Your top ten ladies of all time? | Page 8 | Golden Skate

Your top ten ladies of all time?

Phoenix347

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 24, 2009
That's interesting. So you base achievements in terms of titles won, because I also see you include Janet Lynn in your list. I know figures held her back from winning titles but those were the rules back then so under that system, she wasn't a great competitor. However, she was very influential as I did include her on my list. I think rather than the number of titles won, skaters should be evaluated in terms of the amount of overall influence they have made. It's hard to predict that for current skaters, since their careers haven't ended yet. But if I were to predict, I would think both Yuna and Mao would be on the list because they both will be remembered for a long time in their respective countries. Yuna will be remembered as the trailbrazer for Korean figure skating. And I think the only skater who would probably be ahead of Mao in Japan in terms of fame is Midori Ito. These two should also be credited for contributing to the Asian boom in figure skating.

Yes, I did include Janet Lynn and Midori Ito in my list because I thought both ladies contributed something very very special to figure skating. They were the exception. I tend to think the decrease in emphasis on figures is partly due to Lynn. Her skating in itself was also an achievement. Midori Ito also achieved less than some who are off my top ten but I had to have her because I think she really pushed the athleticism of the ladies event with her triple Axels and triple/triple combination. I also believe that she was the catalyst for the outpouring of many extremely talented skaters from Japan. We'll see if Yuna will have the same effect in Korea.

I think Yuna and Mao both have a good chance of breaking into my top ten if they continue to skate for a few more years. They are both extraordinary skaters.
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
If this thread was meant as singles discipline, oh well I made one exception.:)

1. Fumie S ~ of course imo the most "lady like" - dedicated - genuine - athletes any sport has ever known. She set the tone for what Japans F.S. is today, "gave it it's face."
2. M.K.
3. Marai N
4. Irina Sl
5. Meryl D
6. Dorthy H
7. Yuka S
8. Kristi Y
9. Peggy F.
10. Jennifer K

wow, some things have changed:think:

~ thinking personality, popularity (this is important to me for it does say something to effect on the sport making it congruent with longevity (potential/"first impression)), and Skating skill within their competition requirements of the time. I also think Caroline Z is close for I really started liking her after not-so-much at first and now been paying attention to for over 4 years. I would like to see what happens with the limelight a little less on her now. I think she will get her game back and her personality is more charming now - maybe she feels like being more of herself ... er what. But she is WAY more likable i.m.o. then the first year I saw GS start talking about her.
 

psychotropek

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 19, 2010
These ladies' skating has a special place in my heart. It's not an objective measure. No particular order.

Katarina Witt- I only watched her pro career (and 1994 Olympic appearance), but she had excellent flair.
Denise Biellmann- Again, pro career. The energy, the athleticism, I sometimes felt tired just watching her!
Michelle Kwan- I couldn't stand her at the time for really stupid personal reasons (the Salome program winning the 1995 World championship irked me to no end!), but her expression in retrospect was very impressive.
Lu Chen- When I was young, she seemed to be the only skater I could relate to. Amazing musicality and flow. My favorite program for some reason was an exhibition to Rick Wakeman's "Gone but not Forgotten"
Kristi Yamaguchi- Kept her style and her athleticism well into her pro years. Always fun!
Irina Slutskaya- Again, raw athleticism and she was one of the women more willing to be strong, not just pretty on the ice- took advantage of the pants-allowed rule to kick my butt with her Totentanz short program. And with vasculitis too?
Shizuka Arakawa- A seemingly cool effortless grace that I only saw for a few years, but I really enjoyed watching

It's taken me a while to warm to these two, but...
Mao Asada- I actually prefer her non-floaty programs that she's done more recently: loved her Olympics long program. The triple axels are amazing, and she's grown in her range of expression. I still can't deal with her makeup making her look approximately twelve, though. Her exhibition this year is adorable- it sticks in my brain in its original "caprice".
Yuna Kim- For a while I didn't get the hype, then I noticed how much ice she covers. She doesn't usually touch my heart, but I always feel like I am watching an extremely skilled complete skater.
These women are pretty amazing, to be this awesome and to have each other to compete and push against!
 

YN fan

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 4, 2009
I am not sure if the question was our top 10 favorite skaters of all time or top 10 greatest of all time....so I'll do both (5 skaters each !)

My top 5 favorite skaters of all time:
1. Michelle kwan and Yuna Kim(it's a tie for me, I'd like to call them "The Legend & The Phenom")
2. Mirai Nagasu (what a personality!)
3. Joannie Rochette (She is an inspiration)
4. Sasha Cohen (even though she falls a lot, I like her beautiful positions)
5. Shizuka Arakawa (another beautiful skater)

My top 5 greatest of all time:
1.Michelle Kwan (not only is she a 5-time World champion, but she is also an iconic figure in skating. I really think she is Michael Jordan of figure skating)
2.Katarina Witt ( another great champion widely recognized around the world)
3.Sonja Henie ( I've never watched her skating but she is like Wilt Chamberlain of figure skating, what a record she has !)
4.Yuna Kim (the undisputed champion and trailblazer of Cop era. if she wins a couple more world championships, I would bump her up even higher)
5. Midori Ito (arguably the best jumper in ladies figure skating history)

I probably have left out a lot of legends of the 60s, 70s, 80s but I am a new skating fan so I don't know a lot of skaters. hope you understand
 

youtubo

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
1. Katarina Witt - 2 time Oly winner. Also dominated the intermediate era. Icon in '80.
2. Michelle Kwan - No Oly gold but dominated a decade. Popularity. Passion.
3. Yuna Kim - Most influential Oly winner since Kristi. Role model for new points system. Total package.
 
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