Irina Slutskaya's Free Skate - Absolutely The Best

SailorGalaxia518 · Mar 20, 2005

I was in tears when I saw her free skate aired on TV. By far the best performance ever done. The free skate is my #1 moment at worlds. Should go down in history as one of the best.

Anybody else agree?

kyla2 · Mar 20, 2005

Uh, I don't Think So

Irina did a nice job with her jumps and spins. But the best figure skating performance, or even one of the best, not even close. Her program lacked finesse and artistry. They stil count. It was essentially unmemorable. When she lands some of her jumps she comes to a dead stop, which makes them abrupt and lacking in beauty. She should have won because Sasha's program, while infinitely more beautiful, was flawed. Michelle's was lacking also, so the result was right but it hardly qualifies as one of the greatest performances of all time.

goodsoul81 · Mar 21, 2005

I agree... with all of the memorable moments in World Championship history I don't understand how that could be considered the best. She didn't even do anything that would make the performance stick out. Think of Midori Ito landing the triple axel, Katarina Witt at the 87 worlds or even Michelle at the 01 worlds. Irina did skate well but we won't be talking about that performance next week let alone years from now.

Vash01 · Mar 21, 2005

Irina's LP was definitely a highlight of this year's worlds. Given her health problems it was even more amazing. I will certainly be talking about it in the years to come.

SailorGalaxia518 · Mar 21, 2005

This woman has gone through hell these past two years with two life-threatening diseases plus the illness of her mother. She comes into this season undefeated. By far, she is the most courageous skater I know. On of the best comebacks in the sport.

She has won $45,000 winning the gold at worlds.....her mother's kidney transplant is $50,000. The reaction at the end of her free skate at worlds says it all.

She is taking most if not all her winnings at every competition this season to pay for her medical bills and her mother's. I have not seen such a caring person my whole life. I just simply love her.

Piel · Mar 21, 2005

Well, while Irina is certainly courageous let's face it she has access to excellent medical care and from previous threads on this subject she does have the financial resources to pay her medical bills. As for helping her mother wouldn't any daughter do the same thing? Because she has been put in this position does not make her any more caring than anyone else would be in the same situation.

SailorGalaxia518 · Mar 21, 2005

I'm just saying she has made one of the most successful comebacks in the sport

Piel · Mar 21, 2005

Following in the footsteps of Lance Armstrong, Scott Hamilton, and Elena B. Irina has made a great comeback.

SailorGalaxia518 · Mar 21, 2005

Thank you. Let's just leave it at that.

Kudos for having such a great season

Kwanford Wife · Mar 21, 2005

Great topic!:agree:

Irina deserved that medal. Her free was definately one for the ages and a testiment that the mind is lazier than the body.

I have the utmost respect for her & her season.

Kwanford Wife

Mathman · Mar 21, 2005

Irina kicked booty! She chewed up the others like a Tyrannosaurus Rex! She ran over them like a Mack Truck! :clap:

You go, child!

Mathman

Dee4707 · Mar 21, 2005

I got goosebumps when she skated. Yeah Irina!!!

Dee

millie · Mar 21, 2005

In my eyes, Irena is as solid as a rock. What you see is what you get, no frills attached. I think that what she gets is what she works for--nothing handed to her on silver(or gold) platter. She is a very versatile--Like in her exhibition programs. You go girl :clap:

Frau Muller · Mar 21, 2005

SailorGalaxia518 said:
IBy far the best performance ever done. The free skate is my #1 moment at worlds. Should go down in history as one of the best.

Anybody else agree?

TOTALLY AGREE, SailorG! Irina showed us a 'skate for the ages'...the TOTAL package, in balance, with the extra-added emotional factor. :clap:

Alas, it may have brought 'rain' on someone else's 'parade'....hmmm....

wvgal57 · Mar 21, 2005

Only those close to Irina really know the hell she's been through. The media has talked a lot about the financial burden but the emotional burden of knowing that she could lose her mom at any moment. Then be struck with finding your own health is at near jeopardy. The health burden is worse, Churg Strauss Syndrome has no cure. She can't rest her body and treat it like an injury. This illness is multifaceted and it's turned her training regimen upside down and she's had to adjust a lot.

She is a courageous woman with an incredible love of what she does. She has earned that special place in history.

I don't know if all women would do what she's done for her mother, I do think many would have looked at their own dire health issues and hung up their skates and took up some of the other easier offers she's had.

The sad thing is that her mom received a transplant last year and it failed..

No matter what the future holds, this is an athlete who deserves the accolades. Russia dearly idolizes her and deservedly so.

icenut84 · Mar 24, 2005

I don't care what any of her detractors say. Irina's LP was one of the best moments of the entire world championships for me (along with Stephane's utter joy in the medal ceremony). It was the performance of her life. Sasha skated well, but Irina simply outskated her. Thinking about it, it's pretty similar to Shen & Zhao's LP in 2003 - overcoming injury (or illness in Irina's case) to give an amazing and very emotional performance that is undoubtedly the best on the night, even when the silver medallists also skated very well.

When I was watching it, I was concerned maybe that Irina would suffer from the pressure, or the condition in the arena (apparently it was very warm) given her condition. I couldn't believe it when she powered into that 3lutz3loop - amazing! It definitely made me sit up and get excited. With every jump she landed (and she landed every single one), her smile just grew and grew. Her spins were great, her spirals were great, her footwork was great, her programme was great, and her jumps were on. At the end of the programme, the crowd went absolutely nuts (they'd been going nuts throughout, but even moreso when she'd done) and I've never seen Irina look that happy and emotional before. I knew straight away she'd won, and completely deserved to win. And straight away, I thought "That's a performance for the ages" and "That's a keeper". IMO, anyone who thinks she somehow didn't fully deserve that gold meal is insane.

Irina rocks

icenut84 · Mar 24, 2005

goodsoul81 said:
I agree... with all of the memorable moments in World Championship history I don't understand how that could be considered the best. She didn't even do anything that would make the performance stick out. Think of Midori Ito landing the triple axel, Katarina Witt at the 87 worlds or even Michelle at the 01 worlds.

Um... what was so memorable about Michelle at the 01 Worlds? Don't get me wrong, she skated great and did a 3T3T, but how does that performance stick out over other ones? A bit confused.

goodsoul81 · Mar 25, 2005

well first of all I'm not trying to take away from the hardships that Irina has had to overcome this year. Of course I'm happy for her! It's just that her skating in general doesn't move me. I will always recognize how much she has overcome and to skate that way on home ice was of course very special. I think it was undoubtedly the skate of the championships but some people on this thread have been saying that it was a skate for the ages or something. I totally disagree with that. As far as Michelle at the 01 worlds her free skate was awesome. She was in fantastic shape and got the job done technically while still taking the audience along on a journey. While Irina overcame quite a bit this year and got the job done in the long program, I personally didn't get the sense of being taken on a journey like I did with Michelle or Sasha or even Fumie for that matter. The technical components as well as the sense of a skater inviting you into a performance are what in my opinion makes a great great skate.

Mathman · Mar 25, 2005

Hi Goodsoul. Welcome to the forum, and thanks for contributing to this thread.

To me, there were two things taht were remarkable about 2001 worlds. First, that was the one where Michelle's skate fell apart in the qualifying round and her dad had to repair it ad hoc with a couple of nails. Then she went out and skated a mesmerizing performance with one boot shorter than the other.

The other point of interest was that all during the season, she really seemed to be fighting the music (Song of the Black Swan) and ill at ease with the choreography. In fact, that was the last time that she worked with Lori Nichol as a choreograoher.

But somehow, on that magical night, it all came together for her, she hit the triple-triple that had been eluding her all season, and she rocked the house.

But to me, the Red Violin in 2000 was an even more dazzling show. Plus the competition was very exciting because Michelle had only been third in qualifying, so in order to win the championship, even after Michelle's first-place skate, Irina still had to beat Maria Butyrskaya for second in the long.

I bet Michelle has always been grateful to Irina for that!

Mathman

attyfan · Mar 25, 2005

Mathman said:
... But to me, the Red Violin in 2000 was an even more dazzling show. Plus the competition was very exciting because Michelle had only been third in qualifying, so in order to win the championship, even after Michelle's first-place skate, Irina still had to beat Maria Butyrskaya for second in the long. I bet Michelle has always been grateful to Irina for that! Mathman

Maybe that's why they still seem to be good friends after SLC. If Irina had won the free skate, Michelle would be a two time silver medalist; if Irina had bombed, Michelle would have gold.

Irina Slutskaya's Free Skate - Absolutely The Best

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kyla2

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Kwanford Wife

Mathman

Dee4707

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