2002 Olympics - Irina Slutskaya

[BronzeisGolden02]

This one may also have been done, but I'd be interested to see what everyone thinks. Where did Irina Slutskaya belong, in your mind, at the 02 Olympics? I have no argument with her short program placement. It was a nice performance and could have been 2nd or 3rd in my book. As for the free skate, I still don't understand how after such an uninspired skate she could end up with four first place ordinals. I would have had her third in the free skate with bronze overall. Even though Michelle wasn't very inspired either and had a fall, I just think she had a slight edge over Irina. And yes, it would have given Michelle the gold, but I just don't think Irina deserved that silver medal.

Sarah
5.8
5.8

Michelle
5.6
5.8

Irina
5.7
5.6

Sasha
5.5
5.7

[icenut84]

IMO, the short should have been Irina-Sasha-Michelle in that order. The long was pretty accurate, Sarah-Irina-Michelle-Sasha. I'm not sure about Sarah in the SP, I'd have to check my tape again to compare her with Maria and Fumie, but assuming she was 4th in the SP, the overall results would have been:

SP -
1st: Irina (0.5)
2nd: Sasha (1.0)
3rd: Michelle (1.5)
4th: Sarah (2.0)

LP -
1st: Sarah (1.0)
2nd: Irina (2.0)
3rd: Michelle (3.0)
4th: Sasha (4.0)

Overall:
Gold - Irina (2.5)
Silver - Sarah (3.0)
Bronze - Michelle (4.5)
4th - Sasha (5.0)

JMHO. I definitely agree with Irina being over Michelle in the LP, as Irina landed all her jumps cleanly (even on the flip, which was a close shave on the landing, she managed to stay on one foot on the correct edge and avioded putting her hand down), her spins were better, and her programme actually had a lot more content than Michelle's. Robin Cousins commentating didn't suggest once that Michelle should have been any higher than third in the LP, and even though he agreed with Sarah's 1st place in the LP, he thought it was close between her and Irina. While Sarah's performance was better, some of the judges who placed Irina first probably took into account her superior technique and flow etc (Sarah's first 3/3 was underrotated too, the slow motion replay showed that).

Besides, so many people have commented on the fact that some judges placed Irina over Sarah in the LP, but some placed Michelle and/or Sasha over her too. (2 placed Sasha over her). No comment is ever made about those though, which perplexes me. And all the commentators on British TV (including Robin Cousins and Jayne Torvill) said Irina should have won the short.

Having said all that, I love all 4 of them and can't believe at least one of them won't even make the podium at Worlds next year! It's going to be a great competition...

[sk8guy2k2]

Why didn't they show Fumie's SP? Did I miss it?

[sk8ing lady2001]

I also wanted to see Fumie's short program from SLC. :(

[Joesitz]

There were 3 slavic judges at the Olys (5 at the Worlds). If Joe (the US judge) had given Michelle 1st, she would have won. In my own opinion, I would agree with Sarah as first, then Michelle, then Sasha. Irina imo, was just plain nervous and lack luster at the Olys.

Joe

[icenut84]

Maybe Irina *was* nervous at the Olympics, and not as fiery as she could have been. That's not the main thing to take into account in a sporting competition though. Irina's programme had more content than Michelle's and Sasha's, she had more difficult content AFAIK, and she completed her elements better than Michelle IMO (Michelle 2 footed one triple, doubled one triple, and fell on one triple. Irina had a wonky landing on a triple that she saved, that's it IIRC). I don't think a nervous performance is enough reason to have her 4th in the LP - her programme and her execution of it meant she deserved second in the LP in my opinion. La-di-da...

[rgirl181]

Icenut,
I pretty much agree with your analysis of what Irina's placements in the SP and LP should have been. I think you have an advantage being in Great Britain where there was no vested interest in any of the top women. OTOH, Sarah's LP was so superior to the other LPs, even with the underrotations, that I'm glad she won the overall competition. Also, even though I agree that a "lackluster" performance should not be held against Irina (some people complain that that's what happened to Michelle in '98, ie, that Michelle was being compared to herself--I don't agree), Irina's speed was lacking and the program as a whole was tight. Definitely I think it was much closer between Irina and Sarah than we heard from the US media and most fans' opinions. I love Irina and had she performed "Tosca" the way she had during 90% of the rest of the season, she would have won. But sometimes a performance has that "x" factor that overrides technical rules and boundaries, which is what I think happened in Sarah's case. It's too bad for Irina, since IMO she had the strongest skates in every other competition that season except Euros.
Rgirl

[Mathman3]

But the main problem with Irina's performance was that she skated awkwardly and clumsily throughout, without a shred of grace or beauty.

Mathman

[icenut84]

"Icenut,
I pretty much agree with your analysis of what Irina's placements in the SP and LP should have been. I think you have an advantage being in Great Britain where there was no vested interest in any of the top women."

I think so too. I don't know how some of you put up with the commentary you have to listen to! I always read people complaining on this board about some of the American commentators, about them being biased or rambling on etc. I've only heard a few bits of Dick Button and he talked loads! I'm glad I get to listen to Robin Cousins! He doesn't go on during programmes, and even when he does talk you don't find yourself muttering "shut up". He's fair and articulate and even when he's talking, he doesn't distract your attention from the skating. Dunno why - he doesn't talk loudly or continuously. He doesn't show bias either - he's very fair and of course he has his opinions, but he doesn't scream and shout. Even in 94 when Torvill & Dean were competing, they didn't go ballistic or scream the studio down - they gave their opinions, complemented and analysed all of the competitors and medallists, and left it at that. (It was the rest of the country that went ballistic, lol.)
I can't do it now because i'm not at home, but if you want I could type up his commentary during the ladies LP (Sarah, Sasha, Michelle, Irina). Shouldn't take me too long I don't think, and might be interesting to compare with the American commentary. Let me know either way.

[Joesitz]

This is not a Kwan v. Irina thread for me. It's a what happened THAT night.

Sarah deserved to win. Irina, in my opinion, was a boring Tosca, and did not skate her best. Michelle fell. And that's the way it turned out. If I were judging, I would have put Sasha third and Irina fourth.

My style is to look for more than air rotations.

Joe

[SteveKmetko374]

I'm with Joe on this one, Irina was just plain awful that night. Boring Tosca and too many sloppy mistakes. She didnt fall, but she didn't have any good landing positions and her presentation marks IMO should have been around a 5.2.

Sarah was the best in the LP by far, so I'm glad she won. MK made a fall and was also nervous like Irina, but overall better presentation than Irina. Sasha also had a fall and yet another uninspired skate, but the overall beauty of her "moves in the field" would have put her ahead of Irina in my book. Irina had neither good technique nor beauty in her Olympic LP. It was not her night.

[Show 42]

Sarah was on that night and skated beautifully and had the tech marks........but jumping from fourth to first is a huge jump, a jump in my opinion that shouldn't have given her any higher than second place, with Michelle and Irina a toss up for the Gold...........42

[Crymnall]

Well here would have been my SP..Placements.

1) Irina Slutskaya, program she skated slower than usual, no deduction but she was slower. Her jumps were very nice, but seemed to me as she was just going thru the movements. (5.8-5.

2) Michelle Kwan, program was great, she had all of the fire, she did underrotate the 3Flip jump which did garner a deduction. (5.6-5.9)

3) Sasha Cohen, her program again was great, she did not have footwork going right into 3Flip, she had a pause, and she also did not closer her footwork in her circular footwork. But program was very good! (5.6-5.

4) Maria Butyrskaya
5) Sarah Hughes

I was really surprised that Sarah placed ahead of Maria..


MY LP..

1) Sarah Hughes, 7 triples, and was soooo difficult. (5.9-5.7)

2) Michelle Kwan, she had 5 clean triples and one fall, and she did two foot a jump. She had great connecting moves in her program and it was very nice. I thought her program was a lot more convincing than Sashas and Irinas. (5.6-5.

3) Sasha Cohen, she did go for the skate. Attempting the 3Lutz/3Toe was very admirable. She had attitude and good speed. I think the only thing about her program that I don't care for the jumps are really front end loaded. (5.5-5.

4) Irina Slutskaya, yes she was virtually clean. 6 Triples, one more triple than Sasha and Michelle, so that may garner a higher technical mark. But she was slow and very tentative in her program and her presentation was no match for either of the americans. Her spins were good...but the speed, and plus I don't think her presentation is quite as good as Cohens or Kwans, and to add...choreography is not as detailed and difficult. (5.7-5.6)


OVERALL PLACEMENTS:

1. Michelle Kwan (2-2) 3.0 factored placements
2. Sarah Hughes (5-1) 3.5 factored placements
3. Sasha Cohen (3-3) 4.5 factored placements
4. Irina Slutskaya (1-4) 4.5 factored placements

that is really what i thought should have been the final placements in this particular competition.

Just my opinion...

[Show 42]

Hi Crmnall, and welcome to Golden Skate. I like and agree with your assessment of the ladies at SLC. You're final tally looks about right...........42

[SteveKmetko374]

I also agree with your assessment - although it might be a blessing in disquise for MK that it didn't happen that way - the anti-Michelle brigade would have crucified her by now if she had won because they don't understand the math. She was not the best in the LP, Sarah Hughes was all the way, but I did think she was better than Irina and Sasha on that evening.