The world of ice skating is mourning the loss of a legendary figure and coach, Bernard Ford, who passed away on Thursday, April 6th, 2023. Keep reading this article to learn more about Bernard Ford including Who he was, how he died, what was his cause of death and much more.
Who was Bernard Ford?
He was a Skating Legend from Britain who achieved remarkable success in the sport. He won multiple World Professional Ice Dance Championships and later transitioned into coaching and choreography. In 1964, Towler and Ford made their debut in the World Championships, securing the 13th spot. The following year, they narrowly missed the podium and finished in fourth place.
However, their hard work paid off as they triumphantly won the gold medal at the European Championships in 1966 and secured their first World title the following year.In 1968, a special ice dancing competition was held during the Summer Olympics, and Towler and Ford astounded the audience with their performance, taking home the gold medal.
In 1976, ice dancing was introduced as a separate category in the Winter Olympics for the first time. Towler and Ford’s incredible accomplishments led to their induction into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1993, and they were also honored as Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II.
How did Bernard Ford die? What was his Cause of death?
It’s with deep sorrow that we received the news about the passing of Bernard Ford, a renowned figure in ice skating and coaching. He was commonly known as Bernie and his demise occurred on Thursday 6th April 2023. Skate Canada: Alberta-NWT/Nunavut conveyed the heartbreaking news through their Facebook page. The cause of his death is still unknown at this moment.
The ice skating community has lost a remarkable talent and his contributions will be deeply missed.
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Career of Bernard Ford
Towler and Ford were given a prestigious award called the Order of the British Empire (MBE). The Birmingham Ice Skating Sound of Music Dance Gala Team competed in April of 1969. Ford moved to Canada in 1971 and became a coach for ice dance teams. He trained Tracy Wilson and Rob McCall who won a bronze medal at the World Championships in 1986. Ford was recognized for his success as a coach with the Wilson/McCall team, receiving both the Petro-Canada Coaching Excellence Award and the Longines-Wittnauer Coaching Excellence Award.
In 1986, Ford helped establish the York Region Skating Academy (YRSA) in Richmond Hill, Ontario. He came up with the Cha-Cha Congelado move in 1989, which was perfected with the help of coach Kelly Johnson and the ice dance team Laurie Palmer and Steven Belanger. In 1999, Ford was inducted into the Richmond Hill Sports Hall of Fame.
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Tributes to Bernard Ford
Lyndsey Eileen Wrote,
Thank you Wendy. We’re shocked by Bernie’s sudden passing and completely heartbroken. He was so proud of his work with you, most recently in Fargo. Thank you for your support and being there for me during those difficult moments.
We were saddened to hear of the passing of four-time World, European and British Champion Bernard Ford, pictured here with his partner Diane Towler-Green. pic.twitter.com/5VgfQwLHXO
— Ice-dance.com (@icedancecom) April 9, 2023
Leigh-Anne Connelly Wise Wrote,
Amazing man. Was so fortunate to have had him as a choreographer when I was skating. His talent had no limits.
