Poll: Best all-around female skater?

[Imagine]

Of those actually competing right now...it's Evgenia. I pefer Mao, but Evgenia is the best all around factoring in consistency and jumps sans flutz.

Of all time, I'd say Yuna Kim. I don't think "ugly" spirals really take away that much from her overall quality...and her spins, while not amazing, were not terrible by any means. Yuna isn't even my favorite, but that's simply the truth. I much prefer skaters like Shizuka, Sasha, and Mao...but they just couldn't reach the same level of dominance.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Of all time, I'd say Yuna Kim. I don't think "ugly" spirals really take away that much from her overall quality...and her spins, while not amazing, were not terrible by any means. Yuna isn't even my favorite, but that's simply the truth. I much prefer skaters like Shizuka, Sasha, and Mao...but they just couldn't reach the same level of dominance.

Even for spirals, IMO the edge control is equally important so while Yuna didn't have great flexibility, the quality of the spiral element was still very high.

 

[Li'Kitsu]

Wagner over the last 4 years or so was a much better skater then Leonova who had her high placements at Worlds in some of the weaker years compared to the last few seasons where the competition was much higher.

Those "last 4 years or so" weren't when Adelina got her first national title though.
And if you want to argue about "how many titles would Adelina have had in the US", you gotta turn it around too - how many titles would Grcaie have had in Russia? Definitely not the one this season, when she had a supbar SP and the russian top 3 were clean. She likely wouldn't even have made the podium. And 2014 against clean Adelina and Julia is far from a definite win for her either. Gracie might have other things going for her against Adelina, but her national record is definitely not one of them.

Actually those at GPF said Gracie was the fastest and her jumps were biggest there. What makes her uncomfortable to look at is that her body is sooo stiff.

She was fastest in the SP, but noticeably slower in the LP. And her jumps were the biggest in that field, but not even by much - the biggest jump itself was Mao's SP 3A. I'd say Adelina and Anna P. for example have bigger jumps (out of the girls I saw live, I mean). Junior girl Polina T too. Gracies jumps are on the bigger side, but surely nothing jaw-dropping or spectacular.

 

[Meoima]

She was fastest in the SP, but noticeably slower in the LP. And her jumps were the biggest in that field, but not even by much - the biggest jump itself was Mao's SP 3A. I'd say Adelina and Anna P. for example have bigger jumps (out of the girls I saw live, I mean). Junior girl Polina T too. Gracies jumps are on the bigger side, but surely nothing jaw-dropping or spectacular.

That's why I said "fastest and biggest there" which means in that field which was not full of big jumpers. Evgenia, Radionova, Ashley, Mao (not her 3A), Satoko.
However they're still big, so it's not right when some people say her jumps are not big anymore. The thing with Gracie is she's such a stiff skater and such a horrible competitor.

 

[OS]

thread is :think: deja vu deja vu ....

Gracie may be bit of a head case, but at her best she is still better than her peers. I can't really punish her for the poor choice of programs and artistic direction since going to Lori/Frank, which are clearly more of being told what to do as the 'annointed' one... who probably really just want to run away, letting her down and do some Coyote Ugly with her posses.

Currently best all rounder, Mao by virtue of veteran status. I wonder if Carolina is serious about coming back... I am fairly intrigued how the European judges will weigh her compare with Evegenia. Or will she get the EURO 2014 treatment.

 

[Arriba627]

I think Polina Edmunds is the total package if you look at the sp that she skated last year. I really want to see a tall balletic girl with amazing lines be on the Olympic podium.

I do not understand why she is not more respected internationally. I think college may take her off trajectory and wish she defers two years. And with her mother out and a top coach in she would likely soar to the top. I hope she keeps the sp this year and wonder how Blades feels it can be better tho for me that sp last year was foot perfect.

I would love to see Philp Mills do her LP and me thinks the two statuesque USA ladies should train together. I would love to see her train with Gracie daily. I think Gracie would strive to become consistent and maybe Polina could help her calm her nerves. Look at how Hanyu and Javi push each other and learn from each other. I don't know that Frank would even take Polina if asked but Gracie needs someone at her level to be friends with and these two have great tech ability. I can see them as friends. Ashley has a good training environment. I think the other two need changes and someone to push them daily.

I do enjoy Polina when she is allowed to look like an adult. I cannot imagine Frank sending her out with that GWTW program and costume that so turned everyone off.

I fell in love with Polina Edmunds at 2014 Nationals, and I remember thinking Great! The future of the sport! I understand she had a growth spurt and got a reputation for under rotations, but I just don't understand why she hasn't been touted as the next best thing. Maybe better costumes, hairstyle, makeup. Heck! That's the easy stuff! I still have very high hopes for her.

 

[Globetrotter]

thread is :think: deja vu deja vu ....

Gracie may be bit of a head case, but at her best she is still better than her peers. I can't really punish her for the poor choice of programs and artistic direction since going to Lori/Frank, which are clearly more of being told what to do as the 'annointed' one... who probably really just want to run away, letting her down and do some Coyote Ugly with her posses.

Currently best all rounder, Mao by virtue of veteran status. I wonder if Carolina is serious about coming back... I am fairly intrigued how the European judges will weigh her compare with Evegenia. Or will she get the EURO 2014 treatment.

Gracie has the strongest SS among currently active female skaters, outside of Mao. She has just been given music and programs that stereotype the American Disney princess. Perhaps Frank and Lori has this ideal? Still think that Gracie will be better off working with someone more modern than the Old World Frank Lori combo. That aside, the reason I won't think of her as all round is that her competitive nerves weakness is so glaring especially relative to her ton of natural talents. That is why my vote still go to Yuna or Michelle as they don't have any glaring weakness throughout.

 

[Osmond4gold]

Total package for me includes...jumps, dance, rhythm, power, musicality and that "Wow" factor. Kaetlyn Osmond, for me is, "that girl". I hope she can enjoy an injury free season so that others may see, what I have come to know.

 

[Mathman]

Total package for me includes...jumps, dance, rhythm, power, musicality and that "Wow" factor. Kaetlyn Osmond, for me is, "that girl". I hope she can enjoy an injury free season so that others may see, what I have come to know.

Great post. I hope so, too.

 

[Blades of Passion]

I'd like to see Kaetlyn bring this program back for the Olympic season, with lyrics at the start and some spin changes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=be7NAlIW6mg - she only competed it for half a season and never cleanly with the max tech content.

 

[skateluvr]

Some thought that was tacky about dance hall girl/ prostitute. There is way better music she can skate to anything.

 

[Seren]

Yuna Kim: Huge natural talent, great competitive ability, consistent and big jumps, very good spins and footwork, and at her best and absolute joy to watch. There was something effortless about her. Sure, she didn't have the best flexibility and didn't do a 3loop in competition most of her career but that didn't detract from her skating. I don't know when we will next have a skater as dominant or consistent again.

Michelle Kwan: I don't think we will ever again have a skater as dominant as Michelle. She was magical and if her huge collection of national and world titles isn't enough to convince you, nothing will.

 

[Mathman]

I always use the "body of work" criterion for this question. What skater can boast one masterpiece performance after another throughout her career?

This is not rhetorical. Sonia Henie has a considerable number of performances that have been preserved, mostly from her movie career. Kristi Yamaguchi's resume as a professional skater deserves consideration.

 

[slider11]

Going with Janet Lynn. She had such style and technique. She may have slipped a little her last year but 1969-72 were outstanding years. If I'm looking for pure motion and expression on ice, I watch her. Other than Afternoon of a Faun, the music back then was SO bad...talk about bad elevator music. Sometimes I mute the music and just watch her.

 

[Sam L]

What's "all round"? Back in the day, wouldn't "all round" mean someone who was good at compulsory figures and free skate? How about someone like Peggy Fleming?

These days I guess you could say Yuna Kim, Michelle Kwan, Mao Asada, Evgenia Medvedeva etc... who are good at both the technical aspects and artistic elements of the sport.