# Carlo Fassi

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**Carlo Fassi** (20 December 1929 – 20 March 1997) was an Italian [figure skater](/source/Figure_skater) and international coach whose students included several World and Olympic champions. As a [single skater](/source/Single_skater), he was the [1953 World](/source/1953_World_Figure_Skating_Championships) bronze medalist, a two-time European champion ([1953](/source/1953_European_Figure_Skating_Championships), [1954](/source/1954_European_Figure_Skating_Championships)), and a ten-time [Italian national](/source/Italian_Figure_Skating_Championships) champion (1945–54).

## Personal life

Fassi was born in [Milan](/source/Milan), the son of a builder.[1] He spoke five languages.[2] He married his skating pupil Christa von Kuczkowski (born 16 February 1942) in 1960.[2] They had three children: Ricardo, Monika, and Lorenzo.[3][4]

## Competitive career

Fassi competed in two disciplines at the [1948 Winter Olympics](/source/Figure_skating_at_the_1948_Winter_Olympics) in [St. Moritz](/source/St._Moritz), Switzerland, placing 15th in men's singles and 13th in [pair skating](/source/Pair_skating) with partner [Grazia Barcellona](/source/Grazia_Barcellona). Appearing only in men's singles, he finished sixth at the [1952 Winter Olympics](/source/Figure_skating_at_the_1952_Winter_Olympics) in [Oslo](/source/Oslo), Norway.

Fassi won gold at the European Championships in [1953](/source/1953_European_Figure_Skating_Championships) and [1954](/source/1954_European_Figure_Skating_Championships), and the bronze medal at the [World Championships in 1953](/source/1953_World_Figure_Skating_Championships). He was the [Italian national](/source/Italian_Figure_Skating_Championships) men's champion for ten years.[5]

## Coaching career

Declining to join the [Ice Capades](/source/Ice_Capades), Fassi took up coaching after the end of his competitive career.[1] From 1956 to 1961, he coached at the Olympic Stadium in [Cortina d'Ampezzo](/source/Cortina_d'Ampezzo), Italy, and for four years served as the trainer for the Italian World team.[5] One of his first students was German skater Christa von Kuczkowski who he married in 1960, and who worked in tandem with him as a teacher and coach.[6][7]

Following the [1961 plane crash](/source/Sabena_Flight_548) that killed the entire U.S. figure skating team and many of the top American coaches, Carlo and Christa moved to the United States, where they established themselves as a successful coaching team, based first at the [Broadmoor Arena](/source/Broadmoor_Hotel) in [Colorado Springs, Colorado](/source/Colorado_Springs,_Colorado),[5] then at the Colorado Ice Arena in suburban [Denver](/source/Denver), before returning to the Broadmoor in the early 1980s. Carlo later spent three years in Italy in the early 1990s and then returned to the U.S. to coach at the Ice Castle rink in [Lake Arrowhead, California](/source/Lake_Arrowhead,_California).[1][4]

Their students included World and Olympic champions [Peggy Fleming](/source/Peggy_Fleming), [Dorothy Hamill](/source/Dorothy_Hamill), [John Curry](/source/John_Curry), [Robin Cousins](/source/Robin_Cousins), and [Jill Trenary](/source/Jill_Trenary).[2][8] They also coached [Scott Hamilton](/source/Scott_Hamilton_(figure_skater)) and [Paul Wylie](/source/Paul_Wylie) in the early stages of their careers. Skaters from all over the world came to train with Mr and Mrs Fassi, giving their training package a cosmopolitan atmosphere that was rigorous yet warm and homely.

In addition to being an excellent technical coach, Fassi had the reputation of being a master of political dealings in the figure skating world, with the ability to bring his students to the attention of the judges. In the days of the [Cold War](/source/Cold_War) judges tended to judge more on nationality and ideological adherence rather than ability. Fassi 'worked the room' in promoting his skaters, advising judges on subtle technical points and making himself 'inadvertently overheard.' His standing in the sport was such that when the comic character [Snoopy](/source/Snoopy) adopted an alter ego as a figure skating coach (appearing, for example, in the 1980 TV special *[She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown](/source/She's_a_Good_Skate,_Charlie_Brown)*), it was clearly modelled upon Fassi.

Fassi died of a [heart attack](/source/Myocardial_infarction) at the [1997 World Championships](/source/1997_World_Figure_Skating_Championships) in [Lausanne](/source/Lausanne), which he was attending as the coach of [Nicole Bobek](/source/Nicole_Bobek) and [Cornel Gheorghe](/source/Cornel_Gheorghe).[2][7][8] He was inducted into the Coaches Hall of Fame by the Professional Skaters Association in 2002.[9]

### 1980 Olympics controversy

After Fassi's death, U.S. skater [Linda Fratianne](/source/Linda_Fratianne) and her coach [Frank Carroll](/source/Frank_Carroll_(figure_skater)) alleged that Fassi had conspired to "rob" Fratianne of the gold medal at the [1980 Winter Olympics](/source/Figure_skating_at_the_1980_Winter_Olympics) by masterminding a deal with Eastern-bloc judges to swap votes for his own pupil [Robin Cousins](/source/Robin_Cousins) in the men's event with those for the East German champion [Anett Pötzsch](/source/Anett_P%C3%B6tzsch) in the ladies' event.[10][11][12] The allegations became so well known that the story has subsequently been repeated as if it were fact.[13][14]

Sonia Bianchetti, referee of the men's competition at those Olympics, has denied that the judging of either event was incorrect, and noted that only two of the nine judges on the ladies' panel were from Eastern-bloc countries[15]—while five other judges also gave their first-place votes to Pötzsch.[16] Benjamin Wright, the American referee of the ladies' event, instead blamed the method of tabulating scores that was in effect at that time for Fratianne's defeat.[17]

Fassi had five students of his own competing in the ladies' event in Lake Placid: [Emi Watanabe](/source/Emi_Watanabe) of Japan, [Susanna Driano](/source/Susanna_Driano) of Italy, [Claudia Kristofics-Binder](/source/Claudia_Kristofics-Binder) of Austria, [Kristiina Wegelius](/source/Kristiina_Wegelius) of Finland, and [Karena Richardson](/source/Karena_Richardson) of Great Britain.[18][19]

## Results

### Men's singles

International Event 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 Winter Olympics 15th 6th World Champ. 8th 6th 6th 3rd European Champ. 4th 3rd 3rd 2nd 1st 1st National Italian Champ. 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st

### Pairs with Barcellona

International Event 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 Winter Olympics 13th European Champ. 9th National Italian Champ. 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st

## References

1. Glauber, Bill (21 March 1997). ["Fassi, coach to stars, dies after heart attack Mentor of Fleming, Hamill was at worlds with Bobek"](https://www.baltimoresun.com/1997/03/21/fassi-coach-to-stars-dies-after-heart-attack-mentor-of-fleming-hamill-was-at-worlds-with-bobek-figure-skating/). *The Baltimore Sun*

1. Hersh, Philip (30 March 1997). ["Fond Goodbye To Master Coach Of Figure Skating"](https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/03/30/fond-goodbye-to-master-coach-of-figure-skating/). *Chicago Tribune*

1. Longman, Jere (21 March 1997). ["Carlo Fassi, Skating Coach, Is Dead at 67"](https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/21/sports/carlo-fassi-skating-coach-is-dead-at-67.html). *The New York Times*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140714200124/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/21/sports/carlo-fassi-skating-coach-is-dead-at-67.html) 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 15 February 2017.

1. Hersh, Philip (21 March 1997). ["Renowned Skating Coach Fassi, 67, Dies"](https://www.chicagotribune.com/1997/03/21/renowned-skating-coach-fassi-67-dies/). *Chicago Tribune*

1. "Pro News", Skating magazine, May 1961

1. ["Carlo Fassi"](http://www.munzinger.de/search/portrait/Carlo+Fassi++/1/1057.html) (in German). munzinger.de. March 1984. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20140714230711/http://www.munzinger.de/search/portrait/Carlo+Fassi++/1/1057.html) 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 June 2014.

1. Bird, Dennis (26 March 1997). ["Obituary: Carlo Fassi"](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-carlo-fassi-1275123.html). *independent.co.uk*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160513045232/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/obituary-carlo-fassi-1275123.html) 13 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 August 2017.

1. ["Coach Of Legends Dies; Heart Attack Fells Carlo Fassi, Mentor To Fleming And Hamill"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140616110726/http://articles.philly.com/1997-03-21/sports/25572443_1_carlo-fassi-jill-trenary-peggy-fleming). *Daily News Wire Services*. The Philadelphia Inquirer. 21 March 1997. Archived from [the original](http://articles.philly.com/1997-03-21/sports/25572443_1_carlo-fassi-jill-trenary-peggy-fleming) on 16 June 2014.

1. Professional Skaters Association ["Hall-Of-Fame"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130308114245/http://www.skatepsa.com/Hall-Of-Fame-P.htm). Archived from [the original](http://www.skatepsa.com/Hall-Of-Fame-P.htm) on 8 March 2013. Retrieved 28 April 2013.

1. Brennan, Christine. [*Edge of Glory*](https://archive.org/details/edgeofgloryinsid00bren). ISBN 0-684-84128-2.

1. ["Kwan's Coach Hoping to Gild a Career Filled With Heartbreak"](https://www.nytimes.com/specials/olympics/nagano/fig/021898oly-fig-womens.html). *The New York Times*. 18 February 1998. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160304074840/http://www.nytimes.com/specials/olympics/nagano/fig/021898oly-fig-womens.html) 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 15 February 2017.

1. ["Fratianne hopes to see more changes"](https://www.espn.com/olympics/winter02/figure/story?id=1334486). ESPN. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250123091436/https://www.espn.com/olympics/winter02/figure/story?id=1334486) 23 January 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 July 2024.

1. Brennan, Christine (13 November 2009). ["Lake Placid figure skating"](https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/brennan/2009-11-13-lake-placid-figure-skating_N.htm). *USA Today*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20101205095229/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/brennan/2009-11-13-lake-placid-figure-skating_N.htm) 5 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 25 August 2017.

1. Jackson, Jon. *On Edge*. ISBN 1-56025-953-1.

1. ["Fratianne-Poetzsch: Clearing the Record"](http://www.soniabianchetti.com/writings_fpcr.html). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181449/http://www.soniabianchetti.com/writings_fpcr.html) 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 15 December 2009.

1. "100 Years of Ladies Skating, Part II", *Blades on Ice*, December 2006

1. Benjamin T. Wright, *Skating in America*, published by the [United States Figure Skating Association](/source/United_States_Figure_Skating_Association)

1. ["Die Damen-Wahl"](http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-39685821.html) (in German). *[Der Spiegel](/source/Der_Spiegel)*. 10 December 1979. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160509202028/http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-39685821.html) 9 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 April 2016.

1. [Skate America Preview 2.htm The First Skate America, Part 2](http://www.iceskatingintnl.com/current/content/2009)[dead link]

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Carlo Fassi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Fassi) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Fassi?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.