After placing fi fth at the 1934 World Championships in Oslo, Norway, she returned to Boston, at the time home to the U.S. Figure Skating Association. In a true defi ant tone, Vin- son encouraged the federation to “continue its own development without paying too much at- tention to foreign ideas.” She would never com- pete at another World Championships. The following year, Vinson returned to the


SKATING magazine wrote about Vinson after she won her fourth U.S. title in 1931: “She continues to show that she is in a class by herself in this country. Her fi gures were executed with ease, accuracy and excellent form; her free skating was delightful.”


U.S. Championships and began her fi nal win- ning streak. She earned the ladies title in 1935, 1936 and 1937. Like many skaters of her era, Vinson com-


peted in pairs and dance as well. She earned six U.S. pairs titles, for a total of 15 U.S. Champion- ships gold medals — the most of any athlete. In all, Vinson earned 23 U.S. Championships med- als, an Olympic bronze medal and two World medals. She competed in three Olympics. Upon retirement, Vinson married and be-


SKATING magazine article. “Miss Vinson’s free skat- ing is good,”


border line of the spectacular.” For three years, the


young Vinson let the sting of those words ferment. After winning her


fi rst ladies title at the 1928 U.S. Cham- pionships in New Haven, Conn., she re- sponded in kind: “The ‘spectacular’ at that point,” she wrote,


“was a spread eagle with moderate lean, sev- eral standing and sitting spins, the jumps then popular, and a Charlotte ending in which my free leg was raised somewhat


higher than the rest of the lady competitors!” At the time of her rebuttal, each of those elements


had become the norm in championship skating. From that moment forward, Vinson dominated


the U.S. ladies fi eld, earning six consecutive U.S. ti- tles. But it wasn’t enough. She wanted international success. More to the point, she wanted to defeat Nor- way’s Sonja Henie. Henie, who would win 10 consecutive World ti-


tles and three Olympic championships, was the an- tithesis of Vinson. On the ice Henie was graceful and delicate; Vinson was athletic and bold. Off the ice Henie was blonde and elegant; Vinson was brunette and boorish. The glamorous Henie’s skating and style impressed international judging panels and eventual- ly led to her becoming a Hollywood star. Vinson, who often wore hand-me-down clothes from a friend in New York, only wanted to win. In 1934, having just graduated with honors from


Radcliff e, Vinson asked for and received U.S. Figure Skating Association’s permission and support to train in Europe. Vinson did not make the decision lightly — it meant skipping the 1934 U.S. Championships and ending her streak.


SKATING 19


came a prolifi c coach, using her married name Maribel Vinson Owen. Among her self-estimat- ed 4,000 students were daughters Maribel Y.


SKATING


wrote, “but the contents of the program have been accented too much on the


Owen and Laurence Owen, who both became U.S. champions. Vinson Owen and the entire U.S. World Team were


killed when Sabena Flight 548 crashed en route to the 1961 World Championships in Prague. Her daughters also perished. Vinson Owen was 49. Later that year, her hometown of Winchester, Mass., erected the Vin- son-Owen Elementary School. It is the only school in America named in honor of a fi gure skater. Vinson Owen is the only three-time inductee into


the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame (1976 singles, 1994 pairs and 2011 as a coach of the 1961 World Team).


She is also a member of the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. Michelle Kwan


U.S. ladies champion: 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005


It was an era of artistic endeavor, and Michelle Kwan was its masterpiece.


Michelle Kwan displays her elegance and grace at the 2001 U.S. Championships in Boston.


PHOTOS BY PAUL HARVATH


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