Interview With an Olympic Judge

[Jaana]

TW: When it comes to Lysacek vs. Plushenko, what do you personally see as the strengths and weaknesses of each skater?

PI: Plushenko is very confident of himself and really believes in what he is doing. His weakness is the fact that he still comes from the 6.0 system and doesn’t calculate every element to be of great importance, but that is the way it’s done now.

Lysacek is a fighter a hard worker. I remember times when I thought… “oh my God, this boy will never make it.. he doesn’t really have it!” So his devotion to do his absolute best really worked in his favor. His weakness? Let me think. Probably his cheating on the triple Axel take-off. Sometimes his skid [or pre-rotation] on take-off is rotated for more than half of a turn making it a triple Salchow, so to speak. But that is the only minor issue I can find with him, and it doesn’t happen all the time.

TW: There have been many comments complaining that Plushenko was not properly rewarded for being able to do the quadruple jump (toe loop) successfully in both portions of the competition, including Evgeny himself. You mentioned that you feel he does not look at the “whole picture” in your last response, so what do you feel about this, and what are your general thoughts about this system?

PI: He did get rewarded for the quadruple toe loop by attempting and landing it, but then he also lost points for the bad landings on the other jumps. If in his opinion only the quadruple jump should have made the difference between first and second place, then I think it’s time that Sweden starts complaining as well because their skater, Adrian Schultheiss, had the best quadruple toe loop of the evening and didn’t even make it to the top five! [Schultheiss was 13th in the free skate]

Thanks for the interview, highly interesting...

 

[sunny0760]

Well, I don't know if this article is already posted or not but for those who have not read, here it is! (If this is a wrong place to link, feel free to remove, mods.)
I find it interesting and you can compare these scores to the actual results and to this olympic judge's words.

http://www.iceskatingintnl.com/current/content/Olympic Skills Comparison.htm

 

[dorispulaski]

Intuitively speaking, I feel that anonymous judging would make it okay for going outside the corridor beause they cannot find out who you are.

The judging is only anonymous to us random fans. It is visible to the ISU, which is how they enforce 'corridors'.

 

[seniorita]

thank you for the interview, it was amazing read!

 

[Bennett]

The judging is only anonymous to us random fans. It is visible to the ISU, which is how they enforce 'corridors'.

Why is that? Anonymous to the public but not to the ISU. This does not make sense to me.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

What a wonderful read that is! He is so open and candid in the way skating affects him especially in the PC scores. it is the PC scores which are so personal. I would have liked him to give his thoughts on Plus GoEs.

Nevertheless, he speaks out and I would wish other judges would do the same.

 

[jennylovskt]

Thanks so much for the interview!

What a mess in figure skating judging! That explained why Lysacek's PCS was 82.80 and Takahashi's PCS was 84.50, only 1.70 difference while Takahashi was clearly in a different league from Lysacek. That stupid corridor!

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Thanks so much for the interview!

What a mess in figure skating judging! That explained why Lysacek's PCS was 82.80 and Takahashi's PCS was 84.50, only 1.70 difference while Takahashi was clearly in a different league from Lysacek. That stupid corridor!

I think by the corridor, the ISU is aiming for a consensus and avoiding a scandal.

IMO, while the CoP has covered all the bases of cheating that we know of, there is still doubt in Federations influence.

 

[Spun Silver]

Very interesting and this guy seems terrific. If only his view of Takahashi had prevailed!

Nevertheless, because the charge is extremely serious, I would like to hear similar interviews with more judges.

Is his disgust at the judging system the reason he's retiring? Seems like a big loss to the sport.

 

[Jaana]

Thanks so much for the interview!

What a mess in figure skating judging! That explained why Lysacek's PCS was 82.80 and Takahashi's PCS was 84.50, only 1.70 difference while Takahashi was clearly in a different league from Lysacek. That stupid corridor!

The big mess was that Plushenko was given the same PCS as Lysacek...

 

[seniorita]

Right.
why every thread has to end up to Lysacek vs Plush? Vs Takahashi? This article is beyond that and much more interesting to isolate to one event as Olys If it will end up again as one more thread of who deserved what...

 

[Mathman]

Why is that? Anonymous to the public but not to the ISU. This does not make sense to me.

It's the "government secrecy" syndrome. People in positions of power always want to gather as much information as possible, and to disseminate as little as possible to the people.

 

[Blades of Passion]

I really like this guy. What wisdom he has to understand that Takahashi deserved to win.

 

[demarinis5]

Right.
why every thread has to end up to Lysacek vs Plush? Vs Takahashi? This article is beyond that and much more interesting to isolate to one event as Olys If it will end up again as one more thread of who deserved what...

Thank you.

 

[Bennett]

PI: I only judge singles and pairs. No ice dance for me. I’m a REAL judge!

TW: Which means?

PI: That’s an inside joke in figure skating. In ice dance, everyone knows all the results before they even judge, yet they still sit through every practice session from five in the morning until late at night.

TW: So who DOES determine the ice dance results, then?

PI: The previous competitions and the country you’re from play a huge part. And I guess from time-to-time, the quality of skating matters. But that’s not my department..

I found it a pretty bold statement. I don't watch ice dancing. Those who do, do you agree?

Also, generally speaking, which countries are considered to be important, and why?

 

[antmanb]

I really like this guy. What wisdom he has to understand that Takahashi deserved to win.

I'm fairly certain most people held that opinion. Certainly Robin Cousins on the BBC and Chris Howarth on Europsport both said that had Takahashi not had his jump problems he would have taken the title.

Ant

 

[let`s talk]

Right.
why every thread has to end up to Lysacek vs Plush? Vs Takahashi? This article is beyond that and much more interesting to isolate to one event as Olys If it will end up again as one more thread of who deserved what...

Because too many people think that the result of men`s event was unfair.

 

[enlight78]

Because too many people think that the result of men`s event was unfair.

do they realy? After watching the competition three times; i dont see how any other result would be fair

 

[lavender]

TW: (Overall Olympic winner)... Lysacek or Plushenko?

PI: Takahashi!

Yes!!

 

[Tonichelle]

I found it a pretty bold statement. I don't watch ice dancing. Those who do, do you agree?

not really. I think in teh past - yes - it was pretty much decided. With the CoP, though, it's been easier for the right teams to place well... it's not JUST based on country anymore, but there's still the reputation tradition.