A Female Skater Who Has Everything, Is It Possible? | Page 6 | Golden Skate

A Female Skater Who Has Everything, Is It Possible?

jenaj

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 17, 2003
Country
United-States
Winners of U.S Juniors rarely amounted to anything, even when the U.S dominated ladies skating. Tara Lipinski never won the U.S Juniors either, coming 2nd in 1995 to Sydne Vogel, who would take 4th at one Senior Nationals, and never again finish in the top 10 at Nationals. Someone named Jennifer Karl (a couple years older than Michelle, and much older than Tara) won the year before that and looked like a novice skater competing against Tara at the Olympic festival later that same year. I dont think she ever even competed at Senior Nationals.

Not just the winner, but the top 7 faded from view while the 8th place finisher became one of the all-time greats. Who'd a thunk it? I couldn't find a list of US Jr. champs. Didn't Kimmie Meissner win? And Gracie Gold, maybe?
 

RABID

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 17, 2013
Yu Na also skated an exhibition to Reflection, which Michelle skated to back in 1998.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBRJMBQ2Crg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B_pCDjmc04

The Lark Ascending always reminded me of Michelle's Lyra Angelica.

It is amusing to think that YuNa as a little girl was so smitten with Michelle that every time she took to the ice, she was a mini-Michelle Kwan right down to her facial expressions, always skating with sublime brilliance that always ended up with her adoring fans showering her with scores of flowers and standing ovations. And now, how many little girls take to the ice pretending they are mini-YuNas performing, of course, to constant standing ovations and of course ALWAYS winning gold medals?
 

aftertherain

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 15, 2010
[...] YuNa as a little girl was so smitten with Michelle that every time she took to the ice, she was a mini-Michelle Kwan right down to her facial expressions, always skating with sublime brilliance that always ended up with her adoring fans showering her with scores of flowers and standing ovations.

This is like, so accurate that it would be painful to deny.

And now, how many little girls take to the ice pretending they are mini-YuNas performing, of course, to constant standing ovations and of course ALWAYS winning gold medals?

You never know.

Yuna isn't retired yet, homegirl. And Yuna came along in the senior ranks more than a decade after Michelle started her own career in seniors. It may be a while yet.
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
it's not possible, which is what makes the sport so interesting. But sometimes when I like to play a game in my head and pick three figure skating ladies to combine into the perfect skater. I.E. take their best attributes and subtract their weaknesses.

What if we combined: Yuna Kim, Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen.

Then we'd have a ladies skater with. Speed, huge jumps and great technique. Terrific musicality. (from Yuna) Solid skating skills, passion and artistry and ice presence (from Kwan), Perfect positions, extensions, great flair (Sasha)

What more could you want???

Well... what if we were to throw in Ito's triple axel? Or Alyssa's perfectly centered spins? Lu Chen's otherworldliness? Someone like Mathman should do a spread sheet.
 

Zamboni

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 10, 2013
No one will ever surpass Kwan for me. She was the most musical skater I have ever seen. She skated with pure joy.
 

Gigi13

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 2, 2013
Well if you combine Midori's jumps, Michelle's Consistency,Yuna's speed, Sasha's flexibility, Ruh's spins, and Lu Chen's choreography that would be the perfect female skater in my opinion.
 

Robeye

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Here is an interesting article that sheds some light on both Yuna's athletic as well as aesthetic qualities. It has to do with her body ratios:

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2010/02/24/2010022400425.html

"Standing 164 cm tall and weighing 47 kg, Kim's lower body from waist to the ankle bone measures 96 cm, almost double the length of her torso, which is 50 cm. Fashion stylist Kim Seong-il said, "With normal people, if the ratio of the upper and the lower body is 4.5:5.5, we consider them long-legged. Because of her long legs, Kim's jumps look bigger and more elegant."

If an upper-to-lower body ratio of 4.5:5.5 is considered long-legged, then Yuna, at around 3.5:6.5, has the "body proportions of a fashion model". There are very few women who are 5' 5" (164 cm) with such elongated proportions. The athletic point that the "fashion stylist" (above) misses, of course, is that such proportions not only make Yuna's jumps "look" bigger, but they provide the leverage to make them actually bigger, higher, wider. This is one of the key ingredients to the flight that she gets, for example, on her 3-3 combos.

"Her long and slender arms, which measure 68 cm, also help boost her expression grade. Dr Chung Jae-young at Jelim Plastic Surgery Clinic said, "Normally, the length of your arms stretched out matches your height. But for Kim, the length of both arms plus her shoulder width, which is 46cm, is almost 180 cm. Her arms are very long." That makes small arm movements look softer and more fluid."

We've known intuitively that something of the sort was probably the case (many posters have noted her gazelle-like limbs). And, of course, musicality and training are a large part of what individuates Yuna's style of movment. This commentary, however, clearly quantifies one physical aspect of why Yuna's movements seem more than ordinarily graceful, elegant, and lovely, and almost impossible to mistake for any other skater.

Another skater who stands out in terms of physique, who is also marked by elongated proportions, is Carolina. But Caro is both slightly taller and heavier than Yuna, which makes her seem more statuesque and Juno-esque, and these physical qualities are quite clearly reflected in her own style of movement.

If I were to draw an analogy to automobiles (being a car fan), Caro moves with the massive ease and self-assurance of a Maybach, and can build terrific speed and momentum on straights and open terrain, which is what the vehicle is built for. Despite her Italian nationality, I see something essentially Teutonic in her style. Yuna, somewhat ironically, is more like a Ferrari, smaller, and nimble, supple and sinuous in its movements, with hints of a more organic sensuality. ;)
 

CarneAsada

Medalist
Joined
Sep 17, 2011
If I were to draw an analogy to automobiles (being a car fan), Caro moves with the massive ease and self-assurance of a Maybach, and can build terrific speed and momentum on straights and open terrain, which is what the vehicle is built for. Despite her Italian nationality, I see something essentially Teutonic in her style. Yuna, somewhat ironically, is more like a Ferrari, smaller, and nimble, supple and sinuous in its movements, with hints of a more organic sensuality. ;)
Carolina is from South Tyrol which has a large number of German speakers. That might explain your impression of her.
 

Frenchie

I'm gonna customize the CRAP out of this title!
Medalist
Joined
May 4, 2013
Another skater who stands out in terms of physique, who is also marked by elongated proportions, is Carolina. But Caro is both slightly taller and heavier than Yuna, which makes her seem more statuesque and Juno-esque, and these physical qualities are quite clearly reflected in her own style of movement.

If I were to draw an analogy to automobiles (being a car fan), Caro moves with the massive ease and self-assurance of a Maybach, and can build terrific speed and momentum on straights and open terrain, which is what the vehicle is built for. Despite her Italian nationality, I see something essentially Teutonic in her style. Yuna, somewhat ironically, is more like a Ferrari, smaller, and nimble, supple and sinuous in its movements, with hints of a more organic sensuality. ;)

Really interesting article! It's true that her proportions, and moreso the perfect use of those, makes for an extremely elegant package.
You using the word "statuesque" reminded me of a US commentator using that word for Lenka Kulovana in 1993:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcMeIUy3D7o
Like Kim Yu-Na and Carolina Kostner, she's tall with long legs and arms, and uses those to make the maximum out of every move. Sure, technically, 2x3T; 2x3S and 2x2A isn't mindbobbling, but I always had a soft spot for her sheer elegance. Look at how well she uses her arms and hands throughout the entire program.
Oh, and about your car allegory: Carolina is from South Tyrol, which is very different in most regards to the rest of Italy: The majority of the population is of Austro-Bavarian heritage and speaks German. She trains in Oberstdorf, Germany, with a German Coach. So from her upbringing, one could say she's closer to a Maybach than a Ferrari... Let's agree on a Lamborghini - Italian, but owned and influenced by Audi! ;)
Oh, and... I'm NOT saying Lenka Kulovana is anything like a Škoda! :laugh:
 

Frenchie

I'm gonna customize the CRAP out of this title!
Medalist
Joined
May 4, 2013
Carolina is from South Tyrol which has a large number of German speakers. That might explain your impression of her.
Actually, I knew this. ;) I believe Caro is ethnically German, as a matter of fact.
Oops, looks like I took too long to finish my post! ;)
Oh, and about your car allegory: Carolina is from South Tyrol, which is very different in most regards to the rest of Italy: The majority of the population is of Austro-Bavarian heritage and speaks German. She trains in Oberstdorf, Germany, with a German Coach. So from her upbringing, one could say she's closer to a Maybach than a Ferrari... Let's agree on a Lamborghini - Italian, but owned and influenced by Audi! ;)
 

Robeye

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
Really interesting article! It's true that her proportions, and moreso the perfect use of those, makes for an extremely elegant package.
You using the word "statuesque" reminded me of a US commentator using that word for Lenka Kulovana in 1993:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcMeIUy3D7o
Like Kim Yu-Na and Carolina Kostner, she's tall with long legs and arms, and uses those to make the maximum out of every move. Sure, technically, 2x3T; 2x3S and 2x2A isn't mindbobbling, but I always had a soft spot for her sheer elegance. Look at how well she uses her arms and hands throughout the entire program.
Oh, and about your car allegory: Carolina is from South Tyrol, which is very different in most regards to the rest of Italy: The majority of the population is of Austro-Bavarian heritage and speaks German. She trains in Oberstdorf, Germany, with a German Coach. So from her upbringing, one could say she's closer to a Maybach than a Ferrari... Let's agree on a Lamborghini - Italian, but owned and influenced by Audi! ;)
Oh, and... I'm NOT saying Lenka Kulovana is anything like a Škoda! :laugh:
Thanks for adding additional background details about Carolina.

Also, you are a treasure trove of knowledge of some interesting Central European skaters who, sadly, are not very well-remembered, particularly in America. This is my first viewing of this quite lovely (and statuesque :)) Czech skater.

(And I must agree: Lenka is NOT a Skoda, as she is much too elegant a skater for that; although I understand that Skodas are a lot better than they used to be. At least they were never as bad as the Soviet-era Ladas. :laugh:)
 

Frenchie

I'm gonna customize the CRAP out of this title!
Medalist
Joined
May 4, 2013
Also, you are a treasure trove of knowledge of some interesting Central European skaters who, sadly, are not very well-remembered, particularly in America. This is my first viewing of this quite lovely (and statuesque :)) Czech skater.
yeah... I know I'm probably annoying people by now... :rolleye: Let me know when to shut up. I actually listen to input. ;) I have this missionary gene in me of sharing what I viewed as an often more elegant and exciting era, even if the amount of triples was nowhere near today. ... But also the hope that more people add interesting links to skates I haven't seen myself!
(And I must agree: Lenka is NOT a Skoda, as she is much too elegant a skater for that; although I understand that Skodas are a lot better than they used to be. At least they were never as bad as the Soviet-era Ladas. :laugh:)
Oh, they were as bad... during the same time-period! I'm a car fan myself... And back to Lamborghini: Škoda started becoming something completely different when the VW Group gradually took over beginning 1991. No link to Kulovana here ;)
 

Robeye

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 16, 2010
yeah... I know I'm probably annoying people by now... :rolleye: Let me know when to shut up. I actually listen to input. ;) I have this missionary gene in me of sharing what I viewed as an often more elegant and exciting era, even if the amount of triples was nowhere near today. ... But also the hope that more people add interesting links to skates I haven't seen myself!
I, for one, am appreciative of your fresh point of view. I can't imagine how anyone would be annoyed by a broadening of the usual horizons. :)
 

skateluvr

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
No one will ever surpass Kwan for me. She was the most musical skater I have ever seen. She skated with pure joy.

Joy and musicality are not the same thing. Michelle was not the most musical even of her contemporaries. She was a very consisten jumper with good spins, nice spiral, very outgoing and emotive with face, mostly smiling. She did well with lyrical music. I only saw her in person once doing Fields of Gold, which she phoned in-a long tour after 2002 Olympics.

zSasha was more musical because she could do much more with body positions. Ssasha was very much the artistic skater, but her falls marred the impression.

Akiko Suzuki is more musical than kwan, and I am a Kwan fan, esp of her 1996-2001 period. And then Tosca was really powerful and great. She made more effort before 2002 to skate with nuances. After that defeat and losing her edge, she worked to get the jumps in. There really were very little transitions, fancy footwork even in her 2003 win with Aranjuez. I used to get exasperated at the way she ride a long edge into the lutz and turn robotically and then jump. It was like "execute, Michelle' was on her forehead.

I suppose I missed a great many exhibition programs with Tom Collins where she was more musical than her comp. programs. As she got older, she kind of lost the musicality, I thought.

But outgoing, joyous, heart on her sleeve and wonderfully consistent are a great package, and always lovely with beautiful costumes. I think Akiko, Ashley, Caro and Mao are wonderfully musical skaters. Osmund may be the most musical/versatile of all of them. Rare to have someone dance that well and do triple jumps as well. So hope she is healing-love that girl.
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
Kwan was overrated, the only good thing about her was her spirals.

Carolina is the closest had her jumps been more reliable in the big events
she has speed, jumps and a body type ideal for both presenting herself and long stroking on the ice
Kostner is perfect for galas at least
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Kwan was overrated, the only good thing about her was her spirals.

Wow. You've officially outdone yourself in the hating on skaters department.

Saying Kostner is the closest if her jumps had been more reliable is like saying Sasha is the female skater who has everything, except for the whole lack of consistency thing.

You're actually suggesting Carolina is closest to being the female skater who has everything... more than Michelle Kwan.... :rofl:

Although, tbh, I'm disappointed you didn't suggest someone even more ludicrous like Gold. :laugh:
 
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