Dianne De Leeuw - 1975 World Championships Long Program

Diane de Leeuw, representing the Netherlands, takes advantage of poor performances from Christine Errath and Dorothy Hamill to convincingly win the 1975 World Championships

[@stationofdreams8242]

Well people laughing and saying oh its boring and it wouldn't have passed now, this kind of programme. People seeming to forget this is 1975, a totally different era to 2015. This is how they did it in those days when doubles were classed as difficult. It's 1975, deal with it.

[@waynehentley4332]

Agree!!

[@kossejonker1238]

In the 1970’s, when I studied theology, I often sat with four enthousiastic students in a dorm room behind our tv to see our Dianne de Leeuw perform. Dianne was not as succesful as our Sjoukje Dijkstra in the 1960’s. Sjoukje had three consecutive World titles: 1962, 1963 and 1964. She won silver at the Olympics of 1960 and gold at the Olympics of 1964. We were very glad (and proud) with Dianne de Leeuw to skate for Holland. I think (of course as a Dutchman!) her Worlds 1975 was well deserved, as was her silver medal behind your dear Dorothee Hamill at the Olympics of 1976.

[@user-re4hv7ns4g]

GREETINGS FROM THE GREAT STATE OF ARKANSAS I WAS JUST 11 YEARS OLD WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE WE REMEMBER HER SHE IN OUR OPINION WAS A BETTER SKATER BETTER LOOKING GREAT SIMILAR HAIRCUT TO DOROTHY HAMILL DOROTHY HAMILL IS OVERRATED I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS WOMAN DIDN'T GET THE THAT'S LIFE THOUGH RIGHT GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

[@peppe201]

Dianne did quite well here. She won the figures portion over Karen Iten of Switzerland, who was regarded as the figures expert at the time and won the short. She even attempted the triple toe which she did not attempt at the 1975 Europeans where she won the silver medal. Het goede werk

[@user-re4hv7ns4g]

PHOENIX FOR THE GREAT STATE OF ARKANSAS JUST 11 YEARS OLD WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE WE REMEMBER HER MY FAMILY AND I THIS WOMAN IS BETTER LOOKING THAN DOROTHY HAMILL BETTER SKATER SHE DIDN'T GET CREDIT DUE LIKE SO MANY OTHERS THEY FOCUS TOO MUCH ON DOROTHY HAMILL THESE THIS WOMAN HAS THE SAME SIMILAR GREAT HAIRCUT THOUGH IT'S A CLASSIC WE LOVE IT HOWEVER THAT'S LIFE RIGHT NOW WITH THE HOMELESS PEOPLE IN HABITAT FOR HUMANITY LIFE IS VERY CRUEL AND VERY UNFAIR WE NEED MORE EQUALITY ESPECIALLY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES OR COUNTRIES IS GONE TO HELL AND GOING TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET THAT'S FOR SURE VERY CORRUPT GOVERNMENTS LIKE VAMPIRES DRAINING YOU UNTIL THE DAY YOU DIE THIS COUNTRY DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE POOR OF THE WORKING CLASS AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE WE ARE BORN TO WORK FOR THESE RICH ELITES

[@pacmanindy]

I saw Dianne de Leeuw at Holiday on Ice circa 1976.

[@npe1]

@metsdudenj But she was not European. Her father was Dutch so was able to skate for Holland. But Dianne was born, raised and trained all her life in California. She was really American.

[@Timzart7]

The squashed format of this video imparts a comical appearance to the whole program. I was laughing at the mincing little crossovers, as well as the jumps. It all looks silly. Seriously, look at any other video of Dianne, like her performances that won her an Olympic silver medal the following year, 1976, in Innsbruck. She does not look anything like this in a normal video that is not distorted. Dianne had a pretty layback spin. All that said, I remember watching her win this Worlds on TV and being a little underwhelmed by her skating, and thinking she had made a brilliant decision to skate for Holland instead of face all the competition in the US. By skating for Holland (she was raised in California but her father was born in Holland), she could be assured of being able to qualify to skate in Worlds and the Olympics, even if she had a weak performance. In this 1975 Worlds though, Dorothy Hamill won the free program. Dianne won the silver medal in the 1976 Innsbruck Olympics and that is something that I forgot, even though I was training in Innsbruck two years before the Olympics, and always followed all skating events closely. Dorothy Hamill completely eclipsed Dianne, by winning the gold and becoming the superstar at that Olympics, and afterward. There was Dorothy's cute squint as she tried to read her scores without her glasses. There was Dorothy's personality, which was a mixture of sweet, with a sense of humor, intelligence, graciousness, and being down to earth. She was the all-American girl. She went from a sheepdog hairstyle earlier in her skating career to causing a sensation with the Japanese-inspired Suga (hairstylist) wedge, after her Olympic win propelled that style into the stratosphere. First, the wedge haircut looked perfect on Dorothy, bringing out every aspect of her natural beauty, which was hidden by that bizarre sheepdog style she had before. And I'm guessing about 50 million young girls and women got the Hamill haircut all because of Dorothy. You could hardly go an hour watching TV without seeing one of Dorothy's Clairol "short and sassy" hair commercials at one point. She was so popular. Years later, she even hawked an arthritis medication, Vioxx, that later had to be withdrawn from the market because it could lead to an early death. Still, either way, back pain solved. Dorothy continued to mature as a professional skater, refining her style. Just by being herself, and continuing to skate, she helped keep skating popular, securing her place as the most famous skater since Sonja Henie. Meanwhile, Dianne de Leeuw, even though she was pretty and had what was considered an ideal body for a female skater, just went on to skate with shows for a few years, and not become a media sensation. She married her coach, and ended up becoming a coach herself. One other historic detail...Dorothy spent another year training with Carlo Fassi after this competition, improving her figures. Fassi was the greatest or one of the greatest compulsory figures coaches, and probably a very good free coach as well. By the time Dorothy reached the Olympics in 1976, her figures were so good, she was in 2nd place, behind a figures specialist who would pose no threat for medal placement. Dianne's compulsory figures landed her a place behind Dorothy, and then Dianne faltered on a few jumps, giving Dorothy a clear win at the Olympics. I knew a couple of female skaters from Holland in 1977 and I asked them what they thought of Dianne skating for Holland in the '76 Olympics. I was curious if there were any Dutch skaters who had their dream of just skating in the Olympics crushed by this California girl who decided to compete for Holland. I don't remember their answer.

[@kossejonker1238]

I can’t answer for them, but I remember, that in the early 1960’s I dreamed, that I (though I am a boy) could skate as fantastic and could jumpe as high as our Sjoukje Dijkstra. I was so proud then. In the 1970’s, when I studied theology, I sat with four enthousiastic students down in a dorm room behind our tv to see our Dianne de leeuw perform. I think (of course as a Dutchman!) her Worlds 1975 was well deserved, as was her silver medal behind your dear Dorothy Hamill at the Olympics of 1976.

[@metsdudenj]

good point, k9. She reminded me of Trixi Shuba, booring~

[@peppe201]

Hamill was fifth in the school figures and fell on her flying sitspin in the short, leaving her in fifth place going into the long.

[@k9henrydog]

Interesting that Dorothy used this same slow section music the next year, to such effect!!!

[@grantnoroyan4083]

yes the same year as well

[@geoboe84]

I have to say that Glazunov's "Seasons" is a very under-utilized choice of music for skaters. The balletic quality suits the sport well.

[@npe1]

@mlc2005 There were not that many ladies doing them pre 1976. Christine Errath, Dianne deleeuw (sometimes), Linda Fratianne and a few others. It was not really until post '76 Olympics that the women started doing triples regularly. Fratianne and Poetsch both did them and sometimes you got one from Lurz, Watanabe, Lisa Marie Allen, but the women that really pushed skating along technically in the late '70s were Denise Bielmann and Elena Voderezova.

[@user-hq8rz3kd7j]

Помню эту фигуристку.Красивая. Но на мой взгляд уступала в катании немкам .И тем не менее,вроде даже опередила их.

[@jgilc2691]

"Double Loop - Double Loop" = equals a Quad back in the day. Skated professionally back then and we had no idea that a Triple existed much less a quad. But back then there were FIGURE SKATERS. We didn't have to twirl three times in the air to prove that.

[@waynehentley4332]

You had no idea triples existed? Where were you living? Dick Button did the first triple at the 1952 Olympics.

[@jgilc2691]

@@waynehentley4332 I must have missed that. Opps. No biggie. I was in New Orleans born and raised. Stepped on ice for the first time at the age of 17 and joined Holiday on Ice at 20. Toured 2 years in HOI and reached my ultimate goal of joining the Ice Capades. Had the priceless experience of watching the Olympic skaters. All they had to do was glide by. Beautiful!

[@waynehentley4332]

@@jgilc2691 You learned to skate that well in 3 years? Good for you!😳😳😳

[@jgilc2691]

@@waynehentley4332 Yes. Hard work and determination. Never gave up. I was also attending the university full and employed part time. And at one pint attending a weekly dance class to help with learning choreography and counting. And I would do all of that again. Do you or have you skated? A feeling like none other.

[@waynehentley4332]

@@jgilc2691 Never have and never will!!😀😀😀

[@charlesbergen5398]

As a direct result of De Leeuw's program and the repeated number of double loop jumps in that program, the ISU instituted the long overdue changes whereby a skater could not repeat the same jump twice unless done as a combination. This really made a big difference the following year to the content of the skater's programs. I actually lost count of the number of double loop jumps contained in this particular program but Ms. De Leeuw was often referred to as the Queen of the Double Loop. And by chance, is there any difference between this ' 75 World Championship LP and her '76 Olympic LP? Watch it and see....

[@MichaelWDupre]

I was not aware of any specific ISU rule pertaining to the number of double jumps that could be repeated, however there was one about triple jumps. In 1982, Elaine Zayak won the world championships by doing six triples, four of them toe loops. That year, the ISU responded to Elaine Zayak's repeating of the same triple jumps by instituting the rule in which a skater could not repeat the same triple jump, except in combination. The rule was nicknamed "the Zayak rule."

[@rebeccadobbins7519]

I just wish they had not made the single axel invalid.

[@mlc2005]

Why didn't dorothy ever do any triples? It seemed that several of the other top women of the time did? Just curious. It's funny how back then "style" and "flair" would be enough to win gold medals.

[@waynehentley4332]

Dorothy could not do triples. Her coach said so.

[@mlc2005]

Yeah, she didn't have the speed or smoothness of Dorothy Hamill. What I found strange is how this period (pre-1977) the women seemed trapped technically. No one advanced the sport to make it more difficult. Then, after Hamill retired in 1976, immediately triples were being done and were required to get on the podium. Weird. I think I would be more excited about Hamill if she done a few herself!

[@nondescriptnyc]

I realize I am replying to a 10-year-old comment, but it has a great deal to do with the Gus Lussi method. While most men had already adopted the new Lussi method in the early 70s, it took women a bit longer, presumably because some felt that the old method was more aesthetically pleasing (although, in retro spect, I find it hard to believe!). Dianne’s 2A is a perfect example of the pre-Lussi method, with her free leg tucked beside her landing leg. This technique made it harder for women to make 3 revolutions. Strong jumpers from that era like Vodorezova, Biellmann, and Fratianne had already transitioned to the Lussi method.

[@metsdudenj]

First of all, she skated like a European skater of the time period : medicore technique, good music, and average height and extension. Her jump landings were always slow and labored. She was like the other Dutch and Austiran skaters before her : boring and average. She won this competition because the favorites fell...lets not forget that. She won the silver in Innsbruck; she had no chance against a clean Dorothy Hamill, and her short program there showed that.

[@miloandtock1]

Dianne did not get robed of a medal at the 76 Games - she won the silver. She most certainly didnt derserve the gold! Her short program in Innsbruck was sub par and was judged accordingly. And her long - as here - was ok but not great. She just didnt have the extension and flair that Hamill had, and her edges were not as good. Had Dorothy not fallen in the short program, I think it would have been tough for Dianne to win here.

[@Rouben19]

YOu think the Russian/ Canadian Scandal solved the wows of Figure Skating - I was ashamed the Canadians / did what they did at the time and what was going on in our country the Russians were superiour in all aspects they turned out of one jump Canadians were flat edged and over hyped- but skating forges on Today this program would not get pass a local contest!

[@abneryokum]

I know that you posted this 10 years ago, but I just wanted to point out that you're a moron.

[@TheScottAllenKennedy]

Diane was lucky that Dorothy had a bad short program, otherwise, our Dorothy would have won...as she should have in 1974. Overall, this was a decent skate for Diane...though that Triple Toe attempt was a hoot, and her layback and spins were atrocious. But, kudos for staying up and winning her only Gold in an international competition (Europeans Championships don't count, as American's are barred from them).

[@kossejonker1238]

Thank you, Hamill-fan, for your respect and admiration for our Dianne. I agree with what you said about European Championships, they do not count. Of course not! But U.S. Championships do not count either, as European skaters are barred from them![

[@karindemik5951]

Diane was the best also in 1976!

[@waynehentley4332]

@@karindemik5951 No she wasn't and you know it!!

[@waynehentley4332]

Europeans are not international? What nonsense!

[@Rouben19]

Diane delay ooooh as the announcer said.. is it fair to say this girl is boooooring, how did this ever beat Hamill, i was around back then and even seeing it today can't figure

[@metsdudenj]

That last combination spin was horrid.

[@metsdudenj]

I cant believe she went into Innsbruck as the favorite. She is no where close to Dorothy in technique and musicality.

[@asheeasmith]

LOL another double loop very difficult! lol figure skaters aare hitting doubles before there ten yrs old now..thts nothing for them.....i get a feeling when my kids r born quads will b the new triples...ekkk smh

[@kossejonker1238]

I do not understand, Asheea. What do you mean by the word ‘LOL’? People say: "Laughing Out Loud", "Lots of Luck" or "Lots of Love”. ????????????????? Lol figure skaters? ?????????????????

[@user-re4hv7ns4g]

GREETINGS FROM THE GREAT STATE OF ARKANSAS I WAS ONLY 11 YEARS OLD WHEN THIS TOOK PLACE WE REMEMBER HER WAY BETTER THAN DOROTHY HAMILL THE SKATER IS BETTER LOOKING BETTER THAN HER BODY SIMILAR HAIRCUT THEY PAID TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO DOROTHY HAMILL THAT'S FOR SURE THAT WAS WRONG DIDN'T MAKE SENSE DOROTHY HAMILL HAD NO CLASS