Jacqueline DU BIEF

Weak in figures, but an innovative free skater, Jacqueline du Bief greatest figure skating moment came in 1952, shortly after she had won a bronze medal at the Oslo Olympics, when she won the World Championship in Paris. Although du Bief landed the first-ever double Lutz by a woman, it was a controversial victory as she fell twice during her free skate. She was given a 6.0 by one judge despite this, and even the French fans pelted the ice with various items to protest the decision. Du Bief later wrote in her book Thin Ice, that American Sonya Klopfer deserved the title.

Du Bief won six consecutive French championships (1947-52), and her World title came after she had finished second in the event in 1951. At the European Championships, she won a bronze medal in 1950 and silver medals in 1951-52. Du Bief also skated pairs for a time, winning the French title in 1950-51 with Tony Font. After the 1952 Winter Olympics du Bief turned professional and skated in ice shows in the United States for 12 years, with the Ice Capades, Holiday on Ice, and Hollywood Ice Revue. In 1964 she returned to France where she went back to school.