Figure Skaters and Ice Dancers from Norway

Did You Know?

The backward outside death spiral was invented in 1928 by Germany’s Charlotte Oelschlägel (August 14, 1898 – November 14, 1984) and Curt Neumann (although it was first performed with the skaters holding both hands and the woman not fully lowered toward the ice). They performed the first one-arm death spiral in Budapest in 1928.

Canadian pair Suzanne Morrow and Wallace Diestelmeyer are credited with being the first pair to perform the element in competition at the 1948 Olympics.

Ludmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov (USSR) are credited for creating three versions of the death spiral: Cosmic spiral (backward inside), Life spiral (forward inside), and Love spiral (forward outside).

Who does your favorite death spiral? Discuss here!