SKATING HISTORY LESSON: ORIGINAL HBIC EDITION
Hello, loves! I know it's been ages since I've done one of these, but I vowed to yodante that I would have this done. So here it is, our latest history lesson on the one and only
MADGE SYERS
Florence Madeleine "Madge" Syers (nee Cave) was a British figure skater, first women's World Champion, first women's Olympic Champion, and all around HBIC.
Born in 1881, she quickly became a proficient equestrienne and swimmer in her youth in addition to her talent on the ice. She gave up the "English" style of skating that limited body movement and began skating in the "freer, less-rigid" form of figure skating to music that we are familiar with today that was made popular by the American Jackson Haines by her new coach, Edgar Syers. They skated together, making a formidable team, taking first place in the first-ever British pairs competition. Not soon after, they married in 1899. (Awww...even though he was 19 years older than her - she was 18, him 37 - but whatever, it's still cute, and more common back then anyway)
In the 1902 World Championships, Madge realized, upon reading the rulebook, that there was no rule expressly banning women from competition. She entered and skated magnificently against her male competitors, holding her own even while competing in a full-length skirt. She won the silver medal, but many spectators believed she should have gotten gold - as did the gold medalist, Ulrich Salchow, who took off his gold medal and gave it to her because he felt she deserved it.
Classy GQMF who, as originallove so eloquently put it, "remembered that it's a gentleman's sport not politics!"
After her triumph at the 1902 Worlds, the organizers of the Championship passed a rule explicitly banning women from competing against men in competition - the reason given was that the long skirts that were considered socially acceptable for women made it difficult for the judges to see the womens' feet. Soon after, Madge began a trend of shorter skirts for ladies skaters, just between the ankle and mid-calf.
Not 100% relevent, but it's from the ladies' archery event at the 1908 Olympics. Look at what they're wearing, and imagine trying to SKATE in that while your competitors get to wear pants. (Plus, it's just a really great photo, I think...look at their badass hats!)
In 1903, The Championship of Great Britain was established, which allowed men and women to compete against each other. Both Madge and Edgar entered, with Madge winning gold and Edgar winning the silver. In 1904, she won the competition again.
It wouldn't be until 1906 that a Ladies World Figure Skating Championship was established. Madge entered and won, and in the next Ladies Worlds in 1907 - you guessed it - she won as well. When word got out that figure skating would be contested in the upcoming 1908 Olympics, you can guess that she had her eye on the prize.
Madge and Edgar at the 1908 Olympics.
She competed in the 1908 ladies' singles event at age 27 (she's the oldest ladies' Olympic champ to date) and won the gold easily (all five judges ranked her in first place fofr the compulsory figures and free skate) - her main rival, Lily Kronberger, was not present. But was one Olympic medal good enough for her? HELL NO. She also competed in the pairs event, skating and winning the bronze medal with her husband and coach, Edgar.
Due to her deteriorating health, Madge sadly retired from skating soon after the 1908 Olympics. She passed away in 1917 at the age of 35 due to influenza.
There aren't many photos or videos of her, but there's this lovely clip that she's in (even though it's about Sonja Henie, from the looks of it):
I hope you enjoyed this little skating history lesson! Next up: Cecilia Colledge!
My other skating history posts, if you're interested:
Ulrich Salchow
Gillis Grafström
Debi Thomas
Irina Slutskaya
MADGE SYERS
Florence Madeleine "Madge" Syers (nee Cave) was a British figure skater, first women's World Champion, first women's Olympic Champion, and all around HBIC.
Born in 1881, she quickly became a proficient equestrienne and swimmer in her youth in addition to her talent on the ice. She gave up the "English" style of skating that limited body movement and began skating in the "freer, less-rigid" form of figure skating to music that we are familiar with today that was made popular by the American Jackson Haines by her new coach, Edgar Syers. They skated together, making a formidable team, taking first place in the first-ever British pairs competition. Not soon after, they married in 1899. (Awww...even though he was 19 years older than her - she was 18, him 37 - but whatever, it's still cute, and more common back then anyway)
In the 1902 World Championships, Madge realized, upon reading the rulebook, that there was no rule expressly banning women from competition. She entered and skated magnificently against her male competitors, holding her own even while competing in a full-length skirt. She won the silver medal, but many spectators believed she should have gotten gold - as did the gold medalist, Ulrich Salchow, who took off his gold medal and gave it to her because he felt she deserved it.
Classy GQMF who, as originallove so eloquently put it, "remembered that it's a gentleman's sport not politics!"
After her triumph at the 1902 Worlds, the organizers of the Championship passed a rule explicitly banning women from competing against men in competition - the reason given was that the long skirts that were considered socially acceptable for women made it difficult for the judges to see the womens' feet. Soon after, Madge began a trend of shorter skirts for ladies skaters, just between the ankle and mid-calf.
Not 100% relevent, but it's from the ladies' archery event at the 1908 Olympics. Look at what they're wearing, and imagine trying to SKATE in that while your competitors get to wear pants. (Plus, it's just a really great photo, I think...look at their badass hats!)
In 1903, The Championship of Great Britain was established, which allowed men and women to compete against each other. Both Madge and Edgar entered, with Madge winning gold and Edgar winning the silver. In 1904, she won the competition again.
It wouldn't be until 1906 that a Ladies World Figure Skating Championship was established. Madge entered and won, and in the next Ladies Worlds in 1907 - you guessed it - she won as well. When word got out that figure skating would be contested in the upcoming 1908 Olympics, you can guess that she had her eye on the prize.
Madge and Edgar at the 1908 Olympics.
She competed in the 1908 ladies' singles event at age 27 (she's the oldest ladies' Olympic champ to date) and won the gold easily (all five judges ranked her in first place fofr the compulsory figures and free skate) - her main rival, Lily Kronberger, was not present. But was one Olympic medal good enough for her? HELL NO. She also competed in the pairs event, skating and winning the bronze medal with her husband and coach, Edgar.
Due to her deteriorating health, Madge sadly retired from skating soon after the 1908 Olympics. She passed away in 1917 at the age of 35 due to influenza.
There aren't many photos or videos of her, but there's this lovely clip that she's in (even though it's about Sonja Henie, from the looks of it):
Click to viewI hope you enjoyed this little skating history lesson! Next up: Cecilia Colledge!
My other skating history posts, if you're interested:
Ulrich Salchow
Gillis Grafström
Debi Thomas
Irina Slutskaya