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 married Paul Falk during her active international figure skating. Therefore she is sometime listed as Ria Baran-Falk or Ria Falk. According to figure skating historian James R. Hines, they were known in the skating world as "the Falks". They were also world pair championships in roller skating.

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.

They were elected to the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 1993.

Baran later worked as a secretary.

Results (pairs with Paul Falk) Event 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 Winter Olympic Games 1st World Championships 1st 1st European Championships 1st 1st German Championships 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st 1st