Bernard Ford

Bernard Ford, MBE, (born in Birmingham, England) is a World and Olympic coach/choreographer and a former four times, British, European and World ice dance Champion and World Professional Ice Dance Champion.

Ford dominated the international ice dance scene, with partner Diane Towler by capturing European and World Figure Skating Championship titles from 1966 to 1969. The couple also participated in the 1968 Grenoble Olympics ice dance demonstration, winning the gold medal. Ice Dance officially became a part of the Winter Olympic Games in 1976.

The team was coached by Gladys Hogg in London, England at [http://www.queens-ice-dance-club.co.uk/champions.html#/ Queens Ice Dance Club.]

The achievements of Towler and Ford earned them the appointment of Members of the British Empire (M.B.E.) by Queen Elizabeth II as well as a spot in the [http://www.worldskatingmuseum.org/ World Figure Skating Hall of Fame] in 1993.

Ford immigrated to Ontario, Canada in 1971 and coached numerous ice dance teams to national titles and international acclaim, most notably 1986 World Championship ice dance bronze medalists Tracy Wilson and Rob McCall. His coaching success with Wilson and McCall earned him the [http://www.coach.ca/eng/awards/petro_canada.cfm/ Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award] and the Longines-Wittnauer Coaching Excellence Award.

In 1986 Ford co-founded the [http://www.yrsawc.on.ca// York Region Skating Academy] in [http://www.richmondhill.ca/ Richmond Hill,] Ontario. It was here in 1989 that Ford, with assistance from coach Kelly Johnson and ice dance team Laurie Palmer and Steven Belanger, invented the Cha-Cha Congelado: an [http://www.isu.org/ International Skating Union] compulsory dance. In 1999 the Town of Richmond Hill recognized Ford with an induction into the Richmond Hill Sports Hall of Fame. In 1994 Ford took a coaching position in Seattle WA, USA were he produced national champions and international competitors alongside coaching ice dance teams from Australia and Japan to World competition. Ford returned to Canada in 2003 and continues to coach ice dance teams to the national and international level.

In January 2007 [http://www.skatecanada.ca// Skate Canada] recognized Ford’s contribution to the discipline of ice dance with an induction to the [http://www.skatecanada.ca/en/about_skate_canada/hall_of_fame/honoured_members/2007.cfm#ford/ Skate Canada Hall of Fame.]

Ford currently resides in Edmonton, AB with his wife.

Results with Diane Towler

World championships

* 1964 – 13th place
* 1965 – 4th place
* 1966 – 1th place
* 1967 – 1st place
* 1968 – 1st place
* 1969 – 1st place

European championships

* 1965 – 4th place
* 1966 – 1st place
* 1967 – 1st place
* 1968 – 1st place
* 1969 – 1st place

British championships

* 1964 – 3rd place
* 1965 – 1st place
* 1966 – 1st place
* 1967 – 1st place
* 1968 – 1st place

References

* [http://www.eskatefans.com/skatabase/worlddance1960.html Skatabase: 1960-1969 Worlds: Ice Dancing Results]
* [http://www.eskatefans.com/skatabase/eurodance1960.html Skatabase: 1960-1969 Europeans: Ice Dancing Results]
* [http://www.eskatefans.com/skatabase/worlddance1980.html Skatabase: 1980-1989 Worlds: Ice Dancing Results]

See also

* Diane Towler
* Figure Skating
* World Figure Skating Championships

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Persondata
NAME=Ford, Bernard
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Ford Bernie
SHORT DESCRIPTION=British figure skater
DATE OF BIRTH=September 29
PLACE OF BIRTH=Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=