| In 1938 the world of ice skating changed forever. Hans | | | | while, by far the best jumpers in Europe, on the lines of |
| Muller was no longer leading the way forward and into | | | | Button. They skated at tremendous speed, being by |
| the unoccupied throne ascended Mile Micheline Lannoy | | | | far the fastest pair we had seen and were likely to |
| and Pierre Baugniet of Brussels, trained by the Belgian | | | | see for a long time, with the possible exception of the |
| painter and athlete Charles Landot and winning the | | | | Canadians Suzanne Morrow and Wally Distlemeyer, |
| European in 1947, the Worlds in 1947 and 1948 and the | | | | who were certainly unlucky not to gain a title on this |
| Olympic crown in 1948. Charming though they were, | | | | side of the Atlantic. |
| they did not leave such an impression on pair skating | | | | After the U.S.A. victory of the Kennedys, brother and |
| as did Fri. A. Kekesy and E. Kiraly of Hungary, over | | | | sister, in 1950 (in London) there came on the scene |
| whom they had gained decisions, but who won the | | | | another outstanding pair, Fri. Ria Baran and Paul Falk of |
| European in 1948 and 1949 and the Worlds once only, | | | | Germany, who carried all before them in the European, |
| in 1949. | | | | World and Olympic (1952) Competitions. I think it fair to |
| This Hungarian pair was modern in every sense of the | | | | say that this pair, with their classic style, was one of |
| word. Both were superb solo free skaters and, for a | | | | the most beautiful and thrilling ever seen. |