Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

dlk, good question. I think that ever since a technically superior Nancy Kerrigan lost gold to the artistically superior Oksana, things have turned around. I'm not sure when they changed "artistic mark" to "presentation mark" but that kind of tells you that they decided to find a way to give the best jumper the gold no matter what.

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

Of the current gymnasts, I especially like Nemov and Khorkina. In the past I especially loved Svetlana Boginskaya. Man, she had it all. But I too miss the days of the mature women like Tchurischeva (sp?) and what was the Czechoslovakian woman's name who did such a great floor exercise at the '68 Olympics in Mexico City (if I have the date and city right)? She was stunning. I agree that the floor exercise has lost the grace and dance that made it so wonderful to watch. Lilia Portupiyava (totally slaughtered that spelling) the '96 (I think) all around champ was the last really graceful gymnast we saw on floor. Shannon Miller on both floor and beam was also incredibly beautiful. Even mean ol' Rgirl got a little tear in her eye when Shannon won the gold on the beam.
Rgirl

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

Does anyone know whether gymnast (or rhythmic gymnasts) either in North America or in Europe ever have an opportunity to make money from their talent and training? Can they join the circus or something?

Mathman

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

Mathman,
Bart Connor and Nadia Comenici have a tour with elite gymnasts. They play mostly college gyms. According to my family in Arizona, the gymnastics tour has sold out every time it's come to Arizona State, but the ticket prices are quite a bit lower than they are for COI or SOI. Rhythmic gymnasts often go into performing in circuses that have a Cirque du Soleil style, plus there are a couple of prominent "dance/gymnastics" companies--Svetlana Boginskaya performs with the top company among these. For the artistic gymnasts (ie, Shannon Miller, et al.; what we tend to think of as gymnastics), the performing opportunities are not as open for doing gymnastics, but then their bodies can't really perform at the level for very long. A lot of the elite women gymnasts are still young enough when they finish their competitive career that they can still complete college and start something new. Some even continue competing on the NCAA circuit. Others go into coaching, of course.

The men can compete longer and until they're older. "Life after gymnastics" for men range from Bart Connor as a prominent coach and "mover and shaker" in gymnastics to Tim Dagget as commentator to Mitch Gaylord as porn star. Though I would think that some of the more modern circuses would be an option for the men as well.
Rgirl

Gymnastics

It depends on the person.So far,only Nadia Comanici and Mary Lou Retton have struck my fancy.

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

I LOVE gymnastics! I'm a high school gymnast and an unfathomably pitiful and fat one at that.

I'm not exaggerating--I can't even do handsprings hardly.

Craig

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

I like Gymnastics but I don't watch it a lot. Only when I flip channels. It's umbelieveble the things those peoples can do !

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

Another gymnasts fan here.
I always watch it when it's on tv, loved the Commonwealth games last yr.
My favs are Svetlana Khorkina & Simona Amanar.
I watch all the gymnastics & I used to do gym for about 8yrs, started when I was 5 & stopped about 5 yrs ago when I was 13ish.

Apparently Svetlana khorkina is now acting in Russian theatre, anybody know anymore on this??

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

I love gymnastics, I was a fan even before I started following fs regularly. But it's barely ever on TV so I don't pay much attention to it anymore.

They made the code of points so incredibly brutal. I honestly think that has sucked some of the excitement out of the sport from a fan perspective. And the media is looking for drama, perfect 10's. I don't think it's a coincidence that there is less and less gymnastics being aired now.

This is a little OT but I'm afraid the same thing will happen to skating if they switch to the new judging system next season.

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

<span style="color:blue;font-family:comic sans ms;font-size:x-small;"><strong>
I love Holly Vice
she is amazing and she is so cute
I also like Raducan
I like rhythmic gymnastics the most though </strong></span>

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

I watch gymnastics if I happen to catch it. I do not make a special attempt to tape it though. I like it but not as much as skating.

Kay
<a href="http://www.skatejournal.com" target="_new">www.skatejournal.com</a>

Re: Do figure skating fans also like gymnastics?

Well, I know one likes the Mets; one likes the Red Sox, and one likes the Mariners.

I'm not a big Gymnast fan but I do watch the important contests on TV if I have nothing else to do.

Joe