Ladies skating idols
- Thread starter linda vanwormer
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2005
Yes, I love Wikipedia and google search. Hopefully I have a few surprises for the history fan. I intend that the researcher will find information more easily than the hours it takes to compile all the information on the internet. I've spent about ten years researching and find the internet wonderful. I'm still addicted to books and magazines, love the feeling of opening a new (old) book.
Rena is definitely in the book as she was a singles skater for Japan.
Rena is definitely in the book as she was a singles skater for Japan.
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I first became aware of the wonders of ladies skating around 1986 when Debi Thomas won the national and world titles. I subsequently became engrossed in her rivalry with Katarina Witt along with the athletic wizardry of Midori Ito. They were all such great entertainers along with being athletes. I was also fortunate enough to see both Debi and Midori compete in person at the World Pros in the late 80s and early 90s.
Still I would have to say my favorites are Peggy Fleming and Kristi Yamguchi for very similar reasons. I never got to see any of Peggy's competitive programs until I was in my mid 20s and never saw any of them in their entirety until I was almost 30. I had only read about them in skating books, seen a few of the same recyled clips and some exhibitions in her later years. When I finally saw her skate a complete program it was clear why she is such a skating icon. If you look at the general standard for quality and style of skating before her peak, there is a dramatic difference. Skaters were either athletic technicians, most noticeably Sjoukje Dijkstra or graceful ballerinas, like Barbara Ann Scott. The two skill sets had been achieved before (Tenley Albright), but never so completely as with Peggy. She may be remembered for her grace but she was also a wonderful technician. She was truly a complete skater who to this day epitomizes everything the ideal ladies skating champion should be, total balance between athletic skill and artistic grace.
I remember Kirsti for many of the same reasons. If you look at early videos of her senior years as compared to the leading champions of the late 80's the difference in technical content is striking. Other than the triple axel, she packed in just as much difficulty as Ito and Tonya Harding, which was a significant step up from Witt and Thomas. Still, like Peggy, she combined that skill with an equal emphasis in presentation. She never backed down from the twin challenge of facing two technical titans in Ito and Harding. Instead, she pushed herself to keep up with them and that hard work paid off resulting in Olympic gold and a stellar professional career in which she retained nearly all of her amateur skills for over a decade.
Still I would have to say my favorites are Peggy Fleming and Kristi Yamguchi for very similar reasons. I never got to see any of Peggy's competitive programs until I was in my mid 20s and never saw any of them in their entirety until I was almost 30. I had only read about them in skating books, seen a few of the same recyled clips and some exhibitions in her later years. When I finally saw her skate a complete program it was clear why she is such a skating icon. If you look at the general standard for quality and style of skating before her peak, there is a dramatic difference. Skaters were either athletic technicians, most noticeably Sjoukje Dijkstra or graceful ballerinas, like Barbara Ann Scott. The two skill sets had been achieved before (Tenley Albright), but never so completely as with Peggy. She may be remembered for her grace but she was also a wonderful technician. She was truly a complete skater who to this day epitomizes everything the ideal ladies skating champion should be, total balance between athletic skill and artistic grace.
I remember Kirsti for many of the same reasons. If you look at early videos of her senior years as compared to the leading champions of the late 80's the difference in technical content is striking. Other than the triple axel, she packed in just as much difficulty as Ito and Tonya Harding, which was a significant step up from Witt and Thomas. Still, like Peggy, she combined that skill with an equal emphasis in presentation. She never backed down from the twin challenge of facing two technical titans in Ito and Harding. Instead, she pushed herself to keep up with them and that hard work paid off resulting in Olympic gold and a stellar professional career in which she retained nearly all of her amateur skills for over a decade.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
This is a fun thread, but I am a little bit confused about how we can contribute anything of value to your already well-researched book on the history of skating. Are you going to say things like, "One poster to the Golden Skate Forums said he liked Katarina Witt and his favorite program was Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"
The first great lady skater I got a chance to see in person was Tenley Albright
She was in the Ice Capades some time in the 1950s. What a great show! The best part was when two people came out in a big dog costume and skated. Then the dog split in two and the two skaters tumbled out. 
Then Tenley Albright skated. I asked my Dad, what's so big about her? He said, she's the World Champion. Well, that was pretty cool, but still, not to be conpared with the big dog.
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
That's almost the opposite of my first skating encounter. I could have cared less about the Mickey Mouse on ice... it was all about the short balding dude doing backflips and talking to a radio (Scott Hamilton).- Joined
- Feb 5, 2005
skating idols
What I want now is stories exactly like this. Memories that make the book personal. I'm a researcher, not a skater, I love skating. I want stories from skaters. I believe the stories of why skaters are important to the people on this forum will bring a depth and warmth to the book that I can't hope to capture from my view as an observor.
This is a fun thread, but I am a little bit confused about how we can contribute anything of value to your already well-researched book on the history of skating. Are you going to say things like, "One poster to the Golden Skate Forums said he liked Katarina Witt and his favorite program was Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"
The first great lady skater I got a chance to see in person was Tenley Albright
Then Tenley Albright skated. I asked my Dad, what's so big about her? He said, she's the World Champion. Well, that was pretty cool, but still, not to be conpared with the big dog.
What I want now is stories exactly like this. Memories that make the book personal. I'm a researcher, not a skater, I love skating. I want stories from skaters. I believe the stories of why skaters are important to the people on this forum will bring a depth and warmth to the book that I can't hope to capture from my view as an observor.
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
The nicest people I have met in figure skating: Tanith Belbin and Benjamin Agosto.
OK, so it was the then-annual Detroit cheesefest. Michelle Kwan was the haedliner. There was a promotion going on. If you donated $500 to the local public television station you got special seats and a "meet-and-greet" before the show with famous skaters "like Michelle Kwan." (Well, I guess Tanith and Ben are "like Michelle." )
I guess no one bothered to tell the skaters. After a long wait it was almost time for the show to start and by that time the skaters were in their pre-game preparation. It happened that Belbin and Agosto were scheduled for an exebition number at half-time. So the organizers managed to collar them and send them out to meet the by now kind of restless crowd. This was before B&A were famous, and most of the audience started grumbling "who are you, where's Michelle, where's Plushenko, I want my money back."
But Ben and Tanith sat down and made a charming greeting, answered all questions with grace, and posed for pictures with every single person.
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e191/Piel72/larrywith skaters4.jpg
It was so much fun hanging with them that the show started without us and we had to rush in to take our seats.
By the way, Plushenko was also very cordial, although he missed the meet and greet. After the men's portion of the program was over he took a folding chair and put it up in the front row to cheer on the ladies.
Later on in their careers, after they became famous U.S. champions, Ben and Tanith organized a charity skating show for the victims of the big tsunami in Indonesia. They raised something like $20,000. They did another one a couple of years later, showing their organization skills as well as thier talents as performers. And Tanith was off to a good start as an announcer and television personality.
(At the second of these shows I also got to meet my other nicest person in skating, Aaron Parchem. He couldn't skate in the show because of injury, so he was sitting right next to me in the stands working the spotlight.)
I sure hope they come back to Detroit after they retire from competition.
OK, so it was the then-annual Detroit cheesefest. Michelle Kwan was the haedliner. There was a promotion going on. If you donated $500 to the local public television station you got special seats and a "meet-and-greet" before the show with famous skaters "like Michelle Kwan." (Well, I guess Tanith and Ben are "like Michelle."
)I guess no one bothered to tell the skaters. After a long wait it was almost time for the show to start and by that time the skaters were in their pre-game preparation. It happened that Belbin and Agosto were scheduled for an exebition number at half-time. So the organizers managed to collar them and send them out to meet the by now kind of restless crowd. This was before B&A were famous, and most of the audience started grumbling "who are you, where's Michelle, where's Plushenko, I want my money back."
But Ben and Tanith sat down and made a charming greeting, answered all questions with grace, and posed for pictures with every single person.
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e191/Piel72/larrywith skaters4.jpg
It was so much fun hanging with them that the show started without us and we had to rush in to take our seats.
By the way, Plushenko was also very cordial, although he missed the meet and greet. After the men's portion of the program was over he took a folding chair and put it up in the front row to cheer on the ladies.
Later on in their careers, after they became famous U.S. champions, Ben and Tanith organized a charity skating show for the victims of the big tsunami in Indonesia. They raised something like $20,000. They did another one a couple of years later, showing their organization skills as well as thier talents as performers. And Tanith was off to a good start as an announcer and television personality.
(At the second of these shows I also got to meet my other nicest person in skating, Aaron Parchem. He couldn't skate in the show because of injury, so he was sitting right next to me in the stands working the spotlight.)
I sure hope they come back to Detroit after they retire from competition.
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- Joined
- Nov 10, 2007
For me, you can't talk about figure skating without mention Peggy Flemming, Torvill and Dean, Gordeeva and Grinkov , and of course Michelle Kwan In fact, Peggy, Torvill and Dean are who got me interested in figure skating since I was a kid. GG's performance really touchs the audience. And Michelle is not only passionate and talent in skating, but also a great athlete and human being May I also add Weir? He is just so special on the ice
Sorry I just noticed this is about ladies skating idols, so Dean, Grinkov, and Weir are off the list
In fact, Peggy, Torvill and Dean are who got me interested in figure skating since I was a kid. GG's performance really touchs the audience. And Michelle is not only passionate and talent in skating, but also a great athlete and human being May I also add Weir? He is just so special on the iceFor me, you can't talk about figure skating without mention Peggy Flemming, Torvill and Dean, Gordeeva and Grinkov , and of course Michelle Kwan
Sorry I just noticed this is about ladies skating idols, so Dean, Grinkov, and Weir are off the list
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YuNa Kim is the skating idol for me and most skating fans of Korea. Before her, figure skating was practically nothing in Korea, although speed skating was strong. She showed Koreans true and sheer beauty of skating. Her skating is really really rare combination of technique and artistry. It was a miracle that a skating genius like her came from a country where only 5-6 senior skaters compete for the national championship. FS is now growing steadily thanks to her. And she is now one of the most beloved in Korea. Some of you may think that this is because she has made good international records and she has a big chance of Oly gold in Vancouver. But this is only partially true. There are bunch of Oly gold medalists in Korea. Korea got 13 gold in Beijing and 6 gold in Torino. But, none of them is even close to her popularity. Koreans love her because she is beautiful (physically and mentally) and move them by her beautiful performance.
