Ria Baran

Ria Baran (2 November 1922 in Dortmund, Germany – 12 November 1986) was a German pair skater. She skated together with Paul Falk and twice became World champion and in 1952 Olympic champion. She was one of the oldest female figure skating Olympic champions.

Ria Baran
Personal information
Country represented	West Germany
Born	(1922-11-02)2 November 1922 Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Died	12 November 1986(1986-11-12) (aged 64)
Former partner	Paul Falk
Medal record Representing  West Germany Pairs' Figure skating Olympic Games 1952 Oslo Pairs World Championships 1951 Milan Pairs 1952 Paris Pairs European Championships 1951 Zürich Pairs 1952 Vienna Pairs

Ria Baran married Paul Falk during her active international figure skating. Therefore she is sometime listed as Ria Baran-Falk or Ria Falk.

The pair skated for the club Düsseldorfer EG and had no coach. Until 1951 Ria Baran and Paul Falk were not able to participate in international competitions because Germany was excluded from the international sport after World War II. They were the first couple which performed side by side double jumps and they also invented the Lasso-Lift.

Baran and Falk were never defeated in amateur competition.

Between 1950 and 1952 Ria Baran was voted 3 times running as the female athlete of the year in Germany.

After winning the Olympics in 1952 they turned pro and worked for Holiday on Ice.

Baran later worked as a secretary.