"I wish I'd been there when..." | Golden Skate

"I wish I'd been there when..."

TontoK

Hot Tonto
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Country
United-States
A thread for the more seasoned among us and the skating historians...

What performance (or related performances) do you recall that you wish you could have been there to see in person?

Since I'm starting the thread, I get to impose an arbitrary rule: No performances after 1999!

Extra credit if you post a video!

For me: Dorothy Hamill's 1976 Olympic win. Her Long Program was the start of my long love affair with our sport.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6h0sQpM-bXs

Edit: Please post a bit of text explaining why you selected your performance.
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
1998 US Nationals - Michelle Kwan's triumphant Lyra Angelica after her stress fracture.

1984 Olympics - Torvill and Dean's Bolero

1988 Olympics Battle of the Brian's

Any Gordeeva and Grinkov performance - I never actually saw them live. 1st Ice show I went to was the memorial SOI show in Hartford after he passed.

1996 World's - Chen Lu vs Michelle Kwan. What a nail biter - could've gone either way imho.
 

louisa05

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 3, 2011
Worlds 1996 when Kwan and Eldredge both won and Galindo, and Meno & Sand took bronze medals.

Imagine U.S. skating being that good again...
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Do you have to have been alive then?

I don't think you need to. After all, most of us weren't at those particular events anyway, so it's all wishful thinking, right? Go for it!

I would have loved to see the 1998 Nationals where Michelle channeled Lyra Angelica straight from the sky.

I would love to have watched Kurt film Singin' in the Rain for his TV program.
 

KwanIsALegend

Fly On
Medalist
Joined
Feb 2, 2011
There are many more but if I had to pick my tops it would be these;

Kwan
1996 Worlds LP
1998 Nationals SP & LP
2003 Worlds LP
2004 Nationals LP


Rudy Galindo
1996 Nationals


Johnny Weir
2004 Nationals LP
2010 Olympics LP

Sasha Cohen
2006 Olympic SP

Alexia Yagudin
2002 Olympic LP

Yuna Kim
2010 Olympics LP
2013 Worlds LP

Adam Rippon
2010 4CC LP
2012 Nationals SP
 

TontoK

Hot Tonto
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 28, 2013
Country
United-States
Wonderful memories are coming back to me from reading your responses!

Of course, you needn't have been alive when the performance took place. I'm impressed you've researched historic performances from before you were born. I've tried to find film of Dick Button, Tenley Albright, and some other greats of US Skating. Sadly, they're rare enough not to be found easily, although you can find snips.

Video recordings of the great Sonja Heney (before Hollywood) are very few. What a tragedy that historical footage is not widely available.

I mentioned that my favorite was Dorothy Hamill, but 1976 was also the John Curry Olympics! Here's a link to his FS if you've never seen it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djadlQLK_ow

Regarding Curry, Dick Button called him the most elegant skater he had ever seen, and he referred to this FS as one of the most beautiful moments in skating history.
 

zschultz1986

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 18, 2013
MK:
1996 Worlds Short: The epitome. There with Yu-Na Kim's Danse Macabre.
1996 Worlds Long: How you seal the deal.
1998 Nationals: Just... no words.

Rudy's Zhivago will forever hold a place in my heart, as will his *SQUEEEEEE* at the scores, and the absolute bedlam it caused. The crowds reaction was as close to a FS riot you will find.

Curry's Olympics: Cause I love Curry and I also love Toller Cranston, so that Olympics would have been fabulous to see.


If we were to ever go past 1999:

2003 Worlds, between Michelle and Shen/Zhao... I just would have been a mute after that week, because of all the screaming and cheering i would have done.

Lambiel
2006 Worlds LP: Magic Zebra!

Buttle:
2005 Nationals LP: Naqoyqatsi was maybe my favorite long from him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYv170n84Tw

Joannie
2005 Nationals LP: Also, Firebird, maybe the best free SHE has ever done. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17uTwCAUtrw

Yu-Na
2007 Worlds SP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTCAsSGgFWc (My personal favorite of her Shorts)
2009 Worlds SP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVasw3hP3Rw (Widely regarded at her best Short)
2010 Olympics: Pick you favorite commentators... they all say the same thing. BEST OLYMPIC SKATES EVER.
 

Scrufflet

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Liz Manley's Olympic silver. I watched on tv and seeing Barbara Ann's reaction was wonderful.
Barbara Ann Scott's Olympic gold.
Don Jackson's world championship gold.
 

sk8ingcoach

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 25, 2012
Michelle Kwan 2003 Worlds Lp
Yuna Kim Olympics Lp
Carolina Kostner 2012 worlds Lp
Irina Slutskaya 2005 worlds Lp
Midori Ito 1989 & 90 Worlds lp
Sarah Hughes 2002 Olympics Lp
 

bump

Match Penalty
Joined
Mar 15, 2013
....Michelle Kwan fell on her triple flip at the 2002 Olympics. I would have screamed at her before she went in to it to not slip off her toe.
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
The 1988 Calgary Olympics to see the "Battle of the Brians," G&G, & Midori Ito

1996 Worlds to see Todd & Michelle win the titles, plus Todd putting his gold medal on his mom.
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
1984, T/D Bolero: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zbbN4OL98 One of those legendary performances that will always remain part of this sport's history....
1990, Midori Ito Worlds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2H6PfFr59M My favourite performance of hers!
1998, Michelle's Lyra Angelica: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okPRcajUQrM Another of those legendary performances...
1998 Olympics, Michelle vs Tara; maybe the most discussed Olympic FS result ever, I would have liked to be there, just to say "I was there, and I can tell you that Michelle was the best!" ;)
These are the ones that immediatly come to my mind...
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
And John Curry's and Toller Cranston's performances in the long program at the 1976 Innsbruck Olympics.
 

Icey

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 28, 2012
In the early years of the Olympics and Worlds, there was an event, Mixed (male/female pair) compulsory figures. From the little existing film footage available , it appears to have been a beautiful thing to observe. I would like to have seen Henie skate at her last Olympics and attended the Mixed compulsory figures competition at that Olympics.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
1996 US Nationals Rudy Galindo
A number of the World Professional events held in Landover, MD, that feature Klimova & Ponomarenko & Torvill & Dean.

And if I can suggest 2 events that I got to see live & still treasure the memories of:
2003 Worlds (Shen & Zhao :love: Bourne & Kraatz! Michelle :love:, Plush & Goebel!) just a great event
1984 Worlds (Torvill & Dean Paso Doble OSP & Bolero :love: Underhill & Martini redemption :) Elaine Zayak bronze, Katarina Wit gold, Scott Hamilton & Brian Orser, but also great skates by Gary Beacom
 
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