1981 World Figure Skating Championships

The 1981 World Figure Skating Championships was the 71st edition of World Figure Skating Championship, held in Hartford, Connecticut, United States from March 3 to 8. At the event, sanctioned by the International Skating Union, medals were awarded in men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.

The ISU Representative was Olaf Poulsen and the ISU Technical Delegate was Josef Dědič.

The judging system was modified since 1980. For the singles events, the short program was worth 20% and the free skating 50% while the value of compulsory figures was reduced to 30% of the final result. The rank in each category was multiplied with a factor and these three numbers were added to the total score. The factor for the compulsory figures was 0.6, for the short program 0.4 and for the free skating 1.0. The rank within these three categories were judged according to the 6.0-judging system. In pairs, the short program had the factor 0.4 and the free skating 1.0. The ranks within the two pair categories were also judged according to the 6.0-judging system.

Men
Referee:
 * Donald H. Gilchrist 🇨🇦

Assistant Referee:
 * Elemér Terták 🇭🇺

Judges:
 * Walburga Grimm
 * Junko Hiramatsu 🇯🇵
 * Monique Georgelin 🇫🇷
 * Gerhard Frey
 * Maria Zuchowicz 🇵🇱
 * Sergei Kononykhin
 * Linda Petersen
 * Hugh C. Graham jr. 🇺🇸
 * Geoffrey Yates 🇬🇧

Substitute judge:
 * Bojan Lipovšćak 🇨🇦

Ladies
Referee:
 * Sonia Bianchetti 🇮🇹

Assistant Referee:
 * Charles U. Foster 🇺🇸

Judges:
 * Tjaša Andrée
 * Ludwig Gassner 🇦🇹
 * Karl-David Runeskog 🇸🇪
 * Jane Sullivan 🇺🇸
 * Kuniko Ueno 🇯🇵
 * Helga von Wiecki
 * Marie Lundmark 🇫🇮
 * Eugen Romminger
 * David Dore 🇨🇦

Substitute judge:
 * Pamela Davis 🇬🇧

Pairs
Referee:
 * Benjamin T. Wright 🇺🇸

Assistant Referee:
 * Martin Felsenreich 🇦🇹

Judges:
 * Maya Reinhart
 * Jacqueline Kendall-Baker 🇦🇺
 * Walburga Grimm
 * Dorothy MacLeod 🇨🇦
 * Pamela Davis 🇬🇧
 * Liudmila Kubashevskaya
 * Maria Zuchowicz 🇵🇱
 * E. Newbold Black IV. 🇺🇸
 * Eugen Romminger

Substitute judge:
 * Junko Hiramatsu 🇯🇵