Petra Burka
Petra Burka ( born November 17, 1946 in Amsterdam, Netherlands) is a former Canadian figure skater who started in a single run. It is the world champion of 1965.
Burqas parents emigrated with her in 1951 from the Netherlands to Canada. Shortly thereafter, she began figure skating. Her mother is the former figure skater and coach Ellen Burka, which led Toller Cranston, Karen Magnussen and her daughter to success. Burqas talent quickly became apparent. At the national championships, she landed the first woman ever to compete a triple jump, the triple Salchow. After their first World Cup, in which they had become 1962 Fourth, went out of her financial support. However, Stafford Smythe, co-owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs recognized her talent and offered her to train in the Maple Leaf Gardens, every morning before the hockey players had their training.
In 1964 to 1966, Petra Burka Canadian champion. Look decreased in the period 1962-1966 in all World Cups and never placed worse than fifth. At the World Championships in 1964 and 1966, she won the bronze medal, just behind Sjoukje Dijkstra and Regine Heitzer, then behind Peggy Fleming and Gabriele Seyfert. 1965 Burka became world champion in Colorado Springs. In their single Olympic Games in Innsbruck Burka 1964 won bronze behind Dijkstra and Heitzer.
After her career end she was a commentator at CBS and CBC and trainer. Since 1999 she works as a consultant for the team Canada.