Canada's best? | Golden Skate

Canada's best?

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Who would you choose in each discipline from the powerhouse to the north?

I have never watched Barbara Ann Scott or Karen Magnussen but now I probabaly can thanks to Youtube. So I really don't know how they changed the sport or all their accomplishments.

For men I would vote for Kurt. I think of Scott saying he is "the best he ever saw." I loved the Kurt of "Casablanca" days, but I liked the pro who skated "Nyah" much more.

For pairs, I remember more of Sale/Pelletier and thought them a gorgeous couple and was happy the 2002 Oly turned out as it did. I do remember wondering years ago why Martini and Underhill did not get more gold, but Russia was the powerhouse in pairs. I still love their 'Unchained Melody" IIRC.

Joannie. A complete skater and so beautiful, I thought she was special from the beginning. She remains the Canadian athlete I most admire.

Ice dance brings the sentimental favorite Bourne and Kraatz who I feel should have 4 WC medals. They skated at the wrong time. Technically and choregraphically, It is hard to say any ice dance was more beautiful than Voir's Oly skate to Mahler but i remember B&K doing Riverdance and that was golden for me.

All that ice and snow, and its so hard to pick the best men. I admired Orser more than Boitano and enjoyed his 1988 Oly freeskate more. One can't talk Candian men without a huge nod to Toller Cranston. He is a once in a hundred years artist. Thank you Canada.
 
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Joined
Aug 16, 2009
A fun thread! I've always felt like an adopted Canadian when it comes to figure skating.

Like you, it's hard for me to put anyone at the top of the men's list except for Browning. He'd pretty much go at the top of any men's list I'd make: world skaters, skaters through history, whatever. A complete magician of the ice. Like you, I'd give special mention to Toller Cranston, whom I consider one of the founders of modern men's skating, along with John Curry.

Pairs is harder. Sale/Pelletier got the gold medal, and "Love Story" is one of the great programs of all time, but Underhill/Martini, especially in their pro career, made me forget to breathe more than once. That's got to count for something.

Ladies...I guess it has to be Joannie. Her "Samson and Delilah" finally made me sit up and take notice. The one she did for Canadian Nationals, I think, was especially lovely.

Ice dance has to be Virtue/Moir for me. They may be the greatest North American couple ever, and if they aren't the alternative is a U.S. couple, Davis/White. I'm bad at evaluating when it gets that close. I'll put V/M and D/W in a tie.
 
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blue_idealist

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2006
Men - Kurt Browning, yes. I wouldn't discount Stojko though, landing the first quad-double and quad-triple combinations, winning two Olympic silvers, and three world titles. Kurt's longevity in the sport is much better though.

Pairs - I guess I would go with Sale and Pelletier, since they were OGM winners. Honourable mentions go to Underhill and Martini, and Brasseur and Eisler, especially since those two won TWO Olympic medals. There are probably some 'old' pairs I'm neglecting to mention, but I plead ignorance. lol.

Dance - Bourne and Kraatz, of course. Wilson and McCall did medal at the Olympics and they didn't, but I think B and K were more influential to the sport. I would like to say the Duschesnays, maybe, if they didn't switch to France.

Ladies - I don't know much about the ladies of the distant past, so I'll go with Manley or Rochette, based on their accomplishments. I do prefer Manley though.
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
I like to consider myself an "honourary" Canadian. There are so many Canadian skaters that I :love:, especially Brian Orser and Kurt. The list goes on and on ...
 

Dragonlady

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 23, 2003
I don't know how anyone can leave out Barbara Wagner & Robert Paul who won four World Championships (1957 - 1960) and the 1960 Olympic Gold Medal in Pairs. There's also the Jelineks who were World Pairs Champions in 1962, silver medalists in 1960 (behind Wagner & Paul) and bronze medalists in 1959. Frances Dafoe & Norris Bowden were also World Pairs Champions in 1954 and 1955.

For the women, there's also Petra Burka - World Champion 1965 and Karen Magnussen who was World Champion in 1973, defeating Janet Lynn who was second that year.

On the Men's side, Don Jackson, the first man to land a triple lutz, was World Champion in 1962. I think every kid in Canada has started their figure skating career in Don Jackson skates. Don MacPherson was World Champion in 1962, and then came the run which started with Brian Orser, Kurt Browning, Elvis Stojko, and continued with Jeff Buttle and now Patrick Chan. In fact, exceptions for Sebastien Britten and Emanuel Sandhu, every Canadian Men's Champion since 1987 has won at least one World Championship, a run which is somewhat aking to the success of American women at Worlds. But sadly, in spite of all of these World Championships, Canadian men have never won an Olympic Gold Medal.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Isn't that amazing? Not an Oly gold. Well, I watched the battle of the Brians so long ago, and I think Orser was the best. I know he won the LP and tho I admire Boitano for his ethic, I would want to lunch with Orser if I had to choose. He is a class act, a great guy, and his heart was broken twice in skating. (3 times if you count the strange Yuna split thing). Orser was better. IM American opinion, he's an Oly Gold Medalist.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
I agree that Canada's variety in terms of its men's skaters is unequaled. I think that Russian men's champions all have a certain stamp (as well as their own individuality, of course!): the special combination of classical technique and romantic (in the nineteenth-century sense) artistry that marks them as part of the Russian tradition, infused with that wonderful heritage of ballet and music. American skaters also have (to me at least) a distinctive approach, by and large: straightforward, athletic, strong. (Johnny Weir is in another mold, I'd say.) Japanese skaters also share characteristics that include stunning jumps and an innate feeling for artistic expression. But Canadians are all over the place. How did the same country produce Toller Cranston, Elvis Stojko, and Emmanuel Sandhu? And still have enough energy left to create Orser, Browning, and Chan? For that alone, Canada deserves a place of honor in the skating world.
 

Vash01

Medalist
Joined
Jul 31, 2003
I am not Canadian, so I am only speaking as a fan of FS.

Canadian men (singles) have been the strongest over the years. It's almost unbelievable that Canada does not have an OGM in this discipline. Should have had 2 or 3. Orser and Browning were the best, IMO. I respected Elvis for his athleticism and what he contributed to the sport. I liked Buttle's skating, but his inconsistent jumps bothered me. Sandhu was even more inconsistent, otherwise an amazing artist/dancer. Of course who can forget Toller Cranston? I liked Shawn Sawyer also. It's too bad he could not get the jumps consistent. I am not ready to include Chan in this group yet. I hope he will mature with time and become a class act some day.

In ice dance, Virtue & Moir are among the very best over the years. I can't think of another Canadian ice dance team that I really loved. D&L were OK, and I was really sorry to see them have that horrible fall in the 2006 Olympics.

Sorry, but among Canadian ladies I find just two worth mentioning- Joannie Rochette and Liz Manley.

In pairs, Canada has been traditionally quite strong, but I never cared for S&P on or off the ice, and did not particularly care for U&M whom I only saw as pros- I probably liked two of their performances'. I actually enjoyed Brasseur & Eisler's programs at times, but Lloyd's comments were a big turn off, so they can't get on my list either.

SO, for me, Canada's best has lots of men, and one or two ice dance teams that are really great. Still, that's a lot more than many other countries can offer.
 

Scrufflet

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Best thread ever! I've had 3 glasses of wine tonight and am feeling the love! I've been a rabid figure skating fan for over 40 yrs. now. My first real bit of awareness was with Barbara Ann; my mother was thrilled with her and bought me a book about her one Christmas when I was quite young. Wow,a Canadian can do this, I thought? Then Donald Jackson and Donald Knight! After that, I lost interest, it seemed to be Russia vs. U.S. for so long. Nice that U.S. had all these champions but I just didn't relate. Then came Toller Cranston! He completely revived my interest. And look at the men since - Orser, Browning, Stojko, Buttle, Chan (Sandhu and Beacom too)! Yes, it is criminal that we've never had Olympic gold but I'm hoping Patrick will do it in Sochi. We've had good pairs and I love the mixup in dance. The only thing I don't get is women. Can't figure it out but I'm glad for Liz Manley and JoRo.
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
LOL, scruffet. It is Christmas, I'm guessing you are home, so have a fourth! We won't tell! And how is the weather in Toronto? Glad you like the thread. Seems like it brought back good memories. I was never a Gary Beacom fan tho, just too odd a skater for my taste. Toller along with John Curry have to be in a class by themselves. They both oozed elegance, making all the technique look so effortless. What is great about the Canadian men is the sheer individual strengths of each champion.

Let us hope Patrick joins this pantheon one day.
 
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