Disastrous Competitive Programs | Page 5 | Golden Skate

Disastrous Competitive Programs

astimegoesby

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 8, 2003
IIRC, the reason why Kurt was able to win 1991 Trophée Lalique despite two less-than-stellar performances was because the skater who won the SP fell apart in the long while the skater who won the LP was too far behind after the SP to move up. Since Kurt finished second in both programs, he won overall. Urmanov and Zagorodniuk placed second and third at that event, but I can't remember how either one of them skated (that was a very poorly-skated event overall, IIRC).

The event where Kurt forgot his program was 1996 Ultimate Four (one of the first pro-ams). It was the first time Kurt had skated an ISU-style short program in years and one of the judges gave him a mark of 2.5--the lowest score I've ever seen in a skating competition. Probably the lowest mark Kurt's ever seen, too (at least for one of his own programs).

Other performances on my "disastrous competitive programs" list would be:

Kurt's 1994 Olympics SP (enough said!)

Josée Chouinard: 1993 and 1994 Worlds LP (both years, she was in a wonderful position for a medal after the SP, but just fell apart during the LP)

B&E: 1992 Olympics and Worlds LP (even though they medalled at both events, you would have never guessed it from watching those programs!)

B&K: 2002 Olympics FD (it's sooo rare to see ice dancers fall and for B&K, that fall couldn't have happened at a worse possible time)

Laetitia Hubert: 1992 Olympics LP

both of Nicole Bobek's 1998 Olympics programs

the entire Canadian women's event: 1995 to 1998 :cry:

As for S&P's 2000 Worlds LP, the most heartbreaking thing for me was not the performance itself (like someone else said, there were no falls and none of the three pairs who finished ahead of them skated cleanly, either, IIRC), but the fact that if Jamie had successfully landed even one of those SBS jump attempts, that could have made the difference between S&P winning gold at that event and not winning a medal at all. :cry:
 

icenut84

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
astimegoesby said:
As for S&P's 2000 Worlds LP, the most heartbreaking thing for me was not the performance itself (like someone else said, there were no falls and none of the three pairs who finished ahead of them skated cleanly, either, IIRC), but the fact that if Jamie had successfully landed even one of those SBS jump attempts, that could have made the difference between S&P winning gold at that event and not winning a medal at all. :cry:

I don't agree. I watched it again recently, and I thought Petrova & Tikhonov deserved the title and Shen & Zhao deserved silver - there were some boos from the crowd, but the Eurosport commentators agreed too. Abitbol & Bernadis were in 3rd place when Sale & Pelletier skated - they'd had one mistake, a fall on a throw (IIRC), but had a good programme with an original concept and moves. S&P were being hyped as possible winners, but I don't think they deserved a medal after their performance. As well as the three mistakes by Jamie, the programme was Love Story which, as we all know, is a relatively empty programme (some bits even emptier than the Olympic version), and it wasn't skated with much emotion or feeling at all IMO. Most of the judges had them in 4th place I think, with some 5th and some 3rd. Two judges (one Canadian and I'm not sure of the other) had them 2nd, and the American judge had them first!!! No way.
(Not bashing, JMO.) Even if she'd landed one of the jumps properly, I don't think they'd have deserved a medal, certainly not gold.
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
IIRC, the reason why Kurt was able to win 1991 Trophée Lalique despite two less-than-stellar performances was because the skater who won the SP fell apart in the long while the skater who won the LP was too far behind after the SP to move up. Since Kurt finished second in both programs, he won overall. Urmanov and Zagorodniuk placed second and third at that event, but I can't remember how either one of them skated (that was a very poorly-skated event overall, IIRC).

==============================================Actually, Zagorodniuk should have won the gold medal, as his long program was far superior to Kurt's. Kurt should have finished no higher than third in the long program, and I believe that would have given Z the title, had the judges elected to judge on what actually happened on the ice and not on reputation. :eek:
==============================================

The event where Kurt forgot his program was 1996 Ultimate Four (one of the first pro-ams). It was the first time Kurt had skated an ISU-style short program in years and one of the judges gave him a mark of 2.5--the lowest score I've ever seen in a skating competition. Probably the lowest mark Kurt's ever seen, too (at least for one of his own programs).


==============================================
I remember that one! What an embarrassment. Kurt practically stopped in mid-program. His spur-of-the-moment choregraphy was dreadful, and he was totally stunned when he finished that program. The marks were very low, but they accurately reflected what happened.

==============================================
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
If this has already been mentioned, forgive me -- but I'm thinking of Michelle Kwan's 1997 US Nationals long program. As the defending US and World champion, it was a complete & stunning shock to see Michelle miss her first three jumps - two falls in less than one minute. The crowd got right into the program and cheered her on, but the damage was done. Kwan finished second
overall. Tara Lipinski skated through the wreckage with a bold and gutsy program and won the US title.
 

euterpe

Medalist
Joined
Sep 4, 2003
1997 was the first year Kwan had to defend her US and World titles, which is probably why her nerves got the best of her. The exact same thing happened to Tara Lipinski in 1998. She lost her US title to Kwan. Lipinski retired after the Olympics and never defended her World title.

Each time Kwan has lost her World title, she won it back the following year: '98 after losing to Lipinski in '97; '00 after losing to Butyrskaya in '99; '03 after losing to Slutskaya in '02.
 

Kathleen

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 18, 2003
Without a doubt, Elaine Zayak's long program from Nationals in 1982. I can still picture sitting there in the rink watching it happen and not believing my eyes. Yikes.

Kurt Browning's programs from the 1992 Olympics.

Underhill & Martini's short from the 1984 Olympics
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Then there was Irina Slutskaya's final FS in the 2001 Grand Prix Final. She floundered all over the ice and landed only 3 triple jumps (to Kwan's 6 and Hughes' 7) but was placed first in the FS anyway.
 

BronzeisGolden

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Chuckm,

I think you are referring to the 2002 Grand Prix Final that was held in December of 2001, before the Olympics. I still can't believe that one! Irina landed four triples and was shaky and tenative...Michelle hit six and had a fall but was otherwise wonderful...and Sarah hit a 3/3 with five other clean triples. I really thought Irina should have been 3rd in that portion of the competition. But, the Eastern Bloc returned and gave her a slew of 5.9s for presentation!
 

Fossi

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
AHHH...AHHH...AHHH!!! I still scream when I watch the GPF. All the complaining about Olympics SP results, but Irina got a HUGE gift at that GPF. Sarah and Michelle both beat her fair and square. I was shocked the judges didn't give Irina the gold at SLC after that horrible thing they did at GPF.
 

euterpe

Medalist
Joined
Sep 4, 2003
Yes, Irina is STILL complaining about the SLC SP, but her memory is just a bit faulty. I recall that in that SP, the ladies were required to do a triple jump directly out of footwork. Irina took too long after the footwork before doing her triple. The commentators noted that she would get a deduction because of that. Then she traveled on her spin, and finished the program after the music ended.

The judges SP placements:
1 2 1 1 1 2 2 2 1 Kwan

3 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 3 Slutskaya
 
S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
What's even worse than seeing disastrous performances is seeing the reaction of the skaters to their disastrous performances. It's truly been painful to see their shock, upset, and dismay as they sit or stand in the kiss 'n cry area to await their marks.

Nicole Bobek's 1998 Olympic short program was disastrous - a fall on a planned triple lutz/double toe, a miss on a second triple jump, and a stumble on the landing of the double axel. Bobek did not want to go to the kiss 'n cry area - it looked as though she just wanted to leave the arena. Her expression as she saw the cruel (but accurate) marks was so sad. And watching her mother's expression was doubly sad. How horrible to see a lifetime of work, practice, and effort go down the tubes in less than three minutes. After that short program, Nicole did not have a prayer of a chance to medal, and precious little chance to even pull up to the top ten.
 
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