US Ladies Champions | Golden Skate

US Ladies Champions

NanSinger2

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Joesitz said:
Does anyone remember Gretchen Merrill? Somehow I connect her to Capades or Holliday way back.

Joe

I was just wondering that same thing. She had 6 gold and 2 silver to her name. I am also not familiar with Theresa Weld Blanchard who had 5 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze. Anyone remember her?
 

berthes ghost

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
I'm not sure what you guys mean by "remember". One would have to be a retiree to remember Gretchen and over 80 to remember Theresa.

Both sound interesting however, if you look them up.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
http://www.scboston.org/

Theresa Weld Blanchard was a Skating Club of Boston member and some of the details of her career are recorded in the Club History section of their website.

She was very versatile, and had success not only in ladies singles, but in pairs, dance and the 'fours' event that is no longer a competitive event.

(Skate Fan 4 life, thanks for the link to the list of champions. Now if only US championships would be added to skatabase!!!)

dpp
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
tthartell, skatabase is a searchable database that has all placings for all skaters entered back to the year dot for Worlds, Europeans, and four seasons. But NOT unfortunately, nationals.
Doris
 

berthes ghost

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
I thought that this photo was interesting as well:

http://theskatinggallery.com/php/display.php3?code=PH-83

Not only Gretchen and Dick, but little Jean-Peirre Brunet as well.

Apparently Gretchen was considered quite the dish, as not only is her blone hair often mentioned but she was also on the best dressed lists as well. She was a student of Maribel's. Perhaps she could have been the 1st US world champ if they were held, who knows.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Life Mag was big thing in its day and getting on the cover was really special. The cost of 10 cents then and the asking price now is $20. Not bad for skating buffs.

Joe
 

dlkksk8fan

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Gretchen Merrill was a "protegee" pupil of Maribel Vinson Owen.

Theresa Weld Blanchard was the first U.S. Ladies champion. She was the founding editor of "Skating" magazine which is the offical USFSA magazine. She was a pairs champion and along with Nathaniel Niles won the gold medal in the first U.S. Ice Dance competition. She was one of the first women to be elected to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall Of Fame.
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
Then I salute Theresa Weld Blanchard as a true pioneer of American figure skating! She had quite an impressive record.
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
Absolutely! Michelle will go down in history as one of the greatest women figure skaters of all time. And she's only 23!!
 
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