Figure skating was contested at the 1972 Winter Olympic Games

1972 Winter Olympics

The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...

 . The competition took place at the Makomanai Indoor Skating Rink.

Results of both the men's and ladies' singles events were dominated by placements in the compulsory figures

Compulsory figures

Compulsory figures or school figures were formerly an aspect of the sport of figure skating, from which the sport derives its name. Carving specific patterns or figures into the ice was the original focus of the sport. The patterns of compulsory figures all derive from the basic figure eight...

, which at this time were nominally worth 50% of the total score but in fact weighted more heavily than the free skating due to being judged using a wider range of marks.

In the men's event, 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:...

, the figures winner, took the gold in spite of placing only 4th in the free skate after falling on his triple loop jump

Loop jump

The Loop jump is a figure skating jump that takes off from a back outside edge and lands on the same backwards outside edge. For a jump with counterclockwise rotation, this is the right back outside edge. It is named from its similarity to the loop compulsory figure. The invention is widely...

. The free skate winner was 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...

, who skated one of his best performances at this event to take the silver medal. Patrick Péra

Patrick Pera

Patrick Péra is a French figure skater. He won the bronze medal in men's singles in the 1968 Winter Olympics and again at the 1972 Winter Olympics.-Competitive highlights:-References:* *...

, second in the figures, had a poor free skate in which he fell on a triple salchow jump

Salchow jump

The Salchow is a figure skating jump with a takeoff from a back inside edge of one foot. The rotation in the air is made in the direction of the curve of the take-off edge. The landing is made on the back outside edge of the foot opposite the one used for take-off. One or more rotations may be...

 early in his program and then made other mistakes. Nonetheless the weight given to figures allowed him to take the bronze medal ahead of 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...

, 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...

, and 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....

, who all skated dynamic programs with at least one cleanly-landed triple jump apiece.

The effect of the figures was even more pronounced in the ladies' competition, where gold-medal winner 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,...

 placed only 7th in the free skating, performing mostly single jumps. The free skate was won by 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...

, who received a perfect mark of 6.0 in spite of falling on a flying sit spin. Lynn's skating captivated the Japanese audience, especially when she got up smiling from her fall. Lynn took the bronze while 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....

, second in the free skate with a strong performance, took the silver. The third-place skater in the free skate, 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...

, included a triple salchow in her program, which at this time was very rare for a female skater. She placed 6th overall.

The pairs competition was a tight battle between the two top Russian teams. 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...

 did not skate their best, with Ulanov missing his required double salchow jump in the short program and Rodnina making an error in the jump combination at the beginning of their free skate. In the end they won a 6-3 decision over their teammates Liudmila Smirnova and Andrei Suraikin

Andrei Suraikin

Andrei Alexandrovich Suraikin was a Russian figure skater. They were coached by Maya Belenkaya....

. The bronze-medal team of 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....

 and 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....

 made no major errors and received the highest technical merit marks from some of the judges for their program. Their elements included a throw double axel which at this time was rarely attempted.

Medal table

1		1	2	0	3
2		1	0	0	1
		1	0	0	1
		0	1	0	1
		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1
		0	0	1	1

Men

Rank	Name	Nation	CF	FS	Points	Places
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	4	2739.1	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...		3	1	2672.4	20
3	Patrick Péra Patrick Pera Patrick Péra is a French figure skater. He won the bronze medal in men's singles in the 1968 Winter Olympics and again at the 1972 Winter Olympics.-Competitive highlights:-References:* *...		2	8	2653.1	28
4	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...		5	3	2596.0	43
5	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...		6	2	2591.5	47
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	10	2567.6	55
7	Haig Oundjian Haig Oundjian Haig Bertrand Oundjian is a former British figure skater.-Results:-References:*...		9	7	2538.8	65
8	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."...		7	11	2521.6	80
9	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....		12	5	2517.2	80.5
10	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:...		8	12	2512.2	85
11	Gordon McKellen 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	9	2511.0	89
12	Yuri Ovchinnikov Yuri Ovchinnikov (figure skater) Yuri Lvovich Ovchinnikov is a Russian figure skater who competed for the Soviet Union. He is the 1975 European bronze medalist. He represented the Soviet Union at the 1972 Winter Olympics, where he placed 12th, and at the 1976 Winter Olympics, where he placed 8th.-Results:-References:* -Navigation:...		15	6	2477.5	104.5
13	Didier Gailhaguet Didier Gailhaguet Didier Gailhaguet is a former French figure skater and the president of the Fédération Française des Sports de Glace ....		11	13	2440.9	114
14	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....		13	14	2401.3	126
15	Günter Anderl Günter Anderl Günter Anderl is an Austrian figure skater who competed in men's singles. He was a three-time Austrian national champion from 1969 to 1971. He competed at the 1968 and 1972 Winter Olympics...		14	16	2313.6	138
16	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	15	2309.7	140
17	György Fazekas		17	17	2094.0	153

Referee:

• Sonia Bianchetti

Assistant Referee:

• Masao Hasegawa

Judges: Monique Georgelin Helga von Wiecki Donald B. Cruikshank Mollie Phillips Walter Malek Emil Skákala Goro Ishimaru Dora May Coy Tatiana Danilenko 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...

 (substitute)

Ladies

Janet Lynn's first place in the free skate and Beatrix Schuba's seventh place created a controversy and would lead to the creation of the short program to move away from figures determining the winners.

Rank	Name	Nation	CF	FS	Points	Places
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	7	2751.5	9
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....		3	2	2673.2	23
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...		4	1	2663.1	27
4	Julie Lynn Holmes Julie Lynn Holmes Julie Lynn Holmes is a former American figure skater. She won one silver medal and one bronze medal at the World Figure Skating Championships and competed in the 1972 Winter Olympics.She was coached initially by Nancy Rush and then by Carlo Fassi...		2	8	2627.0	39
5	Zsuzsa Almássy Zsuzsa Almássy Zsuzsa Almássy is a Hungarian former Olympic figure skater. She trained with Arnold Gerschwiler.-Results:-References:* -Navigation:...		5	4	2592.4	47
6	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...		8	3	2579.4	53
7	Rita Trapanese Rita Trapanese Rita Trapanese was an Italian figure skater. She was the 1972 European silver medalist and the 1971 bronze medalist...		6	6	2574.8	55
8	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	5	2489.3	78
9	Charlotte Walter		7	13	2467.3	86
10	Kazumi Yamashita		10	10	2449.9	93
11	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:...		9	11	2436.8	101
12	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....		13	9	2426.2	102
13	Catherine Irwin		12	12	2383.4	116
14	Isabelle de Navarre		16	14	2340.0	128
15	Anita Johansson Anita Johansson (figure skater) Anita Johansson is a former Swedish figure skater from Malmö. She competed at the 1972 Winter Olympics.-Results:-External links:*...		14	15	2349.3	131
16	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:...		15	16	2298.7	143
17	Sonja Balun		17	17	2260.6	148
18	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....		19	18	2198.6	160
19	Myung-Su Chang		18	19	2117.0	171

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:

• Kinuka Ueno

Judges: Michele Beltrami Valentin Piseev Walburga Grimm Ingegärd Lago Han Kutschera Joan MacLagan Marcella Willis Ryuchi Obitani Klára Kozári Pamela Davis (substitute)

Pairs

Rank	Name	Nation	SP	FS	Points	Places
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	420.4	12
2	Liudmila Smirnova / Andrei Suraikin Andrei Suraikin Andrei Alexandrovich Suraikin was a Russian figure skater. They were coached by Maya Belenkaya....		2	2	419.4	15
3	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	3	411.8	29
4	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...		4	4	406.8	35
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...		5	6	399.8	52
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....		6	5	399.1	52
7	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....		8	7	393.0	65.5
8	Annette Kansy / Axel Salzmann		7	8	392.6	68
9	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:...		9	9	384.9	84
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...		10	10	381.1	87
11	Grazyna Kostrzewinska / Adam Brodecki		11	11	377.8	95.5
12	Barbara Brown / Douglas Berndt		12	13	366.9	114
13	Florence Cahn / Jean Roland Racle		13	12	364.5	116
14	Linda Connolly / Colin Taylforth		14	14	360.6	126
15	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...		15	15	358.5	129
16	Kotoe Nagasawa Kotoe Nagasawa is a Japanese pair skater who now works as a coach. She competed with Hiroshi Nagakubo. They placed 16th in the 1972 Winter Olympic Games. They are five-time Japanese National Champions.-Competitive highlights:- External links :*...  / Hiroshi Nagakubo Hiroshi Nagakubo is a Japanese retired pair skater who now works as a coach. He is one of the more successful coaches in Japan. As a skater, he is the 1967-1971 Japanese national champion with partner Kotoe Nagasawa. They placed 16th at the 1972 Winter Olympics....		16	16	345.5	144

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...
  
  

Assistant Referee:

• Donald H. Gilchrist

Judges: Valentin Piseev Joan MacLagan 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...

 Marcella Willis Kikuko Minami Pamela Davis Erika Schiechtl Monique Georgelin Walter Malek (substitute)