A many-faceted champion

This is little Janet Lynn: blonde, 5'1", who weighs, oh say, 103 pounds (counting both skates)—easily the prettiest pixie of the figure-skating world. Janet began all this fancy whirling and jumping when she was 6 and now, at a vivacious 16, she is both the U.S. and North American champion—an icy odds-on favorite to become the next world titleholder. But first comes the national meet next week in Tulsa and, while Janet practiced her defenses, Photographer Phil Leonian used multiple strobe lights flashed against black velvet to capture all the fluid precision of her moves. The result, he says, is "a moment extended." But it is more than that: it is a time and space portrait of a tiny champion at work.

Swinging smoothly—follow the action from right to left—Janet does a double-toe loop (top left), a half-loop (top right) and a flying sit-spin—all reflecting the joys of jumping.

Swirling past the eye of the shutter, Janet prints a flowing picture that—for all of its sinuous mood—demonstrates the firm precision of the art of figure skating.

PHOTO

PHILLIP LEONIAN

SIX PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS

PHILLIP LEONIAN