Best Ladies' Worlds Winning Freeskate of the 90s

Considering the women's event at Worlds from 1990-1999, who had the best freeskating performance? Although two women did not win the free skate (Jill in 90 and Tara in 97), they did win the World title, so we'll consider only the champion for the purpose of this poll. So, 10 performances, you choose your favorite for this period.

I chose Michelle's "Salome" from the 1996 Worlds. It was a powerful performance filled with so many intricate details. I'll always remember how Michelle stepped up even after she knew Chen Lu skated flawlessly. But, it was a close call! Kristi's "Samson and Delilah" from 1991 was also incredible. It was a technical and artistic triumph for her. So, if I had to rank them, I guess I'd go as follows:

1. 1996, Michelle Kwan - "Salome"
2. 1991, Kristi Yamaguchi - "Samson & Delilah"
3. 1995, Chen Lu - "The Last Emperor"
4. 1993, Oksana Baiul - Showtunes Medley
5. 1997, Tara Lipinski - "Much Ado About Nothing" and ?
6. 1999, Maria Butirskaya - "Otunal"
7. 1994, Yuka Sato
8. 1998, Michelle Kwan - "Lyra Angelica"
9. 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi - "Malaguena"
10. 1990, Jill Trenary

A Tough Call!

This was a tough, tough call, because I am a huge fan of both Michelle and Kristi, but I put Kristi's 1991 program ahead of Michelle's 1996 program, for the sole reason that Kristi's 1991 Worlds LP was so much farther ahead technically than the program that had won just the year before -- IMO it marked the start of the "two triple lutz" program becoming standard in elite ladies' skating.

My favorites rank as follows:

1991, Kristi Yamaguchi - "Samson & Delilah"
1996, Michelle Kwan - "Salome"
1992, Kristi Yamaguchi - "Malaguena"
1993, Oksana Baiul - Showtunes Medley
1998, Michelle Kwan - "Lyra Angelica"
1997, Tara Lipinski - "Much Ado About Nothing" and ?
1990, Jill Trenary
1995, Chen Lu - "The Last Emperor"
1994, Yuka Sato
1999, Maria Butirskaya - "Otonal"

Great poll by the way BronzeisGolden, thanks for posting it!

Based on preference, Michelle's Salome.

This was hard, but I went with Michelle, mostly because both ladies skated flawlessly and the closeness of the judging....42

I chose Salome.

Although there are a couple of these that I haven't seen, for me it was a toss-up between Maria in 99 and Michelle in 96. I eventually voted for Maria because it was such a great performance given the problems she has with nerves and consistency. And her reaction after landing the double axel and at the end was priceless.

Michelle's Salome, but I actually would've given the gold to Lu Chen.

1. 1991, Kristi Yamaguchi - "Samson & Delilah" She was so on, and had a really tough oponent in Midori, not to mention Tonya giving her a go for the money.
2. 1995, Chen Lu - "The Last Emperor" I loved this program. I can't believe that she only got like 3 first place ordinals, what were they watching? It made me a huge Lulu fan.
3. 1996, Michelle Kwan - "Salome" Lulu was so on, I still can't believe that she didn't win. Salome was however, stunning.
4. 1994, Yuka Sato She was spot on and end a career of promise with a final delivery. With Lulu out, she really stepped up to the plate.
5. 1999, Maria Butirskaya - "Otunal" I never thought that she could do it, but she did, even if MK had to meltdown to let it happpen.
6. 1992, Kristi Yamaguchi - "Malaguena" Wonderful program but just not as good as Olys or Nats, which was great. It was hers to louse, so it was a little like "Duh!" as with her choief rival gone, the comp was not so much.
7. 1998, Michelle Kwan - "Lyra Angelica" Everything I said above about Kristi in 92, but just not as many intricate steps.
8. 1993, Oksana Baiul - Showtunes Medley Another one who had to rely on the favorites meltdown to win. Sorry, I just never bought what she was selling.
9. 1997, Tara Lipinski - "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Sense and Sensibility" She should have won 97 junior worlds.
10. 1990, Jill Trenary Ugh, Midori so should have won. Jill winning probably put the final nail in the figures coffin.

berthes ghost said:

5. 1999, Maria Butirskaya - "Otunal" I never thought that she could do it, but she did, even if MK had to meltdown to let it happpen.

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Why do you say that? Maria won both the short and the long. Michelle fell in the short, but she didn't even win the free (if she had but had got silver overall, maybe you could say that). But Maria totally deserved her win in the free. Michelle may have made a couple of mistakes, but Maria's performance won her the gold.

"Why do you say that?"

1. Maria had a absolutely awful pre worlds season. Even when she won, she won with sloppy programs that were not a credit to her talent. At SA she was asked about worlds and she said "I want to be world champ, but Michelle Kwan, big problem for me". I don't think that Maria was alone in thinking that a clean MK would beat a clean Maria.

2. MK's pre worlds season was great, well as much of it as there was. Her debut of her LP was stunning and compared to Maria's SA debut, well it would have blown Maria out of the water.

3. As much as I love love love Maria, she just isn't as good a skater as MK. MK made major mistakes in the SP and her LP was anything but stellar. AMria on the other hand had the LP skate of her life which she was never ever to duplicate after. Just look at thier track records leading up to Helsinki. Maria is usually with mistakes and Mk is usually very good. Up until 99 worlds, I believe that MK won every match-up. Maria was the clear winner on that day, but MK was not clean and obviously not up to her usual standard.

Salome. To this day its one of my all time favorite performances.

I have to go with Yuka Sato in 1994 and Lu Chen in 1995. Both were superb.