10 Performances in 10 Years | Golden Skate

10 Performances in 10 Years

Nathan13

Medalist
Joined
Dec 1, 2015
I've been looking forward to making this thread for awhile, and I think the time has come. While there's still a month and a half left until the year ends, as well as two major competitions, I'd like to take a moment to look back over the past 10 years. From Vancouver, to Sochi, to Pyeongchang, and everywhere in between, we have been treated to some moving, historic, and unforgettable performances.

I chose my favorite TEN and ranked them below (ONLY TEN--adding honorable mentions is cheating!). It was painful to exclude some of my favorites (Nathan Chen, Davis/White, Daisuke Takahashi, Alena Kostornaia). And full disclosure, I didn't follow much between 2011-2014. But the following 10 performances are the ones that had something extra special, iconic, and I will never forget them.

10. Papadakis/Cizeron, 2016 Worlds Free Dance To me, this was when they became anointed and entered a whole new level. To Build a Home was the perfect vehicle, and it will always be my favorite program of theirs. The costumes, the performance, the music, was all spectacular.
9. Evgenia Medvedeva, 2016 Worlds Free Skate To date, this is still my favorite Evgenia program. She made a lot of perfect performances that season, but this was the one that mattered the most.
8. Patrick Chan, 2013 TEB Free Skate No words needed to describe the perfection that was this performance.
7. Gracie Gold, 2016 U.S. Nationals Free Skate This is probably the most controversial on my list--but the grit that she showed that night was stunning. No doubt the best and cleanest performance of her career, the technical firepower was in full force. Knowing what happened shortly after gives this performance a bit of a melancholy feel.
6. Yuna Kim, 2010 Olympics Free Skate The crowning of the Queen. Not a step out of place. Simply stunning in every way.
5. Virtue/Moir, 2018 Olympics Free Dance While many probably would opt for their 2010 Free Dance, this is still my favorite. Against the odds and a world record free dance, they found the right mix and they brought down the house.
4. Yulia Lipnitskaya, 2014 Olympics Free Skate (Team Event) The girl in the red coat, how can we ever forget? What a moment on home ice.
3. Joannie Rochette, 2010 Olympics Short Program Equal parts heart-wrenching and inspiring. It takes a true Olympian to achieve what she did that night, and in the manner that she did it. I'm still moved to this day watching this performance. Sheer grit, determination, and passion.
2. Yuzuru Hanyu, 2015 GPF Free Skate It will be hard for anyone to top this performance in the Mens' division. Possibly the best choreographed program I've ever seen, and one of the most flawless. Truly awe-inspiring.
1. Savchenko/Massot FS, 2018 Olympics What can more can be said about this performance...Her 5th Olympics, her 3rd chance for gold, coming from a huge deficit from the short...Between the gravity of the moment, the intricate and meaningful choreography, and the technical perfection, this is my absolute favorite performance of the last decade.

Looking forward to seeing your all's lists! CHOOSE TEN ONLY! No honorable mentions :biggrin: It's harder but more fun that way.
 

Princessroja

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 22, 2015
Country
United-States
I only started watching skating at the 2014 Olympics (and remember almost nothing of it), so keep that in mind when reading my post.

Some are the same as yours, Nathan13, but in no particular order:

Hanyu's GPF 2015. Wow. I could watch that program all day long.
Savchenko/Massot, 2018 Olympics, because duh.
Virtue/Moir's 2010...
...and also 2018 Olympic free dances
Duhamel/Radford 2016 Worlds free skate--what a treat to watch this live
Ashley Wagner 2016 Worlds free skate
Grant Hochstein 2016 Worlds free skate--the audience was so loud we couldn't even hear the music for part of it. He really brought the house down.
Jason Brown's Riverdance, pick your favorite performance
Fear/Gibson's disco free dance
James/Cipres 2019 GPF or Europeans free skate
 

vqtanh1403

Rinkside
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Yuzuru Hanyu 2017 World FS
Yuzuru Hanyu 2015 GPF FS
Yulia Lipnitskaya 2013 Skating Canada FS
Mao Asada 2014 Olympic FS
Kim Yuna 2014 Olympic FS
Kim Yuna 2010 Olympic SP
Alina Zagitova 2018 Olympic SP
Jason Brown 2014 US National FS
Anna Shcherbakova 2018 Cup of Russia FS
Rika Kihira 2019 WTT SP
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Country
United-States
....
Grant Hochstein 2016 Worlds free skate--the audience was so loud we couldn't even hear the music for part of it. He really brought the house down.
....

I'm so glad to see this on someone else's list before I make up mine (where it will be also). Every time I think of how Grant looked at the end of his skate, I smile. And you were there? So lucky!
 

rugbyfan

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
I am really curmudgeonly about ladies' figure skating right now, and I wonder if it is because of so many young skaters whom I don't get to know well before they are overtaken by someone else and whose programmes don't really speak to me, and then I look back at Lipnitksaya's Sochi team programme and I realise it is definitely not only because of age. That was a truly memorable programme (though I wish she had lasted longer at the world level to offer us more). I don't know my top ten list yet - need to think about it - but Chan's 2013 TEB and Lipnitskaya's team Sochi would definitely feature on it.
 

SkatingWithEdges

Rinkside
Joined
Oct 12, 2019
In last 10 years ? Since 2010

For me
1.) YUNA Adios Nonino Sochi 2014
The most memorable free program of her , the most exquisite presentation of ladies in sochi free , the most emotionals , sophisticated interpretations , choreography , the best skating skills etc everythings is high level , experience performance of the ages , high level artistic program

2.)Yuna Kim Piano Concerto in F (Vancouver Free)
even watching in today still impressed how complete she is , powerful speed , strong jumping passes with perfect exrcutions, musicality like she's portayal on the ice , classic and iconic costume

3.) YUNA send in the clowns
One of the most lyrical sp ever , her softness , skating skills ,the best jumping jn competitions , mature interpretations , sophisticated

3.) Tessa and Scott Free dance at 2018 Olympics
Even they didn't won the point BUT real deserve the gold , musicality , sophisticated , unison is perfect , expression , music choice

4.) Yuna Homage of Korea 2011 Worlds
Very best traditionals music , wonderful interpretation , feeling the music ,great skating skills (she was robbed gold for me)

5.) YUNA Lesmiserable
The best comeback of all time , perfect technical , musical program , big impact
 

SkateSkates

Medalist
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Mao Asada 2014 Olympics LP
Carolina Kostner 2014 Olympics SP
Yuna Kim 2010 Olympics LP
Yulia Lipnitskaya 2014 Olympic Team Event LP
Yuzuru Hanyu 2015 NHK LP
Yuzuru Hanyu 2018 Olympics SP
Virtue/Moir 2018 Olympics FD
Savchenko/Massot 2018 Olympics LP
Sui/Han 2019 Worlds LP
Papadakis/Cizeron 2016 Worlds FD
 

TripleAxelQueens3

sasha trusova is superior
Final Flight
Joined
Apr 17, 2018
As a relatively new fan who mostly only watches ladies, my list is definitely very biased and strange:

1. Yuzuru Hanyu - 2015 GPF FS - actual PERFECTION.
2. Yuna Kim - 2013 Worlds FS - my favorite Yuna program.
3. Alena Kostornaia - 2017 Jr Worlds FS - how enchanting and lyrical!
4. Wakaba Higuchi - 2018 Worlds FS - powerful, quick and dynamic.
5. Yuzuru Hanyu - 2018 Olympics SP - the return of the GOAT
6. Satoko Miyahara - 2018 Olympics SP - the best spins and SS out there.
7. Mao Asada - 2014 Olympics FS - That comeback!
8. Yulia Lipnitskaya - 2014 Olympics Team Event FS - so touching, so beautiful.
9. Virtue/Moir - 2018 Olympics FD - moulin rouge and my favorite ice dance team... yes!
10. Sui/Han - 2019 Worlds FS - my favorite pair team.
 

SkateSkates

Medalist
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
As a relatively new fan who mostly only watches ladies, my list is definitely very biased and strange:

1. Yuzuru Hanyu - 2015 GPF FS - actual PERFECTION.
2. Yuna Kim - 2013 Worlds FS - my favorite Yuna program.
3. Alena Kostornaia - 2017 Jr Worlds FS - how enchanting and lyrical!
4. Wakaba Higuchi - 2018 Worlds FS - powerful, quick and dynamic.
5. Yuzuru Hanyu - 2018 Olympics SP - the return of the GOAT
6. Satoko Miyahara - 2018 Olympics SP - the best spins and SS out there.
7. Mao Asada - 2014 Olympics FS - That comeback!
8. Yulia Lipnitskaya - 2014 Olympics Team Event FS - so touching, so beautiful.
9. Virtue/Moir - 2018 Olympics FD - moulin rouge and my favorite ice dance team... yes!
10. Sui/Han - 2019 Worlds FS - my favorite pair team.

I can’t believe I left off Wakaba’s 2018 worlds LP what was I thinking!?
 

ruga

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 20, 2017
Yuna Kim 2010 Olympics FS
Yuzuru Hanyu 2015 GPF FS
Papadakis/Cizeron 2016 Worlds SD
James/Cipres 2019 Europeans FS
Yulia Lipnitskaya 2014 Olympics Team FS
Elizaveta Tuktamysheva 2015 Europeans FS
Yuna Kim 2013 Worlds FS
Evgenia Medvedeva 2018 Olympics FS
Alina Zagitova 2018 Olympics SP
Rika Kihira 2019 GP NHK FS
 

AduCarr

Spectator
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
I 100% would add one of the best FS ever performed by a man (to me, tied in first with Yuzu’s 2015 GPF FS):

Javi Fernández 2016 Worlds FS

I was there in the TD Garden watching it live... and it was crazy electric! It felt that Javi was projecting to the crowd in a way that got everyone in a sudden state of euphoria... and the whole arena went wild!

The treatment and support given to Javi by the Boston crowd that day was astounding. I personally thought that kind of display could only occur when local skaters have the skate of their life at a home worlds. Besides, for the sake of comparison, I estimate the crowd’s reaction intensity level to Ashley’s Moulin Rouge was about 30% of Javi’s.

Seriously, people started the standing ovation about 35 seconds before he even finished the program (I don’t know if that was noticeable through TV).

And last but not least, I might say that in my opinion, Javi’s Guys and Dolls and Yuzu’s Seimei were the very first instances of the perfect marriage between technical proficiency and superior artistry in men’s skating. Definitely a milestone after years of splat fests once quads became a common element in men’s programs.
 

Beckaboomer

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 2, 2018
Only listings singles performances because I don't follow the other disciplines completely enough to make a fair judgement. In no order:

Yuzuru Hanyu 2017 Worlds FS
Mao Asada 2014 Olympics FS
Jason Brown 2014 US Nationals FS
Yuzuru Hanyu 2012 Worlds FS
Yuna Kim 2010 Olympics FS
Kaori Sakamoto 2018 Japanese Nationals FS
Evgenia Medvedeva 2018 Olympics FS
Wakaba Higuchi 2018 Worlds FS
Javier Fernandez 2017 Worlds SP
Patrick Chan 2013 TEB FS

ETA: Let me just say that leaving Daisuke Takahashi off of this list HURT MY SOUL and you are cruel, OP for not allowing honorable mentions. :laugh:
 

invisiblespiral

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 20, 2013
My list, in chronological order.

1. Yuna Kim, Gershwin, 2010 Olympics
2. Savchenko/Szolkowy, Pina, 2011-2012 GPF
3. Daisuke Takahashi, In The Garden of Souls, 2011-2012 Japanese Nationals
4. Akiko Suzuki, O, 2012 NHK Trophy
5. Mao Asada, Rachmaninoff, 2014 Olympics
6. Shibs, Fix You, 2016 US Nationals
7. Yuzuru Hanyu, Hope and Legacy, 2017 Worlds
8. Savchenko/Massot, La Terre Vue De Ciel, 2018 Olympics
9. Virtue/Moir, Moulin Rouge, 2018 Olympics
10. Sui/Han, Rain In Your Black Eyes, 2019 Worlds
 

Roast Toast

Medalist
Joined
Apr 13, 2017
I'm in denial that the decade is really coming to an end so I won't post my list, but can I just say I love when these types of lists include programs that aren't at worlds/olys :luv17: It makes it fun to look at the performance and guess what it is that makes it special in the poster's eyes! (granted, in singles, it could often be "this is the only performance where my fave didn't fall on his/her butt" :laugh:)
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
I 100% would add one of the best FS ever performed by a man (to me, tied in first with Yuzu’s 2015 GPF FS):

Javi Fernández 2016 Worlds FS

I was there in the TD Garden watching it live... and it was crazy electric! It felt that Javi was projecting to the crowd in a way that got everyone in a sudden state of euphoria... and the whole arena went wild!

The treatment and support given to Javi by the Boston crowd that day was astounding. I personally thought that kind of display could only occur when local skaters have the skate of their life at a home worlds. Besides, for the sake of comparison, I estimate the crowd’s reaction intensity level to Ashley’s Moulin Rouge was about 30% of Javi’s.

Seriously, people started the standing ovation about 35 seconds before he even finished the program (I don’t know if that was noticeable through TV).

And last but not least, I might say that in my opinion, Javi’s Guys and Dolls and Yuzu’s Seimei were the very first instances of the perfect marriage between technical proficiency and superior artistry in men’s skating. Definitely a milestone after years of splat fests once quads became a common element in men’s programs.

Wonderful first post, welcome!

WOW, I could not agree more with you about Javi, felt exactly the same while watching that performance on tv. 100 %!!!
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Country
United-States
whole post

Welcome AduCarr. Post long and post often!

Well that's another 2016 Worlds program on my top ten list, along with Grant.:clap: If people keep posting, I won't even need to do my list :biggrin:

(Although a certain 2014 US Nats performance also already mentioned will be number one, of course. I love skates that bring down the house;) )
 

lusterfan

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 23, 2018
Relatively new fan and mostly follow the ladies, but here are the performances that particularly stood out to me when I started thinking about my favorite performances! :luv17:

Kaetlyn Osmond - 2016 Nationals SP | La Vie En Rose
To me, Kaetlyn Osmond is the Queen of short programs! This performance was technically precise yet beautiful and joyful in every way. It's a shame she was never able to skate this program to its utmost potential.

Kaetlyn Osmond - 2018 Olympics SP | Edith Piaf Milord
My favorite ladies SP ever. She exuded confidence, femininity, and was choreographically committed while throwing massive yet controlled jumps (just at look her running edges!). For me, I think this is the program that exemplifies the combination of athleticism and artistry in ladies figure skating. Traditional and sultry with modern technical goodies. :love:

Wakaba Higuchi - 2018 Worlds FS | James Bond
We all love a redemption moment. She is a performer through and through, with the technical goodies of a champion.

Rika Kihira - 2018 NHK FS | A Beautiful Storm
Newcomer who nearly won it all. This program, in my opinion, was perfect for Rika's style. Not traditionally lyrical, with equal parts calm and thunderous. It really fit Rika's powerful style in a more classical delivery.

Kaori Sakamoto - 2017 Nationals FS | Amelie
Newcomer who seemingly skated with no pressure. A bit juniorish, but she displayed something so raw and innocent with so much passion. The cherry on the top is the nationals atmosphere and her and her coach's reaction when she essentially skated her way to an Olympic spot!

Kaori Sakamoto - 2018 Nationals FS | The Piano
More refined and mature compared to her Amelie, but still so passionately raw. She's not traditionally lyrical, but her skating is smooth like gel and butter. The musical climax during her choreographic spiral sequence and her final 3Lo gets me every time!

Gracie Gold - 2016 Nationals FS | Firebird
The moment we all thought the phoenix rose from the ashes, birthing a new star! She did not let the dramatic weight of the music bury her - she skated fiercely and beautifully to the skate of her life. Beautiful moment!

Alena Kostornaia - 2017 JGPF FS | Stella's Theme
Her refined skating pairs so well with lyrical subtleties. This performance got me hooked to her skating!

Alena Kostornaia - 2018 JGPF SP | Departure/November
Her skating stuns me every time, but this SP was absolutely perfect. The movements, the pacing, the build up right to the choreographic climax of a bird's flutter. I'm glad she kept it this season!

Anastasia Tarakanova - 2017 JGPF SP | Aeternae
She had so much raw ability and passion in this performance. It still feel sad thinking about how she hasn't been able to harness this talent.

Evgenia Medvedeva - 2017 WTT FS | 9-11
She receives a lot of criticism for her prior skating skills and miming reliance, but she created a moment for me. This program was so well choreographed and skated from an emotional standpoint. I do sometimes miss this part of her skating.
 
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