Figure Skating During World Wars I and II

Figure skating competitions were restored in 1922, following the aftermath of World War I.  Sonja Henie of Norway and Karl Schafer of Austria dominated the skating world during this time in history.  Henie was a ten-time world champion while Schafer won the European Figure Skating Championships eight times.  Aside from Henie's accomplishments on the ice, she greatly modernized figure skating traditions in terms of dress code.  Figure skaters had competed in cumbersome clothing and lengthy skirts prior to Sonja Henie's contributions to the sport.  She broke the barriers by performing in a knee-length skirt during her routine, a length once considered short but now considered extremely long.  With the exception of a few select single skaters, generally only synchronized skaters wear knee-length dresses, proving just how much skating has evolved.  Henie also changed the skating world in athletic practice, as she exercised free-flowing movements
 and overall elegance in her routines. 

Following World War II, figure skating surged back onto the world stage once again as people were drawn back into the excitement of the sport.  New ice rinks built entirely for figure skaters allowed for more intensive training, and consequently, enhanced performances on the ice.  However, the increased amount of training led to other changes that turned off some spectators.  More emphasis was put on the free skate, also referred to as the long program, and this emphasis has remained today.  The free skate requires several more requirements in terms of the number of jumps and spins to be completed, and the long program is obviously a decent amount longer than the short.  Europe fell behind in figure skating dominance to the United States during this time as a result of the aftermath of World War II.  New, elite skaters arose from the United States and Canada, which resulted in a style revolving around speed and endurance as opposed to more artistic movements.  The newly acclaimed top figure skaters included Dick Button, Hayes Alan Jenkins, David Jenkins, Tenley Albright, and Carol Heiss for the Americans, and Barbara Ann Scott and Donald Jackson for Canada. 

After a period of intense domination of figure skating in regards to the Americans, a tragic plane crash in 1961 put an end to the Americans' reign.  Sabena Flight 548 was a Boeing 707 aircraft that crashed on the way to the 1961 World Championships in Prague, Czechoslovakia, immediately killing the entire United States Figure Skating Team.  Although the final destination was in Czechoslovakia, the plane went down during their initial flight from New York City, New York, to Brussels, Belgium.  All 72 skaters, coaches, and officials on board were killed, as well a one man on the ground.  As a result of the tragedy, the World Championships was cancelled.  The crash signaled an immediate decline in the United States Figure Skating program, which had been dominating the skating world prior to this tragedy.