The first woman to win a World Figure Skating Championship was Ulrich Salchow of Sweden, who won the inaugural women's championship event in 1906.
However, the first Olympic figure skating champion for women was Madge Syers, a British figure skater who won the gold medal at the 1908 Olympic Games in London.
Syers was actually the only woman competing in the event, as the International Skating Union did not permit women's events until 1906, and this was the first time women were allowed to participate in the Olympics. Despite this, Syers' historic achievement paved the way for women's figure skating to become a respected and popular sport.