Underrated Rivalries

[AshWagsFan]

I thought Med/Zagi was a little underrated this season (with only Zagi beating Med when they faced off at major comps). I hope next year both ladies bring it and we see back and forth swapping of titles to create a really intense rivalry.:dev3:

 

[Tonichelle]

for professional competitions: Brian Boitano and Kurt Browning those were some epic battles.

 

[mrrice]

As Teammates, Irina Slutskaya and Maria Butyrskaya had a huge rivalry with Michelle Kwan. Though Maria won in 1999 and Irina won in 2002 and 2005. I would say that Michelle got the better of both skaters beating them at Worlds in 2000, 2001, and Irina again at Worlds in 2003. I would say that Irina got the last laugh when she defeated Michelle at Worlds in 2005.

 

[EyesOfLove]

The burgeoning rivalry between Higuchi and Sakamoto, which has still more time to unfold.

 

[yume]

Mao and Miki.

 

[BillNeal]

Marchei/Hotarek vs. Della Monica/Guarise, although that will be ending with M/H's expected retirement.

If I'm reading into this instagram post from Ondrej correctly, it seems they will stay at least another season.

 

[4everchan]

If I'm reading into this instagram post from Ondrej correctly, it seems they will stay at least another season.

the italian says exhibition program...

 

[LadyB]

Stolbova / Klimov vs. Volosozhar / Trankov. According to commentators, they avoid each other?

Ksenia vs. Max would be a great fight.

I wouldn't call it a skating rivalry. Ksenia and Max can't stand each other, I don't think that has anything to do with skating.
Fedya, Max and Tanya are great friends and Fedya is godfather to little Anjelica. However, I do wonder what Fedya makes of Max's unsolicited comment regarding S/K's possible retirement... Well, after that he went to Anjelica's first birthday and celebrated Paddy's Day with Max. Still good friends, I suppose.

 

[Konyok Gorbunok]

rivalries on the junior level are the most underrated, as majority of people don't follow juniors and not in the know that junior skaters can be stronger than seniors.
there were a lot of great rivalries in junior ladies in the past years. yulia vs. elena, elena vs. evgenia, evgenia vs. wakaba, alina vs. marin. but sasha vs. alena from last season beats them all, with my baby sasha always coming on top, often snitching victories by 1 or 2 points hopefully next season they will continue it and then will carry it on the senior level

 

[BillNeal]

the italian says exhibition program...

Thanks, I wasn't sure as the English description doesn't specify and the first picture with them in their free program costumes got my hopes up...

 

[StephenGfan]

The mini-rivalry between buttle and chan, lol.

 

[BillNeal]

One of the very exciting rivalries, albeit a bit lopsided, was D/R vs. KM-T/M during the last two years of the Sochi quad. These two teams were battling it out for the national titles, 2017 4CC title, 2017 and 2018 World podiums. D/R bested KM-T/M in all meetings by 1 place except at the Olympics individual event, where KM-T/M edged over them. Both deservingly received the Olympic Team Silver, after having pushed the sport for Canada to be a recognized pair power on the World stage and started the trend of Canada being able to send 3 pairs to Worlds, starting in 2014.

 

[KweenAsada]

It's Kwan and Slutskaya for me! No question!

 

[madforskating]

I wouldn't call it a skating rivalry. Ksenia and Max can't stand each other, I don't think that has anything to do with skating.
Fedya, Max and Tanya are great friends and Fedya is godfather to little Anjelica. However, I do wonder what Fedya makes of Max's unsolicited comment regarding S/K's possible retirement... Well, after that he went to Anjelica's first birthday and celebrated Paddy's Day with Max. Still good friends, I suppose.

Agree! Ksenia and Max are just two hot-tempered people who got thrown together at the same rink; you can't have two cooks in the kitchen. I do think that would be a weird dynamic: Max is rooting for his best friend, but at the same time he doesn't like the woman who's going to help his best friend win medals. I sense a new netflix series coming on...
I didn't know Max was with Fedya when that Paddy's Day pic was taken! And I didn't see any pictures of him at the party...I REALLY need to keep myself updated on this stuff! My Russian informants are letting me down lol

 

[madforskating]

Duhamel and Radford versus Stolbova and Klimov, 2014-15 and 2015-16 season. I love the goddess Aliona, but those were the golden days of pair skating imo. I remember some really killer performances at the Grand Prix Finals back then; it's a shame S/K didn't get to keep the momentum through Worlds, because that would've been epic. That's when I officially became a pair skating fangirl, and I never stopped since!

Also, on the topic of pairs, I'd say Savchenko/Massot versus Sui/Han. I also love the Hanyu/Uno rivalry - Shoma is gaining on him!

 

[WeakAnkles]

Oh, yes. Silly me I didn't pay attention to the whole title of the thread. I noticed "rivalry" and got excited [emoji15]

Has happened to all of us at one time or another.

:

I wouldn't sweat it.

:hap93:

 

[SashaJuliaSpins]

I read this as "underrotated rivalries".

Got skating on your mind?

 

[Ares]

I read this as "underrotated rivalries".

So what are your favourite underrotated rivalries? I'd say Sarah Hughes vs Irina Slutskaya

 

[chopinskate]

So what are your favourite underrotated rivalries? I'd say Sarah Hughes vs Irina Slutskaya

Sarah Hughes vs Satoko Miyahara.

 

[lyverbird1]

I'm enjoying the emerging rivalries in junior ladies - there are so many factors that we have to look at to imagine where some of these rivalries will go. My eye is mainly on Trusova vs Kostornaia. I like them both but am Team Alena if pushed for a choice, her artistry is stunning. If Sasha holds onto those amazing jumps, it could emerge as a classic jumper vs artist rivalry although seeing Alena's triple axel, it might be closer than one might imagine! I'm just glad I've made the decision to go to the GPF this year and will hopefully get to see both!