Denise Biellmann

Denise Biellmann

Biellmann (center) in 1980.
Personal information
Country represented	Switzerland
Born	December 11, 1962 (1962-12-11) (age 48)
Height	1.60 m (5 ft 3 in)
Retired	1981
Medal record Competitor for  Austria Ladies' Figure skating World Championships Gold 1981 Hartford Ladies' singles European Championships Gold 1981 Innsbruck Ladies' singles Bronze 1979 Zagreb Ladies' singles

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.

Biography

Amateur career

Denise Biellmann was born in Zurich. At age eleven, she won the Swiss junior figure skating championships. 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.^[1] 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.^[1] She was 12th in figures, first in the free skate, and finished fourth overall.^[1]

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.^[1]

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. ^ ^{a b c d} Stevenson, Alexandra (2011). "2011 European Championships Preview". IceSkatingIntnl.com. http://www.iceskatingintnl.com/archive/results_euros/2011%20Euro%20Preview.htm. Retrieved March 31, 2011. 

• Sports-reference profile

External links

• Official website (English) (French)

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

Persondata
Name	Biellmann, Denise
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	December 11, 1962
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death