The World Figure Skating Championships

World Figure Skating Championships

The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...

is an annual figure skating competition

Figure skating competition

-International:* International competitions sanctioned by the International Skating Union. These competitions are held using ISU rules; skaters are entered by their respective national skating federations....

 sanctioned by the International Skating Union

International Skating Union

The International Skating Union is the international governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in Scheveningen, Netherlands in 1892, making it one of the oldest international...

 in which figure skaters

Figure skating

Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...

 compete for the title of World Champion.

The 1972 championships took place on March 7 to March 11, 1972. The 1972 Worlds were held at the Stampede Corral

Stampede Corral

The Stampede Corral is an ice hockey, rodeo, and Davis Cup tennis arena venue in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The arena was completed in 1950 at a cost of C$1.25 million to replace Victoria Arena as the home of the Calgary Stampeders Hockey Club...

 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 1972.

The ISU Representative was John R. Shoemaker and the ISU Technical Delegates were Hermann Schiechtl and Donald H. Gilchrist .

A day before the start of the competition, Irina Rodnina

Irina Rodnina

Irina Konstantinovna Rodnina is one of the most successful figure skaters ever and the only pair skater to win 10 successive World Championships and three successive Olympic gold medals . She initially competed with Alexei Ulanov and later teamed up with Alexander Zaitsev...

 and Alexei Ulanov

Alexei Ulanov

Alexei Nikolaevich Ulanov is a retired pair skater who represented the Soviet Union. With Irina Rodnina, he is the 1972 Olympic champion and a four-time World champion. They were coached by Stanislav Zhuk and trained at the Armed Forces sports society in Moscow. He later competed with wife...

 had an accident on a lift; she was hospitalized with a concussion and an intracranial hematoma

Hematoma

A hematoma, or haematoma, is a localized collection of blood outside the blood vessels, usually in liquid form within the tissue. This distinguishes it from an ecchymosis, which is the spread of blood under the skin in a thin layer, commonly called a bruise...

 but went on to compete and win the gold medal. It was Rodnina/Ulanov's final competition together; he would team up with the silver medalist Lyudmila Smirnova

Lyudmila Smirnova

Lyudmila Stanislavovna Smirnova was a Russian figure skater. She won the silver medal in pair skating at the 1972 Winter Olympics with Andrei Suraikin. They were coached by Maya Belenkaya....

.

Medal table

1		2	2	1	5
2		1	0	0	1
2		1	0	0	1
4		0	1	0	1
4		0	1	0	1
6		0	0	3	3

Men

Rank	Name	Nation	CP	FP	Placings
1	Ondrej Nepela Ondrej Nepela Ondrej Nepela was an Olympic gold medalist and three-time World champion Slovak figure skater who competed for Czechoslovakia in the late 1960s and early 1970s.-Career:...		1	3	9
2	Sergei Chetverukhin Sergei Chetverukhin Sergei Alexandrovich Chetverukhin is a former Soviet figure skater. He trained at VSS Trud in Moscow. He is a three-time medalist at the World Figure Skating Championships and a four-time medalist at the European Figure Skating Championships, each time coming in behind Ondrej Nepela...		2	2	19
3	Vladimir Kovalev Vladimir Kovalev Vladimir Nikolaevich Kovalev is a retired figure skater who competed internationally for the USSR. He is an Olympic silver medalist and 2-time World champion. He trained at VSS Trud in Moscow. Kovalev is pronounced, "ko-va-lyov."...		3	5	34
4	John Misha Petkevich John Misha Petkevich John Misha Petkevich is an American former figure skater. He won the 1971 United States Figure Skating Championships in men's singles and the North American Figure Skating Championship in the same year. He placed 6th at the 1968 Winter Olympics and 5th at the 1972 Winter Olympics...		5	4	39
5	Toller Cranston Toller Cranston Toller Shalitoe Montague Cranston, CM is a Canadian figure skater and painter. He is the 1971-1976 Canadian national champion, the 1974 World bronze medalist, and the 1976 Olympic bronze medalist....		9	1	46
6	Jan Hoffmann Jan Hoffmann Jan Hoffmann is a German figure skater who represented East Germany in competition. A four-time Olympian, he is the 1980 Olympic silver medalist, the 1974 & 1980 World Champion, and a four-time European Champion.He was one of a handful of figure skaters who rotated clockwise, landing on his left...		4	9	57
7	Kenneth Shelley Kenneth Shelley Kenneth Shelley is an American figure skater who competed in both singles and pairs. As a single skater, he won the 1972 United States Figure Skating Championships and placed 4th at the 1972 Winter Olympics. His highest placement at the World Figure Skating Championships was a single skater was...		7	6	67
8	Gordon McKellen Jr. Gordon McKellen Gordon "Gordie" McKellen Jr. is a former American figure skater. He found his career path early thanks to his father, Gordon "Tuffy" McKellen of the famous 1940's ice skating duo, the . He is the 1973-1975 United States national champion. He placed tenth at the 1972 Olympics...		10	8	69
9	John Curry John Curry John Anthony Curry, OBE was a British figure skater. He was the 1976 Olympic and World Champion. He was famous for combining ballet and modern dance influences into his skating.-Early life:...		6	7	70
10	Sergei Volkov Sergey Nikolayevich Volkov Sergey Nikolayevich Volkov was a Soviet figure skater and an Honored Sports Master who he debuted in 1968 European Championship and won the 12th place....		8	10	86
11	Jacques Mrozek Jacques Mrozek Jacques Mrozek is a former French figure skater who competed in men's singles. He competed at the Winter Olympic Games in 1968 and 1972 Winter Olympics and won the gold medal at the 1973 French Figure Skating Championships....		11	11	100
12	Zdeněk Pazdírek Zdeněk Pazdírek Zdeněk Pazdírek is a former Czechoslovakian figure skater. He was the 1974-75 national champion. After his competitive career, he toured professionally with Holiday on Ice from 1981-89. He currently is a coach at the Coquitlam Skating Club in British Columbia, Canada.-Results:-References:* *...		14	12	116
13	Didier Gailhauguet		12	13	116
14	Josef Schneider		13	15	128
15	Yutaka Higuchi Yutaka Higuchi in Tokyo, Japan is a Japanese figure skater who is now a coach and figure skating commentator. He is a three-time Japanese national champion. He placed 25th in the 1968 Winter Olympic Games, and 16th in the 1972 Winter Olympic Games.-Competitive highlights:...		16	14	136
16	Josef Zidek		17	16	141
17	Stefano Bargauan		15	17	144
18	Harald Kuhn		19	18	166
19	Pekka Leskinen Pekka Leskinen Juha Pekka Leskinen is a former professional figure skater from Finland. He is 6'0" and weighs around 150 pounds. He was born in Kuopio, Pohjois-Savo, Finland. He was a member of Kuopion Luisteluseura, Kuopio. In the winter of 1976 he was 21 years old and ranked 13th in many of his short programs...		18	19	167
WD	Haig Oundjian Haig Oundjian Haig Bertrand Oundjian is a former British figure skater.-Results:-References:*...

• Referee: Donald H. Gilchrist 
• Assistant Referee: Sonia Bianchetti 

Judges were

• Helga von Wiecki 
• Mollie Phillips 
• Dorothy Burkholder 
• William E. Lewis 
• Gerhardt Bubnik 
• Franz Heinlein 
• Masao Hasegawa 
• Monique Petis 
• Tatiana Danilenko 

Substitute judge:

• János Zsigmondy 

Ladies

Rank	Name	Nation	CP	FP	Placings
1	Beatrix Schuba Beatrix Schuba Trixi Schuba is an Austrian figure skater and is a six-time Austrian champion , a two-time European champion , a two-time World champion , and Olympic champion of 1972, all in ladies' singles.She is considered to be one of the best compulsory figure skaters ever.-Biography:Born in Vienna,...		1	9	13
2	Karen Magnussen Karen Magnussen Karen Diane Magnussen, OC is a Canadian figure skater. She won the silver medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics, and is 1973 World Champion....		2	2	16
3	Janet Lynn Janet Lynn Janet Lynn Nowicki is an American figure skater and Olympic bronze medalist.-Amateur career:Lynn began to skate almost as soon as she could walk and took part in her first exhibition performance at the age of four in a group number at Chicago Stadium...		3	1	25
4	Zsuzsa Almássy Zsuzsa Almássy Zsuzsa Almássy is a Hungarian former Olympic figure skater. She trained with Arnold Gerschwiler.-Results:-References:* -Navigation:...		4	6	37
5	Sonja Morgenstern Sonja Morgenstern thumb|Sonja Morgenstern is a German figure skater and figure skating coach.Morgenstern was coached by Jutta Müller in Chemnitz and represented the SC Karl-Marx-Stadt club and East Germany . In 1966 she won the Spartakiade in figure skating. Two years later she participated in the Winter Olympics...		6	3	52
6	Jean Scott Jean Scott (figure skater) Jean A. Scott is a British former figure skater. She won the silver medal at the 1973 European Figure Skating Championships and was the 1971 & 1973 British national champion. She placed 11th at the 1972 Winter Olympics.-Results:-References:...		5	10	57
7	Dorothy Hamill Dorothy Hamill Dorothy Stuart Hamill is an American figure skater. She is the 1976 Olympic champion in Ladies' Singles and 1976 World Champion.-Early life:...		8	5	62
8	Suna Murray Suna Murray Suna Murray is an American figure skater. She won the bronze medal at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships twice and competed at the 1972 Winter Olympics....		7	7	74
9	Cathy Lee Irwin Cathy Lee Irwin Cathy Lee Irwin was a Canadian figure skater who competed in ladies singles. She was a two-time silver medalist at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships and competed in the 1972 Winter Olympics....		9	8	81
10	Christine Errath Christine Errath Christine Errath is a German figure skater who represented East Germany in competition. She is the 1976 Olympic bronze medalist.-Biography:...		11	4	79
11	Ludmila Bezáková		10	13	102
12	Karin Iten Karin Iten Karin Iten was a Swiss figure skater. She won the bronze medal at the 1973 European Figure Skating Championships. She died on May 18, 2010 in Winterthur....		12	16	118
13	Gerti Schanderl		15	11	119
14	Cinzia Frosio		13	12	120
15	Daria Prychun		14	14	127
16	Marie-Claude Bierre Marie-Claude Bierre Marie-Claude Bierre is a former French figure skater who competed in ladies singles. She is the 1972-77 French champion.-Results:-Navigation:...		17	15	146
17	Dianne de Leeuw Dianne de Leeuw Dianne Margaret de Leeuw is a Dutch figure skater. She is the 1975 World champion, the 1976 European champion, and the 1976 Olympic silver medalist.-Career:...		16	19	151
18	Myung Su Chang		18	18	169
19	Sharon Burley Sharon Burley Sharon Kay Burley Sullivan is an Australian figure skater who completed in ladies singles. She finished first at the Australian Figure Skating Championships four times and competed at the 1976 Winter Olympic Games, coming in twentieth.Burley is the daughter of Olympic figure skater Nancy Burley...		19	21	175
20	Shuko Takeyama		20	20	178
21	Marina Sanaya Marina Sanaya Marina Valterovna Sanaya is a figure skater who competed representing the Soviet Union. She placed 18th at the 1972 Winter Olympics. She was 13 years old at that time....		21	17	178

• Referee: Josef Dědič
  Josef Dědič
  Josef Dědič was a Czechoslovak figure skater and sport official. He placed 9th at the 1948 European Figure Skating Championships and retired from competitive skating in that year....
  
   
• Assistant Referee: Elemér Terták
  Elemér Terták
  Elemér Terták was an Hungarian figure skater who competed in men's singles. He won the bronze medal at the 1934 European Figure Skating Championships, the 1937 European Championships, and the 1937 World Figure Skating Championships. He also competed in the 1936 Winter Olympic Games, finishing...
  
   

Judges were

• Ramona McIntyre 
• Suzanne Francis 
• Jeanine Donnier-Blanc 
• Giovanni DeMori 
• Walburga Grimm 
• Ludwig Gassner 
• Zoltán Balázs 
• René Schlageter 
• Wilhelm Kahle 

Substitute judge:

• Milan Duchón 

Pairs

Rank	Name	Nation	SP	FP	Placings
1	Irina Rodnina Irina Rodnina Irina Konstantinovna Rodnina is one of the most successful figure skaters ever and the only pair skater to win 10 successive World Championships and three successive Olympic gold medals . She initially competed with Alexei Ulanov and later teamed up with Alexander Zaitsev...  / Alexei Ulanov Alexei Ulanov Alexei Nikolaevich Ulanov is a retired pair skater who represented the Soviet Union. With Irina Rodnina, he is the 1972 Olympic champion and a four-time World champion. They were coached by Stanislav Zhuk and trained at the Armed Forces sports society in Moscow. He later competed with wife...		1	1	9
2	Liudmila Smirnova / Andrei Suraikin Andrei Suraikin Andrei Alexandrovich Suraikin was a Russian figure skater. They were coached by Maya Belenkaya....		2	3	21.5
3	JoJo Starbuck JoJo Starbuck JoJo Starbuck is an American figure skater. With partner Kenneth Shelley, she is a three-time United States pair skating champion and two-time Olympian ....  / Kenneth Shelley Kenneth Shelley Kenneth Shelley is an American figure skater who competed in both singles and pairs. As a single skater, he won the 1972 United States Figure Skating Championships and placed 4th at the 1972 Winter Olympics. His highest placement at the World Figure Skating Championships was a single skater was...		6	2	28.5
4	Manuela Groß Manuela Groß Manuela Groß is a German pair skater. With partner Uwe Kagelmann, she is a two-time Olympic bronze medalist. She later became a figure skating coach....  / Uwe Kagelmann Uwe Kagelmann Uwe Kagelmann is a German pair skater. Competing with Manuela Groß, he was twice bronze medalist at the Olympics. He later became a figure skating coach....		3	4	38
5	Almut Lehmann Almut Lehmann Almut Lehmann is a German pair skater.With partner Herbert Wiesinger, she is a three-time German national champion and 1973 European bronze medalist. They placed 5th at the 1972 Winter Olympics...  / Herbert Wiesinger Herbert Wiesinger Herbert Wiesinger is a German former pair skater.He partnered with Marianne Streifler until 1969. They were two-time German silver medalists and placed 11th at the 1968 Winter Olympics. The pair represented the Frankfurter REC club.He teamed up with Almut Lehmann in 1970 and competed with her...		4	5	42
6	Irina Cherniaeva Irina Cherniaeva Irina Cherniaeva is a Russian pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union. With partner Vasili Blagov, she represented the Soviet Union at the 1972 Winter Olympics where they placed 6th.She is the mother of Marina Anissina and Mikhail Anisin....  / Vasili Blagov Vasili Blagov Vasili Vyacheslavovich Blagov is a Russian pair skater who competed for the Soviet Union. With partner Irina Cherniaeva, he represented the Soviet Union at the 1972 Winter Olympics where they placed 6th....		5	6	55
7	Annett Kanzy / Axel Salzmann		7	7	70
8	Sandra Bezic Sandra Bezic Sandra Marie Bezic is a Canadian pair skater, figure skating choreographer, and television commentator. With partner and brother Val Bezic, she won the Canadian Figure Skating Championships from 1970–1974 and placed ninth at the 1972 Winter Olympics...  / Val Bezic Val Bezic Val Nickolas Bezic is a Canadian pair skater. With partner and sister Sandra Bezic, he won the Canadian Figure Skating Championships from 1970–1974 and placed ninth at the 1972 Winter Olympics.-Results:...		8	8	68
9	Melissa Militano Melissa Militano Melissa Mary Militano is an American figure skater who competed as a single skater and pair skater. As a pair skater, she won the U.S. Figure Skating Championships three times, in 1973 with her brother Mark Militano and in 1974 and 1975 with Johnny Johns...  / Mark Militano Mark Militano Mark William Militano is an American pair skater. With sister Melissa Militano, he is the 1973 U.S. national champion. They represented the United States at the 1972 Winter Olympics where they placed 7th....		10	9	76
10	Corinna Halke Corinna Halke Corinna Halke-Teichmann is a German former pair skater and current sport journalist.With partner Eberhard Rausch, she is the 1974-1976 German national champion. They competed five times at the European Figure Skating Championships and the World Figure Skating Championships...  / Eberhard Rausch Eberhard Rausch Eberhard Rausch is a former German pair skater.With partner Corinna Halke, he is the 1974-1976 German national champion. They competed five times at the European Figure Skating Championships and the World Figure Skating Championships...		11	10	95
11	Mary Petrie Mary Petrie Mary Petrie is a former Canadian pair skater. With Robert McAvoy, she twice won the silver medal at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships...  / John Hubbell John Hubbell (figure skater) John Hubbell was a Canadian pair skater. With partner Mary Petrie, he won pair of silver medals at the Canadian Figure Skating Championships and competed at the 1972 Winter Olympics.-Results:pairs with Mary Petrie...		13	11	106
12	Grażyna Osmańska / Adam Brodecki		9	12	102
13	Gabriele Cieplik / Reinhard Ketterer		12	13	114
14	Barbara Brown / Douglas Berndt		14	14	123
15	Linda Connolly / Colin Taylforth		15	15	132

• Referee: Karl Enderlin
  Karl Enderlin
  Karl Enderlin was a Swiss figure skater. He was a four-time Swiss national champion. He represented Switzerland at the 1948 Winter Olympics where he placed 14th.-Results:-References:...
  
   
• Assistant Referee: Hanry M. Beatty 

Judges were

• Pamela Davis 
• Walburga Grimm 
• Maria Zuchowicz
  Maria Zuchowicz
  Maria Zuchowicz - Polish lawyer and figure skating official - Chairperson of Appeal Commission of the International Skating Union, Vice-President of the Polish Figure Skating Associations...
  
   
• Elsbeth Bon 
• Inkeri Soininen 
• Suzanne Francis 
• János Zsigmondy 
• Ardelle K. Sanderson 
• Valentin Piseev 

Substitute judge:

• René Schlageter 

Ice dancing

Rank	Name	Nation	CD	FD	Placings
1	Liudmila Pakhomova Lyudmila Pakhomova Lyudmila Alekseyevna Pakhomova was an ice dancer who competed for the Soviet Union. With partner Alexandr Gorshkov, she was the 1976 Olympic champion.-Biography:...  / Alexander Gorshkov		1	1	14
2	Angelika Buck Angelika Buck Angelika Buck was a German ice dancer. She was a team with her brother Erich Buck. They were the first Germans to capture the European title in ice dancing....  / Erich Buck Erich Buck Erich Buck was a German ice dancer. He was a team with his sister Angelika Buck. They were the first Germans to capture the European title in ice dancing....		2	2	17
3	Judy Schwomeyer Judy Schwomeyer Judy Schwomeyer is an American ice dancer and actress. As a figure skater, she competed with partner James Sladky. They were five time U.S. national champions. They are the 1970 World silver medalists and the 1969 & 1971-1972 World bronze medalists.With coach Ron Ludington, Schwomeyer & Sladky...  / James Sladky James Sladky James Sladky is an American ice dancer. He competed with partner Judy Schwomeyer. They were five time U.S. national champions. They are the 1970 World silver medalists and the 1969 & 1971-1972 World bronze medalists....		3	3	24
4	Janet Sawbridge / Peter Dalby		4	4	38
5	Tatiana Voitiuk / Viacheslav Zhigalin		5	5	46
6	Hilary Green Hilary Green Hilary Green is a British retired competitive ice dancer. Her partner was Glyn Watts. They are the 1974 World silver medalists and 1974 & 1975 European silver medalists...  / Glyn Watts Glyn Watts Glyn Robert Watts is a British retired competitive ice dancer. His partner was Hilary Green. They are the 1974 World silver medalists and 1974 & 1975 European silver medalists...		6	6	50
7	Anne Millier Anne Millier Anne Millier is an American ice dancer. She competed with her brother Harvey Millier.-Results:-References:* USFSA media guide, 1998/99 edition...  / Harvey Millier III Harvey Millier Harvey "Skip" Millier is a former American ice dancer. He competed with his sister, Anne Millier.-Results:-References:...		7	7	67
8	Elena Zharkova / Gennadi Karponosov		8	8	75
9	Louise Soper / Barry Soper		9	9	80
10	Mary Karen Campbell / Johnny Johns Johnny Johns Johnny Johns is an American retired competitive figure skater who currently works as a coach. As a pair skater, he competed with Melissa Militano and won the 1974 and 1975 United States Figure Skating Championships. They placed 8th at the 1974 World Figure Skating Championships and 6th in 1975....		10	10	91
11	Diana Skotnická / Martin Skotnický Martin Skotnicky Martin Skotnicky is a former Czechoslovak ice dancer who competed with Diana Skotnicka. He is currently a figure skating coach and has worked with:* Nelli Zhiganshina and Alexander Gazsi* Kati Winkler and René Lohse* Christina Beier and William Beier...		11	11	99
12	Anne-Claude Wolfers / Roland Mars		12	13	108
13	Teresa Weyna / Piotr Bojańczyk		13	12	110
14	Sylvia Fuchs / Michael Fuchs		14	14	126
15	Astrid Kopp / Axel Kopp		15	15	135
16	Keiko Achiwa / Yasuhiro Noto		16	16	144

• Referee: Lawrence Demmy
  Lawrence Demmy
  Lawrence Demmy is a British ice dancer. With partner Jean Westwood, he is the 1952-1955 World Champion and 1954 & 1955 European Champion.-Results:-References:...
  
   
• Assistant Referee: George J. Blundun 

Judges were

• Pamela Davis 
• Claude Lambert 
• Audrey Moore 
• Milan Duchón 
• Benjamin T. Wright 
• Eugen Romminger 
• Zoltán Balázs 
• Igor Kabanov 
• Maria Zuchowicz
  Maria Zuchowicz
  Maria Zuchowicz - Polish lawyer and figure skating official - Chairperson of Appeal Commission of the International Skating Union, Vice-President of the Polish Figure Skating Associations...