Some Disastrous Competitive Performances

[Frau Muller]

Lulu (Chen Lu) at '97 Worlds, with a disastrous qualifying round. The reighning World Silver Medalist & former World Champ failed to make it out of the QR.

1982 Nationals - Elaine Zayak -- then reighning World Silver Medalist -- bombing in her LP, barely making the '82 Worlds team (generous marks made her 3rd, behind Sumners & DeVries). One month later, she got her act together & became World Champion!

 

[Germanice]

Had Todd skated cleanly at the 2002 Olympics, there was a very real chance that he could have medaled and even won. Alexei's program was not so much that it couldn't be overcome (no pun intended).

Are - you - kidding? :boohoo:
Dream on!

Anke

 

[VivaLsVgs]

Martini & Underhill

I don't know if anyone remembers, but weren't Barb & Paul favored to win Gold when she had a freakish fall in the side by side spins in the short? I believe she not only fell but crashed into Paul and knocked him down too. It opened the door for the Carruthers to win Silver, but my heart broke for Barb & Paul.

 

[BronzeisGolden]

I'm not sure if I would say it was completely disasterous, but Sarah's QR performance at the 2003 Worlds certianly wasn't spectacular. She was the reigning Olympic Champion and was coming off of a solid outing at Nationals....I was sort of shocked to see her all the way down in 6th.
Also, Chen Lu's LP at the 1996 Champions' Series Final was a difficult one to watch. She led after the SP, but her "Rach" that night was tenative/shaky and she only managed to complete 2-3 triple jumps.
Josee Chouinard also had a series of disasterous performances (much to my sadness!). She was such a terrific skater, and it was a real shame that she never had one entirely clean, inspired competition.

 

[heyang]

Yes, i felt bad for Josee when she had to suddenly skate before Tonya at the 94 Oly's. She says that she took her time getting ready, but IMO, there was a mental block from having to get ready 4 minutes before plan.

Hubert had a disastrous LP at 92 Oly's. You could see the bruises coming out about 1/2 way through her routine. Overall, the 92 Oly's Ladies final 6 LP's were probably the messiest I've every watched. Everyone fell except for Kristi (who had a touch down and a really bad landing)

 

[sycamore29]

I think the Men's LP from 2003 Nationals has got to take the cake in this category.

Didn't almost every skater in the final group have some sort of disaster? I remember Matt Savoie had some costume issues, JW was a mess, I think Weiss made mistakes too - it was one after the other - a total train wreck.

 

[mmscfdcsu]

I don't know if anyone remembers, but weren't Barb & Paul favored to win Gold when she had a freakish fall in the side by side spins in the short? I believe she not only fell but crashed into Paul and knocked him down too. It opened the door for the Carruthers to win Silver, but my heart broke for Barb & Paul.

Oh yes that was so hard to watch. She knocked him down as if he was a bowling pin! It hurt me as mych as watching Janet Lynn and the double axel!

 

[WeirsAngel]

Plushenko's LP at european 2004...Very very sad to watch...hwell:

 

[soogar]

The worst performances are the ones where the skater needs to be carried off. Denise Biellman competed in a pro event many years ago and got a leg cramp whil landing a jump. She landed it and then remained standing while clutching her calf/shin. She stood there until Robin Cousins (or another skater) carried her off. I was so embarrassed for her.

 

[attyfan]

Fortunately, this one didn't end up as a long-term disaster -- TT/MM Free Skate, SA last season.

 

[Dee4707]

Alexie's SP in 2001 Goodwill Games where he bonked his head on the boards. From different angles you could see where he really hit his head hard but he got up quickly and went on. I remember one of his technical marks was 4.8 and he just smirked. The other thing I remembered is that Tatianna told him not to put his quad in the corner and he did it anyone. That is one of the first times I have seen her very unhappy with her skater. I really felt sorry for Alexei knowing what he had to face when he left the K&C area.

Dee

 

[Dee4707]

Are - you - kidding? :boohoo:
Dream on!

Anke

My sentiments exactly!!! If you're a competitor you skate when you are assigned to skate,,,,,,,,,,,,like Alexei, last in the LP. I like Todd very much too but come on!!

Dee

 

[iluvtodd]

Are - you - kidding? :boohoo:
Dream on!

Anke

Germanice, I think you're being rather harsh to Todd & to Kathie in these comments. I'm not going to say with assurance that he would have won the SLC Olympics, but I wouldn't rule out the chance that he might have medaled had he not had the fall in the SP. He was (and IMHO) still is a formidable competitor. He trained hard to learn to do the quad, did land it in two competitions (2000 Masters and the midwestern sectionals as an eligible skater). Yes, I realize that he had not landed it consistently in other competitions, but there is more to skating (& should be) that just one blasted jump. I am thrilled that he is enjoying a successful pro career (and doesn't have to worry about landing the quad in competition anymore), but I do wonder how he would have fared under CoP. I suspect he would have done well under it. The quad is not everything!

Furthermore, can we agree to disagree respectfully?

 

[Eldredgefan2001]

Thanks for coming to bat for me Gail, but it wasn't necessary. But, if it wasn't for others quoting he/she/it in their posts, I never would have know what was said, since this person is on my ignore list, and for good reason. No, Germanice, I am not kidding. Alexei Yagudin is not invincible. He's not even great, IMO. He has scratchy landings on his jumps, his posture on the ice is mediocre as are his edges, and his flailing arms and legs (not to mention that footwork that has no difficulty what-so-ever), are a testament to that. But, to each his own. I happen to love skaters with gorgeous line, posture and edges. I also love smooth flowing landings on a skaters jumps. All of which Todd Eldredge has. So, we'll have to agree to disagree, because we certainly have our differences - THANK GOD!! :indiff:

 

[Piel]

Amen, Gail:thumbsup: !

 

[Piel]

Kerrigan's '93(I think) World's

 

[soogar]

Alexei Yagudin is not invincible. He's not even great, IMO. He has scratchy landings on his jumps, his posture on the ice is mediocre as are his edges, and his flailing arms and legs (not to mention that footwork that has no difficulty what-so-ever), are a testament to that. But, to each his own. I happen to love skaters with gorgeous line, posture and edges. I also love smooth flowing landings on a skaters jumps. All of which Todd Eldredge has. So, we'll have to agree to disagree, because we certainly have our differences - THANK GOD!! :indiff:

Uh yeah right. Alexei has a presence on the ice that Todd falls (both literally and figuratively) short of. I like Todd's skating and have liked him since he won his first Nationals in 1990, however he is not in Alexei's league. There's a reason why Alexei won 4 world titles and an OGM and Todd won 1 World title and no Olympic medals. Todd is a solid, reliable skater but nothing special. Alexei is a champion through and through.

 

[tvcats]

There's a reason why Alexei won 4 world titles and an OGM

Yep. It's called bribery. Tarasova has spread it around for years now.

 

[njtoddfan]

Uh yeah right. Alexei has a presence on the ice that Todd falls (both literally and figuratively) short of. I like Todd's skating and have liked him since he won his first Nationals in 1990, however he is not in Alexei's league. There's a reason why Alexei won 4 world titles and an OGM and Todd won 1 World title and no Olympic medals. Todd is a solid, reliable skater but nothing special. Alexei is a champion through and through.

Alexei may have more World titles, and even an Olympic medal, but IIRC, Alexei has never been a national champ, which may not mean a lot to some, but I don't think being a 6 time National champion is something to ignore. Todd and Alexei are BOTH great champions and deserve to be treated as such.

 

[iluvtodd]

Todd's 6 World medals, 6 National titles, 5 Skate America titles, 3 Masters of Figure skating titles, are not "chicken feed." His career speaks consistency to me.