Denise Biellmann (SUI) - 1980 Lake Placid, Ladies' Long Program

Lake Placid, New York, USA - 1980 Winter Games, Figure Skating, Ladies' Long Program - Denise Biellmann of Switzerland finished in 4th Place overall. She may have won the Long Program, but her poor performance in Compulsory Figures was what that kept her off the podium.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Denise
• Biellmann
• 1980
• figure
• skating

[koolaidnhemlock]

wow, if she had stuck around, she could have taken witt's place as the legend of the 80s.

[sk8412c]

wow. everything she does is great!

[Karosanyo]

@koolaidnhemlock I agree! I feel that Biellmann was vastly superior to Witt. I love her.

[ronpaulforpresident6]

This was a real joke. Biellmann was by far the best free skater but since the figures were part of the scenario, Annette Poetsch won the Gold. If Biellmann had been skating with today's standards with the figures she would have won the Gold by a mile in 1980

[Marchjoy1963]

I remember watching this night of skating with Lisa Marie Allen being the best skate of the night up to this point, Denise's skate was so exciting for the time, and she was by far the best of the night !

[JesusGarciaRazcon]

I must say that this free skating program is much better than those awared with gold medals in the following 4 Olympic Games (1984.1994). Perhaps Midori Ito's performance in Calgary '88 can surpass Bielmann's.

Honest, her scores were ridiculously low compared with the other competitors; what a joke!

[Leopard68231]

awesome free skater 

[janzei]

this is great, but I find Alissa Czisny's biellmann spin better, but this is still great considering it's in the 80's, and alissa is skating right now in 2011

[npe1]

LOL! How many times does the male commentator get it wrong on the Biellmann spin. He needs to learn the difference between a catch-foot spin, a Whiting spin and a Biellmann spin.

[russianskatingfan]

@faeryquene The only way your scenario is plausible is to eliminate figures altogether. As Biellmann was atrocious in figure the absolute best one could reasonably argue her with figures is maybe a bronze. And likewise Poetzsch is so dominant in figures the worst you could argue her is silver with figures.

[faeryquene]

I remember watching this and I always thought she should have won or at least medalled. And I for sure didn't think Annette should have won. If I had it my way SHE wouldn't have medalled.

[bradyachin]

All of her elements look effortless. +2s and +3s nowadays.