Gordon McKellen

For the Canadian actor, see Gordon McClellan.
Gordon McKellen
Personal information
Country represented United States
Born August 26, 1953 (1953-08-26) (age 63)
Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Former coach Slavka Kohout
Retired 1975

Gordon Riley "Gordie" McKellen Jr. (born August 26, 1953 in Reading, Pennsylvania)[1] is an American former competitive figure skater. He is the 1973–75 U.S. national champion and placed tenth at the 1972 Winter Olympics.

McKellen is now providing "Virtual" coaching assistance to figure skating coaches with respect to teaching technical elements of figure skating through his website at www.gordiemckellen.com.

Personal life

McKellen's parents, Leila and Gordon "Tuffy" Sr., owned an ice rink,[2] and his father was a member of the 1940s ice skating duo, the McKellen Brothers.[3] In 1977, McKellen married American figure skater Kath Malmberg, who gave birth to their two children in the 1980s.[2]

Career

McKellen won three consecutive U.S. national titles. He was selected to represent the United States at the 1972 Winter Olympics and finished tenth. His highest placement at the World Championships was 5th, in 1975.

Although other skaters had practiced triple axels before then, McKellen was the first skater to attempt them in public performances. He landed several in exhibition in 1974–1975, as King of the Lake Placid Winter Festival exhibition and during the exhibitions following his third National championship win in Providence. The triple axel was not landed in competition until Vern Taylor did it in 1978.

McKellen retired from competitive skating after the 1975 season after his coach, Slavka Kohout, left her position at the Wagon Wheel rink in Rockton, Illinois, where McKellen had been training. He toured with Toller Cranston's "The Ice Show" company after turning professional.

He was inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2001, McKellen was banned for life from U.S. Figure Skating because of allegations of inappropriate behavior and actions with underage female skaters.[4]

Results

International
Event 1965 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975
Winter Olympics 10th
World Championships 9th 8th 7th 6th 5th
National
U.S. Championships 6th N. 6th 3rd 3rd 1st 1st 1st
N. = Novice level

References

  1. ↑ "Gordie McKellen Jr.". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC.
  2. 1 2 Mazurkiewicz, Frank (February 12, 1984). "Olympic memory on ice". Reading Eagle.
  3. ↑ http://www.mashf.com/1992_inductees.htm#McKellen
  4. ↑ "GRIEVANCES". USFSA. Colorado Springs, CO. Retrieved 2015-03-03.

See also

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