Aja Zanova
Encyclopedia
Alena "Ája" Vrzáňová (ˈalɛna ˈaːja ˈvr̩zaːɲovaː) (also Zanová, married name: Steindler) (born 16 May 1931), is a Czech former figure skater who represented Czechoslovakia
in competition. Vrzáňová is the 1949 & 1950 World Champion
and 1950 European Champion. She was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2009.
, Czechoslovakia
in 1931. Besides figure skating she also played piano and attended ballet school.
After spending the winter of 1949 at home in Czechoslovakia, her father advised her not to come back from the upcoming World Championships and she agreed. She defected from Czechoslovakia during the 1950 World Championships
in London
and was eventually offered political asylum. Her mother followed her in March under dramatic circumstances: her plane was hijacked. Her father, professional cello player, visited them several times, but never decided to join them leaving his country. She herself did not return to Prague till 1990.
In 1969, she married Czech-born innkeeper Pavel Steindler; they adopted two children. They ran the Duck Joint restaurant in New York City, and later the Czech Pavilion.
before the sessions for hockey players, or in the CLTK club tennis courts, which were flooded with water and frozen.
In 1946, she became the Czechoslovak junior national champion. In the autumn of 1946, she moved to Richmond, London to be coached by Arnold Gerschwiler
.
In 1947, she won the Czechoslovak national championships and placed 7th at the 1947 World Figure Skating Championships
. After the communist party
seized power in Czechoslovakia, the united sport leadership criticized Vrzáňová’s preparation in the United Kingdom. The Rudé Právo
daily published several very offensive articles. The next time she went to Richmond for training, the communist State Security
was watching her.
Vrzáňová represented Czechoslovakia at the 1948 Winter Olympics
. She placed fifth in the event
, finishing fifth behind compatriot Jiřina Nekolová
.
In 1949, Vrzáňová won her first World Championships title
in Paris
, overcoming difficult circumstances – loss of her music records and having blunted the edge of her skate just before she skated. At the championship, she was credited as being the first woman to land a double lutz.
After winning the 1950 European Championships
, she won a second world title at the 1950 World Championships
. After this, she went on the European tour instead of going home.
Following her competitive career, Vrzáňová moved to the United States and performed for the traveling show Ice Follies
for three years under the name "Aja Zanova" then joined the Ice Capades
. She also participated in television ads and other shows.
After her husband's death, she worked for the Ice Capades
and led New York City's largest public ice rink, the Wollman Rink
.
In 2009 she received the title of the Sports Legend of the Czech Republic
.
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in competition. Vrzáňová is the 1949 & 1950 World Champion
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...
and 1950 European Champion. She was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2009.
Personal life
Vrzáňová was born in PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in 1931. Besides figure skating she also played piano and attended ballet school.
After spending the winter of 1949 at home in Czechoslovakia, her father advised her not to come back from the upcoming World Championships and she agreed. She defected from Czechoslovakia during the 1950 World Championships
1950 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and was eventually offered political asylum. Her mother followed her in March under dramatic circumstances: her plane was hijacked. Her father, professional cello player, visited them several times, but never decided to join them leaving his country. She herself did not return to Prague till 1990.
In 1969, she married Czech-born innkeeper Pavel Steindler; they adopted two children. They ran the Duck Joint restaurant in New York City, and later the Czech Pavilion.
Career
She started sports at the age of three when her parents bought her skis. They were spending each winter in the Krkonoše mountains. This tradition was interrupted during the Second World War, and then she started figure skating. The conditions for training were very difficult, as she had to train in early winter mornings. Her training sessions were held in darkness because of the dim-out regulations. The sessions took place in the open Štvanice StadiumŠtvanice stadium
Štvanice stadium is situated on Štvanice Island and is ranked among the oldest stadiums in Prague. The stadium was in its heyday in the first half of the 20th Century, but has been in decline since 1961.-Early days:...
before the sessions for hockey players, or in the CLTK club tennis courts, which were flooded with water and frozen.
In 1946, she became the Czechoslovak junior national champion. In the autumn of 1946, she moved to Richmond, London to be coached by Arnold Gerschwiler
Arnold Gerschwiler
Arnold Gerschwiler OBE was a Swiss/British figure skating coach....
.
In 1947, she won the Czechoslovak national championships and placed 7th at the 1947 World Figure Skating Championships
1947 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
. After the communist party
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia
The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, in Czech and in Slovak: Komunistická strana Československa was a Communist and Marxist-Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992....
seized power in Czechoslovakia, the united sport leadership criticized Vrzáňová’s preparation in the United Kingdom. The Rudé Právo
Rudé právo
Rudé právo was the official newspaper of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia....
daily published several very offensive articles. The next time she went to Richmond for training, the communist State Security
State Security (Czechoslovakia)
In former Czechoslovakia, State Security or StB / ŠtB, was a plainclothes secret police force from 1945 to its dissolution in 1990...
was watching her.
Vrzáňová represented Czechoslovakia at the 1948 Winter Olympics
Czechoslovakia at the 1948 Winter Olympics
Czechoslovakia competed at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The country's only medal was a silver in ice hockey.-Medalists:- Alpine skiing:MenMen's combined...
. She placed fifth in the event
Figure skating at the 1948 Winter Olympics
At the 1948 Winter Olympics, three figure skating events were contested: men's singles, ladies singles, and pair skating.-Event summary:Barbara Ann Scott became the first Canadian to win the figure skating gold medal while Dick Button became the first American to win a figure skating title for the...
, finishing fifth behind compatriot Jiřina Nekolová
Jirína Nekolová
Jiřína Nekolová is a Czech figure skater who competed for Czechoslovakia. She is the 1948 World bronze medalist. She competed at the 1948 Winter Olympics and placed 4th.-Results:...
.
In 1949, Vrzáňová won her first World Championships title
1949 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, overcoming difficult circumstances – loss of her music records and having blunted the edge of her skate just before she skated. At the championship, she was credited as being the first woman to land a double lutz.
After winning the 1950 European Championships
1950 European Figure Skating Championships
The 1950 European Figure Skating Championships were the European Figure Skating Championships of the 1949-1950 season. Elite senior-level figure skaters from European ISU Member Nations competed for the title of European Champion...
, she won a second world title at the 1950 World Championships
1950 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
. After this, she went on the European tour instead of going home.
Following her competitive career, Vrzáňová moved to the United States and performed for the traveling show Ice Follies
Ice Follies
Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies was a touring ice show featuring elaborate production numbers, similar in concept to Ice Capades. It was founded in 1937 by Eddie Shipstad, Roy Shipstad, and Oscar Johnson, who also skated in the show. In later years, Olympic skaters such as Donald Jackson, Barbara...
for three years under the name "Aja Zanova" then joined the Ice Capades
Ice Capades
The Ice Capades was a traveling entertainment show featuring theatrical performances involving ice skating. Shows often featured former Olympicand National Champion figure skaters who had retired from amateur competition....
. She also participated in television ads and other shows.
After her husband's death, she worked for the Ice Capades
Ice Capades
The Ice Capades was a traveling entertainment show featuring theatrical performances involving ice skating. Shows often featured former Olympicand National Champion figure skaters who had retired from amateur competition....
and led New York City's largest public ice rink, the Wollman Rink
Wollman Rink
Wollman Skating Rink is a public ice rink in the southern part of Central Park, Manhattan, New York City. The rink was opened in 1949 with funds donated by Kate Wollman who donated $600,000 for the rink to commemorate her entire family from Leavenworth, Kansas)...
.
In 2009 she received the title of the Sports Legend of the Czech Republic
Sportsperson of the Year of the Czech Republic
Sportsperson of the Year of the Czech Republic is an award given to the best Czech Sportsperson and the best Czech sport team of the given year by the Sport Journalists' Club . For the first time it was awarded after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, following the previous trophy...
.
Competitive highlights
| Event | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympic Games Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
5th | ||||
| World 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... |
7th | 5th | 1st | 1st | |
| European Championships European Figure Skating Championships The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion... |
6th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | |
| Czechoslovakian Championships Czechoslovakian Figure Skating Championships The Czechoslovakian Figure Skating Championships were a figure skating national championship held annually to determine the national champions of Czechoslovakia prior to the dissolution into the Czech Republic and Slovakia... |
1st J. | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |