Sad news

[Elizabeth]

From IceNetwork this morning:

Sad news from the world of skating as we've heard that two-time Olympic champion Ludmila Belousova-Protopopov, a true pioneer of pairs skating, has died at age 81. She will be missed.

The Protopopovs, as they became known, are legendary. They contributed significantly to the development of pairs skating, including introducing three death spirals – the backward inside (BIDS), forward inside (FIDS), and forward outside (FODS), which they dubbed the Cosmic spiral, Life spiral, and Love spiral, respectively.

Here's a photo posted by Sandra Bezic on Twitter with a message about Ludmila's death:

I am very happy to have seen them perform live in Lake Placid, where they spent part of every year. Oleg was seriously ill a number of years ago but regained his health and mobility. He is now 85.

Here's a link to her Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludmila_Belousova

[kittykins]

Oh that really is too bad!

[Elizabeth]

Also this week, there was another death of a legend - Olympic Silver Medalist and World Champion Hans Gerschwiler (age 97). You may never have heard his name but his impact in the sport is considerable. He was not only a competitor but also a performer and a coach, including coaching others who have become quite famous coaches in their own right, for example, Doug Leigh.

A very interesting Skate Guard blog item on his life and career:
http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/09/ ... story.html

And a Skate Guard blog item on the Legacy of Ludmila: http://skateguard1.blogspot.ca/2017/09/ ... dmila.html

[fred]

Yes, they will be missed. Wonderful skaters and beautiful people too.

[Elizabeth]

Some examples of the Protopopovs over their amateur & professional careers:

• 1965 Europeans: https://youtu.be/fupth8ZC1Hc

• 1968 Olympics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tY_2eE9hv8

• 1969 Europeans - exhibition (after having lost to another Russian team and being booed for German political reasons): https://youtu.be/d61t0KQFa_g

• 1983 Ave Maria: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtkDi7M ... tkDi7M0_yA

• 1984 World Pros - The Swan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amlhlyKN9QE

• 1985 World Pros - Moonlight Sonata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qky5kw67nX4 - with commentary by Toller Cranston, I believe

• 1986 World Pros - Paganini's Violin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iMIONEfatQ - this includes a retrospective of their career

Oleg suffered a stroke in 2009 and had surgery for an undisclosed ailment in 2012. I believe that it was cancer while took Ludmila's life.

They performed for many, many years in the Evening with Champions show at Harvard - here is their 2013 performance (the 22nd year they had performed): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tY_2eE9hv8 and that of 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTKrB71kOaw

[fred]

Thank-you for all this, Elizabeth. They were so graceful and so smooth. It takes great strength and years of training and practise. So lovely!

[Elizabeth]

Thank-you for all this, Elizabeth. They were so graceful and so smooth. It takes great strength and years of training and practise. So lovely!

They were indeed, Fred. It was always a joy to see them together, whether on or off the ice. I was very fortunate to see them skate live in Lake Placid but they were often just sitting together watching skating competitions in there. I understand that they were very kind and helpful to adult skaters who went to Lake Placid to train, including some from Minto.

[happyheini]

that is sad news indeed. I remember them well even from 50+ years ago watching figure skating with my Mom back in Germany. I am on Vancouver Island and will watch their skates when I get home.

[Elizabeth]

An article from Lake Placid with a local perspective on the Protopopovs and more information about her battle with cancer: http://www.lakeplacidnews.com/page/cont ... l?nav=5005