Discover The History Of Figure Skating!

Learn all about the fascinating world of figure skating history with Skate Guard Blog. Explore a treasure trove of articles on the history of figure skating, highlighting Olympic Medallists, World and National Champions and dazzling competitions, shows and tours. Written by former skater and judge Ryan Stevens, Skate Guard Blog also offers intriguing insights into the evolution of the sport over the decades. Delve into Stevens' five books for even more riveting stories and information about the history of everyone's favourite winter Olympic sport.

#TheSk80s Contest


Held in May 2024, #TheSk80s contest was a totally tubular way to vote for the raddest skaters of the decade. 

Here's how it worked:

Every day, a new poll was posted on the blog's former Twitter/X account. 

In round one, 80 skaters/teams were put into groups of four using a random generator. Each poll had one man, one woman, one pairs team and one ice dance team. There were twenty consecutive daily polls and the top two skaters/teams receiving the most votes advanced to the second round.

In round two, 40 skaters/teams were put in groups of four using a random generator. There were ten daily polls and only the winners advanced to the final round. 

In the third and final round, participants voted their one favourite skater/team of #TheSk80s in the final poll. There was a draw among those who voted for a free advance copy of "Sequins, Scandals & Salchows: Figure Skating in the 1980s". Congratulations to Kendra, the winner! 


Here's how the final round played out!

Top Ten Qualifiers and Winners:

Scott Hamilton
Elizabeth Manley
Brian Boitano
Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov
Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini
Midori Ito
Kurt Browning
Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean
Katarina Witt
Brian Orser




Thank you to everyone who participated! It was such a fun way to celebrate some of the most bodacious figure skaters of the decade!