Championship marked the first ISU event ever held in the Southern Hemisphere Hosting major figure skating events hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Australia, the "land down under." Despite securing the rights to prestigious competitions, the country has faced its share of hurdles. Brisbane was unceremoniously dropped as the host city for the 2000 World… Continue reading 1988 World Junior Figure Skating Pins: They Come From a Land Down Under.
Tag: Figure Skating Pins
1979 Canadian Figure Skating Pins: No Thunder in Thunder Bay.
Event pins, while emblematic of the era, were decidedly understated Thunder Bay. The name alone paints a picture of overcast skies, chunky wool sweaters, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee, crusty artisan bread, and a steaming bowl of clam chowder. It doesn’t exactly scream "major figure skating event," yet in January 1979, it became… Continue reading 1979 Canadian Figure Skating Pins: No Thunder in Thunder Bay.
1955 World Figure Skating Pin: At Least the Shape is Nice.
Triangle shapes are not often used for figure skating pins, making the one that commemorates the 1955 World Figure Skating Championships somewhat unique for this reason. But the pin stands out for another, less stellar, reason: the lightweight alloy from which it is made. The pin is decidedly not the calibre of those seen for previous World Championships, nor is it a particularly good representative of the fine city of Vienna, where the event took place at the famed Wiener Eislauf-Verein (Viennese Skating Club). Pins from earlier and later figure skating events held in Vienna are exceptionally well done (see blog links below).
1959 US Figure Skating Pin: Of Simpler Times.
This ribbon from the 1959 U.S. Figure Skating Championships is from the estate of Bill Hickox, who, with his pair skating partner and sister, Laurie, and the entire U.S. figure skating team—and 71 others—perished on February 15, 1961, when Sabena Airlines Flight #548 crashed in Brussels, Belgium, en route to the 1961 World Figure Skating Championships scheduled for Prague, Czechoslovakia.
1956 European Figure Skating Medals: Paris to Cortina to Garmisch.
Two medals help to commemorate the annual event, held in Paris for just the second time The 1956 European Figure Skating Championships in Paris were more than just a high-stakes competition—they were a pivotal stop on the road to Olympic and World Championship glory. Concluding just five days before the Olympic Winter Games opened in… Continue reading 1956 European Figure Skating Medals: Paris to Cortina to Garmisch.