Gordon Riley "Gordie" McKellen Jr. (born August 26, 1953) is an American former competitive figure skater. He is the 1973–75 U.S. national champion and placed tenth at the 1972 Winter Olympics.
McKellen was born on August 26, 1953, in Reading, Pennsylvania.[1] His parents, Leila and Gordon "Tuffy" Sr., owned an ice rink,[2] and his father was a member of the 1940s ice skating duo, the McKellen Brothers.[3] In 1977, McKellen married American figure skater Kath Malmberg, who gave birth to their two children in the 1980s.[2]
McKellen won three consecutive U.S. national titles. He was selected to represent the United States at the 1972 Winter Olympics and finished tenth. His highest placement at the World Championships was 5th, in 1975.
Although other skaters had practiced triple axels before then, McKellen was the first skater to attempt them in public performances.[citation needed] He landed several in exhibition in 1974–1975, as King of the Lake Placid Winter Festival exhibition and during the exhibitions following his third National championship win in Providence. The triple axel was not landed in competition until Vern Taylor did it in 1978.
McKellen retired from competitive skating after the 1975 season after his coach, Slavka Kohout, left her position at the Wagon Wheel rink in Rockton, Illinois, where McKellen had been training. He toured with Toller Cranston's "The Ice Show" company after turning professional.
