What happened to these promising US Skaters?
- Thread starter koheikun90
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True, sky_fly20, that's life. Thank goodness for the ones that don't put all their eggs in one basket and have a life outside skating, and can re-invent themselves, go to college, or even get a regular 9-5 job like everybody else, have a fallback plan. It's the parents I feel sorry for, those that took out second & third mortgages to pay the bills, and are still paying on them, even though their promising prodigy child is no longer such in figure skating. But they knew the chances going in; my only hope is that the child can help pay back those expenses by taking a job on a cruise ship, a figure skating tour, etc. Of course if the parents are independently wealthy no worries. 
Back to pair skating, like Serious Business writes it's not as easy as it sounds, several dynamics are involved. The girl has to be small enough (both height & weight) so the guy can lift & throw her, and the guy has to be big enough (both height & muscle) to do so. But most importantly, as Peter Carruthers & even Dick Button have said in the past "the girl must be fearless"! :thumbsup: She's going to be lifted 12 feet off the ground and thrown that far across the ice, no time for trepidation or fear. She's gotta be prepared to have her chin split open at least once, and maybe even dropped and knocked unconscious (e.g. Katia Gordeeva). Likewise, the guy has to be just as fearless, knowing that one trip or catch of the ice on his blade can result in brain injury (e.g. Paul Binnebose). It's not for the faint of heart.
By the way, I recall Katia writing in her book that she wasn't a strong singles skater, and that's why she was assigned to pair skating. She was a decent singles skater, but not amongst the best, therefore pair skating it was.
Back to pair skating, like Serious Business writes it's not as easy as it sounds, several dynamics are involved. The girl has to be small enough (both height & weight) so the guy can lift & throw her, and the guy has to be big enough (both height & muscle) to do so. But most importantly, as Peter Carruthers & even Dick Button have said in the past "the girl must be fearless"! :thumbsup: She's going to be lifted 12 feet off the ground and thrown that far across the ice, no time for trepidation or fear. She's gotta be prepared to have her chin split open at least once, and maybe even dropped and knocked unconscious (e.g. Katia Gordeeva). Likewise, the guy has to be just as fearless, knowing that one trip or catch of the ice on his blade can result in brain injury (e.g. Paul Binnebose). It's not for the faint of heart.
By the way, I recall Katia writing in her book that she wasn't a strong singles skater, and that's why she was assigned to pair skating. She was a decent singles skater, but not amongst the best, therefore pair skating it was.
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- Jul 26, 2003
With regards to pairs vs dance.... one of the reasons for the resurgence of dance is the recent sucesses. Naomi and Peter brought a spark to American dance after Punsalen and Swallow and Roca and Sur. For whatever reasons, they just seemed so fresh - however, note that only 1/2 American. Then we had Tanith and Ben - again 1/2 American. There was an extended period of time where there were many female dancers who couldn't find American partners. I think it was the sucess of Tanith and Ben that brought more attention to ice dance at the rinks in the US, which has helped to bering stable dance teams again.
Americans Pairs skating needs a successful team to spark a revival, as well. Inoue and Baldwin were interesting and successful, but they didn't acheive the magic off the teams they were competing against. Before them, Ina/Zimmeran, Ina/Dungen, Meno/Sands, etc. My point is that it's been a long long time since an American pairs team has had a realistic shot at any color medal at the international level, let alone gold.
Americans Pairs skating needs a successful team to spark a revival, as well. Inoue and Baldwin were interesting and successful, but they didn't acheive the magic off the teams they were competing against. Before them, Ina/Zimmeran, Ina/Dungen, Meno/Sands, etc. My point is that it's been a long long time since an American pairs team has had a realistic shot at any color medal at the international level, let alone gold.
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- Aug 2, 2011
Well, it seems that Ina/Zimmerman should have had an effect for other American pair skaters when they finished 5th at olympics and were coached by Moskvina. But even Moskvina could not put them on the podium. And after them, there wasn't a huge revival resulting in great American coaches or pairs.
But if she had been a singles skater without more than a double axel, she never would have gotten near the 1988 Olympic podium without exceptional school figures, and likely would not have been able to qualify for the (1992 or) 1994 Olympics at all. And therefore opportunities to star in professional events would have been unlikely because casual audiences would not have turned on the TV or bought tickets to watch a skater they'd never heard of -- even with the same quality of performance she has shown as a professional singles skater in real life. The performing opportunities she had access to would not have come without those pair gold medals.
Singles skaters who make it to their late teens with no triples know that they're not going to be champions or stars in that discipline, so they usually make other career plans.
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At one point, didn't she have a triple toe?
She had stronger jumps during her pairs competitive days, of course, because I'm sure she trained them harder and more regularly. I don't remember whether she ever succeeded at triples once she began skating alone, but it's possible she did. One interesting skill I notice that she seems to have retrieved after long disuse is a spreadeagle. I don't remember seeing her do a spreadeagle during the first ten years or more of her singles career, and I came to think that she didn't have a turnout. Then I saw on YouTube an old program she and Sergei did in their amateur days, and there she was in a lovely spreadeagle. So I assumed that she had just given up that move. Imagine my surprise when I saw her execute a beautiful spreadeagle on one of those Pandora shows a few weeks ago. Go, Katia!
By the way, I recall Katia writing in her book that she wasn't a strong singles skater, and that's why she was assigned to pair skating. She was a decent singles skater, but not amongst the best, therefore pair skating it was.
I recall reading somewhere that it was the same for Oleg Vasiliev.
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IIRC, Sergei couldn't get all the triples needed for singles, either, which is how he got shuffled to pairs.
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Both had triples up to the salchow (there's a program were they attempt SBS Triple Salchow...in the mid-80s!), and Katia could execute the quad twist.
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I keep checking this thread to find out what happened to those promising US skaters but.... hmm... maybe there should be a Katia thread?
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Danielle Kahle didn't make it out of sectionals....will she keep trying?
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Maybe start a discussion under all things russian...a quad twist? As a single skater I refer only to her shows. The pro comps were a joke. The gold medals got them on SOI and Scott Hamilton was the one who pushed Katia and the powers that decide to skate solo. Everyone in SOI loved G&G and the whole group wanted to take care of Katia, but Scott was her biggest fan, a very big fan indeed.
Hearing that makes one realize what a strong character Scott Hamilton has. He's obviously a take-charge person and looks out for people for whom he feels responsible. That's not something you see every day of the week. You wouldn't think to look at that little guy with no hair and a bad medical history, that he has such superhuman strength, but I'd bet on him over any pro wrestler or football player for the win. Remember in that memorial program to Sergei, at the end when Katia comes out to skate with the ensemble? (With everyone dressed in white and she in a traditional Russian headdress--I still get gooseflesh when I hear the opening chords of that Tchaikovsky serenade.) Scott's the one who skates with her. The look he gives her as he takes her hand is full of affection and pride and protectiveness, like a father seeing his child off into the world. Whatever fiber that guy is made of, the heavenly factory only had a small amount, and it was plainly saved up to make just a few special people.
Stars on Ice must have had a wonderful atmosphere.(Maybe it still does.) Most of the "regulars" stayed in the cast for years, and they got one another through all sorts of terrible ordeals, the death of Sergei being one of the most intense.
Stars on Ice must have had a wonderful atmosphere.(Maybe it still does.) Most of the "regulars" stayed in the cast for years, and they got one another through all sorts of terrible ordeals, the death of Sergei being one of the most intense.
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- Dec 4, 2004
Scott Hamilton is a big, big man. 10 ft tall.....
Just saw Alexe Gilles in the Oct. 2009 French GP. She had a very nice short....
I would like to see her as an ice dancer and see how she looks out there....
Just saw Alexe Gilles in the Oct. 2009 French GP. She had a very nice short....
I would like to see her as an ice dancer and see how she looks out there....
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Given that Mrs. Gilles is reactivating/registering (I'm not sure what the correct word is.) her Canadian citizenship in aid of Piper competing with Paul Poirier at Sochi, I would be very surprised if Alexe doesn't give making the ladies team for Sochi in Canada a try.
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Ah, but we already gave them Kaithlyn Weaver 
Not to mention Piper. But yes, they can definitely have Alexe too, for my part.
Not to mention Piper. But yes, they can definitely have Alexe too, for my part.
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- Jun 21, 2003
That's true. I could never decide whether Scott had a secret crush on Katia Gordeeva or Kristi Yanmaguchi.
