At the 1952 Winter Olympics, three figure skating events were contested. Compulsory figures were skated at the outdoor Jordal Amfi rink, while the free skating portions of the competition were held at the huge Bislett Stadion, on a regulation-sized ice surface set inside the speed skating track. The competition opened with the ladies' figures on February 16 and 17, followed by the men's figures on February 19 and then the three free skating events for ladies, men, and pairs. Somewhat unusually for competitions of this era, there were no particular problems with bad weather or poor ice conditions at the outdoor rinks.
At this competition, Dick Button won his second Olympic title, and also became the first skater to land a triple jump—a triple loop jump -- in competition.
Famous quotes containing the words figure, skating and/or winter:
“And they lie like wedges,
Thick end to thin end and thin end to thick end,
And are a figure of the way the strong
Of mind and strong of arm should fit together,
One thick where one is thin and vice versa.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“In skating over thin ice, our safety is in our speed.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“Out alone in the winter rain,
Intent on giving and taking pain.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)