RIP Bernard Ford (1966-1969 World and European Ice Dance Champion)

[floskate]

The sad news has been confirmed by a number of sources now, and on Facebook, although nothing seems to have been published as yet. Bernard was one of the true legends of British Ice Skating. With Diane Towler he won four consecutive European and World Titles, as well as the demonstration ice dance event held at the 1968 Winter Olympics. Zorba the Greek was their most iconic free dance and it revolutionised how the free dance could be interpreted and presented, paving the way for all that was to come. As a tribute, I have uploaded the World debut of that Zorba free dance at the 1967 World Championships in Vienna.

https://youtu.be/ZRpxbX8S6Z8

 

[AYS]

Thanks so much for posting that @floskate I'd never seen them perform before. RIP to a trailblazer.

 

[caseyedwards]

RIP. as a pre ice dance in Olympics ice cancer he helped make it a Olympic sport! So who knows how many medals he would have

 

[chewy]

He was one of the inventors of the Cha cha congelado compulsory.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Great video, thanks for posting. Is she still alive?

 

[floskate]

Great video, thanks for posting. Is she still alive?

Diane? Yes she coaches at Streatham still and, along with her daughters, coaches Ashlie Slatter & Atl Ongay-Perez who just competed at the World Junior Championships and were second in British Juniors behind Bekker & Hernandez.

 

[Orm Irian]

The sad news has been confirmed by a number of sources now, and on Facebook, although nothing seems to have been published as yet. Bernard was one of the true legends of British Ice Skating. With Diane Towler he won four consecutive European and World Titles, as well as the demonstration ice dance event held at the 1968 Winter Olympics. Zorba the Greek was their most iconic free dance and it revolutionised how the free dance could be interpreted and presented, paving the way for all that was to come. As a tribute, I have uploaded the World debut of that Zorba free dance at the 1967 World Championships in Vienna.

https://youtu.be/ZRpxbX8S6Z8

What a great program! I was very grateful to the camera operator for focusing in on their feet during the fast steps, that had to be seen up close.

He was a lovely skater. RIP.

 

[Frau Muller]

The sad news has been confirmed by a number of sources now, and on Facebook, although nothing seems to have been published as yet. Bernard was one of the true legends of British Ice Skating. With Diane Towler he won four consecutive European and World Titles, as well as the demonstration ice dance event held at the 1968 Winter Olympics. Zorba the Greek was their most iconic free dance and it revolutionised how the free dance could be interpreted and presented, paving the way for all that was to come. As a tribute, I have uploaded the World debut of that Zorba free dance at the 1967 World Championships in Vienna.

https://youtu.be/ZRpxbX8S6Z8

Zorba was probably the first dance routine that I ever saw (TV). I remember him so well. True master! Dance was, then, the only FS discipline using contemporary music, including recent soundtracks or musicals. T/F did it so grandly.

 

[Cant Skate]

Rest easy Bernie, you will be missed

Obituary for Bernard Albert Ford | Bernard “Bernie” passed away unexpectedly at his home in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, of a sudden cardiac event on Thursday, April 6, 2023. His...

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[victorskid]

Ryan Stevens interviewed Bernard Ford in 2014 - it is well worth a read: https://skateguard1.blogspot.com/2014/11/interview-with-bernard-ford.html