Which retirees do you miss the most?

Well for me- if we are going back to 6.0 I really loved Krist Yamaguchi as a pro and really think she should get back to skating- get those triples down and really show off her youth, beauty and skating skills. I want to see her skate again to a fast dynamic piece of music. She never skates in the family shows. I miss her. For the men I miss Paul Wylie the most and was glad to see him skate if only on YouTube at the Katarina Goordeeva thing for friends and Sergei.

Frankly Katia is still a beautiful skater but she is boring and I hope she retired. She never let us miss her and I wish she had done pairs years ago. Not some adagio stuff with Kulik but real pairs and not with a hockey player. Many people got sick of Katarina Witt. I was one. I don't miss her and never did. Roz Sumners was so stunning when she left SoI in 1999. I loved her last program but she too was overlong in the 90s.

As for the pairs we cannot resurrect Sergei but I will never stop missing them. I also wish I could see Yagudin skate in America again if he still can skate. I also wish Evan had done more as a pro. He barely skated after his Gold medal. I do wish a couple of dance teams would come back. I got my wish with Virtue Moir but back in the day i.e. The 90s I always thought Rene Roca and Gorsha Sur were sublime. I think ice dancers last a lot longer because they don't jump so this stunning pair had choreography I loved. I never disliked a number they did. I think she is a very talented choreographer.

My Nostalgia trip goes to Japan next and I did not want the amazing and lovely Akiko Suzuki to retire. By the time I knew her after her comeback I just loved all her skates. She was joy. Caro will be back and I'm glad regardless of the low marks they will give her. Mao and Caro are two skaters I never get sick of. I'm glad they still love to skate.

One pair that really should have skated longer was Elena and Anton. I also really miss Sale and Pelletier. They really were exciting pro skaters. I'd love to see them together again. Sad divorce.

Michelle skated so long. I'm happy to watch her skate on YouTube because there is so much to choose from. Sasha stayed to long as a pro- her weight gain and no jumps really made me pine for the competing Sasha. Don't miss her and glad there's no comeback there. I am very disappointed Yuna did not really work on programs that really challenged her as an artist. Shizuka really did some beautiful pro work. I was underwhelmed with her Turandot at Turino. She was a jumper who could do triple triple triple. But she did really spend time perfecting her artistry as a pro. It is great the sport thrives in Japan. I loved Yunas Nessun Dorma and wanted more. Her heart was full of emotion- one of her best skates even without the huge 3x3 we all liked to see

I still enjoy Kurt Browning but his glory days are in the past. I think he has lost the drive to do the blazing footwork. But his pro career was likely the best I have ever seen.

I wish SOI still really had a show as there are several skaters who I wish had more Pro opportunities. A current dream Pro US tour? That's another thread! It is so sad skating is dead here in the USA. One can only be nostalgic because there is not a future four two tours like we had in the nineties. I wish those days would return.

Joannie Rochette. I just thought she got better and better as a performer after becoming a professional skater and she still seemed to have strong jumps. I wish she made a comeback for Sochi.

Michelle Kwan. Michelle Kwan. Michelle Kwan.

kiara_bleu said:

Joannie Rochette. I just thought she got better and better as a performer after becoming a professional skater and she still seemed to have strong jumps. I wish she made a comeback for Sochi.

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Yes Joannie. Beautiful beyond words. She should have gone to Sochi. I wish she had been able to do many more SOI numbers here in USA not only in Canada. She was the true total package. Sophisticated, nuanced skater.

Sasha Cohen

Elaine Zayak. She made something of a comeback attempt years ago and I think finished in fourth at Nationals.

Sasha Cohen, Arakawa Shizuka, Kim Yuna.

well, i am not going to talk about skaters from 20-30 years ago... just because i am done missing them

but back then, as a kid, I missed Josée Chouinard the most... probably because she never fulfilled her gigantic potential... but then shined in the pro circuit.

i will miss Florent Amodio...very sad he is retiring.

I concur with others about Joannie Rochette... I think it was a smart decision to retire after 2010... but under other circumstances, she may have continued... she had just made her move the year before...

I did thought Jeffrey had another Olympics in him and had mixed feelings when he decided not to continue until home olympics... (especially since it was won quadless)... but yeah... he probably felt he was done....

I missed Patrick a lot but he is back same with Mao (but despite being a fan, I thought it was okay she was done... she has been around for so long) and I am thrilled that Virtue and Moir are coming back... simply because ice dance needs something to shake the hierarchy now... I love PC but I am part of those who think that they have simpler programs and I'd like to see something more challenging.

For the rest, I think this question comes better into play right after the olympics.... because right now, very few people are retiring... they are all into the next cycle

4everchan said:

Mao (but despite being a fan, I thought it was okay she was done... she has been around for so long)

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I agree. The fact she owned the 2014 Worlds was also a really nice way to go; going out on a high. But I am very excited she is back!

I still recall the 90's, the pre-internet era for me, and seeing my favourite skater retire meant pretty much a goodbye forever, a tragic event. But thanks to youtube and social media, now we can still follow the activities of your old favourites, also can watch and rewatch their skating, be it from their competitive days or the recent ones from the shows. Which is a real blessing! And especially with the situation right now which is edging cruelty (5 quads required if you wanted to medal!!!??? ) actually sometimes I almost feel some of my favourites would be better off turning professional and let their strength other than jumping shine. The prime example is Stèphane Lambiel. He continues to grow as an artist, six years after his retirement he is still full of activities and high on demand around the world, it's been a real pleasure to follow him.
So, what I miss, rather than who, in Mens skating. ... the period where quads were optional, when skaters would win with just one quad or even without. When the skating was more about skating.
I surely miss Robin Szolkowy skating with Aljona Savchenko BTW. They were magical together, I admire Aljona for her determination and she is doing well with Massot and I am happy for her, but it is just not the same thing!!!

I miss Akiko Suzuki so much

Davis and White, although they're not officially retired yet AFAIK.

Only those who retired in the last 10 years or so.

Davis & White - mostly for new, beautiful programs that they could present on the biggest stage. Otherwise they achieved virtually everything that was there and left while being at the top.

Jeffrey Buttle - I was not a big fan of Jeff when he was still a competitor but I remember missing him after he retired. I truly started appreciating his skating & dedication after that only. In hindsight he would have a good shot at Olympic Gold in Vancouver had he continued.

Sasha Cohen - I would like to see her in some show / exhibition again!

Kristoffer Berntsson

Joannie Rochette

Jana Khokhlova (I liked her with Novitski just because of Jana )

I also miss Savchenko / Szolkowy cooperation, they were perfect together.

Skaters that I don't miss:

Yuna Kim - I know that it might be unpopular opinion here but I felt that after 2010 her heart was not in skating anymore. She seemed forced by Korean federation and blase.

The final group in the men's event at 2008 Worlds: Jeffrey Buttle, Johnny Weir, Daisuke Takahashi, Tomas Verner, Stephane Lambiel, and Brian Joubert. That's an interesting group with very different styles and approaches to skating.

Pechalat/Bourzat - though so long as they were around the FFSG would not have thrown its support behind Papadakis/Cizeron, so maybe it's for the best.

I think Savchenko/Massot are wonderful together, but Savchenko/Szolkowy were also wonderful together. So I enjoy S/M while also missing S/S.

I don't miss people who retired a decade or mroe ago; I've gotten used to them not being around any more.

Daisuke Takahashi and Tatsuki Machida.

Davis and White :sad46:
Akiko Suzuki:sad4:
Michelle Kwan:hopelessness:
Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto :sad21:

Dai - the one true artist!

I truly miss Davis and White's artistry and beautiful skating, as well as Akiko Suzuki!

I miss all that have been mentioned! And Kiira Korpi as well. Everything about her was just so lovely.

Akiko Suzuki. She was glorious. Even when the jumps weren't there, her skating was the definition of magical.

I also miss Yuna, but as I don't envy the constant pressure she was under I don't feel as strongly about her retirement (even though she is one of my favorite skaters ever).