Janet Lynn
Encyclopedia
Janet Lynn Nowicki is an American
figure skater
and Olympic bronze medalist.
, who worked out of Rockton, Illinois
, but her close-knit family was never far away. Eventually her family moved from the Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park to Rockford, Illinois
, some fifteen miles from Rockton and the rink. Janet would attend Junior High in Rockford. She used her middle name Lynn instead of Nowicki, which was constantly being misspelled and mispronounced. Janet was always forthright about the name change; in her own mind her name was still Nowicki.
In 1964, at 11, she became the youngest skater to pass the rigorous eighth and final test administered by the United States Figure Skating Association
, and two years later she won the U.S. Junior Ladies Championship at Berkeley, California
. At that competition she landed a triple salchow jump
, which at the time was rarely performed by female skaters, giving early evidence of a jumping ability that was to thrill audiences and impress judges for years to come. In later years she was also one of the first female skaters to include a triple toe loop
in her programs.
Moving up to senior level, Lynn gained 3rd place at the 1968 U.S. Championships, which qualified her to compete at the 1968 Winter Olympics
in Grenoble, France, where she placed 9th. At the time she was 14 years old and it was her first major international competition. She also placed 9th at her first World Championships
in 1968.
Lynn won her first Senior national title at the 1969 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
That year she beat Canada's Karen Magnussen
for the North American Championship
, but had disappointing results in the World Championships. Despite the absence of both Magnussen and Czechoslovakia's Hana Mašková
due to injuries, Lynn was unable to do better than 5th place, falling behind Julie Lynn Holmes
, in 4th, whom she had beaten for the national title. Gabriele Seyfert
of East Germany took the gold medal.
The World Championships were to remain a problem for her. Although she continued to reign as U.S. Champion, something always seemed to go wrong at Worlds. In 1970, Seyfert and Austria's Beatrix Schuba
were again in 1st and 2nd place, while Holmes moved up to 3rd and Lynn dropped back to 6th. Part of the problem was an inconsistency in compulsory figures
, which meant that she always had to make up ground in the free skating. Lynn made an effort to remedy this weakness by working with the great New York-based coach Pierre Brunet, who had previously had World Champions Carol Heiss
and Donald Jackson
under his tutelage. At the 1971 World Championships, she placed 5th in figures and skated well in the free skating to place 4th overall, while Schuba took the gold, Holmes the silver and Magnussen the bronze.
The year 1972 brought both World and Olympic challenges. Lynn beat Holmes for the national title for the fourth year in a row, and there were widespread predictions that she would finally take not only World but Olympic gold, especially because of Schuba's weakness in free skating. Schuba's lackluster performance at Lyon, France the previous year had even drawn boos, but she won the championship based on her enormous lead in the compulsory figures.
At the 1972 Winter Olympics
at Sapporo, Hokkaidō
, Japan
, Lynn placed a disappointing 4th in the compulsory figures. Once again Schuba's technical mastery in this discipline was very strong; although she placed only 7th in the free skating, her large lead from the figures enabled her to take the gold medal. Magnussen won the silver and Lynn was left with the bronze, an order of finish repeated at the 1972 World Championships in Calgary
, Alberta
, Canada
.
By this time, international-level disappointments had taken their toll, and Lynn was also struggling with her weight and lack of motivation that nearly caused her to quit skating. But she had always had a very strong Christian
faith and a belief that God had given her a gift for skating with an intention that she use it. After considerable soul-searching, she continued, taking her fifth National title in 1973. With Schuba's retirement and the devaluation of compulsory figures caused by the addition of the short program to competitions, only Magnussen seemed to stand in her way.
At the 1973 World Championships, Lynn skated her best figures ever, taking 2nd in that discipline, but in the newly-introduced short program of required jumps and spins, which she had been expected to win, two falls landed her in 12th position. She came out on top in free skating, but the short program kept her from the gold. A silver medal would mark the end of Lynn's amateur career.
offered her a three-year contract for $1,455,000, which made her the highest-paid female professional athlete of the time. She proved to be the kind of draw she was expected to be, putting the Ice Follies on a much firmer basis in its rivalry with the Ice Capades
. In 1974, Janet Lynn finally took the top spot in a World competition, becoming the World Professional Champion
in an event created by promoter Dick Button
to showcase her.
Lynn's professional career was cut short after only two years by problems with allergy
-related asthma
exacerbated by the cold, damp air in skating rinks. In 1975, she retired from skating and started a family.
In the early 1980s, with her asthma under control, she returned to skate professionally for a few years. She again appeared in Button's professional competitions and co-starred with John Curry
in his made-for-TV ice ballet, "The Snow Queen".
Over the years, Lynn has also worked as a Christian motivational speaker
and contributed articles promoting conservative political causes.
was one of the reasons why the International Skating Union
devalued the weight of compulsory figures
in competition by introducing the short program. Since compulsory figures were rarely televised and were not well understood by the general public, television audiences were confused and angry when superior free skaters such as Lynn consistently lost competitions to mediocre free skaters such as Schuba.
She remains probably the best skater never to have won the ultimate prize of World or Olympic champion, and one of the top freestyle skaters of all time.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
figure skater
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
and Olympic bronze medalist.
Amateur career
Lynn began to skate almost as soon as she could walk and took part in her first exhibition performance at the age of four in a group number at Chicago Stadium. By age seven, she was living away from home part of the year, staying with the slightly older skater Kathleen Kranich to be close to her coach Slavka KohoutSlavka Kohout
Slavka Kohout is an American figure skating coach, best known for coaching 5-time U.S. Champion Janet Lynn throughout her entire competitive career.- Career :...
, who worked out of Rockton, Illinois
Rockton, Illinois
Rockton is a village in Winnebago County, Illinois, United States located on the banks of the Rock River. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, but her close-knit family was never far away. Eventually her family moved from the Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park to Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, some fifteen miles from Rockton and the rink. Janet would attend Junior High in Rockford. She used her middle name Lynn instead of Nowicki, which was constantly being misspelled and mispronounced. Janet was always forthright about the name change; in her own mind her name was still Nowicki.
In 1964, at 11, she became the youngest skater to pass the rigorous eighth and final test administered by the United States Figure Skating Association
United States Figure Skating Association
U.S. Figure Skating is the national governing body for the sport of figure skating on ice in the United States. It is recognized as such by the United States Olympic Committee "USOC" under the Ted Stevens Olympic and Amateur Sports Act and is the United States member of the International Skating...
, and two years later she won the U.S. Junior Ladies Championship at Berkeley, California
Berkeley, California
Berkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
. At that competition she landed a triple salchow jump
Salchow jump
The Salchow is a figure skating jump with a takeoff from a back inside edge of one foot. The rotation in the air is made in the direction of the curve of the take-off edge. The landing is made on the back outside edge of the foot opposite the one used for take-off. One or more rotations may be...
, which at the time was rarely performed by female skaters, giving early evidence of a jumping ability that was to thrill audiences and impress judges for years to come. In later years she was also one of the first female skaters to include a triple toe loop
Toe loop jump
The toe loop is one of the simplest jumps in figure skating. It is usually the second jump learned after the salchow. It is a toe pick-assisted jump that takes off and lands on the same backward outside edge. - Toe loop technique :...
in her programs.
Moving up to senior level, Lynn gained 3rd place at the 1968 U.S. Championships, which qualified her to compete at the 1968 Winter Olympics
1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1968 in Grenoble, France and opened on 6 February. Thirty-seven countries participated...
in Grenoble, France, where she placed 9th. At the time she was 14 years old and it was her first major international competition. She also placed 9th at her first World Championships
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
in 1968.
Lynn won her first Senior national title at the 1969 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
That year she beat Canada's Karen Magnussen
Karen Magnussen
Karen Diane Magnussen, OC is a Canadian figure skater. She won the silver medal at the 1972 Winter Olympics, and is 1973 World Champion....
for the North American Championship
North American Figure Skating Championships
The North American Figure Skating Championships were a former elite figure skating competition for skaters from the United States and Canada. It was a biennial competition held between 1923 and 1971, with locations alternating between the two countries.Although the event was classified as an...
, but had disappointing results in the World Championships. Despite the absence of both Magnussen and Czechoslovakia's Hana Mašková
Hana Mašková
Hana Mašková was a Czech figure skater who competed for Czechoslovakia.-Biography:As a child, Hana spent her days on the ice at the Štvanice Stadium. Reputable coach Karel Glogar noticed the talent in this little girl. Glogar also had been instrumental in the beginning of the career of Ája...
due to injuries, Lynn was unable to do better than 5th place, falling behind Julie Lynn Holmes
Julie Lynn Holmes
Julie Lynn Holmes is a former American figure skater. She won one silver medal and one bronze medal at the World Figure Skating Championships and competed in the 1972 Winter Olympics.She was coached initially by Nancy Rush and then by Carlo Fassi...
, in 4th, whom she had beaten for the national title. Gabriele Seyfert
Gabriele Seyfert
Gabriele Seyfert is a retired German figure skater. She is a two-time world champion , and the 1968 Olympic silver medalist.-Biography:...
of East Germany took the gold medal.
The World Championships were to remain a problem for her. Although she continued to reign as U.S. Champion, something always seemed to go wrong at Worlds. In 1970, Seyfert and Austria's Beatrix Schuba
Beatrix Schuba
Trixi Schuba is an Austrian figure skater and is a six-time Austrian champion , a two-time European champion , a two-time World champion , and Olympic champion of 1972, all in ladies' singles.She is considered to be one of the best compulsory figure skaters ever.-Biography:Born in Vienna,...
were again in 1st and 2nd place, while Holmes moved up to 3rd and Lynn dropped back to 6th. Part of the problem was an inconsistency in compulsory figures
Compulsory figures
Compulsory figures or school figures were formerly an aspect of the sport of figure skating, from which the sport derives its name. Carving specific patterns or figures into the ice was the original focus of the sport. The patterns of compulsory figures all derive from the basic figure eight...
, which meant that she always had to make up ground in the free skating. Lynn made an effort to remedy this weakness by working with the great New York-based coach Pierre Brunet, who had previously had World Champions Carol Heiss
Carol Heiss
Carol Elizabeth Heiss Jenkins is an American figure skater. She is the 1960 Olympic Champion in Ladies Singles, 1956 Olympic silver medalist and five-time World Champion .-Biography:...
and Donald Jackson
Donald Jackson
Donald George Jackson, CM is a retired Canadian figure skater. He captured four Canadian titles and a bronze medal at the 1960 Winter Olympics...
under his tutelage. At the 1971 World Championships, she placed 5th in figures and skated well in the free skating to place 4th overall, while Schuba took the gold, Holmes the silver and Magnussen the bronze.
The year 1972 brought both World and Olympic challenges. Lynn beat Holmes for the national title for the fourth year in a row, and there were widespread predictions that she would finally take not only World but Olympic gold, especially because of Schuba's weakness in free skating. Schuba's lackluster performance at Lyon, France the previous year had even drawn boos, but she won the championship based on her enormous lead in the compulsory figures.
At the 1972 Winter Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
at Sapporo, Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Lynn placed a disappointing 4th in the compulsory figures. Once again Schuba's technical mastery in this discipline was very strong; although she placed only 7th in the free skating, her large lead from the figures enabled her to take the gold medal. Magnussen won the silver and Lynn was left with the bronze, an order of finish repeated at the 1972 World Championships in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
By this time, international-level disappointments had taken their toll, and Lynn was also struggling with her weight and lack of motivation that nearly caused her to quit skating. But she had always had a very strong Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
faith and a belief that God had given her a gift for skating with an intention that she use it. After considerable soul-searching, she continued, taking her fifth National title in 1973. With Schuba's retirement and the devaluation of compulsory figures caused by the addition of the short program to competitions, only Magnussen seemed to stand in her way.
At the 1973 World Championships, Lynn skated her best figures ever, taking 2nd in that discipline, but in the newly-introduced short program of required jumps and spins, which she had been expected to win, two falls landed her in 12th position. She came out on top in free skating, but the short program kept her from the gold. A silver medal would mark the end of Lynn's amateur career.
Professional career
Lynn's international-level travails had not dimmed her country's affection for her. Her popularity was such that the Ice FolliesIce Follies
Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies was a touring ice show featuring elaborate production numbers, similar in concept to Ice Capades. It was founded in 1937 by Eddie Shipstad, Roy Shipstad, and Oscar Johnson, who also skated in the show. In later years, Olympic skaters such as Donald Jackson, Barbara...
offered her a three-year contract for $1,455,000, which made her the highest-paid female professional athlete of the time. She proved to be the kind of draw she was expected to be, putting the Ice Follies on a much firmer basis in its rivalry with the Ice Capades
Ice Capades
The Ice Capades was a traveling entertainment show featuring theatrical performances involving ice skating. Shows often featured former Olympicand National Champion figure skaters who had retired from amateur competition....
. In 1974, Janet Lynn finally took the top spot in a World competition, becoming the World Professional Champion
World Professional Figure Skating Championships
The World Professional Figure Skating Championships, often referred to as Landover, was an elite made-for-TV figure skating competition. It was created by Dick Button, a 2-time Olympic gold medalist, through his production company Candid Productions. It usually took place in December...
in an event created by promoter Dick Button
Dick Button
Richard Totten "Dick" Button is an American former figure skater and a well-known long-time skating television analyst. He is a two-time Olympic Champion and five-time World Champion...
to showcase her.
Lynn's professional career was cut short after only two years by problems with allergy
Allergy
An Allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Allergic reactions occur when a person's immune system reacts to normally harmless substances in the environment. A substance that causes a reaction is called an allergen. These reactions are acquired, predictable, and rapid...
-related asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
exacerbated by the cold, damp air in skating rinks. In 1975, she retired from skating and started a family.
In the early 1980s, with her asthma under control, she returned to skate professionally for a few years. She again appeared in Button's professional competitions and co-starred with John Curry
John Curry
John Anthony Curry, OBE was a British figure skater. He was the 1976 Olympic and World Champion. He was famous for combining ballet and modern dance influences into his skating.-Early life:...
in his made-for-TV ice ballet, "The Snow Queen".
Over the years, Lynn has also worked as a Christian motivational speaker
Motivational speaker
A motivational speaker or inspirational speaker is a speaker who makes speeches intended to motivate or inspire an audience. In a business context, they are employed to communicate company strategy with clarity and help employees to see the future in a positive light and inspire workers to pull...
and contributed articles promoting conservative political causes.
Legacy
The contrast between Lynn and Beatrix SchubaBeatrix Schuba
Trixi Schuba is an Austrian figure skater and is a six-time Austrian champion , a two-time European champion , a two-time World champion , and Olympic champion of 1972, all in ladies' singles.She is considered to be one of the best compulsory figure skaters ever.-Biography:Born in Vienna,...
was one of the reasons why the International Skating Union
International Skating Union
The International Skating Union is the international governing body for competitive ice skating disciplines, including figure skating, synchronized skating, speed skating, and short track speed skating. It was founded in Scheveningen, Netherlands in 1892, making it one of the oldest international...
devalued the weight of compulsory figures
Compulsory figures
Compulsory figures or school figures were formerly an aspect of the sport of figure skating, from which the sport derives its name. Carving specific patterns or figures into the ice was the original focus of the sport. The patterns of compulsory figures all derive from the basic figure eight...
in competition by introducing the short program. Since compulsory figures were rarely televised and were not well understood by the general public, television audiences were confused and angry when superior free skaters such as Lynn consistently lost competitions to mediocre free skaters such as Schuba.
She remains probably the best skater never to have won the ultimate prize of World or Olympic champion, and one of the top freestyle skaters of all time.
Results
| Event | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympics Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
9th | 3rd | |||||||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
9th | 5th | 6th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | |||
| North American Championships North American Figure Skating Championships The North American Figure Skating Championships were a former elite figure skating competition for skaters from the United States and Canada. It was a biennial competition held between 1923 and 1971, with locations alternating between the two countries.Although the event was classified as an... |
1st | 2nd | |||||||
| U.S. Championships United States Figure Skating Championships The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters... |
8th J. | 4th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
See also
- Figure skatingFigure skatingFigure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
- 1972 Winter Olympics1972 Winter OlympicsThe 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
- U.S. Figure Skating Championships
- World Figure Skating ChampionshipsWorld Figure Skating ChampionshipsThe World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...