Denise Biellmann (SUI) - 1978 World Figure Skating Championships, Ladies' Long Program

[jprietoable]

excellent Denise in  Canada.JP

[nondescriptnyc]

You know, her basic skating skills were amazing, and she was pretty good artistically here--far better than Lurz or Driano, and perhaps as good as Poetzsch and Fratianne. However, the judges used to absolutely murder her on her artistic impression! The judges finally acknowledged her artistic strenghts, though, once she expressed her intent to retire in 1981...

[dsfddsgh]

@nondescriptnyc Why did she retire back in 1981? She might have been the favorite in Sarajevo had she stuck around and she was still only 18 when she retired.

[3Axel1996]

@dsfddsgh She hated competing Compulsory Figures with a passion. She only remained through the 1981 season because of the major overhaul of the scoring system made after the 1980 season, and indeed, it worked in her favor.

[nondescriptnyc]

@dsfddsgh Back then, most female singles skaters retired before turning 20. For instance, Poetzsch, Fratianne, and Sumners, if I recall correctly, were 19 when they retired.

Also, by 1981, there was a talk that Denise was losing her triples--which may have been a factor, although it's ridiculous if you look at her professional career through the 1980s. Sure, she had lost her 3L by 1980/1981, but her 3Lz had become more consistent...

[kh3205]

@dsfddsgh She probably retired for the financial reason like many Western block skaters. I recall Emi Watanabe, whose father was an airline executive, called money for the reason of her retirement. With no prize money involved, figure skating was very expensive with compulsory training and often coaches' airfares. The Eastern Block athletes retired early probably for younger skaters, like Poetch for Witt. They stayed long when no young talent followed, like Witt, Ivanova or Kondrashova.

[karrtt1234]

The best free-skater the world of figure skating has ever seen, simply ahead of her time.

[shottut]

She was ahead of her time, and not rewarded for it !

[dsfddsgh]

@shottut You could say that about a lot of skaters. The school figures really kept Midori Ito, Janet Lynn and Denise Biellmann from dominating like they would have if they had been eliminated during their time.

[shottut]

@dsfddsgh Not in the same context... the figures were worth 50 % of a skaters score in Denise's day, and 30 % or less in Midori 's time.

[b2367]

Great skater