Denise Biellmann

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Denise Biellmann

Biellmann (center) in 1980.
Personal information
Country represented   Switzerland
Born (1962-12-11) December 11, 1962
Height 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Coach Heidi Biellmann (mother)[1]
Retired 1981

Denise Biellmann (born December 11, 1962) is a Swiss professional figure skater. She is the 1981 European and World Champion. She won the Swiss Championships three times.

Career

Amateur career

Denise Biellmann was born in Zurich. She won her first international championship, in Belgium, when she was aged just eight, and at eleven, she won the Swiss junior figure skating championships.[2] At 14, she competed at the 1977 European Championships and placed second in the free skating portion of the competition.

At the age of 15, she was the first female skater to land the triple lutz in competition, which she performed for the first time at the 1978 European Championships.[3] At the same event, she became the first woman to receive a 6.0 in technical merit, receiving the score from British judge Pauline Borrajo.[3] She was 12th in figures, first in the free skate, and finished fourth overall.[3]

At the 1980 Winter Olympics, she won the free skating event and placed fourth overall.

The Biellmann spin was named after her, although she did not invent the spin but popularized it. It was present in skating at least since the 1965 European Championships when Tamara Moskvina performed it after being inspired by a gymnastics competition. It remains the only figure skating spin to be officially named after a person in ISU regulations. Nevertheless, by the end of her ISU career, the spin was causing her back pain.[3]

Biellmann retired from amateur competition shortly after her win at the 1981 World Championships.

Professional career

Biellmann performing in the gala at the 2011 European Championships

Biellmann remains involved in the international figure skating community as a participant in both professional shows and competitions.

She participated in Pro7 Season 1, partnered with television presenter Pierre Geisensetter, and in Season 2, partnered with actor Patrick Bach.

She participated in the Eurovision Dance Contest 2007 representing Switzerland with partner Sven Ninnemann.

Competitive highlights

Event 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81
Winter Olympic Games 4th
World Championships 15th 10th 5th 5th 6th 1st
European Championships 6th 4th 3rd WD 1st
Swiss Championships 5th J. 1st J. 11th 3rd 2nd 2nd 1st 1st 1st
NHK Trophy 1st
Richmond Trophy 3rd
  • J = Junior level; WD = Withdrew

References

  1. ↑ http://www.members.shaw.ca/ingridg2/history.html
  2. ↑ http://www.denisebiellmann.com/dbi.html Denise Biellmann website
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Stevenson, Alexandra (2011). "2011 European Championships Preview". IceSkatingIntnl.com. Retrieved March 31, 2011. 

External links

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Awards
Preceded by
Switzerland Cornelia Bürki		 Swiss Sportswoman of the Year
1979 		Succeeded by
Switzerland Ruth Keller
Preceded by
Switzerland Ruth Keller		 Swiss Sportswoman of the Year
1981 		Succeeded by
Switzerland Erika Hess
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