pelletier (CAN)
2. Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen (JPN/USA)
3. Jacinthe Larivière and Lenny Faustino (CAN)
WD. Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges. Kurt Browning did not compete, but skated two special exhibitions during the event.
THE 2002 HALLMARK SKATERS CHAMPIONSHIP* (Columbus, Ohio, December 14, 2002)
Men:
1. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
2. Michael Weiss (USA)
3. Todd Eldredge (USA)
4. Takeshi Honda (JPN)
Women:
1. Yuka Sato (JPN)
2. Irina Slutskaya (RUS)
3. Sarah Hughes (USA)
4. Maria Butyrskaya (RUS)
WD. Nicole Bobek (USA)
Pairs:
1. Jamie Salé and David Pelletier (CAN)
2. Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen (JPN/USA)
3. Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao (CHN)
4. Qing Pang and Jian Tong (CHN)
WD. Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman (USA)
*This competition was a pro-am event judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2003 ICE WARS (Albany, New York, November 13, 2003)
Team:
1. World: Ilia Kulik, Viktor Petrenko, Oksana Baiul, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze
2. North America: Brian Boitano, Kurt Browning, Nicole Bobek, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier
THE 2003 WORLD TEAM FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE (Vancouver, British Columbia, December 3, 2003)
Team:
1. Canada: Kurt Browning, Josée Chouinard, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier
2. Russia: Alexei Yagudin, Maria Butyrskaya, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze
3. USA: Todd Eldredge, Nicole Bobek, Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman
4. Europe: Steven Cousins, Oksana Baiul, Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný
2004 MAJOR LEAGUE FIGURE SKATING UNITED STATES NATIONAL INVITATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP* (Lakeland, Florida, June 3-6, 2004)
Team:
1. Team Fuzion (Scott Davis, Jason Graetz, Alibel Alegre, Meegan McDonald, Richard Swenning)
2. Team Velocity (Tonia Kwiatkowski, Shepherd Clark, Robin Abraham, Crystal Hancy, Melissa Gravell)
3. Team Quantum (Petr Barna, Michael Kuluva, Fred Palascak, Natalia Kanounnikova, Stephanie Sobota)
4. Team Fire (Jeffrey Langdon, Misha Sorochinsky, Sabrina Capellini, Svetlana Butova, Hazel Murphy)
WD. Craig Heath and Norm Proft
5. Team Alliance (Katharina Rybkowski, Vitaliy Opekan, Melanie Lambert, Scott McDonald)
*The event was initially planned as a pro-am team event. An article from "International Figure Skating" magazine noted, "The organizers had originally hoped to combine both eligible and professional skaters, but in February the Ice Skating Institute (ISI) rescinded its endorsement. ISI had previously endorsed two small local level MLFS events that did not involve either prize money or professional skaters."
THE 2004 ICE WARS: TEAM USA .VS. THE WORLD (Charleston, South Carolina, November 19, 2004)
Team:
1. World: Alexei Yagudin, Kurt Browning, Oksana Baiul, Yuka Sato
2. USA: Brian Boitano, Todd Eldredge, Kristi Yamaguchi, Nicole Bobek
THE 2004 WORLD TEAM FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE (Winnipeg, Manitoba, December 10, 2004)
Team:
1. Canada: Kurt Browning, Jennifer Robinson, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier
2. Russia: Alexei Yagudin, Maria Butyrskaya, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze
3. USA: Todd Eldredge, Caryn Kadavy, Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman
4. Europe: Jozef Sabovčík, Oksana Baiul, Lucie Stadelmann and Ian Jenkins
Daisuke Takahashi, Jeffrey Buttle and Johnny Weir at the 2005 Saishunkan Challenge
THE 2005 SAISHUNKAN PHARMACEUTICAL JAPAN INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE (Tokyo, Japan, October 1, 2005)
THE 2005 OLAY ICE WARS: BATTLE OF THE SEXES (Peoria, Illinois, November 17, 2005)
Team:
1. Men: Alexei Yagudin, Brian Boitano, Elvis Stojko, Kurt Browning
2. Women: Oksana Baiul, Yuka Sato, Maria Butyrskaya, Nancy Kerrigan
WD. Katarina Witt
THE 2005 DESJARDINS WORLD TEAM FIGURE SKATING CHALLENGE (London, Ontario, December 4, 2005)
Team:
1. Canada: Kurt Browning, Jennifer Robinson, Jamie Salé and David Pelletier
2. Russia: Alexei Yagudin, Maria Butyrskaya, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze
3. USA: Todd Eldredge, Caryn Kadavy, Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman
4. Europe: Steven Cousins, Oksana Baiul, Radka Kovaříková and René Novotný
THE 2006 ICE EXTREME WORLD EXTREME ICE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (St. Petersburg, Russia, September 24, 2006)
Anything Is Possible:
1. The Denisov Sisters (RUS)
?. Vadim Savenkov (RUS)
?. Steve Taylor (USA)
?. Vladimir Tevlovski (RUS)
?. Marina and Fred Morus (RUS)
?. Igor Lioutikov (RUS)
Acrobats:
1. Vladimir Besedin and Alexei Polischuk (RUS)
?. Valeria Tishler and Victor Mytnik (RUS)
?. Oliver Pekar and Gáspár Károly (CZE/HUN)
Comedy On Ice:
1. Jason Graetz (CAN)
2. Laurent Tobel (FRA)
?. Gary Beacom (CAN)
?. Victor Baryshevtsev (RUS)
?. Stanick Jeannette (FRA)
Jugglers And Hula Hoops:
1. Violetta Afanasieva and Pete Dack (CAN)
?. Oxana Anichkina (HOL)
?. Elena Belyaeva (RUS)
*There were four categories in this event: Ice Acrobats, Ice Jugglers And Hula Hoops, Comedy On Ice and 'Anything Is Possible'. Judging consisted of a panel with scoring out of 10.0, combined with SMS voting by television viewers. There were special guest performances by Evgeni Plushenko, Irina Slutskaya and Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin. Laurent Tobel was originally announced as the winner of the men's event, but once the audience vote was added the result changed and Jason Graetz won.
THE 2006 JAPAN OPEN* (Saitama, Japan, May 14, 2006)
Team:
1. Japan: Daisuke Takahashi, Takeshi Honda, Miki Ando, Mao Asada
*Beginning in 2006, the Japan Open was sanctioned by the ISU and in recent years, few professional skaters have participated.
THE 2012 MEDAL WINNERS OPEN* (Saitama, Japan, October 5, 2012)
Men:
1. Jeffrey Buttle (CAN)
2. Kurt Browning (CAN)
3. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
4. Takeshi Honda (JPN)
5. Alexei Yagudin (RUS)
6. Philippe Candeloro (FRA)
Women:
1. Shizuka Arakawa (JPN)
2. Joannie Rochette (CAN)
3. Irina Slutskaya (RUS)
4. Sarah Meier (SUI)
5. Laura Lepistö (FIN)
6. Kimmie Meissner (USA)
*Though most of the competitors at the Medal Winners Open were professionals, this competition was nevertheless sanctioned and judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2012 JAPAN OPEN* (Saitama, Japan, October 6, 2012)
Team:
1. Japan: Daisuke Takahashi, Takahiko Kozuka, Mao Asada, Akiko Suzuki
2. North America: Patrick Chan, Jeffrey Buttle, Ashley Wagner, Agnes Zawadzki
3. Europe: Evgeni Plushenko, Michal Březina, Alena Leonova, Elene Gedevanishvili
*Beginning in 2006, the Japan Open was sanctioned by the ISU and in recent years, few professional skaters have participated.
THE 2013 JAPAN OPEN* (Saitama, Japan, October 5, 2013)
Team:
1. Japan: Daisuke Takahashi, Takahiko Kozuka, Mao Asada, Kanako Murakami
2. North America: Jeremy Abbott, Jeffrey Buttle, Joannie Rochette, Ashley Wagner
3. Europe: Javier Fernández, Michal Březina, Irina Slutsaya, Adelina Sotnikova
*Beginning in 2006, the Japan Open was sanctioned by the ISU and in recent years, few professional skaters have participated.
THE 2014 PROSKATERS OPEN (Sun Valley, Idaho, July 27, 2014)
Overall:
1. Group number choreographed by Stephanee Grosscup (USA)
2. Group number choreographed by Erin Reed (USA)
3. Anna Cobb (USA)
Breakout Star:
Ryan Santee (USA)
Most Inspirational:
Cari Maus (USA)
Most Unique Trick:
Kyle Shropshire (USA)
THE 2014 JAPAN OPEN* (Saitama, Japan, October 4, 2014)
Team:
1. Europe: Javier Fernández, Tomáš Verner, Elena Radionova, Anna Pogorilaya
2. North America: Patrick Chan, Jeffrey Buttle, Ashley Wagner, Mirai Nagasu
*Beginning in 2006, the Japan Open was sanctioned by the ISU and in recent years, few professional skaters have participated.
THE 2015 MEDAL WINNERS OPEN* (Tokyo, Japan, January 16, 2015)
Men:
1. Evgeni Plushenko (RUS)
2. Nobunari Oda (JPN)
3. Jeffrey Buttle (CAN)
4. Johnny Weir (USA)
5. Evan Lysacek (USA)
6. Takeshi Honda (JPN)
Women:
1. Joannie Rochette (JPN)
2. Sarah Meier (SUI)
3. Miki Ando (JPN)
4. Laura Lepistö (FIN)
5. Irina Slutskaya (RUS)
6. Kimmie Meissner (USA)
*Though most of the competitors at the Medal Winners Open were professionals, this competition was nevertheless sanctioned and judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2015 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Bloomington, Minnesota, May 23, 2015)
Overall:
1. Jodeyne Higgins and Sean Rice (CAN)
*. Ryan Jahnke (USA)
*. Jonathan Cassar (USA)
*. Ice Cold Combos: Adam Blake, Taylor Blair, Shannon Brakke, Kate Charbonneau, Sarah Santee and Kyle Shropshire (USA)
*. Heidi Evers (USA)
*. Colleen Okolski (USA)
*. Ryan Santee (USA)
*. Trick and Track - Ryan Santee and Kyle Shropshire (USA)
Creative Visionary Award:
Ice Cold Combos: Adam Blake, Taylor Blair, Shannon Brakke, Kate Charbonneau, Sarah Santee and Kyle Shropshire (USA)
The Skater's Skater Award:
Ryan Jahnke (USA)
Ground Breaker Award:
Jonathan Cassar
The Olivia Clark Foundation Luminary Award:
Ryan Jahnke (USA)
*When the U.S. Open was revived in 2015, a new format was adopted where skaters from all categories competed together and only a Grand Winner and a series of Awards were anounced.
THE 2015 PROSKATERS OPEN (Sun Valley, Idaho, July 27, 2015)
Overall:
1. Ale Izquierdo and Jonathon Hunt (USA)
2. Carly Donowick (USA)
3(t). Daryn Finkelstein (USA)
3(t). Alexander 'Sasha' Klimkin (USA)
3(t). American Ice Theatre of Utah
Most Innovative:
Group number choreographed by Ty Cockrum
THE 2015 JAPAN OPEN* (Saitama, Japan, October 3, 2015)
Team:
1. Japan: Shoma Uno, Daisuke Murakami, Mao Asada, Satoko Miyahara
2. North America: Patrick Chan, Jeremy Abbott, Ashley Wagner, Gracie Gold
3. Europe: Javier Fernández, Brian Joubert, Adelina Sotnikova, Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
*Beginning in 2006, the Japan Open was sanctioned by the ISU and in recent years, few professional skaters have participated.
THE 2016 MEDAL WINNERS OPEN* (Osaka, Japan, January 15, 2016)
Men:
1. Jeremy Abbott (USA)
2. Nobunari Oda (JPN)
3. Jeffrey Buttle (CAN)
4. Johnny Weir (USA)
5. Ilia Kulik (RUS)
Women:
1. Joannie Rochette (CAN)
2. Carolina Kostner (ITA)
3. Miki Ando (JPN)
4. Yuka Sato (JPN)
5. Kimmie Meissner (USA)
*Though most of the competitors at the Medal Winners Open were professionals, this competition was nevertheless sanctioned and judged by ISU eligible judges.
THE 2016 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Las Vegas, Nevada, May 31, 2016)
Overall:
1. Rohene Ward (USA)
*. Rory Flack (USA)
*. Mauro Bruni (USA)
*. Jonathan Cassar (USA)
*. Jodeyne Higgins and Sean Rice (CAN)
?. Derrick Delmore (USA)
*. Craig Heath (USA)
*. Ashley Clark (USA)
*. Trick and Track - Ryan Santee and Kyle Shropshire (USA)
*. Anna Cobb (USA)
*. Stephanie Chase-Bass (USA)
*. Nancy Pluta (USA)
*. Kristin Nardozzi and Nick Traxler (USA)
*. American Ice Theatre Utah (USA)
*. Sarah France (USA)
*. Rose Kathy (USA)
*. Mark Stanford (USA)
*. Remington Burghart (USA)
*. Kristina Struthwolf-Leato (USA)
*. Arielle Trujillo and Alex Murphy (USA)
*. Brenda Tarkinton (USA)
Creative Visionary Award:
Stephanie Chace Bass (USA)
Ashley Clark (USA)
The Skater's Skater Award:
Jonathan Cassar (USA)
Ground Breaker Award:
Mauro Bruni (USA)
*When the U.S. Open was revived in 2015, a new format was adopted where skaters from all categories competed together and only a Grand Winner and a series of Awards were anounced.
THE 2016 PROSKATERS OPEN (Sun Valley, Idaho, July 24, 2016)
Overall:
1. Joyce Chan (USA)
2(t). Anna Cobb (USA)
2(t). Marco Berg (USA)
3. Anna Cobb and Garrett Kling (USA)
Star Of The Future:
Chelsey Ridley (USA)
Most Inventive:
Christiana Dudik (USA)
Best Costume:
Reny Doyle (USA)
THE 2016 JAPAN OPEN* (Saitama, Japan, October 1, 2016)
2. Europe: Javier Fernández, Florent Amodio, Evgenia Medvedeva, Anna Pogorilaya
3. North America: Jeremy Abbott, Adam Rippon, Ashley Wagner, Gracie Gold
*Beginning in 2006, the Japan Open was sanctioned by the ISU and in recent years, few professional skaters have participated.
THE 2017 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Nashville, Tennessee, May 23, 2017)
Overall:
1. Jonathan Cassar (USA)
*. Cordero Zuckerman (USA)
*. Jonathan Cassar (USA)
*. Rohene Ward (USA)
*. Garrett Kling (USA)
*. Susan Jackson Wagner (GRB)
*. Michael Solonoski (USA)
*. American Ice Theatre Boston (USA)
*. Kristen Nardozzi and Nick Traxler (USA)
*. Stephanie Chace Bass (USA)
*. Kseniya Ponomaryova (USA)
*. Ryan Santee (USA)
*. Sarah France (USA)
*. Alicia Jackson (USA)
*. Courtney Mew and Pavel Charushnikov (USA)
*. Elise Nelson (USA)
*. Brenda Tarkinton (USA)
*. Sara and Sacha Lalonde (USA)
*. Cold River Crew (USA)
*. Julia Vlassov (USA)
*. Erin Egelhoff (USA)
*. Elizabeth Schmidt (USA)
*. Mark Stanford (USA)
*. Lee Graham (USA)
Creative Visionary Award:
Cordero Zuckerman (USA)
The Skater's Skater Award:
Kristen Nardozzi and Nick Traxler (USA)
Ground Breaker Award:
Garrett Kling (USA)
*When the U.S. Open was revived in 2015, a new format was adopted where skaters from all categories competed together and only a Grand Winner and a series of Awards were anounced.
THE 2017 PROSKATERS OPEN (Sun Valley, Idaho, July 24, 2017)
Overall:
1. Joyce Chan (USA)
2. Marco Berg (USA)
3. Haylie Marie Ferreira (USA)
THE 2017 JAPAN OPEN* (Saitama, Japan, October 7, 2017)
Team:
1. Europe: Javier Fernández, Alexei Bychenko, Evgenia Medvedeva, Alina Zagitova
2. Japan: Shoma Uno, Nobunari Oda, Marin Honda, Mai Mihara
3. North America: Nathan Chen, Jeremy Abbott, Mirai Nagasu, Karen Chen
*Beginning in 2006, the Japan Open was sanctioned by the ISU and in recent years, few professional skaters have participated.
THE 2018 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS* (Orlando, Florida, May 22, 2018)
Overall:
1. Jonathan Cassar (USA)
*. Rohene Ward (USA)
*. Ryan Jahnke (USA)
*. Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig (USA)
*. American Ice Theatre Boston (USA)
*. Kristen Nardozzi and Nick Traxler (USA)
*. Jason Graetz (USA)
*. Piercyn Hunt (USA)
*. Tam Bui (USA)
*. Christa Johns (USA)
*. Amy Berglund (USA)
*. David Lipowitz (USA)
*. Bridget Carrig (USA)
*. Paige Bartholomew and Alyssa Kormos (USA)
*. Sarah France (USA)
*. Sabrina Logren (USA)
*. Ashlee Pantano (USA)
*. Rachel Franzese (USA)
*. Kaitlin Clear (USA)
*. Amy Berglund, Sabrina Logren and Sarah France (USA)
*. Katy Garrity (USA)
*. Ashlyn Olson (USA)
Creative Visionary Award:
Jason Graetz (USA)
The Skater’s Skater Award:
Rohene Ward (USA)
Ground Breaker Award:
Piercyn Hunt (USA)
*When the U.S. Open was revived in 2015, a new format was adopted where skaters from all categories competed together and only a Grand Winner and a series of Awards were anounced.
THE 2018 PROSKATERS OPEN (Sun Valley, Idaho, July 22, 2018)
Overall:
1. Izzi Gorowsky (USA)
2. Noelle Bastra (USA)
3(t). American Ice Theatre (USA)
3(t). Haylie Marie Ferreira (USA)
Most Innovative:
Izzi Gorowsky (USA)
Break Out Star:
Noelle Bastra (USA)
Audience Favourite:
Sydney Berrier (USA)
Best Edges:
Kseniya Ponomaryova and Collin Brubaker (USA)
THE 2018 JAPAN OPEN* (Saitama, Japan, October 6, 2018)
2. Europe: Javier Fernández, Denis Vasilijevs, Alina Zagitova, Maria Sotskova
3. North America: Nathan Chen, Jeremy Abbott, Bradie Tennell, Mariah Bell
*Beginning in 2006, the Japan Open was sanctioned by the ISU and in recent years, few professional skaters have participated.
THE 2019 U.S. OPEN PROFESSIONAL FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Palm Springs, California, May 21, 2019)
Overall:
1. Alissa Czisny (USA)
*. Jonathan Cassar (USA)
*. Rohene Ward (USA)
*. Kseniya Ponomaryova and Collin Brubaker (USA)
?. Themistocles Leftheris (USA)
*. Jason Graetz (USA)
*. Matej Silecky (USA)
*. American Ice Theatre Boston (USA)
*. American Ice Theatre New York (USA)
*. Trick and Track - Ryan Santee and Kyle Shropshire (USA)
*. Nick Traxler (USA)
*. Tam Bui (USA)
*. Sarah France (USA)
*. Sabrina Logren (USA)
*. Jordan Bailey (USA)
*. Amy Berglund and Tam Bui (USA)
*. Noellee Basta (USA)
*. Bridget Carrig (USA)
*. Katie Payton (USA)
*. Chiquita Limer (USA)
*. Dianna-Lynne Wells and Sharon Lebron-Franks (USA)
Creative Visionary Award:
Themistocles Leftheris (USA)
The Skater's Skater Award:
Jonathan Cassar (USA)
Ground Breaker Award:
Trick and Track - Ryan Santee and Kyle Shropshire (USA)
*When the U.S. Open was revived in 2015, a new format was adopted where skaters from all categories competed together and only a Grand Winner and a series of Awards were anounced.
THE 2019 PROSKATERS OPEN (Sun Valley, Idaho, July 21, 2019)
Overall:
1. Tim Pomares (USA)
2. Marco Berg (USA)
3. Cari Maus (USA)
Breakout Star:
1. Tim Pomares (USA)
People's Choice:
Lara Shelton (USA)
Best Character:
Katey Nyquist (USA)
Best Storyteller:
J. Scott Driscoll (USA)
THE 2019 AURORA GAMES* (Albany, New York, August 24, 2019)
*The Aurora Games was a women's multi-sport festival held in Albany, New York. Though the figure skating competition was a sanctioned team event, it was judged on a scale of 10.0 and featured semi-retired skaters. The judges were Liz Manley, Surya Bonaly and Isabelle Brasseur.
THE 2019 JAPAN OPEN* (Tokyo, Japan, October 5, 2019)
Team:
1. Europe: Javier Fernández, Denis Vasiljevs, Alina Zagitova, Alexandra Trusova
*. NYC - Adult Workshop: Kathryn Azhar, Sierra Boggess, Kate Bowe, Thea Douglass, Ashley Kim, Jessie Labrecque, Roger Lee, Rena Lefkowitz, Zoe Sady, Su Janice, Noura Von Briesen (USA)
Giulia Paolino (USA)
*. Melissa Parker-Vriner (USA)
*. Ksenyia Ponomaryova and Collin Brubaker (USA)
*. Sarah Santee and Maria Starr (USA)
*. Brenda Tarkinton (USA)
*. The Dialogue Box: Laura Seal, Julia Choi, Ian Lorello, Tess Terpos (USA)
*The 2020 U.S. Open, scheduled for May 19, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
THE 2021 PROSKATERS OPEN (Sun Valley, Idaho, July 25, 2021)
Overall:
1. Redwood Theater Group (USA)
2. Megan Voigt (USA)
3. Sari Behr (USA)
People's Choice Award:
1(t). Nicole Duke (USA)
1(t). Emily Murdach (USA)
1(t). Megan Voigt (USA)
Most Inspirational Performance:
Sari Behr (USA)
Break Out Star:
Megan Voigt (USA)
Skate Guard is a blog dedicated to preserving the rich, colourful and fascinating history of figure skating. Over ten years, the blog has featured over a thousand free articles covering all aspects of the sport's history, as well as four compelling in-depth features. To read the latest articles, follow the blog on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. If you enjoy Skate Guard, please show your support for this archive by ordering a copy of the figure skating reference books "The Almanac of Canadian Figure Skating", "Technical Merit: A History of Figure Skating Jumps" and "A Bibliography of Figure Skating": https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/p/buy-book.html.
