Skaters you started to appreciate after long time/retiring

[arewhyaen]

Carolina Kostner. As a lifelong Kwan stan, I always kind of resented Kostner for winning bronze at '05 worlds, when I (still) think Kwan skated a better short and free than Kostner. Also at this time, I think Kostner was still trying to find the right choreography and how to utilize her long lines and limbs. She was still very much a jump technician with awkward choreography around this time. So I never really gave her a shot.

But I was so floored by her programs and skating skills when she came back for Pyeongchang. I still re-watch her free from that season, which was so absolutely beautiful and ironically gave me Lyra Angelica 98 vibes in terms of the choreography and flow of the program. From there, I revisited her older programs and absolutely fell in love.

 

[Dawn825]

Ashley. Remember when women's skating had actual women in it?

 

[Jhar55]

Sasha Cohen, never really cared for her skating until sitting front row of COI. She skated by, after that just couldn’t get enough of watching her. It’s just one those things hit you, and say to yourself what have I been missing.

 

[Weathergal]

One skater I didn't really appreciate as an amateur as Viktor Petrenko, but I'm a big Paul Wylie fan so that has a lot to do with it Once Viktor turned pro, I grew to appreciate him much more and found I really liked his charisma and "big" way of skating. He could really fill the ice, much like Brian Boitano did, and I found that very impressive.

 

[TontoK]

Definitely Patrick Chan for me. I never truly appreciated him as a skater due to being so fed up with him winning competitions with numerous falls. Patrick's skating skills are simply unmatched and outstanding. We might never come across another skater like him in the mens division.

Same. I thought Patrick was overrated, until I really watched his skating later in his career.

 

[TontoK]

It took me a long time to warm up to Jason Brown. I thought his Riverdance was annoying. But his far more sophisticated performances of the last few years totally made me a fan.

Similar story, but not quite.

I loved Riverdance. I thought it was different and joyous, and I was full of hope for what would come next.

Then, I cooled considerably. I thought then, and I still do now, that his programs were not doing justice to his gifts - I didn't see artistric progession for a few years. "Crowd pleasing" doesn't mean the same as "good."

True confession: I was glad he didn't make the Olympic Team in 2018 because I didn't think he deserved it. I also think it might have given him the shake he needed. His programs since missing that team have been pretty glorious.

 

[Lamente Ariane]

I became a Liza Tuktamysheva fan during, I believe, the summer of 2018. I was still mourning Julia Lipnitskaya’s retirement and hadn’t really gotten into any of the senior Russian ladies skating at that time, but somehow I ended up going back and watching 2015 Euros during the off season. Up till that point I’d only seen Liza skate when she was struggling and with programs that didn’t do much for her, and I was startled by how much presence and confidence she had in 2015 when she was actually delivering. I started dreaming of her making a comeback, even knowing it was extremely unlikely… imagine my shock and delight when that actually came to pass!

Unfortunately the opposite happened with Ashley Wagner, who I only started really rooting for (and re-evaluating) in 2016…

 

[Charlotte 71]

Sometimes you might not like a skater at first, and not only that, you might dislike their skating for most of their career, only starting to appreciate them after many years, or at end of their career, or even after they have retired. Have this ever happen to you and with what skater?

For me, this would be Yulia Lipnitskaya. I found her cold and emotionless during Sochi and found her hype too high, but after many years, I found new appreciation for her, as she was much more elegant than many skaters at the time and also The current time. Her spins and melancholy programs are unmatched. Such a shame she had only one good senior season.

Has anyone said Tonya Harding yet? No need to rehash her moral failings, victimhood, equipment failures, etc. - I think we all know where we stand on that. But her clean skates that we have to look back on, like the 1991 Skate America freeskate, really had everything. Well, everything except good music.

 

[TontoK]

I became a Liza Tuktamysheva fan during, I believe, the summer of 2018. I was still mourning Julia Lipnitskaya’s retirement and hadn’t really gotten into any of the senior Russian ladies skating at that time, but somehow I ended up going back and watching 2015 Euros during the off season. Up till that point I’d only seen Liza skate when she was struggling and with programs that didn’t do much for her, and I was startled by how much presence and confidence she had in 2015 when she was actually delivering. I started dreaming of her making a comeback, even knowing it was extremely unlikely… imagine my shock and delight when that actually came to pass!

Unfortunately the opposite happened with Ashley Wagner, who I only started really rooting for (and re-evaluating) in 2016…

I haven't really been into an Amerian woman in some time. Really since the early part of Gracie's career. By "into" I mean that I've made a dedicated effort to rewatch any of their programs. Oh, I've enjoyed Bradie and Mariah, Karen to some extent... Alysa a little less... but never enough to rewatch any of their perforances.

Maybe given some time, I'll give those another look, and find new appreciation that I haven't had. This thread is inspiring me.

 

[arewhyaen]

Sasha Cohen, never really cared for her skating until sitting front row of COI. She skated by, after that just couldn’t get enough of watching her. It’s just one those things hit you, and say to yourself what have I been missing.

So interesting because I feel like my passion for Sasha Cohen as a skater has only decreased over time. I was such a fan of hers while she was still active and always rooted for her. But these days, when I go back to watch her best skates, I start to notice the little things that she hid so well - shallow edges, questionable technique on her jumps. And while she hit some beautiful positions - her spins don't carry the same impact that they did back then now that every ladies skater is doing a hyper extension on their laybacks and biellmanns.