On YouTube, I found a program skated by Ludmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov of the former Soviet Union. They skated under the name Protopopov, and they were brilliant pairs skaters in the 1960s. I first heard of them when I read Toller Cranston’s book, Ice Cream, where he counts down, in his opinion, the top figure skaters that revolutionized figure skating.
Cranston notes how the Protopopovs’ balletic style changed pairs skating. And I have to agree. As I watch it, I couldn’t believe how they floated effortlessly across the ice.
Despite medals and championships, in the mid-60s, the figure skating Federation of the USSR proclaimed the Protopopovs were past their prime, saying they were too old to skate and not worth coaching. Belousova was 29 and Protopopov was 32 in 1964 when they won their first Olympic gold medal, and four years later they won their second gold.
The Protopopovs were similar to Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov. They were simply beautiful on the ice. I wish I appreciated G & G’s style at the time especially at the 1990 World Figure Skating Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia. However, I didn’t understand judges wanted elegance , grace with strength over sky-high throws and ceiling hitting twists.
The *Protopopovs are well into their 70s, and I don’t know if they skate today, but five years ago they were still on the ice. And time is definitely their friend.
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*Update November 4, 2024 – Oleg Protopopovs died on November 3, 2024, age 91.
*Updated October 1, 2017 – Ludmila Belousova died on September 29, 2017, age 81.
Updated 2013 – As of 2013, the Protopopovs are still performing – time really is on their side.
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