Your favorite ladies Olympic competition

[drivingmissdaisy]

Liz was great and if she was more consistent she could have easily dominated her era.

 

[Skater Boy]

Liz Manley was this incredible Tara like spitfire. I still recall that wonderful LP that lit up the competition. Witt was beautiful and very sad Debbie melted down. I wonder how much that haunted her and know the thread about current troubles touched on that. I remember watching that Olympics with my uncle and I recall him saying he thought Debbie had the perfect figure for an athlete.

I think Liz Manley was one of Canada's most exciting women to this day and I love Kaetlynne and Alaine. I'd love to see a an American and a Canadian on the podium at same Olympics. Yes rather Northamerican bias. I'd also love to see Chan win,off topic, in 2018 to finally put to rest the Canadian mens Olympic curse talk. So many Canadian guys are on my top ten list. It would have been nice in Vancouver and I hope he is able to still be competitive by 2018.

I saw the interview of Debi Thomas (I did my research lol) after her freeskate. I felt so bad for her. I know it is the sport and name of the game but to interview her after her big moment and her melt down or rathernot winning gold or worse, silver even. I could see her pain, disappointment, discouragement and then her comments to the effect it was back to school and then her coach whisper in her ear which I seemed evident (be quiet you are on tv) - heartbreaking - I mean she is human. A great athlete, champion, scholar it was so sad. But she bounced back and became a doctor; I know she has some challenges now but still an amazing athlete. That all contributed to 1988 being one heck of a competition

 

[Bonnie F]

Liz was great and if she was more consistent she could have easily dominated her era.

Her biography was a great read also, showing the highs and lows of elite figure skating, I highly recommend it.
http://www.amazon.com/Thumbs-Up-Elizabeth-Manley-Story/dp/0773673318

 

[ahy]

2010 no doubt about it

 

[Franklin99]

2010 no doubt about it

Really? Why?

 

[ahy]

Really? Why? [emoji3]

Cuz i loved the mao and yuna rivalry so much and how joannie could strive for her best under that situation

 

[Franklin99]

Cuz i loved the mao and yuna rivalry so much and how joannie could strive for her best under that situation

I was just joking. Your avatar was a big enough clue.

As for me, 2010 Olympics was how I got back to enjoying figure skating, pretty much for the reasons you mentioned. I was scarred by the 1998 Olympics when Michelle lost. I took it so hard, until 2010, i had not watched or kept up with figure skating.

 

[lyndichee]

I was just joking. Your avatar was a big enough clue.

As for me, 2010 Olympics was how I got back to enjoying figure skating, pretty much for the reasons you mentioned. I was scarred by the 1998 Olympics when Michelle lost. I took it so hard, until 2010, i had not watched or kept up with figure skating.

Just do what I do, watch Michelle at 1998 US Nationals over and over again haha.

 

[skateluvr]

Her biography was a great read also, showing the highs and lows of elite figure skating, I highly recommend it.
http://www.amazon.com/Thumbs-Up-Elizabeth-Manley-Story/dp/0773673318

l

Well when my life isn't so insane and the season is over I hope I can find a few books about skaters to read. I will definitely get this book on your recommendation. I seem to recall there was a great thread in maybe caf a year or two ago regarding the best skating books. I'm very limited in skills and this site is very sophisticated. Where and how can I search for that thread. Keywords might be "great figure skating reads." Or perhaps I should start a new thread. I had but gave away MY Sergei and wish I had it back. I have rea Christine Brennan's book Inside Edge. Both excellent. I can't say I was impressed with Kats book title not recalled.

I shall ask how to find that thread and if no advice start a new thread for best fs reads. I want to buy them all at once maybe in the spring.

 

[randomfan]

2010 was my first introduction to professional skating. I am Korean, but I live in North America, so I wasn't too familiar with Korean sports athletes. So I watched figure skating since every Korean that I knew was recommending watching Yuna Kim. That was also the time when Patrick Chan and Mao Asada were being known to people outside the figure skating world. And I also did a school project on a Canadian pair skater (I forgot who it was), so I had to see why people were so crazy over this sport. The overall competition was so exciting! I got to experience some of the best performances of the sport's history, tears and cheers from my Korean friends and family members for Yuna, the thrill of watching Mao make history with her 3As, Joannie competing for her mother, Mirai and Miki's strong showings, etc. It was truly an emotional experience for me even though I just watched it on NBC live. So 2010 was definitely very exciting for me.

I kinda forgot about figure skating after that, so when the 2014 Olympics came, I was unfamiliar with a lot of the competitors. Unlike 2010, I could not watch this competition live, but I was still able to record the event on TV. Mao's SP was disastrous and heartbreaking, but I was literally jumping up and down for joy and cheering when she finished her FS and started sobbing after that final pose. Seeing Yuna's performance, I was on my feet again, cheering, so I was disappointed when she did not win. I still think Yuna or Carolina should've won, but I enjoyed all the performances, including Adelina's. This event was what got me into studying the judging system and being a follower of the figure skating world.

Even though the 2014 controversy is not that easy for me to forget, it was still a good experience watching the competition. 2014 is my second favourite ladies Olympics, while 2010 is my favourite because of the live-watching experience and the factors that first caught my attention to this sport.

 

[skateluvr]

So man nice perspectives.

While some recall the power of the jumpers who made great skating for us it seems that most were touched by the human element- the human drama that fuels the Olympics.

To all those whose stories touched us champions on not - cheers and thank you skaters. You inspire us on the biggest stage there is.

 

[senatormls]

Good topic! I would have to say Calgary 1988! The battle of the Carmens, Liz Manley's lights out performance, Midori Ito's phenominal debut ( and the highest tech scores of the noght), and Jill Trenary holding backon her LP. Was Karin Kadevy (sic) out with the flu and a high temperature? Great drama and performances and only one true Carmen that no one can surpass!
1976 with Dorothy Hamill because it is my first true memory of the winter OG. THere was some good drama at Lake Placid with Linda and Anett and the amazing Denise Biielmann!!
2010 with all the top ten LPs that had no falls, just smiles and great performances and some screams ( Leonova ).
Worst: 2006 ( Except Arakawa), !992 (splat festival except Kristi), 1998 ( after the top three. zzzzzzzzzzz and harsh judging, esp. from the Australian judge).

 

[mrrice]

I'm going to have to go with 2006 as the worst. Shizuka Arakawa was fantastic and Sasha and Irina were great in their SP's and then Choked their LP's. This was however, a very good Men's Event.....Plushy was fantastic as were Jeffery Buttle, and Stephane Lambiel.

Speaking of 1992. I wasn't there but, I did see Kristi, Tonya, and Lu Chen at Skate America in Oakland in 1991. I'm sure it was an off day for her. However, Kristi just wasn't great and she was not close to Tonya at all. It's too bad Tonya wasn't able to recreate her Skate America performance because she would have won the OGM had been able to do so.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

^ I actually think in 2006 the only strong competitions were from Arakawa and Plushenko (although Slutskaya/Cohen had strong SPs, and Buttle/Lambiel had good FSs). However, I was just so meh about 2006 -- Arakawa played it safe because her fellow medallists choked, Plushenko did just a jump fest and had no real competition, Totmianina/Marinin were clean but oh-so boring, and Navka/Kostmarov were brilliant but painfully predictable winners.

As far as my favourite ladies' competition - has to be 2010 (with Mao's axels, Kim's all-time best win, Rochette's mom) or 2014.

In terms of best COMPETITION, edge goes to 2014 because all the medalists were gold-worthy, IMO, and of course the brilliant comeback by Asada (Gold also skated very well except for the one fall). The top 7 all scored above 193 points which is a very strong competition.

In 3rd would probably be 1998 which had a stellar battle between Lipinski and Kwan, as well as an emotional bronze from Lu Chen which had everyone in tears. And of course Surya's backflip.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I actually think in 2006 the only strong competitions were from Arakawa and Plushenko (although Slutskaya/Cohen had strong SPs, and Buttle/Lambiel had good FSs). However, I was just so meh about 2006 -- Arakawa played it safe because her fellow medallists choked, Plushenko did just a jump fest and had no real competition, Totmianina/Marinin were clean but oh-so boring, and Navka/Kostmarov were brilliant but painfully predictable winners.

I think Arakawa skated before both Cohen and Slutskaya (I'm certain she did before Irina). The strategy to play it safe was her coach's, as he believed she wouldn't need the 3/3 to win.

 

[CanadianSkaterGuy]

I think Arakawa skated before both Cohen and Slutskaya (I'm certain she did before Irina). The strategy to play it safe was her coach's, as he believed she wouldn't need the 3/3 to win.

Yes, that's correct. But yes, it was a case of skating clean and hoping the others (particularly Slutskaya) would not hit their planned tech content.

 

[RABID]

I would agree Kim didn't add new elements - others were doing these things. In two ways I think she raised the bar of the sport. Technically, she was doing ALL the difficult elements with pristine GOEs - always striaght in the air, always a long running edge, etc. . Artistically, her programs were subtle and specific. Yes, skaters were doing exotic skates of Delilah, dying swan - a program. But, her Bond and Concerto in F programs contained irony, seduction, bond girl poses. After those skates it was clear if you were going to get on the podium you would have to be able to do all these things. No Sonya Bonaly with a little Egyptian eyeliner was enough (I actually admire her)

Maybe this is why Kim's Oly score has held up so long.

Yes! Many of her competitive programs could very easily fit in any of her skating SHOWS. Her Les Miserables was very theatrical and almost seemed like there should have been an accompanying light show to go with it. As the saying goes, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts.

 

[anyanka]

Cuz i loved the mao and yuna rivalry so much and how joannie could strive for her best under that situation

And Mirai bringing down the house as the final skater in the final flight, too!

- - - Updated - - -

Yes! Many of her competitive programs could very easily fit in any of her skating SHOWS. Her Les Miserables was very theatrical and almost seemed like there should have been an accompanying light show to go with it. As the saying goes, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts.

Didn't she perform it for her All That Skate? If so, I will fly to Seoul just to see it.

 

[Mathman]

Yes, that's correct. But yes, it was a case of skating clean and hoping the others (particularly Slutskaya) would not hit their planned tech content.

I believe that the coaching team took out the first planned triple-triple but left the second one in, figuring that she would need only one to win. In the moment, Shizuka was not able to pull off the second either.

IIRC the reason that team Arakawa was so confident, after Sasha (who skated earlier) fell twice, was because Irina was having terrible practices all week, falling a lot and missing all of her triple-triple attempts.

 

[gravy]

I think Arakawa skated before both Cohen and Slutskaya (I'm certain she did before Irina). The strategy to play it safe was her coach's, as he believed she wouldn't need the 3/3 to win.

Shizuka skated 3rd after Elene and Sasha and knew full well that both had bombed. I remember that after Sasha finished she changed into her practice clothes because she thought she would be off the podium since there were some good skaters left to go. Slutskaya skated last like in 2002 SLC.

^ I actually think in 2006 the only strong competitions were from Arakawa and Plushenko (although Slutskaya/Cohen had strong SPs, and Buttle/Lambiel had good FSs). However, I was just so meh about 2006 -- Arakawa played it safe because her fellow medallists choked, Plushenko did just a jump fest and had no real competition, Totmianina/Marinin were clean but oh-so boring, and Navka/Kostmarov were brilliant but painfully predictable winners.

Agreed. Torino as a whole was completely forgettable.

My take away moments were Sasha's short and the Zhangs' wiping out on the quad.