Best Comeback

[BronzeisGolden]

Which skater(s) had the most memorable/dramatic/successful comeback? I have listed as many as I could think of, but I have also included an "other" option so that anyone can feel free to discuss one I've failed to remember.

 

[BronzeisGolden]

I chose G&G at the 1994 Olympics. They hadn't competed as amateurs in a major competition in nearly four years....and they came back better than ever. "Moonlight Sonata" was so mature, elegant and romantic and I was amazed at how they related to one another on the ice. They made some small errors but they still managed to deliver a program that was on par with the rest of the field technically (and that bested the rest artistry wise IMHO...except for maybe M&D who were brilliant as well).

 

[Vash01]

For a 'comeback' I chose Tania Swechenko's skate at GPF 98. She had been very ill, and practically out of skating. Her clean skate amazed everyone including herself and brought tears to many eyes. It was not about medals.

I was considering voting for 'other', as Elena Berezhnaya's return to pairs skating after a near death experience was very inspiring, and truly amazing. However, I wanted to write about Tania, since she did not get the same amount of publicity as some other skaters.

Chen Lu's Oly 98 is also an impressive comeback. She had to deal with so much the previous year; she did not even qualify to skate her LP in 97 worlds. To win an Olympic bronze in 98 was a great comeback.

May I also mention Irina Slutskaya's comeback in 2004, after a very serious illness?

Vash

 

[icenut84]

I voted for Torvill & Dean. They'd retired from eligible skating TEN YEARS before, and yet came back and won the British, European title, and another Olympic medal, giving a fantastic performance.

Honourable mentions also to Chen Lu in 98 and Nancy Kerrigan in 94. And also, one nobody's mentioned yet - Elena Sokolova in 03! She had only competed at Worlds once (I think), 5 years before, and was a nobody as far as the rankings were concerned. Then suddenly she's Russian champion and silver medallist at Euros and Worlds! Now THAT is a good comeback.

 

[RealtorGal]

Paul Wylie in '92. No one--absolutely no one--would have guessed he would win the silver medal (and in my opinion, it should have been gold). That was just the boost he needed to establish himself as a crowd favorite and a successful pro. I still miss him.

 

[Chrystia Mee]

Which skater(s) had the most memorable/dramatic/successful comeback? I have listed as many as I could think of, but I have also included an "other" option so that anyone can feel free to discuss one I've failed to remember.

I vote for LuChen. She deserved the bronze completely. After the disaster of 1997 which must have been heartbreaking since she was considered a major contendor before that and come to Nagano and skate so beautifully and honestly. I was so happy for her.

 

[Vash01]

Paul Wylie in '92. No one--absolutely no one--would have guessed he would win the silver medal (and in my opinion, it should have been gold). That was just the boost he needed to establish himself as a crowd favorite and a successful pro. I still miss him.

I don't really consider Paul Wylie's performance a 'come back' because he was never on top. He had always struggled in competitions. He realized his potential in the 92 Olympics.

 

[PrincessLeppard]

I chose Lu Chen. Her skate at the 98 Olympics stands out to me far more than Tara's, or Michelle's, for that matter. I don't cry much during figure skating, but the end of her program, when she was down on her knees, pounding the ice, well, I got a bit emotional.

Laura

 

[iluvtodd]

I voted for Lulu. Paul Wylie's 1992 Olympic performance was my second choice.

I have to say that Todd's "comeback" season for me was 1994/1995. He won Skate America, regained his US title (after being off the podium for 3 seasons), and won the silver medal at Worlds. I don't think of the 2000/2001 season as a comeback season for him because he still competed in pro/ams (and did quite well) during the two seasons he did not compete at US Nationals & Worlds. That said, I am thrilled that he medaled at Worlds 2001 (although I felt he deserved no less than the silver medal there, but that's a whole other discussion ).

 

[icenut84]

That said, I am thrilled that he medaled at Worlds 2001 (although I felt he deserved no less than the silver medal there, but that's a whole other discussion ).

Me too!

 

[Antilles]

I voted for Lu Chen. That second Olympic bronze was really fantastic.

 

[BronzeisGolden]

I thought Todd should have won the 2001 World Silver as well...but oh well! At least he made it to the podium....though he did have some very strange marks (especially in the SP).

 

[Tonichelle]

I voted for Paul. While he may not have been teh best skater ever prior to 92, he did have a lot of people's good wishes... then for some reason that hope was given up on and he was looked at as not deserving to be on the team... and he whooped up on everyone...

I don't remember much from that competition... but he was awesome... and maybe he did deserve gold...

 

[Vash01]

I thought Todd should have won the 2001 World Silver as well...but oh well! At least he made it to the podium....though he did have some very strange marks (especially in the SP).

Todd actually got higher marks than I expected in the SP (and a little lower in the LP). His jump combination was triple flip-triple toe! Even the ladies were doing a more difficult jump (3lutz) for the combo (though most did only a double toe or a double loop). I think Todd did land a triple axel, but I will have to watch the tape again. The point is - his base marks were WAY too low! Other skaters were doing quad-triple combinations, or at least a triple axel-3toe (or double toe at end). I was surprised that his marks were that high for that program. Yagudin should have been marked higher for his Revolutionary Etude, which was truly a heroic performance, and absolutely gorgeous. However, he was held up in QR so it evened out. In the long run everything evens out.

Vash

 

[berthes ghost]

His jump combination was triple flip-triple toe! Even the ladies were doing a more difficult jump (3lutz) for the combo (though most did only a double toe or a double loop).

That's just crazy talk. Any lady who could pull off a 3flip/3toe combo, a 3 axel and steps into a 3Lutz in a SP, back in 01 no less, would have become a houshold name overnight. Forget the axel, even in 05 if a lady does a 3flip/3toe combo and then step into a 3Lutz, I expect her to win the SP in Moscow hands down.

 

[Grgranny]

I voted for Paul. I still think he should have received the gold. It was hard to pick between him, Lulu, Todd and some of the others. Nerves played too much of a problem for him. Some people just have more trouble with nerves than others. I would have been one of those. Jose was another one. I always felt so sorry for them and especially the time she had to skate after Tonya's hysterics.

 

[BronzeisGolden]

I agree, Berthes Ghost. The ladies were all doing the 3lz/2t or 3lz/2l in 2001. There is really no comparison to that and a 3f/3t. The 3f/3t is a much more difficult combination. Todd's SP in Vancouver was not the most difficult program in the event, but it was certainly very competitive. He chose to increase the overall difficulty of the program by purposely NOT doing a 3a/3t. If he had done the 3a in combo he could not have opted to upgrade the 2a to a 3a. So, he instead chose to do 4 triple jumps including a 3/3, 3a and solo 3 (whereas if he had done the 3a/3t, he would have only been allowed to perform a 2a and a solo 3). He certainly didn't deserve to be above Plushenko or maybe even Yagudin (in the SP), but a 5.3 for technical merit? Come on! That is just ridiculous! I could understand marks in the 5.5-5.6 range, but anything below that made no sense. It wasn't absolutely life or death without a quad then (assuming any spot on the podium would do, not necessarily the top spot), but by the next season it was an entirely different situation. More men had consistent quads and also had had time to develop more artisticly. Todd showed that in 2001 you could still medal without a quad...but by 2002, it was nearly an impossibility or quite a longshot at best.

 

[isk8nbessy]

I chose other. I really think that Johnny weir's comeback at this year's nationals really got people thinking. Who would have guessed ( except for me) that he would be a contender for the Oly gold? Especially after last season.

 

[berthes ghost]

I picked Lulu. To go from 2nd in the world with two 6.0s, to 27th and not even making the LP, to 3rd in just 3 years is amazing.

Second choice would be Tonja S. To came back from a major illness and medal internationally was amazing. That just doesn't happen everyday.

Most of the others, I just don't get.

Reinstated pros did literally make a comeback, but considering that G&G for example, completly dominated the pro ranks between their completly dominating the eligable ranks, I don't see what the big deal is.

Paul Wylie? How can one come back to a place one's never been?

Michelle? From 1st in world to 2nd in world to 1st again is a comeback? You are joking, right?

 

[icenut84]

Forget the axel, even in 05 if a lady does a 3flip/3toe combo and then step into a 3Lutz, I expect her to win the SP in Moscow hands down.

Not neccessarily. Last season, didn't Miki Ando do 3lutz-3loop and steps into 3flip? And IIRC Shizuka did 3lutz-3toe and steps into 3flip. Neither won the SP. And Carolina Kostner did 3flip-3toe and steps into 3loop I think, she didn't win either. The judges have to take all 8 elements into account, although obviously jumps like that will be a great boost. If someone comes out in the SP in Moscow and does 3flip-3toe and steps into 3lutz, they'll almost definitely make the final warm-up group, but their placement likely depends on their other elements and how everyone else skates too. Last season, Sasha's SP beat all those with 3-3s even though she didn't have one.