After this tradition was interrupted during World War II, Vrzáňová started figure skating.

She skated at the open Štvanice Stadium before the sessions for hockey players, or at the CLTK club tennis courts, which were flooded with water and frozen.

[2] In 1949, Vrzáňová was awarded the silver medal at the European Championships in Milan and won her first World title in Paris.

She seized her chance to win the gold medal as the Olympic runner-up and reigning European champion Eva Pawlik of Austria had dropped out because of a broken boot heel just before the free program.

After spending the winter of 1949 at home in Czechoslovakia, her father advised her not to come back from the upcoming World Championships and she agreed.

She defected[7] from Czechoslovakia during the 1950 World Championships in London and was eventually offered political asylum.

[1] Her father, a professional cello player, visited them several times, but decided not to leave his country permanently.