The greatest free skates in ladies' figure skating | Page 3 | Golden Skate

The greatest free skates in ladies' figure skating

As for Midori Ito, I agree that her free skates deserve some credit. Her monstrous jumping ability often overshadows her overall great quality in spins, skating and performance. She emanates a warmth and effervescence in her skates. There's something very uplifting about them; she has this great positive energy from beginning to end. I still think it nonsense that she didn't even land on the podium at Calgary.
 
AKIKO SUZUKI 2010 Grand Prix Final (West Side Story)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHYZPzupbNk

This performance is one of the best for me as well! The passion and heart she has shown is truly exemplary!

2010 JAPANESE NATIONALS Dark Eyes program of Akiko Suzuki
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKiUJ-MGWGs

This is also one of the most beautiful free skates I have ever seen!

Akiko is so beautiful and so passionate! She is incredibly musical with her nuances! I love her so much! I hope she could continue skating for us and giving us these amazing programs! She possesses the Michelle Kwan- factor ( the capacity to bring the audience into her journey of emotions through the whole program and the charisma as well)

Spin positions could really be improved but nonetheless she is phenomenal! So underrated in Japan but very, very worthy indeed!

These kind of skaters are very rare especially nowadays.
 
Olympia said:
This is like standing in a treasure cave. I wish I could stay home from work and watch these one by one...and then watch them all again.

I allowed myself just one, YuNa's Olympic long program. I haven't been able to watch it since the night. Wow, wow, wow. And not only was she spectactular, she seemed so calm. This girl was born to skate. By the way, notice that she did not just a double axel but a double axel-triple jump combination after a spreadeagle.

Man, this is a great list!
Click to expand...


:yes: Plus, when is the last time an overwhelming favorite for the ladies' gold lived up to expectations so impeccably? The last four Olympic ladies champions have had clean skates but they were all rather underdogs except I suppose Tara Lipinski who really was a co favorite even though most people expected Michelle to win. All of the those ladies were astonishing under pressure but Yuna's Olympic effort was just about superhuman. It was a flawless skate and as you said she looked so calm throughout - but at the same time she wasn't cautious and she didn't hold back at all!
 
The problem with Michelle I guess was she peaked in the Nationals and put too much pressure on her shoulders to be the favorite going into the Olympics.

Yes Tara had all the potential to be the Champion but she used her being the underdog in the spotlight to win. All the pressure was on Michelle during the 1998 Olympics after her legendary performance in the Nationals and it all worked in Tara's favor.

Had it been planned all along? Maybe? But everything worked for MK during the Nationals - she was just pressured compared to Tara to replicate the greatness that was 98 US Nationals LP!

The same thing worked for Sarah during the 2002 Olympics and Shizuka during the 2006 Olympics.

I was really amazed with Yu-Na because she didn't fizzle to the pressure!
 
christinaskater said:
The problem with Michelle I guess was she peaked in the Nationals and put too much pressure on her shoulders to be the favorite going into the Olympics.

Yes Tara had all the potential to be the Champion but she used her being the underdog in the spotlight to win. All the pressure was on Michelle during the 1998 Olympics after her legendary performance in the Nationals and it all worked in Tara's favor.

Had it been planned all along? Maybe? But everything worked for MK during the Nationals - she was just pressured compared to Tara to replicate the greatness that was 98 US Nationals LP!

The same thing worked for Sarah during the 2002 Olympics and Shizuka during the 2006 Olympics.

I was really amazed with Yu-Na because she didn't fizzle to the pressure!
Click to expand...

Just as you say! So often, the frontrunner either skates a less-than-spectacular performance and is lucky, or he/she crumbles just enough so someone else barrels in through the cracks. Additionally, and I say this as a profound fan of both Michelle and Mao as well as of YuNa, the pressure on YuNa was unprecedented. Michelle had pressure because she was such a great skater and was unlike anyone else at that time. (Or ever, in my estimation.) But she didn't even feel pressure to win for the U.S., because her rivals in both 1998 and 2002 were also American. Mao had pressure as a representative of Japan (and because she's also phenomenal), but Japan has a dynasty by now, and they had the sitting gold medalist, Shizuka, they had Miki skating, and Daisuke was a contender for the men's podium. By contrast, YuNa was and is the entire skating history of South Korea. She was the only viable Korean contender at that entire Olympics or ever before in skating history. Plus she was such a phenomenal skater that people expected her to exceed everyone else (except perhaps Mao). I can't even imagine the pressure she was under. And she looked so calm. Simply stupendous.
 
Last edited:
Olympia said:
Just as you say! So often, the frontrunner either skates a less-than-spectacular performance and is lucky, or he/she crumbles just enough so someone else barrels in through the cracks. Additionally, and I say this as a profound fan of both Michelle and Mao as well as of YuNa, the pressure on YuNa was unprecedented. Michelle had pressure because she was such a great skater and was unlike anyone else at that time. (Or ever, in my estimation.) But she didn't even feel pressure to win for the U.S., because her rivals in both 1998 and 2002 were also American. Mao had pressure as a representative of Japan (and because she's also phenomenal), but Japan has a dynasty by now, and they had the sitting gold medalist, Shizuka, they had Miki skating, and Daisuke was a contender for the men's podium. By contrast, YuNa was and is the entire skating history of South Korea. She was the only viable Korean contender at that entire Olympics or ever before in skating history. Plus she was such a phenomenal skater that people expected her to exceed everyone else (except perhaps Mao). I can't even imagine the pressure she was under. And she looked so calm. Simply stupendous.
Click to expand...

I guess that's just it, isn't it? That podium, on that night, was astonishing.

With bronze, you had Joannie Rochette. She was coming in with some major momentum after nationals, after skating that jaw-dropping, seven triple LP. She wasn't the most consistent of skaters, and she certainly wasn't having the greatest of seasons. She would've been forgiven if she had a poor night - for many, just being there was enough. The expectations of results had disappeared. But she rose to the occasion in a big way. I miss her skating, and revisiting her performances of the past remind me was a truly complete skater she was; gorgeous musicality, textbook jumps, well balanced choreography. Just a beautiful skater

Then there was Mao. Again, another skater who was having a disappointing season. Falling off the podium for the first time at ANY international event in LA, what we thought would be a battle between Asada and Kim largely fizzled after TEB - one skater looked monstrously ready for the Olympic season. The other didn't. But again, she battled back, winning her own Nationals against a resurgent Miki (who wasn't great at her own Nationals, admittedly) and taking home 4CC. I don't think anyone actually expected her to win - the Tarasova programs were roundly thrashed, the chasing of the 3A led to the weakening of her other skills, but she's a skater many (including myself) are naturally inclined to root for. And much like a Japanese jumping phenomenon before her, she may not have won gold, but she made history with her blazing skates.

The top twelve LP skaters didn't have a fall! That's incredible. That's near unheard of. Breakthrough skates? How could you not watch Mirai Nagasu skate and not think: "this girl will be world champion some day." How could your heart not warm knowing Suzuki's struggles with health issues in the past, barely making the Olympic team by less than a point, but coming through and skating with such unbridled joy. How many skaters had personal/season's best on that ice? In 2006, only one skater landed six triples. In 2010, that number lept to seven, and that's not including those that ur'ed their jumps. Just nutsy awesome.

COP doesn't ask for perfection. It wants to, but it knows it shouldn't. Kim wasn't perfect this season. Each of her GP skates was marred by something - the missed flip at TEB, the mistake-filled long at Skate America, and the flawed GPF performance, which saw another skater steal the spotlight (we'll get to her in a second). But knowing the pressure she was under, the weight of a nation and the hopes for the future... you could be rooting for anyone else - everyone else, and still understand and want her to win simply because of that pressure. Great skaters have lost the Olympics before - including Kim's idol Kwan - it's not the mark of a great skater so much as the marker of a great moment. Remember, when she took to the ice in her LP, trading on the South Korean stock exchange HALVED. This was a big moment. But, a skater who was never perfect (CoR 2007 notwithstanding) was perfect on the biggest night of her life. It was utterly unreal. Rewatching that program a year and a half later, I'm still gobsmacked by her utter command. There's a great shot of the audience at the end of her LP - someone (not Orser) is by the rink absolutely leaping for joy - fist pumping, arms akimbo, overflowing with excitement. We often complain about Hamilton/Bezic's commentary, but how can you not smile a little at their enthusiasm.

I've always loved Kim's reaction: instant enthusiasm, tears of relief and joy, followed by "I can't believe I cried" (that gesture she makes skating towards Orser, slightly laughing at herself for her reaction but still allowing it), and her calm before the scores. It's really quite touching.
 
Pogue, I second your entire wonderful post. You've captured the night, YuNa's moment, and the context. My favorite quote:

Great skaters have lost the Olympics before - including Kim's idol Kwan - it's not the mark of a great skater so much as the marker of a great moment.


That's it in a nutshell.

As a dancer friend of mine said about Tara's win in 1998, sometimes the magic happens one one night for one person. I would add, even if it's not the person you're supporting, it's a privilege to get to see such magic before your very eyes, even if you're only watching on TV. It's the equivalent of being a baseball fan and getting to see someone pitch a perfect game--no hits, no runs, no errors. What we saw that night in 2010 was even greater. It's as if every batter up hit a home run. I can't imagine anything more splendid in skating--unless maybe the best skaters also won the ice dance gold with a superb performance. And guess what?!
 
Unless I missed it, Midori Ito's worlds 89 and worlds 90 LPs have not been mentioned. Also her LP at Trophee Lalique in 91 was awesome. I will look for the links and post them later.

1989 worlds LP (first 3 axel by a lady in a competition):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKGasODrAcU

1990 worlds LP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv7ZswRD9OM

1991 Trophee Lalique LP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8hkPlkIcH4



Another one is Michelle's Aranjuez at US nationals in 2003
(in addition to all those already mentioned).

Caryn Kadavy- 1987 worlds LP (I finally found it): lovely posture, lines, musical expression

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylUfPI2dfZc&feature=related

Katarina Witt- 1987 worlds LP (her tech marks seemed too high to me, but lovely performance)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHQprJGbtA

(we cannot judge these by today's standards, but the artistic quality was wonderful).

Has Yu na's 2010 Olympic LP performance been mentioned? It was incredible the way she delivered it under extreme pressure.
 
Last edited:
Yes, Vash, that's the one we've been talking about. We completely agree with you about YuNa. And I also agree about Kadavy. A lovely, fluid competitor.
 
genki said:
Mao Asada Bell of Mascaw Worlds 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzWRyREFlnU

With 2 triple axles and passionate steps, I believe this FS should be considered to be one of the true masterpieces in the history of women's figure skating.

Totally underrated by the judge!!
Click to expand...


I hope she will bring it back to Sochi Olymics and i would like to see how 23-year-old Mao would deliver it and how the program would be received by audience in Russia.
 
Last edited:
Hanaka said:
I hope she will bring it back to Sochi Olymics and i would like to see how 23-year-old Mao would deliver it and how the program would be received by audience in Russia.
Click to expand...

That's great idea! And TT and Sotnikova show up with another version and the Bell tolls twice for Russia!
 
Last edited:
Olympia said:
Pogue, I second your entire wonderful post. You've captured the night, YuNa's moment, and the context. My favorite quote:

Great skaters have lost the Olympics before - including Kim's idol Kwan - it's not the mark of a great skater so much as the marker of a great moment.


That's it in a nutshell.

As a dancer friend of mine said about Tara's win in 1998, sometimes the magic happens one one night for one person. I would add, even if it's not the person you're supporting, it's a privilege to get to see such magic before your very eyes, even if you're only watching on TV. It's the equivalent of being a baseball fan and getting to see someone pitch a perfect game--no hits, no runs, no errors. What we saw that night in 2010 was even greater. It's as if every batter up hit a home run. I can't imagine anything more splendid in skating--unless maybe the best skaters also won the ice dance gold with a superb performance. And guess what?!
Click to expand...


I love your quote: An Olympic gold is the highest accolade that a Figure skater can get but it is only single moment in a skaters career! Winning it is a dream come true- but to sustain a career through the years and attain a level of consistency is what truly makes a skater great! The legacy of great performances and masterpieces.
 
Last edited:
I must clarify that this wonderful quote is by Imaginary Pogue. If you want a treat, go back and read Pogue's full post, Post 51, a few posts back, which is a simply splendid analysis of the Vancouver ladies' free skate. Pogue's description literally brought the event back to me as if I were watching it again.

Isn't it wonderful that a truly great skater's career can transcend an Olympic gold, because it's made up of, as you eloquently say, a "legacy of great performances and masterpieces." Michelle is an example of this, as is Janet Lynn, and in this case especially Kurt Browning, who has no Olympic medal of any color but who is nonetheless one of the greatest skaters ever, especially considering his eligible and pro careers together. A legacy of masterpieces indeed!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Ichatdelune
2026 South Korean Figure Skating Championships
11 12 13
Replies
259
Views
17K
Ichatdelune
Ichatdelune
labgoat
REWATCH 2025 U.S. Nationals
Replies
18
Views
6K
labgoat
labgoat
S
2025-2026 Figure Skating Championships
Replies
6
Views
2K
labgoat
labgoat
Mathman
Sasha Cohen's best performance ever...
Replies
9
Views
3K
Mathman
Mathman
labgoat
How to watch the 2026 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships
2 3 4
Replies
77
Views
12K
Kiki5375
Kiki5375
Back
Top