Your favorite skating rivalry of all time?

[Kwanford Wife]

Yagudin vs. Plushenko for the men and Kwan vs. Slutskaya for the women are the best I think.

I agree with these two... both showcased skaters at their peak pushing each other. I'm not sure if any of the four would be considered "the best" if the other wasn't there to spur them on... it was always very Harry Potter v. Voldemort

Neither could live while the other survived... so miss that in figure skating.

 

[silverlake22]

Could a perfect Irina really beat a perfect Michelle? I always thought Michelle had the edge in the second marks if both went clean. Is Lysaceck vs Weir really a rivalry anymore? It seems Johnny has fallen out of a favor with the judges for a long time now.

If Irina did one or two 3-3s, then yes she could beat Michelle because she would get higher technical marks to make up for her slightly lower artistic marks. Irina did many difficult 3-3s in her career while Michelle only occasionally did 3t-3t and often didn't do a 3-3 at all so I say that is a fair assertion. Michelle had very nice, solid jumps but Irina's were just so huge and powerful, she really thrives under CoP (huge GOEs) so if we're using CoP instead of 6.0 then it's definitely possible, just given the higher base values of Irina's programs and her big GOE on jumps compared to Michelle.

 

[SweetPea21307]

Could a perfect Irina really beat a perfect Michelle? I always thought Michelle had the edge in the second marks if both went clean. Is Lysaceck vs Weir really a rivalry anymore? It seems Johnny has fallen out of a favor with the judges for a long time now.

I believe it was possible for a perfect Irina to beat a perfect Michelle. As for the Lysacek vs. Weir issue, just because it's not a rivalry anymore, does not mean that it never existed.

 

[miki88]

I believe it was possible for a perfect Irina to beat a perfect Michelle. As for the Lysacek vs. Weir issue, just because it's not a rivalry anymore, does not mean that it never existed.

Of course it existed. I just found it weird that you don't consider Yuna vs Mao a rivalry technically when it was at one time more intense (on an international level) than Lysacek vs Weir.

 

[chrissy51]

Ladies -- Tara/Michelle

Men -- The battle of the Brians
Yagudin/Plushenko

 

[Goldenskater]

Yes that was funny I remember that one

Brians
Kwan vs. Slutsk

I wouldn't consider Mao vs Yuna a rivalry since Yuna has to mess up for Mao to win. Maybe in the future when Mao's improved her technique.

I agree with ur comment. For the past two seasons there was no rivalry, but yes there was a rivalry going on between the first two seasons.

 

[SweetPea21307]

Of course it existed. I just found it weird that you don't consider Yuna vs Mao a rivalry technically when it was at one time more intense (on an international level) than Lysacek vs Weir.

I think I misinterpretted your original comment. I don't think Yuna and Mao have a rivalry going on because Yuna is so far ahead of Mao, in everything. Mao's only hopes are for Yuna to skate poorly, not be in the same competition or retire. Mao is a good skater, she can't beat Yuna without Yuna making a couple of mistakes. Mao skating perfectly against Yuna still is not enough for her to win. Mao and Yuna did at one point have a rivalry, but now I wouldn't consider what they have to be a rivalry.

Back to Johnny and Evan. At the national level, Johnny could beat Evan based upon his skating. Johnny didn't always have to wait for Evan to mess up or not show up at all. But I think that rivalry has died down the past few years because of the new skaters that are coming on the scene and the fact Evan has been the USFS's "golden boy" for years (I guess he literally is their golden boy now!). It's no secret that the folks at US Figure Skating don't like Johnny, the judges don't like him and they punish him when the scores come up (remember what happend in Vancouver?). US Figure Skating killed that rivalry.

 

[silverlake22]

The rivalry that will develop among the young Russian ladies skaters in the years leading up to Sochi and maybe even through the 2018 Olympics :agree: . Those little girls are feisty, I kind of doubt they are going to let puberty completely ruin them, and if they don't and continue to progress as they are now, it will be VERY fun to watch them in the coming years .

 

[miki88]

Back to Johnny and Evan. At the national level, Johnny could beat Evan based upon his skating. Johnny didn't always have to wait for Evan to mess up or not show up at all. But I think that rivalry has died down the past few years because of the new skaters that are coming on the scene and the fact Evan has been the USFS's "golden boy" for years (I guess he literally is their golden boy now!). It's no secret that the folks at US Figure Skating don't like Johnny, the judges don't like him and they punish him when the scores come up (remember what happend in Vancouver?). US Figure Skating killed that rivalry.

I think this can also be applied to Mao and Yuna. However, in Johnny's case, it seems even worse since even with clean skates, he came in 6th in Vancouver. I think Johnny's biggest problem was that he did not play to the system, and we know it's adapt or die under the CoP. In fact, he actually has this "rebel" status and the judges don't like this, and it has hurt his results.

 

[Goldenskater]

I think I misinterpretted your original comment. I don't think Yuna and Mao have a rivalry going on because Yuna is so far ahead of Mao, in everything. Mao's only hopes are for Yuna to skate poorly, not be in the same competition or retire. Mao is a good skater, she can't beat Yuna without Yuna making a couple of mistakes. Mao skating perfectly against Yuna still is not enough for her to win. Mao and Yuna did at one point have a rivalry, but now I wouldn't consider what they have to be a rivalry.

Back to Johnny and Evan. At the national level, Johnny could beat Evan based upon his skating. Johnny didn't always have to wait for Evan to mess up or not show up at all. But I think that rivalry has died down the past few years because of the new skaters that are coming on the scene and the fact Evan has been the USFS's "golden boy" for years (I guess he literally is their golden boy now!). It's no secret that the folks at US Figure Skating don't like Johnny, the judges don't like him and they punish him when the scores come up (remember what happend in Vancouver?). US Figure Skating killed that rivalry.

Wasn't Jo Ro Mao's rival for the last two season??
Who do you have for Mao rival for next season?? Mirai? Jo Ro? a young russian girl?

 

[Lilith11]

Wasn't Jo Ro Mao's rival for the last two season??
Who do you have for Mao rival for next season?? Mirai? Jo Ro? a young russian girl?

Mao's rival's always been Yu-na since like 2006 and the two were juniors lols.

 

[silverlake22]

Wasn't Jo Ro Mao's rival for the last two season??
Who do you have for Mao rival for next season?? Mirai? Jo Ro? a young russian girl?

I think the Russian girls are going to need a couple more years to get their PCS up, but I think eventually, they will become Mao's rivals. There are just too many of them that are soo talented, it's ridiculous. There are girls that are pretty darn good that you never hear about just because there are others that are even better.

 

[Mrs. P]

Someone asked about the medals count for Yuna vs Mao.

Here's the breakdown

Yuna
1 Olympic Gold (2010)
1 World Gold (2009)
3 GPF Gold (2006,2007,2009)
1 4CC Gold (2009)
7 GP Event Gold (1-2006, 2-2007, 2-2008, 2-2009)
1 Junior Worlds Gold (2006)
1 JGPF Gold (2006)
3 JGP Event Gold (1-2004, 2-2005)
1 World Silver (2010)
1 GPF Silver (2008)
1 Junior World Silver (2005)
1 JGPF Silver (2005)
1 JGP Event Silver (2004)
2 World Bronze (2007 and 2008)
1 GP Event Bronze (2006)

TOTAL: 26 medals (8 junior, 18 senior)

Mao
2 World Gold (2008 and 2010)
2 4CC Gold (2008 and 2010)
2 GPF Gold (2005 and 2008)
5 GP Event Gold (1-2005, 1-2006, 2-2007, 1-2008)
1 Junior World Gold (1-2005)
1 JGPF Gold (1-2004)
2 JGP Event Gold (2-2004)
1 Olympic Silver (2010)
1 World Silver (2007)
2 GPF Silver (2006 and 2007)
3 GP Event Silver (1-2005, 1-2008 1-2009)
1 Junior World Silver (2006)
1 4CC Bronze (2009)
1 GP Event Bronze (2006)

TOTAL = 25 medals (5 junior, 20 senior)

Interesting stats...

ETA: Stating the obvious, that Mao's extra senior medals came from the fact she started on the senior GP a year earlier than Yuna.

So if you looked strictly between 2006-2007 and now, when they both were seniors the break downs is this:
Yuna: 18 senior international medals
Mao: 17 senior international medals

To be super nerdy...

Who wins...
(Based on face-to-face competition)
Olympics? Yuna (1-0)
Worlds? Mao (3-1) [Mao beat Yuna in 2007 as far as placement]
GPF? Yuna (2-1) [Not counting 2009 since Mao was not there and not counting the 2005 since Yuna was not there. Yuna beat Mao in 2006 and 2007; Mao beat Yuna in 2008]
Trophee 2009? Yuna (1-0) [Only time in GP or JGP that they competed against each other)
4CC? Yuna (1-0) [However Mao wins in terms of medals 3-1, but two of those medals came when Yuna was not there]
Junior Worlds? Tie (1-1) [Mao 2005, Yuna 2006]
JGPF? Mao (1-0) [Yu-na won the following year, but Mao was on the SGPF by then]

Face to face?
Yuna 7, Mao 6
(Senior: Yuna 6, Mao 4)

 

[Tinymavy15]

Back to Johnny and Evan. At the national level, Johnny could beat Evan based upon his skating. Johnny didn't always have to wait for Evan to mess up or not show up at all. But I think that rivalry has died down the past few years because of the new skaters that are coming on the scene and the fact Evan has been the USFS's "golden boy" for years (I guess he literally is their golden boy now!). It's no secret that the folks at US Figure Skating don't like Johnny, the judges don't like him and they punish him when the scores come up (remember what happend in Vancouver?). US Figure Skating killed that rivalry.

No Johnny killed that rivalry. Sure he tried all he could to keep it alive with "rivalry" comments to the press but the fact is that talk does not make a rivalry. It aids fuel to the fire when there are tow skaters repeatedly battling it out for the same title, but if one of said skaters does not actually challange the other when the the lights go down, the rivalry is dead. The fact that Johnny's last national title was in 2006, his only world medal came when Evan did not compete speaks for itself. The fact that Johnny has grown less consistent while Evan grew more so pretty much sealed the dea.

 

[Olympia]

Someone asked about the medals count for Yuna vs Mao.


So if you looked strictly between 2006-2007 and now, when they both were seniors the break downs is this:
Yuna: 18 senior international medals
Mao: 17 senior international medals


Face to face?
Yuna 7, Mao 7
(Senior: Yuna 6, Mao 5)

Thanks so much for these details, Mrs. P. They prove that YuNa vs. Mao is a genuine rivalry, and really evenly matched! I'm pleased to see how consistently these ladies have achieved the top in both Juniors and Seniors. May this wonderful rivalry continue for the foreseeable future!

 

[miki88]

Thanks Mrs. P for your insightful post. :thumbsup:

 

[Mrs. P]

Reposting because I made a slight correction. See below for explaination.

Someone asked about the medals count for Yuna vs Mao.

Here's the breakdown

Yuna
1 Olympic Gold (2010)
1 World Gold (2009)
3 GPF Gold (2006,2007,2009)
1 4CC Gold (2009)
7 GP Event Gold (1-2006, 2-2007, 2-2008, 2-2009)
1 Junior Worlds Gold (2006)
1 JGPF Gold (2006)
3 JGP Event Gold (1-2004, 2-2005)
1 World Silver (2010)
1 GPF Silver (2008)
1 Junior World Silver (2005)
1 JGPF Silver (2005)
1 JGP Event Silver (2004)
2 World Bronze (2007 and 2008)
1 GP Event Bronze (2006)

TOTAL: 26 medals (8 junior, 18 senior)

Mao
2 World Gold (2008 and 2010)
2 4CC Gold (2008 and 2010)
2 GPF Gold (2005 and 2008)
5 GP Event Gold (1-2005, 1-2006, 2-2007, 1-2008)
1 Junior World Gold (1-2005)
1 JGPF Gold (1-2004)
2 JGP Event Gold (2-2004)
1 Olympic Silver (2010)
1 World Silver (2007)
2 GPF Silver (2006 and 2007)
3 GP Event Silver (1-2005, 1-2008 1-2009)
1 Junior World Silver (2006)
1 4CC Bronze (2009)
1 GP Event Bronze (2006)

TOTAL = 25 medals (5 junior, 20 senior)

Interesting stats...

ETA: Stating the obvious, that Mao's extra senior medals came from the fact she started on the senior GP a year earlier than Yuna.

So if you looked strictly between 2006-2007 and now, when they both were seniors the break downs is this:
Yuna: 18 senior international medals
Mao: 17 senior international medals

To be super nerdy...

Who wins...
(Based on face-to-face competition)
Olympics? Yuna (1-0)
Worlds? Mao (3-1) [Mao beat Yuna in 2007 as far as placement]
GPF? Yuna (2-1) [Not counting 2009 since Mao was not there and not counting the 2005 since Yuna was not there. Yuna beat Mao in 2006 and 2007; Mao beat Yuna in 2008]
Trophee 2009? Yuna (1-0) [Only time in GP or JGP that they competed against each other)
4CC? Yuna (1-0) [However Mao wins in terms of medals 3-1, but two of those medals came when Yuna was not there]
Junior Worlds? Tie (1-1) [Mao 2005, Yuna 2006]
JGPF? Mao (1-0) [Yu-na won the following year, but Mao was on the SGPF by then]

Face to face?
Yuna 7, Mao 6
(Senior: Yuna 6, Mao 4)

Also more nerdy facts...
In 2006 GP Series, Mao and Yuna won gold for 2 of the 6 events
In 2007 GP Series, Mao and Yuna won gold for 4 of the 6 events
In 2008 GP Series, Mao and Yuna won gold for 3 of the 6 events
In the 2009 GP Series, Yuna won both golds and Mao won none.
In the GPF, Either Yuna or Mao have won since 2005 and won 8 out of 15 medals (53 percent) [Others on the Podium? Irina Slutskaya, 2005; Yukari Nankano, 2005; Sarah Meier, 2006; Carolina Kostner 2007 and 2008; Miki Ando 2009; Akiko Suzuki, 2009]
In the Worlds -- Mao and Yuna have 7 out of the 12 medals (58 percent!) [Others on the podium? Miki Ando, 2007 and 2009; Carolina Kostner, 2008; Joannie Rochette, 2009; Laura Lepisto, 2010]





Edited because despite my attempt not to, I counted Mao's 2005 GPF victory as one of the face to face wins, which it wasn't.

 

[Goldenskater]

Mao's rival's always been Yu-na since like 2006 and the two were juniors lols.

??

 

[Goldenskater]

Thanks so much for these details, Mrs. P. They prove that YuNa vs. Mao is a genuine rivalry, and really evenly matched! I'm pleased to see how consistently these ladies have achieved the top in both Juniors and Seniors. May this wonderful rivalry continue for the foreseeable future!

huh? evenly??? lol

 

[#1Kerryfan]

Either Yagudin/ Plushenko or Kwan/ Slutskaya. These days, I don't think there are any consistent rivalries other than Kim/ Asada (maybe Lysacek/ Weir) but it usually seems to depend on the competition.