Greatest Ladies Free Skates of All Time

[LiamForeman]

I award my personal medals as follows:

Gold---Michelle '98 nationals
Silver---Sasha '03 Skate America (was in the audience, it was fab!)
Bronze---Yuna '13 Worlds

And if we're doing this in the US, there's a pewter. That would go to Ashley's Black Swan at the '12 worlds.

Was this in Reading,PA? I was there too, but I don't recall her performance. I do remember Jenny Kirk falling over and over and over again on her lutz in the warm-up. She just couldn't do it. Then the music started, and bam, she nailed it and went clean. It was early COP and Sasha was COP queen with TAT, but I think Jenny won that night.

 

[desertskates]

That's the one! I was taking advantage of visiting the fam in PA to catch the dance and ladies' long. While Jenny really impressed me, it was Sasha's evening, imho. Something almost intangible about her program grabbed me, and it was confirmed in my head when I watched it on tv the next day. Here's a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFtGt_s0JSY
I sat on the end where she did the layback and it was ridiculously perfect.
An enjoyable event all around

 

[Frenchie]

Katarina Witt 1987 WC Maria/West Side Story http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLiJlOMdylg (after having lost the WC last year to Debi Thomas, she came to the US and had to skate right after Thomas' great performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyYStCbrD84 Thomas only made 1 slight mistake with the identical technical content and the pressure was on for Witt who skated her strongest skate ever with 5 triples. Very different to both Olympics where she didn't need the 3Lo to win)
Midori Ito 1989 NHK Sheherazade http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hupxBUve6Q (technically as awesome as her 1989 WC, but with imo better music, choreo and interpretation)
Maria Butyrskaya 1994 EC Kojiki http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POcVjSr9W9U (beautiful, classy, clean and underrated, that was before her big successes.)
Yuka Sato 1994 WC Paquita http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZD_N4FY3B0 (ok, no 3T and low jumps. and I prefered her new LP she showed at 1993 Pirouetten despite the mistakes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTSTbTxCJBU before coming back to this one. But her skating is just mindblowing. Her step sequence is so much more thrilling to me than what is being done / required today. I love her for remaining classy during and forever after Bonaly's embarrassing podium affront)
Katarina Witt 1994 World Professionals Schindler's List http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJL7cACwNdY (Lipnitskaya should have a look. Intense)
Chen Lu 1994 NHK The Last Emperor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR0qX7xhNLw (Perfect music for her. Same as when she won the WC in 95, just with a 2nd 3Lz)
Michelle Kwan 1995 SA Salomé http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=yEnZwD4Zozk#t=73 (Like the 1996 WC, but with a 3T3T. I'd have been ok if she had won the 96WC with that against...)
Chen Lu 1996 WC Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcT_FdX_66E (Should have clearly won in my book. Notice at the 2:40 mark: a few seconds of intensity and just goosebumps. Nowadays, they'd tell her to not "waste any time and stuff some more technical content in!" )
Tanja Szewczenko 1997 GPF Speed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj9q7UOqwQ8 (it's the whole back story: she almost died due to a combo of viruses, couldn't skate for over a year and wasn't expected to ever come back. and oh boy, she did. that brought tears to the eyes of the commentators - and me!)
Chen Lu 1998 OG Butterfly Lovers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYzxIjEewuk (the peak of LuLu's artistry. So delicate and yet feisty to fight to come back and even try a 3T3T at the very end - delusional in the best of ways! :agree: )
Maria Butyrskaya 1999 WC Otonal http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYvVzNZNE4E (talk about mature woman skating! World Champion!)
Vanessa Gusmeroli 2000 EC Legends of the Fall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS2N76XOqMw (the perfect performance in her best season. lol on the us commentator taking offense to a 5.5 before his co-commentator subtly slips in that it was the US judge! )
Yuka Sato 2000 Stars On Ice Take My Hand by Dido http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCuC4OGsgj8 (just glorious! 6 years after retiring, still 3Lo, 3T, 3S and 2A, and in addition a sense of freedom and true happiness)
Kim Yu-Na 2007 CoC Miss Saigon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BIT_fTeQaY (perfect jumps, incl. a 3Lo. I thought Miss Saigon suited her perfectly, up until I saw...)
Kim Yu-Na 2011 WC Arirang - Homage to Korea http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHqwxLU4mIc (not perfect jumps, but what a sublime idea for the theme: Arirang is a traditional Korean song that's played as the National Anthem when South and North Korea march in as 1 team. Shame on Orser for squealing it to the press after their split. whatever went on between the 2, that was just not classy at all and I lost most of my respect for him)
Yukari Nakano 2008 WC Capriccio Espagnol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeSwUNLqFkE (probably the origin story of why I have this trauma of thinking jumps should get downgraded more often! An electrifying performance after all her opponents stumbled their way through their programs, incl. a 3A. It was underrotated, and back then, there was no differentiation between < and <<, so that meant 2A. She ended up 4th. All the other jumps were clean -incl her huge wrap on F and Lz- and the spins were great)
Alissa Czisny 2011 NC Winter into Spring http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gvqVM3fh0 (love the music, elegance and spins! clean on all jumps. imo this was her best ever performance)
Sarah Meier 2011 EC Love in the time of Cholera http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9akOqp9fKc (plagued by injury, she only came to the 2011 EC because they were in Switzerland, to say "goodbye" to her fans. She didn't think she could medal. She won. Watch to the very end of the vid, her reaction to the marks and then to the placement, and tell me you didn't choke up!)
Akiko Suzuki 2012 NHK "O" http://4.hidemyass.com/ip-1/encoded/Oi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL3dhdGNoP3Y9bU91YVVNZ0ZPY2c= (my all-time favorite musical arrangement and choreography)
Kim Yu-Na 2013 WC Les Misérables http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6d3XEp6mg0 (perfect. she's always impressive, but here, I also loved the musical arrangement!)
Akiko Suzuki 2013 NC Phantom of the Opera http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVgLvbzDQsM (just perfect. the silent parts in the middle best showcase how delicate she's become despite her strong technique)

 

[Mathman]

Was this in Reading,PA? I was there too, but I don't recall her performance. I do remember Jenny Kirk falling over and over and over again on her lutz in the warm-up. She just couldn't do it. Then the music started, and bam, she nailed it and went clean. It was early COP and Sasha was COP queen with TAT, but I think Jenny won that night.

This was one of Jenny Kirk's all-time great performances, and I remember there was a lot of discussion on Internet forums about the outcome. Sasha had one slight double-footed jump landing and a bobble on her closing combination spin. But the quality of Sasha's overall skating was far ahead of the field on the GP circuit that year. There was really no catching her, even if the judges had been more modest in PCSs and GOEs.

Here's Sasha, with gushing commentary fromDick and Peggy. Jenny's wonderful performance does not seem to be available on You Tube at the moment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFtGt_s0JSY

 

[Ven]

The greatest skate of all time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IH7vsyqiVjk

 

[Layfan]

Was this in Reading,PA? I was there too, but I don't recall her performance. I do remember Jenny Kirk falling over and over and over again on her lutz in the warm-up. She just couldn't do it. Then the music started, and bam, she nailed it and went clean. It was early COP and Sasha was COP queen with TAT, but I think Jenny won that night.

Thanks for sharing! Now I really want to find that competition. Also, you saw Midori live in 88? How awesome.

 

[pangtongfan]

This is a hard one, as there are so many to choose from. I will only say Ito of 88-90 was decades ahead of her time technically, and Janet Lynn in the early 70s was decades ahead of her time artistically. Kim of Vancouver will stand out as the highest level of COP perfection and skating for decades to come perhaps too.

 

[pangtongfan]

OK with some more thought mine are:

1. Sandy Lenz 1980 Olympics LP
2. Midori Ito 1989 NHK LP
3. Yu Na Kim 2010 Olympics LP
4. Yu Na Kim 2013 Worlds LP
5. Caryn Kadavy 1987 Worlds LP
6. Michelle Kwan 2000 Worlds LP
7. Irina Slutskaya 2005 Worlds LP
8. Akiko Suzuki 2008 Nationals LP
9. Mao Asada 2007 Grand Prix final LP
10. Shizuka Arakawa 2004 Worlds LP

 

[aftertherain]

Oh dear. It's even more difficult to narrow my favorites (not necessarily "the greatest") down to ten than with the SP list.

So I'll increase it to fifteen (which is still pretty difficult). Listed in chronological order:

1. Midori Ito - "Scheherazade" FS - 1990 Worlds
2. Michelle Kwan - "Salome" FS - 1996 Worlds
3. Michelle Kwan - "Lyra Angelica" FS - 1998 U.S. Nationals
4. Michelle Kwan - "Tosca" FS - 2004 U.S. Nationals
5. Sasha Cohen - "Romeo & Juliet" FS - 2006 U.S. Nationals
6. Yuna Kim - "The Lark Ascending" FS - 2006 Grand Prix Final
7. Yuna Kim - "Piano Concerto in F" FS - 2010 Olympics
8. Ashley Wagner - "Black Swan" FS - 2012 U.S. Nationals
9. Mao Asada - "Liebestraume" FS - 2012 Four Continents
10. Akiko Suzuki - "Die Fledermaus" FS - 2012 Worlds
11. Akiko Suzuki - "O" FS - 2012 NHK Trophy
12. Carolina Kostner - "Bolero" FS - 2013 Europeans
13. Zijun Li - "Sleeping Beauty" FS - 2013 Worlds
14. Yuna Kim - "Les Miserables" FS - 2013 Worlds
15. Akiko Suzuki - "Phantom of the Opera" FS - 2013 Japanese Nationals

 

[Gigi13]

Midori Ito 1989 Worlds LP and Lu Chen's 1995 Worlds LP.

 

[LiamForeman]

Thanks for sharing! Now I really want to find that competition. Also, you saw Midori live in 88? How awesome.

Well, I was one pissed off chico when Scottie called the 92 Olympics. I would have given Ito the free skate, and still probably third in the short, so she would have won gold on my card. To see Midori Ito live is heaven. It's like seeing Ali at his prime, Borg/Mac at their primes. She was just SO much better. I grew to love Yamaguchi over the years, but as an amateur she really skated 'small'. Small jumps, small crossovers, small everything. Ito was like six inches smaller than Yamaguchi but she knocked it out of the rink. All the time.

 

[sk8ingcoach]

Akiko Suzuki 2013-2014 Nationals
Yuna Kim 2013 Worlds
Carolina Kostner 2013 Worlds
Akiko Suzuki 2012 NHK
Carolina Kostner 2012 Worlds
Carolina Kostner 2011 Worlds
Yuna Kim 2010 Olympics
Mao Asada 2008 Worlds
Shizuka Arakawa 2006 Olympics
Irina Slutskaya 2005 Worlds
Michelle Kwan 2003 Worlds
Sarah Hughes 2002 Olympics
Michelle Kwan 2001 Worlds
Michelle Kwan 2000 Worlds
Tara Lipinski 1998 Olympics
Michelle Kwan 1998 Nationals
Chen Lu 1996 Worlds
Midori Ito 1990 Worlds
Katarina Witt 1988 Olympics

 

[pangtongfan]

Well, I was one pissed off chico when Scottie called the 92 Olympics. I would have given Ito the free skate, and still probably third in the short, so she would have won gold on my card. To see Midori Ito live is heaven. It's like seeing Ali at his prime, Borg/Mac at their primes. She was just SO much better. I grew to love Yamaguchi over the years, but as an amateur she really skated 'small'. Small jumps, small crossovers, small everything. Ito was like six inches smaller than Yamaguchi but she knocked it out of the rink. All the time.

I also would have had Ito 3rd in the short. Yes she had the fall on the combination but Bonaly back then (she improved alot in 93) had nothing to her skating besides jumps, and in her short program didnt even do her jumps very well. Her triple lutz looked two footed, and her double axel was very shaky. Since I probably would have had 1st over Kristi in the long due to the heroic late triple axel, she probably would have won the gold then.

If I would have had anyone ahead of Ito in the short it would have been Yuka Sato who gave a beautiful and very undermarked performance (7th). I do agree with Scott that Harding was undermarked in the short though. I dont know about putting her over Ito, but he is right she fell trying the harder combination than Ito and seemed to get no recognition for it, and to put her below Hubert (5th, overmarked, home cooking) was harsh. I think the judges maybe gave Harding no leighway though as she was missing the triple axel hard in every practice and they probably thought she was a fool to even try it in the short. Ito was hitting her triple axel much better during the week than Harding, and even she pulled it when having trouble the last day or two.

 

[Layfan]

Well, I was one pissed off chico when Scottie called the 92 Olympics. I would have given Ito the free skate, and still probably third in the short, so she would have won gold on my card. To see Midori Ito live is heaven. It's like seeing Ali at his prime, Borg/Mac at their primes. She was just SO much better. I grew to love Yamaguchi over the years, but as an amateur she really skated 'small'. Small jumps, small crossovers, small everything. Ito was like six inches smaller than Yamaguchi but she knocked it out of the rink. All the time.

I'd never really thought about it but you could be right about the FS. I've rewatched Ito's performance many times because it was so thrilling how she threw in that triple axel. Kristi had something that you just can't describe despite her small jumps. Her steadiness and gorgeous style. I suppose she got a bit lucky that she won gold at the Olympics. Others since her have come short of Olympic gold with cleaner skates. But I can't help but glad she won so that she will be remembered. Her skating deserves to be remembered and I'm not sure it would have been as much if she hadn't snatched gold.

 

[TheCzar]

I'd never really thought about it but you could be right about the FS. I've rewatched Ito's performance many times because it was so thrilling how she threw in that triple axel. Kristi had something that you just can't describe despite her small jumps. Her steadiness and gorgeous style. I suppose she got a bit lucky that she won gold at the Olympics. Others since her have come short of Olympic gold with cleaner skates. But I can't help but glad she won so that she will be remembered. Her skating deserves to be remembered and I'm not sure it would have been as much if she hadn't snatched gold.

I agree. Yamaguchi at her best is more akin to the likes of Akiko Suzuki and Arakawa. She's got style, decent jumps, a well timed rise- but none of her programs, even her win, stick to my mind. In fact, I remember her more for winning Dancing with the Stars.

 

[Layfan]

I agree. Yamaguchi at her best is more akin to the likes of Akiko Suzuki and Arakawa. She's got style, decent jumps, a well timed rise- but none of her programs, even her win, stick to my mind. In fact, I remember her more for winning Dancing with the Stars.

Right or wrong, Kristi's Olympic gold medal skate sticks to my mind more than Arakawa's. It might just be because I'm American and Kristi was America's sweetheart at the time. But I think Kristi had a sort of charm that's hard to describe. When I saw videos of some of Arakawa's post-Olympic ice show performance I was stunned and couldn't figure out how I could have failed to recognize earlier what an amazing performer she was. But her Olympic performance, though wonderful, will always seam to me to have a sort of serviceable quality more than soaring to the occasion. Fair enough - she knew what she had to do to win after Sasha's performance. But still, it's not a performance I go back and re-watch.

 

[LiamForeman]

If I would have had anyone ahead of Ito in the short it would have been Yuka Sato who gave a beautiful and very undermarked performance (7th). I do agree with Scott that Harding was undermarked in the short though. I dont know about putting her over Ito, but he is right she fell trying the harder combination than Ito and seemed to get no recognition for it, and to put her below Hubert (5th, overmarked, home cooking) was harsh. I think the judges maybe gave Harding no leighway though as she was missing the triple axel hard in every practice and they probably thought she was a fool to even try it in the short. Ito was hitting her triple axel much better during the week than Harding, and even she pulled it when having trouble the last day or two.

Yes, Yuka Sato was wonderful. The judging was strange. In what bizarro universe does Laetitia Hubert place ahead of a clean Yuka Sato???? It was hard to figure out where to put Harding. I mean, she was her usual tacky self skating to "People are Still Having Sex" (even the networks wouldn't go there, so while Yamaguchi is doing Blue Danube, and Ito Rachmaninoff, they modestly put Harding's music as "LaTour Club Mix". I so wanted them to say the name of her song!!!) and she couldn't buy a 3axel yet still kept trying it. Bonaly was most perplexing because she was just a horrid skater at that time. I'd have probably had the SP: 1. Yamaguchi 2. Kerrigan 3. Ito 4. Sato 5. Harding 6. Chen 7. Hubert 8. Bonaly

 

[Olympia]

I'm equally happy with both Yamaguchi and Arakawa as Olympic champions, for different reasons. I'm glad both of them will be remembered in this indelible way. Interestingly, both Kristi and Shizuka are skaters who maintained their technical skills well into their professional careers, and they also further developed their presentation skills to become even better skaters than they had been while Olympic-eligible.

 

[KwanIsALegend]

Among the other mentioned Michelle Kwan masterpieces, this is an often overlooked gem;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzIMASKRm_4

Also Yuna Kim Olympic LP and her Les Miserable 2013 Worlds.

and I would add Sasha Cohen 2000 Nationals SP
and her 2006 Olympic SP.

 

[pangtongfan]

Right or wrong, Kristi's Olympic gold medal skate sticks to my mind more than Arakawa's. It might just be because I'm American and Kristi was America's sweetheart at the time. But I think Kristi had a sort of charm that's hard to describe. When I saw videos of some of Arakawa's post-Olympic ice show performance I was stunned and couldn't figure out how I could have failed to recognize earlier what an amazing performer she was. But her Olympic performance, though wonderful, will always seam to me to have a sort of serviceable quality more than soaring to the occasion. Fair enough - she knew what she had to do to win after Sasha's performance. But still, it's not a performance I go back and re-watch.

People always say Shizuka held back to win on purpose since Sasha had a fall and another stumble in her performance. However this doesnt sound convincing to me as Slutskaya was left to skate. Did Shizuka really think a 5 triple program (granted she probably planned atleast 6, the doubled triple loop I dont think was planned and was an unwished for gaffe) would be certain to beat Slutskaya who in the last 15 months had done several 7 triple programs with a 3-3, and was a big favorite of the judges. Then again I heard Irina was practicing really badly in Turin.

I think Shizuka as a pro really grew as a performer and artist. It is like night and day difference. As an amateur she grew into a beautiful artist by the 2004-2006 period, but still a bit bland, even though her Turandot program was moving and wonderful when she skated it well.