Laurence Owen - 1961 US National Championships Freeskate

[JunkVid]

Laurence Owen - joyous and exuberant, with a gracious and fluid sense of movement and music, truly a Queen of the Ice!

RIP, Laurence

[BoraBoraGirl2001]

What's with the nurse at the end? LOL.

[skatesindreams]

@BoraBoraGirl2001 One of the Men;s competitors had collapsed after skating. He was found to have a heart condition - was not able to compete thereafter even though he qualified for the World team. Because of that, he survived the crash.

Due to the incident, I believe they had a nurse "standing by" in case one of the Ladies had problems.

[ilovemusic1112l]

I cried . she was amazing! so much talent died with them.

[chesterfield2]

to all the skaters making fun of Laurence as if she's a lightweight, look how well she skates - most of you young whippersnappers wouldn't know an edge or how to just skate or that kind of alignment if it bit you in the bum. They're as fast as you are, doing doubles on thin skates fluidly - you are muscling though and joyless for the most part. Don't be so smug. You would not be here if they had not created a tradition for you.you could notice what they can teach you.

[BoraBoraGirl2001]

@chesterfield2 Amen.

[HattieLovesCattie]

I see she " doubled-footed " some of her jumps.

[lolabrigida4u]

What a sweet girl Laurence was! So effervescent! So much joy in her face and skating! The other girls were good too, though of course they didn't have the magic of Laurence. I heart Laurence!

How 'bout those corny hats the judges wore?! That post-performance Nurse with the big white hat was a riot, asking them if they were all right after their single and double jumps! Love her too!!

[carolineonline2112]

I just saw RISE tonight. This girl stole my heart. When she mentions that "worlds is only a month away" and you know she's talking about what will be her death it's just heartbreaking. The film really does honor all the people lost on that plane. She seemed like such a bright light...

[The1fuzzylogic]

RIP to all those lost 50 years ago today. Gone but not forgotton.

[hoosierlooker]

So sad...this girl had so much to live for.

[faeryquene]

After watching Laurence, Stephanie, and Rhode's performances a few times I have to say I do notice Laurence seemed to have the best posture of the three. Stephanie and Rhode seemed to hunch just a little as they skated around. They certainly taught a different jumping technique back in their day. All three were wonderful skaters and I just can't help tearing up-what might have been.

[faeryquene]

I wasn't even born when this tragedy happened but as figure skating fan I've heard about it all my life. Thank you so much for posting this! Lawrence was clearly Champion material imo. Lost to tragedy years ago but her memory and that of the others on that fated flight echos through the years. Hopefully the film RISE will bring even more attention to this tragedy and it's impact.

[decovegan]

So beautiful and so sad.

[Davethreshold]

See the film, “Rise” This is a ONE NIGHT ONLY FILM, shown in theatres on Feb 17th. (50 Year anniversary) It is about this horrible 1961 plane crash, and the effect it had on the skaters who filled their skates afterwards. GET THE WORD OUT about this movie. I just bought my ticket through Fandango. I was 9 when it happened, so I vaguely remember it. Now, because I am an avid fan, if something like that happened these days I do not know what I would do, because I would not be able to take it.

[AdeleDarcy]

Wow it's so basic! So interesting to see how figure skating has progressed since then. Thank you for posting this, Owen's story is so sad, a beautiful skater in her time, RIP.

[mjcamck71]

So nice to be able to see this since it was before I was old enough to understand. Crossfoot spins were so difficult, but thrilling. And, not done much anymore, unfortunately. Let us all ensure that the wonderful spice & spirit of all these champions live on forever!

[HattieLovesCattie]

She may have medaled at the '64 Games.One person said on another YT clip that Stephanie Westerfield was more talented.I've seen tributes to the skaters at the US Hall of Fame in Co.Springs and in Lake Placid.

[teaeyedoubleguhur]

What a joy to be able to watch Laurence Owen skating 49 years after her tragic death. R.I.P. Lawrence. We will always remember you and all of the 1961 US figure skating team.

[lskarin]

Feb 15 is the anniversity of the tragedy. Laurence Owen was on the Sports Illustrated cover. I don't have it. It should be posted.

[PecanSandees23]

Because they used film and not video tape back then, there is a ghost-like quality to the footage. And still, the beauty of her skating shines through. They were all champions. May they rest in peace.

[faeryquene]

@PecanSandees23 I agree-the film quality does make it somewhat more eerie. This lovely skater would have been a Superstar in modern times-she's got that pixie quality imo. Magical. God Rest her sweet soul and all of those who lost their lives on that tragic flight. As long as there are figure skating fans they will be remembered. Hopefully with the film RISE their tragedy will be more widely known-and honored.

[monuorah]

This is so haunting to see this video and know that a month later she died. If only they knew...May they all rest in peace.

[industrialg]

The days when a split jump was a highlight in a program. Simply awesome & joyful to watch! :)

[GregDinFL]

I am from Winchester and also went to Vison-Owen School, I knew of the story, I think we were all taught something about who our school was named after but I have never seen footage. Can you believe its been almost 50 years since the crash? Wow.

[smokelean]

she had what janet lynn had a magic and ecstatic joy to her skating.

[44032]

I've always thought she looked like a brunette Janet Lynn

[liuaimi]

Ice rinks were much prettier without all the advertisements and such that ice rinks have today. Lovely skating as well, or course

[kevinvisaman]

Not only did Laurence Owen perish in that crash in '61 but also on the plane was her sister ("little Maribel" who was the '61 US Pair Champion) and her mother (Maribel Sr) who was one of the most prominant figure skating coaches in the USA at the time (she coached 6 of the skater's who were on the '60 Olympic team) and was an Olympic Bronze medalist and world silver medalist herself in the '30's behind Sonja Hennie - very tragic

[mgsgrl]

Thanks for posting. I had heard of the plane crash, but have never seen footage of the skaters. What a shame so much talent and youth died in that field. RIP

[JNagarya]

@mgsgrl There are two books about it. One is, "Frozen in Time: The Enduring Legacy of the 1961 U.S. Figure Skating Team," by Nikki Nichols, which I'm currently reading. The other is, "Indelible Tracings: The Story of the 1961 World Figure Skaiting Team," by Patricia Shelley Bushman.

[mgsgrl]

@JNagarya I have "Frozen in Time". Plan on getting the other also. Such a sad thing to have happened with the lives lost and famlies destroyed. Hopefully "Rise" will be released on dvd. I really want to see it.

[LonesomeRob]

If she lived, she would have had a promising skating career,(Probably picking up the gold at the 1964 winter Olympics). Sadly it was not to be, The Crash that took her and the entire U.s. skating team a month later was as shocking as the crash that took 3 rock stars 2 years eailer and the shuttle crash in 1986. Unlike those 2, the Crash that took the U.S. Skating team, doesn't get enough honor as it should. More tributes should be made to the tradgedy. God rest thier souls.

[wrk4light]

I have many photos of Laurence. She was a "child of light". I saw her skate an exhibition in Philadelphia where she wowed the crowd with her quick footwork. She was amazing...much like Dorothy Hamill in her smile and style. Here's an unknown factoid. When Tenley Albright first saw Laurence on the ice in Boston, she was wearing a "bright yellow" snowsuit. When Sarah Hughes was first on the ice, it was reported that she was in a bright yellow snowsuit. Coincidence...you decide...

[fliptopla]

Luckily, Sarah Hughes won the 2002 Olympic Gold Medal at Salt Lake

[jmen4ever]

Wasnt she a cutie? She would have went MUCH further,if she lived.

[sk8rgrl92]

u could compete in natioinals with only doubles in your program!?!?!?! thats amazing.

[MelleAndKev]

@Sk8rgrl92: Yep, this is from 1961. Skaters did school figures (which were worth 60% of the total score back then) instead of a short program.

[northtexasdude]

rest in peace. You will always be the our 1961National Champion.

[dvdneely]

what a tragic loss! she looked like an angel on the ice. rest in peace to all who were lost on that plane.

[dsfddsgh]

Holy crap is that Dick Button? Man he's been calling figure skating for a long time. LOL

[Bbkitty128]

The way the sport has turned, it is so refreshing to be given the gift of seeing Laurence skate prior to her tragic death. Thank you for posting this so her memory, and the memory of the whole US Figure Skating team can be remembered and honored. God Rest Their Souls...Each and every one who perished on that fateful flight.

[krustytube]

I was 13 when she died. She was my next door neighbor in Winchester. I would go to the BSC to watch her practice before school. I am so greatful for the material that has been put up on Youtube so that I can see her again and remember......

[HattieLovesCattie]

@krustytube You know she would have been on the podium in Innsbruck.Some movies theaters across the country had a hour movie of the team as its been 50 years since they died.

[MegaCupcakesRule]

@krustytube I'm so glad that you got to see her in person and got to have an appreciation for her and her skating that so many of us wish we could've had. 

[mjcamck]

@krustytube - Hello. I'm so sorry for your loss. An instructor at the rink where I was a recreational skater for many year knew the Ice Dancing Dineens personally. He was a competitor himself, but didn't make the Olympic Team. I'm glad that, at least, Laurence's final appearance ended with a triumphant & joyous smile on her face. She gave us all a wonderful gift. Best Wishes to you.

[lynnie999]

Maybe they didn't want to use the music after she used it.  It's very unusual and a little creepy to me, considering what happened to her and the rest of the team.

[licentia1963]

What a great champion skater! Laurence Owen would have surely gone on to the '64 Olympics. Unfortunately, she - along with the rest of the U.S. skating team - were killed in a plane crash 3 weeks after this video was taped. They were all en route to the World Championship in Prague when their jet crashed outside of Brussels, Belgium on Febrary 15, 1961.

Rest in peace, Laurence.

[binkle1]

Gosh, this looks so easy compared to what they expect them to do today! Lovely skater.

[socalazn168]

Oh please this was BACK in the days. I'm pretty sure 50 years from now in 2058 people will look at our figure skating and say "gosh they were only doing triples back then?! so easy we're doing quintublets now!!!"

[dsfddsgh]

@socalazn168 I don't see that happening considering that the women now seem to be doing less or only about the same technical content as they were doing 20 years ago. For instance more women were doing triple axels in 1992 than they are now. So much for the sport moving ahead technically.

[ballinagra13]

I don't think I've ever seen any other skater use this music from Symphonie Fantastique (Hector Berlioz). Miss Owen interprets it beautifully, God rest her soul.