Which skater in the last 20 years would've been best at comp figures?

[Sam L]

Hello, newbie here. Longtime skating fan but first time posting here. Just pure speculation. Sorry if it has already been discussed.

My nomination would be Shizuka Arakawa. Her use of the edges at the 2004 Worlds was mind blowing.

What do you think?

 

[dorispulaski]

Welcome to Golden Skate, Sam L.

My guess is Patrick Chan, because his first coach made Patrick learn figures, plus Patrick has wonderful edges, of those who never competed in figures.

However, if you go back 20 years to 1995, some of the skaters competing then had actually competed in figures; perhaps 15 years or even 10 would be a better time frame?

Figures were not removed until the 1990-1991 season.

Todd Eldredge competed at the 1990 World Championships and was still competing in 2002.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Eldredge

So if we are going back to 1995, I pick Todd in 1995

Michelle Kwan probably had to learn school figures; her first US senior nationals was 1992; figures required steely nerves as well as great edges, so I probably would go with Michelle.

Of ladies' skaters who never learned figures, my guess is Yu Na Kim who had truly steely nerves as well as good edges.

 

[FireOn]

My pick is Carolina Kostner.

 

[GF2445]

Yeah- it has to be Patrick. His pure skating is superior.

 

[figuristka]

Agreed. Patrick Chan.

 

[Scovies]

Definitely Patrick. I'd throw Takahiko Kozuka in there as well, and maybe Takahashi. Carolina for the ladies.

 

[Krunchii]

Definitely Patrick. I'd throw Takahiko Kozuka in there as well, and maybe Takahashi. Carolina for the ladies.

I agree with your list, Patrick is a shoo-in, I'd just add Yuna Kim to the ladies, if it was judged I just know she would have done everything she could have to perfect it

 

[dorispulaski]

I don't think Carolina would have had the nerves to be a really good figures specialist.

It occurs to me that if you go with 21 years, Brian Boitano, who skated at the 1994 Olympics, would be included, in which case, Brian probably wins. Victor Petrenko, another returnee, finishes second.

Katarina Witt, another returnee in 1994, wins the ladies.

 

[Culturevulture73]

Didn't Michael Weiss compete in the separate figures comp that Nationals had for awhile? If we're picking people who never competed under the figures is part of world competition, I'd pick him.

 

[dorispulaski]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Weiss_(figure_skater)

Yes he did. Twice.

 

[Krunchii]

I don't think Carolina would have had the nerves to be a really good figures specialist.

It occurs to me that if you go with 21 years, Brian Boitano, who skated at the 1994 Olympics, would be included, in which case, Brian probably wins. Victor Petrenko, another returnee, finishes second.

Katarina Witt, another returnee in 1994, wins the ladies.

I guess I'm just looking at potential, she would probably be inconsistent but when she's on, she would be on

and I guess the old guard who kept going a few years after figures were eliminated would be the best but to me it's too obvious haha, I'm just thinking past decade

 

[shiroKJ]

Patrick and Kozuka. Kostner and Mao would do well too probably.

 

[centerpt1]

figures required steely nerves as well as great edges

I wonder if competing figures helped develop steely nerves for the SP and LP? ie was there carry over ?

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Patrick and Irina would get my vote.

 

[TontoK]

Welcome to the forum, Sam L.

This is a very interesting first post!

 

[Krunchii]

Patrick and Kozuka. Kostner and Mao would do well too probably.

How could I forget Mao? She does practice figures, there's a video floating around of Mao and Daisuke doing figures that seems quite recent

edit: found the video of Mao and Daisuke practicing figures, it was from Christmas on Ice a couple months ago

 

[LRK]

Out of curiosity - at what age would skaters generally start to learn doing figures?

 

[Mafke]

I don't think there's any way to predict. You couldn't really look at free skaters and tell which ones were good at figures. Dagmar Lurz did well in figures but her free skating edges look weak and she flutzed.

Skaters who did well in figures in competitions were.... the ones who did well in competition.

Here's a nice photo of a skater doing a figure (a counter) at US nationals in 1978. It would be nice to see more photos like that that give you an idea of how figures could be impressive.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205194336931435&set=gm.858261467563478&type=1&theater

The skater was David Michalowski

 

[matmuh]

dont know much about figures but how about lambiel and buttle? they have great SS as well

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

When I think of figures I just always think those with the best footwork would probably be the most comfortable doing them. In that case may I suggest Daisuke Takahashi and Dennis Ten?