The forgotten world champion

Between December 5 and 7, 1947, 18-year-old Ursula Wehrli stole the show in Washington. The young woman from Zurich won the roller skating world title in the American capital. In front of 2500 spectators, she relegated the Americans June Henrich and Charlotte Ludwig to their places. This was anything but obvious, as the two athletes were stars and roller skating was incredibly popular in the US. In the mid-20th century, bowling was one of the most popular pastimes of Americans. Almost every city had at least one venue, and bars and discos had special skater nights.

Nevertheless, a young Swiss girl won the title at the roller skating world championships, which were held for the first time. A repeat of David versus Goliath? If you compare the popularity of the sport in the two countries, sure. However, Ursula Wehrli’s victory did not come as a complete surprise. After all, the Swiss was the reigning European champion and in professional circles everyone knew her strengths.

The editors of Roller Skate Magazine “American Skaters” Wehrli deliberately (and perhaps somewhat provocatively) put it on the front page in November 1947, just a few weeks before the World Cup. The magazine raved about the «beautiful Ursula Wehrli»the beautiful Ursula Wehrli. “Her figures are large and well patterned and her free skates are a magnet for fine skating enthusiasts.” (Her figures are large and well-structured, and her routine is a magnet for lovers of elegant skating). Her aerial skills were particularly praised.

The newspaper “Daily News” made four European Championship titles from one: “The European champion for four consecutive years, she came here via Pan American clipper.” And Ursula Wehrli was called an athlete Ursuala Wevrili …

Running was in Ursula Wehrli’s blood. Whether on tar or ice, on rollers or on runners, the young woman from Zurich turned around and amazed her competitors and the public again and again. Occasionally, the athlete even grabbed a stick and played a round of roller hockey. The main thing is sliding, driving, rolling…

The eight-year-old started playing sports in 1937 Roller club Zurich began. Since Ursula’s mother had heart problems, the family often went for walks in the fresh air. On one such tour, little Ursula saw a couple dancing to a tune. But it wasn’t a normal dance, it was pirouettes on “moving shoes”! This elegance, this lightness … Little Ursula could not let go of the image of the roller skating couple and it was immediately clear to her: “I want that too!” Finally, father Jean Wehrli relented. The former gymnast and talented figure skater fulfilled his daughter’s wish and Ursula was able to take up roller skating.

Soon the first successes came – on the roller track and on the ice. Ursula Wehrli could have had a great career in either sport. She chose the roller skates. Probably because she had her first positive experiences with the roles. Skating increasingly served her as a recreational sport and in winter replaced training on the roller track, which could not be used due to the weather. Balanced regardless of the winter, the Zurich native also cut a fine figure as a figure skater, becoming Swiss junior champion in 1945.

Despite a string of titles on tar and ice, Ursula Wehrli never became a professional athlete. After school she worked in the office of an insurance company. After countless competitions and almost as many victories, the world champion gave up roller skating in 1950 and became a trainer.

Ursula Wehrli’s sporting record is impressive: European champion, world champion and ten-time Swiss champion. In addition, there is a Swiss champion title in figure skating and numerous podium places in national and international competitions.

The Zurich-born woman could only fulfill one wish for “her sport”: to make roller skating an Olympic discipline. In an interview with the newspaper “Sport” she emphasized that she hoped that this discipline would become one of the regular sports at the 1948 London Olympics. To date this has not been the case. Not even Ursula Wehrli’s sensational performances could change that.