Most mortifying moments for someone skating?

[Buttercup]

Maybe it's just a definition then, because I wouldn't call anything mortifying if it was really funny/not serious.

I guess we do have different definitions, because when I see something like the D/D accident or Totmianina being dropped by Marinin, I don't think "how mortifying", I think "OMG, how awful/painful/scary". I just don't see these things as embarrassing or humiliating, though I can see how the male partners might feel guilty. But that's not the same at all.

OTOH, injuries like those listed here and here are generally fall into the mortifying category for me. I mean, if you have to miss games because you can't survive a teammate's high-five or do not have proper pie-slamming technique, that is mortifying indeed. Although some of these doesn't fit my "not serious" criteria. I'll amend, then: nothing life or career threatening, and not injuries that happen in standard ways, because if it can happen anytime, what's so mortifying about it?

[gkelly]

Stepping on the ice with guards on the blades. Could happen to anyone (though not at any time), but kind of a "duh!" moment when it happens, so I would consider it mortifying.

[Olympia]

I agree that mortifying doesn't include anything resulting in a serious injury. Moves or incidents that cause embarrassment are mortifying. Fusar-Poli's glare of death at Margoglio comes under the category of mortifying, I'd say. And man, was it unforgettable.

[hrmsk8ngnutt]

I wouldn't say mortifying, but an embarrassing moment would be Valentina Marchei's poorly (depending how you look at it)-timed fall at the short program at 2007 Worlds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qlDr-bv-Ko&t=02m50s

Julia Lautowa had a similar incident in 2003. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIy94L5Y0iw Go to 3:59 in the clip.

Then there was 2004 Worlds when Michelle Kwan took to the ice for her FP when some guy in a tutu and no shirt came on to the ice and delayed the start of her performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zir_Bj7Dw8E It must have been especially unnerving since she had endured a deduction in the SP for ending her program after the music was finished.

[Rachmaninoff]

Surprised no one's mentioned Midori Ito's fall right out of the rink...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFeo-jMJSlg

[jenaj]

Julia Lautowa had a similar incident in 2003. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIy94L5Y0iw Go to 3:59 in the clip.

Then there was 2004 Worlds when Michelle Kwan took to the ice for her FP when some guy in a tutu and no shirt came on to the ice and delayed the start of her performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zir_Bj7Dw8E It must have been especially unnerving since she had endured a deduction in the SP for ending her program after the music was finished.

Unnerving, yes (for most people), mortifying, no. Why should she be embarrassed by a fool who breached extremely lax security. Michelle didn't get outwardly rattled at all by this incident, proving she is competitor with ice-water in her veins. I do think it affected her because she popped a triple into a double late in her program. But she still had five clean triples and some judges even placed her first.

[Trewyn]

Surprised no one's mentioned Midori Ito's fall right out of the rink...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFeo-jMJSlg

I too was wondering why no one had brought it up

Valentina Marchei's musical fall is right up there too, though

[WeakAnkles]

Laetitia Hubert's LP at the Albertville Olympics, where she fell so many times wags referred to her as "The Human Zamboni." I'm sorry I don't know how to link to a You Tube clip, but you all are much smarter than me and can no doubt find it easily!

[Skater Boy]

I am not sure if Hubert's performance was mortifying - maybe to her but rather just sad. Her jumps weren't the only problem she just looked rather weak and not skating the program. all these cute little falls at the end of performances arguably are NOT mortifying - the fact that they are laughingsuggests it wasn't that scarey just perhaps embarassing.. Now some of the comments Dick Button has made may have been mortifying to the world if not insulting or politicaly improper. Perhaps those skaters whose breasts fell out of their costumes may have been mortified (one wonders why skaters don't wear bras. I suppose most are more flat chested in order to skate, jump and or spin but still can't they wear proper support wear. I mean wearing spaghetti straps while doing triple jumps or bending yourself into a pretzel - sounds like one should not be too suprised if a strap breaks or soemthing falls out.

[mskater93]

Skaters don't wear bras typically because the dress is designed with "support" built into it.

[Skater Boy]

Good point but if you are endowed in that area any designer knows that you need real support or duct tape. You are just a wardrobe malfunction waiting to happen.

[mskater93]

The only elite skater who is really and truly endowed is Gedevenishvilli. Most other elite skaters aren't endowed too much. Most designers are well aware of what needs to be done to avoid a tragedy (Tonya Harding's ex designer notwithstanding.). MOST skaters with spaghetti strap style dresses actually have illusion fabric (flesh mesh) to a tank, short or full sleeve under those spaghetti straps along with lining and support. Kostner's former dress was an issue as well since the mesh fabric stretched down on her layback spin but it was resolved after a wear with some good lining (although you should REALLY wear it and practice a full array of elements in it) and Zhang's back strap snapping at SC notwithstanding.

[jlmart]

I remember a VERY long time ago watching skating - I think it was world's because there was certainly no Grand Prix at the time - and during the pairs competition a pair doing side by side camel spins got out of sync. Their boots collided and the blades locked. I don't think there were injuries but I am sure they were mortified.

[delray1977]

Midori ito falling out of the rink during her performance at '91 worlds.....poor girl.

[Mao88]

Surprised no one's mentioned Midori Ito's fall right out of the rink...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFeo-jMJSlg

That was what I thought of as well when I saw this thread