In any discipline what skate at the Olympics is your all time favorite?

[bigdeal]

MEN:
1.Alexei Yagudin , Man in Iron Mask, 2002.
2.John Curry LP 1976.
3. Alexei Yagudin SP , Winter 2002.
4. Brian Boitano LP 1988.

LADIES
1. Yu-Na Kim, Gershwin, 2010.
2.Yu-Na Kim , Bond SP 2010.
3. Mao Asada , Bells of Moscow, 2010.
4.Oksana Baiul SP, The Swan 1994.

What an Olympics this was for ladies in 2010. Even No7. Rachel Flatt should win any of the previous Olympics I think with that performance, and all of the others placed ahead of her ( except Lepistö)!!!

Pairs
1. Mishkutionok-Dmitriev LP, Rachmaninov 1994.
2.Sale-Pelletier LP Love Story 2002.
3.Pang-Tong LP 2010.
4.Shen-Zhao SP, Who wants to live forever 2010.

(Interestingly 2 of them didn't win the Gold with that performance, but in both cases I would vote for the winners as a perfect olympic champions...)

Ice Dance
1. Torvil-Dean, Bolero 1984.
2. Klimova-Ponomarenko , Romeo and Juliette LP 1992.
3. Virtue-Moir, Mahler 2010.
4. Torvil-Dean FD 1994.


These are not all necesserily my all time favourite skaters, but I'm talking about a certain performance in these cases.

[janetfan]

This performance from Albertville, even with a few mistakes left me in awe of this team.
It remains to this day my favorite Pairs program - and it's influence is still felt in 2010.

Natalia Mishkutenok Artur Dmitriev

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-lIi2YAJyY

[rallycairn]

Oh, gosh, how could I forget Torvill and Dean's Lillehammer 1994 sultry and intricate rumba OD? Definitely have to add that one!

[dorispulaski]

Ice Dance
1. Torvill-Dean, Bolero 1984.
2. Klimova-Ponomarenko , Romeo and Juliette LP 1992.
3. Virtue-Moir, Mahler 2010.
4. Torvil-Dean FD 1994.


These are not all necesserily my all time favourite skaters, but I'm talking about a certain performance in these cases.

Klimova/Ponomarenko 1992 was skated to Air from Suite No.3 J.S. Bach, not R&J. But it was certainly a great program!

[Bennett]

I actually haven't had many Olys that I watched seriously (e.g., I have very little memory around the time when Michelle seems to have been strong).

But I remember following performances:
- Baiul SP, LP,
- Lu Chen LP from the same year,
- Yuka LP from the same year,
- Shizuka LP.

The Oly this past season is just too recent for me to include in the list.

[Kitt]

Men:
Yagudin, 2002 (both programs)
Weir, 2006 SP and 2010 LP

Women
Cohen, 2006 LP (absolutely memorable fighting back after falls)

Pairs
Berezhnaya/Sikul. 2002 SP (my all-time favorite)

Dance
Torville/Dean, 1984
Davis/White, 2010 SP
Virtue/Moir 2010 LP

[princess9]

Well, I mentioned an SP program in my OP.

LP very emotional and beautiful was Chen Lu's Butterfly lovers. That Oly was the best Ladies podium to date. 3 out of this world perfect skates. Wish they had decided to divide the gold. Despite Tara's jumps and tech superiority, I could have justified any order top three. I doubt we'll ever see 3 perfect moving performances like at Nagano again from the ladies. It was stellar in all respects.

Nancy's LP from 1994 was very memorable to me as I expected faults and I thought it was perfect. I was watching so closely and was impressed with everything. Her best skate by far under insane circumstances. Talk about pressure. Sadly, I also remember vividly Tonya's wretched free skate in Norway. Despite my opinion of the affair, I wished her well.

Great gala/exhibition/worlds or professional 'best skates' are for another thread. I have a different set of best for those but leave it to another poster to try that one out. Off season banter!



Most Memorable men for me. AYagudin,'s SP Winter, 2002
PWylie LP from Albertville 1992

Most memorable pair were G and G in Calgary. I just loved little Katia. Such energy and youthful vitality.

Ice Dance. Bolero was the first I recall to grab me. After that Grishuk and Platov's performances all stood out as I watched them carefully after all the focus on her story. I did not love their skates. They simply are vivid in my mind. Riverdance impressed me greatly and I thought B/K the best team and as usual underscored.

V/M 2010 was breathtaking and I loved every step. Magical. The kind of beauty we got used to watching in G/G is embodied in this young dance couple.

I have to say it was not the best SP and I did not like the costume, but I will never forget Rochette's SP from Vancouver. I really cried for her and it was an amazingly good skate given the circumstances.

[Layfan]

Well, I mentioned an SP program in my OP.

LP very emotional and beautiful was Chen Lu's Butterfly lovers. That Oly was the best Ladies podium to date. 3 out of this world perfect skates. Wish they had decided to divide the gold. Despite Tara's jumps and tech superiority, I could have justified any order top three. I doubt we'll ever see 3 perfect moving performances like at Nagano again from the ladies. It was stellar in all respects.

Nancy's LP from 1994 was very memorable to me as I expected faults and I thought it was perfect. I was watching so closely and was impressed with everything. Her best skate by far under insane circumstances. Talk about pressure. Sadly, I also remember vividly Tonya's wretched free skate in Norway. Despite my opinion of the affair, I wished her well.

Great gala/exhibition/worlds or professional 'best skates' are for another thread. I have a different set of best for those but leave it to another poster to try that one out. Off season banter!



Most Memorable men for me. AYagudin,'s SP Winter, 2002
PWylie LP from Albertville 1992

Most memorable pair were G and G in Calgary. I just loved little Katia. Such energy and youthful vitality.

Ice Dance. Bolero was the first I recall to grab me. After that Grishuk and Platov's performances all stood out as I watched them carefully after all the focus on her story. I did not love their skates. They simply are vivid in my mind. Riverdance impressed me greatly and I thought B/K the best team and as usual underscored.

V/M 2010 was breathtaking and I loved every step. Magical. The kind of beauty we got used to watching in G/G is embodied in this young dance couple.

I have to say it was not the best SP and I did not like the costume, but I will never forget Rochette's SP from Vancouver. I really cried for her and it was an amazingly good skate given the circumstances.

Ah, finally someone mentioned Paul Wylie's LP from Albertville. Loved it.

I started a thread like this sometime ago, I think. My very very favorite remains the same: Sasha Cohen's 2006 SP to Dark Eyes. If I could only watch one Olympic program for the rest of my life, I'd choose that one.

Princess, I'm so happy that you chose Oksana's SP to the Swan. I feel the same way you do: that skate remained etched in my mind forever down to her immitating a swan shaking its head and her ending pose. Johnny Weir said it was Oksana at the Olympics that inspired him to start skating. I too, feel that in retrospect, I can see the arguments for why Nancy should have won. But Oksana was just so mesmerizing.

Other favorites of mine are both of Yagudin's programs in 2002, Johnny Weir's 2006 SP, Stephane Lambiel's 2006 SP, Sasha Cohen's 2006 LP, Sasha Cohen's 2002 LP, Tara Lipinski's 2006 LP and Chen Lu's 1998 LP. And most definitely both of Kim Yuna's 2010 programs but especially James Bond.

And ITA that the 1998 was the greatest Olympic ladies' podium ever. At least it's my all-time favorite and no other Olympics has ever come close for me since, except for almost the men in 2002.

(This year I loved the ladies podium, too, and I was so happy that the top 6 ladies (mostly) did so well and put up such a fight. But I'm biased as an American and it wasn't the same emotional experience for me as 1998.)

[Layfan]

This performance from Albertville, even with a few mistakes left me in awe of this team.
It remains to this day my favorite Pairs program - and it's influence is still felt in 2010.

Natalia Mishkutenok Artur Dmitriev

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-lIi2YAJyY

Oh, wonderful! But do you really think it's influence is still felt? I don't think I really see choreography that original these days...

[dlgpffps]

I'm glad someone mentioned Abt. His performance probably wouldn't be on most people's favorites lists, but it will always be on mine. I loved his LP more, though. The Euros and Worlds skates are amazing. Under Yagudin's and Plushenko's shadows, his talent didn't shine as much as it could have, but I think he possessed some qualities the two never did.

[Olympia]

Ah, finally someone mentioned Paul Wylie's LP from Albertville. Loved it.

And ITA that the 1998 was the greatest Olympic ladies' podium ever. At least it's my all-time favorite and no other Olympics has ever come close for me since, except for almost the men in 2002.

(This year I loved the ladies podium, too, and I was so happy that the top 6 ladies (mostly) did so well and put up such a fight. But I'm biased as an American and it wasn't the same emotional experience for me as 1998.)

Paul Wylie was on my list, too. I've recently watched that 1992 Henry V skate again several times, and it retains its impact. I feel almost as you do, Layfan, about the two sets of ladies' podiums from 1998 and 2010--except that unlike you, I found that the Vancouver ladies' competition was as great an emotional experience for me as the 1998 one. Country of origin didn't have any influence on me this time--I felt as though I belonged to the Kingdom of Skating when I watched the ladies' final flight, especially the top two finishers. Mao and YuNa belong to the world and to the ages--they're that good. Maybe it's precisely because no American was a contender for gold that I could feel so objective and happy about the outcome of this year's Olympics, but whatever the reason, I was as thrilled at those two great skates as if I were Asian myself.

[rtureck]

Pairs: no particular order
Natalia and Dimitri LP 1994
G and G LP 1994
P/T 2010

Dance:
Torvil and Dean
V/M

Men:
John Curry 1976 LP
Johny Weir 2006 Swan

Ladies:
Every program from 1998 entire ladies podium, with huge emphasis on MK's Rach PC3 sp
Mao Asada 2010 sp
Shizuka 2006 LP have you seen an ina bauer as beautiful as hers

[brownfox]

Michelle Kwan's LP 1998 Nagano, made me a fan of figure skating and appreciate the sport.

and

Yuna's LP and SP Vancouver Olympics, made me a fan again and put figure skating's integrity back after the scandal in Salt Lake.

[Layfan]

Paul Wylie was on my list, too. I've recently watched that 1992 Henry V skate again several times, and it retains its impact. I feel almost as you do, Layfan, about the two sets of ladies' podiums from 1998 and 2010--except that unlike you, I found that the Vancouver ladies' competition was as great an emotional experience for me as the 1998 one. Country of origin didn't have any influence on me this time--I felt as though I belonged to the Kingdom of Skating when I watched the ladies' final flight, especially the top two finishers. Mao and YuNa belong to the world and to the ages--they're that good. Maybe it's precisely because no American was a contender for gold that I could feel so objective and happy about the outcome of this year's Olympics, but whatever the reason, I was as thrilled at those two great skates as if I were Asian myself.

My bad, didn't see your post on Wylie. No disrepect intended.

As a plain old figure skating fan, it was thrilling to watch the performances of Yuna, Mao and Joannie and I was rooting for all three of them. It was especially thrilling to watch Yuna live up to the tremendously high expectations.

As an American, I have to be honest and say that having no American lady medal threat was a bit of a cloud over the Olympics. But I say that as a figure skating fan, too. It's not good that American and European ladies' figure skating are where they are now. Thank goodness for the Asians but I think as figure skating fans we can all hope that the Americans and European ladies can get back to their former glory as well. I do have a lot of hope.

Of course, Mirai's breakthrough performances made up for a lot. It was just as good as seeing her medal, really.

[princess9]

I think there should be a pewter medal at Worlds and Olympics. Why not? Was there ever a time back in the day when USFS or ISU did this?