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SkateFan4Life
Guest
One more retrospective -- the 1993 Worlds, which were held in Prague, Czech Republic. These championships featured some wonderful break-through performances and some performances that were, quite frankly, painful to watch. This may sound corny, but the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" were clearly shown at the 1993 Worlds.
The WOMEN:
Fifteen-year-old Oksana Baiul of the Ukraine, who had won the silver medal at the European Championships, stunned the figure skating world by winning the World title in her first-ever appearance. Oksana had skated a strong short program that left her in second place heading into the long program, and then she completely charmed and captivated the judges and the audience with a long program chocked-fill of triples and innovative, artistic choregraphy. Oksana skated with the poise and maturity of a seasoned champion.
US Champion Nancy Kerrigan, the reigning World silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist, came into Worlds as the number-one ranked eligible skater and favorite to win her first World title. She had won the short program and appeared to be on her way to the gold medal. Then -- disaster struck, bigtime. Nancy suffered a really shocking meltdown in her long program. She singled her opening triple flip, put her hands down, stumbled, fell, or watered the jumps to singles. It was difficult to watch this program. When she finished her program, Nancy looked as though she wanted to flee from the rink. She appeared totally stunned when she sat in the kiss 'n cry area and received her cruel, but accurate, marks. She said, "I should have landed my jumps!" Kerrigan finished ninth in the long program, which dropped her to fifth place, out of the medals.
It was a disappointing competition for the American women. Lisa Ervin, the US silver medalist, finished 13th, and US bronze medalist Tonia Kwiatkowski finished 16th in her qualifying group and did not qualify for the long program. The US women had finished 1, 2, and 6 at the 1992 Worlds, and the US women had swept the medals at the 1991 Worlds. At Prague, the US women failed to bring home a single medal. Their poor overall showing meant that the US would be able to send only two women to the 1994 Olympics and Worlds.
Surya Bonaly of France won the first of three consecutive World silver medals. Her skating was pretty basic - skate to one end of the rink - JUMP - skate to the opposite end of the rink - JUMP - and so on. She was an incredible athlete, however.
Lu Chen of China won another World bronze medal.
The MEN:
Kurt Browning of Canada regained his World crown with an absolutely fantastic "Casablanca" long program. Bravo, Kurt!! Attired in white waiter's jacket and black pants, he looked like Humprey Bogart on ice. In one sequence, he flicked the ashes from a held cigarette, and he played to the audience and to the judges. In my opinion, this program was one of Kurt's finest - and he's skated so many masterpieces on the ice.
Elvis Stojko, Kurt's Canadian teammate, won the World silver medal with two strong programs. Alexei Urmanov of Russia won the bronze medal.
The US men finished out of the medals, as the women had done. US champion Scott Davis finished sixth, and US silver medalist Mark Mitchell finished fourth. Mitchell, particularly, was in an excellent position to medal, but he made several mistakes in his long program. Scott Davis had skated a terrific "West Side Story" to win the 1993 US title, but he made numerous errors at Worlds.
The PAIRS:
Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler of Canada won their first and only World title with two dynamic programs. Mandy Wotzel and Ingo Steuer of Germany won the silver, and Evgenia Eltsova and Andrey Bushkov of Russia won the bronze medal. The Canadians in the audience went wild with the victory in pairs (not to mention Kurt and Elvis 1-2 finish).
Jenni Meno and Todd Sand of the US finished fifth, and Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (the "Waitress and the Truck Driver") finished eighth.
DANCE:
The Russians swept the medals, with Maia Usova and Alexander Zhulin of Russia winning gold, Oksana Grishuk and Evgeny Platov winning silver, and Anjelika Krylova and Vladimir Fedorov winning the bronze medal.
US champions Renee Roca and Gorsha Sur finished 11th, and silver medalists Susan Wynne and Russ Witherby finished fifteenth.
The exhibitions from that Worlds were also memorable. Oksana skated two numbers - "Swan Lake", which featured dancing on her toe picks, and a jazzy Michael Jackson number.
The WOMEN:
Fifteen-year-old Oksana Baiul of the Ukraine, who had won the silver medal at the European Championships, stunned the figure skating world by winning the World title in her first-ever appearance. Oksana had skated a strong short program that left her in second place heading into the long program, and then she completely charmed and captivated the judges and the audience with a long program chocked-fill of triples and innovative, artistic choregraphy. Oksana skated with the poise and maturity of a seasoned champion.
US Champion Nancy Kerrigan, the reigning World silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist, came into Worlds as the number-one ranked eligible skater and favorite to win her first World title. She had won the short program and appeared to be on her way to the gold medal. Then -- disaster struck, bigtime. Nancy suffered a really shocking meltdown in her long program. She singled her opening triple flip, put her hands down, stumbled, fell, or watered the jumps to singles. It was difficult to watch this program. When she finished her program, Nancy looked as though she wanted to flee from the rink. She appeared totally stunned when she sat in the kiss 'n cry area and received her cruel, but accurate, marks. She said, "I should have landed my jumps!" Kerrigan finished ninth in the long program, which dropped her to fifth place, out of the medals.
It was a disappointing competition for the American women. Lisa Ervin, the US silver medalist, finished 13th, and US bronze medalist Tonia Kwiatkowski finished 16th in her qualifying group and did not qualify for the long program. The US women had finished 1, 2, and 6 at the 1992 Worlds, and the US women had swept the medals at the 1991 Worlds. At Prague, the US women failed to bring home a single medal. Their poor overall showing meant that the US would be able to send only two women to the 1994 Olympics and Worlds.
Surya Bonaly of France won the first of three consecutive World silver medals. Her skating was pretty basic - skate to one end of the rink - JUMP - skate to the opposite end of the rink - JUMP - and so on. She was an incredible athlete, however.
Lu Chen of China won another World bronze medal.
The MEN:
Kurt Browning of Canada regained his World crown with an absolutely fantastic "Casablanca" long program. Bravo, Kurt!! Attired in white waiter's jacket and black pants, he looked like Humprey Bogart on ice. In one sequence, he flicked the ashes from a held cigarette, and he played to the audience and to the judges. In my opinion, this program was one of Kurt's finest - and he's skated so many masterpieces on the ice.
Elvis Stojko, Kurt's Canadian teammate, won the World silver medal with two strong programs. Alexei Urmanov of Russia won the bronze medal.
The US men finished out of the medals, as the women had done. US champion Scott Davis finished sixth, and US silver medalist Mark Mitchell finished fourth. Mitchell, particularly, was in an excellent position to medal, but he made several mistakes in his long program. Scott Davis had skated a terrific "West Side Story" to win the 1993 US title, but he made numerous errors at Worlds.
The PAIRS:
Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler of Canada won their first and only World title with two dynamic programs. Mandy Wotzel and Ingo Steuer of Germany won the silver, and Evgenia Eltsova and Andrey Bushkov of Russia won the bronze medal. The Canadians in the audience went wild with the victory in pairs (not to mention Kurt and Elvis 1-2 finish).
Jenni Meno and Todd Sand of the US finished fifth, and Calla Urbanski and Rocky Marval (the "Waitress and the Truck Driver") finished eighth.
DANCE:
The Russians swept the medals, with Maia Usova and Alexander Zhulin of Russia winning gold, Oksana Grishuk and Evgeny Platov winning silver, and Anjelika Krylova and Vladimir Fedorov winning the bronze medal.
US champions Renee Roca and Gorsha Sur finished 11th, and silver medalists Susan Wynne and Russ Witherby finished fifteenth.
The exhibitions from that Worlds were also memorable. Oksana skated two numbers - "Swan Lake", which featured dancing on her toe picks, and a jazzy Michael Jackson number.
Such an improvement afterward.
!!Glad she and Oleg didn't retire/split.
