Joan Dewhirst

Joan Dewhirst (1935 – 14 April 2020) was a British figure skater who competed in ice dance.[1]

Joan Slater (nee Dewhirst)
Personal information
Country represented Great Britain
Died2020
Bramhall, England
PartnerJohn Slater
Medal record
Representing  Great Britain
Figure skating: Ice dancing
World Championships
1952 ParisIce dance
1953 DavosIce dance

Dewhirst was born in Manchester, England. She began skating at age 11, and progressed quickly through the testing levels in figures, ice dance, and pairs. At the age of 14, Joan formed a dance partnership with John Slater and within a year were the silver medalists in the 1951 International Ice Dance Competition in Milan (forerunner to the World Ice Dance Championships). Joan and Jack trained in Manchester with Jack Wake, and also London by Gladys Hogg (famed British figure skating coach of the 1940s-1980s). Shortly after the Milan championship, Joan and John won the first of their three British Ice Dance Championships.[2]

With partner John Slater, she won silver medals at the first two World Championships in ice dance: in 1952 and 1953.[1][3][4][5][6]

1954 saw Joan and Jack retiring from competition and marrying in July of that year. The spent several years touring with Ice Capades and won the World Professional Championship 6 times. Their first of two sons Olympic figure skater Nicky Slater was born in 1958. Second son Kim was born on the way to the hospital while on the M62 highway. Joan transitioned to coaching in the early 1960s in Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham before spending decades as an elite coach in Altrincham.[7] Joan's husband John died in 1989.

Joan coached many British dance champions including Susan Getty & Roy Bradshaw, Karen Barber & Nicky Slater, Sharon Jones & Paul Askham, Sinead Kerr & John Kerr, and Lloyd Jones.[8]

Joan was awarded a well-deserved MBE Order of the British Empire in 2007, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Figure Skating Association in 2016. [9]

Joan died on 14 April 2020 and is survived by her sons Nicky and Kim.[10]

Competitive highlights

With John Slater

Event 1952 1953
World Championships2nd2nd
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References
  1. James R. Hines (22 April 2011). Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating. Scarecrow Press. pp. 72–. ISBN 978-0-8108-7085-7. Joan Dewhirst John Slater.
  2. https://www.iceskating.org.uk/post/joan-slater-mbe-obituary
  3. James R. Hines (22 April 2011). Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating. Scarecrow Press. pp. 290–. ISBN 978-0-8108-7085-7. Joan Dewhirst.
  4. Alice Berman (1998-01-01). Skater's Edge Sourcebook: Ice Skating Resource Guide. Skater's Edge. ISBN 978-0-9643027-1-6.
  5. Howard Bass (1974-01-01). Let's go skating. Paul. ISBN 978-0-09-121050-2.
  6. Raymond Flower (1976). The history of skiing and other winter sports. Methuen. Joan Dewhirst.
  7. https://www.iceskating.org.uk/post/joan-slater-mbe-obituary
  8. https://www.iceskating.org.uk/post/joan-slater-mbe-obituary
  9. https://www.sunrise-care.co.uk/blog/june-2016/resident-receives-lifetime-achievement-award-at-sunrise-of-bramhall#
  10. https://www.iceskating.org.uk/post/joan-slater-mbe-obituary
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