Does breathtaking skating make you cheer or cry?

[ankka]

I'm a horrible crybaby so figure skating has indeed moved me into tears several times. When in 2007 Jenni Vähämaa skated the winning LP in Finlandia Trophy I cried my eyes out. She was in the zone and couldn't believe to have skated that well herself. No one had a clue what was to come either.

The Kerrs have made me cry two times. Their last year's FD in Europeans and this year's FD at Finlandia Trophy. Both have this amazing atmosphere that is beyond words. I managed to drag my sister there to see the latter event and even though she doesn't like figure skating, she cried as well.

And Lepistö managed to put so much emotion to her Japan Open LP this year that it just touched me very deeply. Also Korpi made me cry in her comeback skate at last year's Nationals but it had more to do with her having had struggled so much. She usually makes me cheerful though.

But no one has ever made me cry more than Chen Lu in 1996 Worlds. That performance remains the best in all aspects inside my mind.

When it comes to Kim and Asada, both cheer me up but haven't reached the crying spot yet. I think they just have a different quality and I enjoy their skating a lot. Miki Ando, on the other hand, gave me shivers and made me cry in last year's Worlds.

 

[SerpentineSteps]

It's decided!

Breathtaking skating makes me take a breath.

Just sayin'.

 

[Saundy]

Ohhhh I'm a BIG TIME crier! hahaha

Some moments for the tears would be and most are probably due to the fact that I'm Canadian, but anyhow...

1. Sale/Pelletier at the '02 Olys. LP especially. A masterpiece.
2. Elvis at the '98 Olys. The pain on his face made me teary-eyed I will confess.
3. Dubreuil/Lauzon at the '05 Skate Canada in my home province of NL and I was there...crying like a baby after the FD. And well, the '06 and '07 worlds were a weepfest too. I felt they finally got what they deserved.
4. Tara Lipinski at the '98 Olys. Yes, the girl annoys me a bit, but that program was amazing. However, this was just a "cheer" event for me. No tears were shed!
5. Joey Russell winning the Junior Nationals in '06. Him winning this event was a turning point for our province and I was so proud!

Just a few of my teary-eyed/cheering moments. Enjoy!

 

[Ladskater]

Do tears of joy count? Many skaters have moved me to tears of joy over the years. For example:

Karen Magnussen - finally capping her great career with her world champion skate in 1973.

Elizabeth Manley - at the Calgary winter Olympics in 1988 - coming out of nowhere to capture the silver medal.

Some have moved me to admiration for their sheer gutsy performance:

Elivs Stojko - skating while injured to capture the Silver at Nagano Japan Olympics in 1998.

 

[n_halifax]

Only three times have skating performances truly made me cry:

Tanja Szewczenko's 1997 GPF FS (wow!)
Rudy Galindo's 1996 U.S. Nationals FS
Elizabeth Manley's "The Impossible Dream" professional program

 

[futureidol]

My top 10

Only three times have skating performances truly made me cry:

Tanja Szewczenko's 1997 GPF FS (wow!)
Rudy Galindo's 1996 U.S. Nationals FS
Elizabeth Manley's "The Impossible Dream" professional program

OMG! Two of those are on my list too! Oh I'm a crier definitely!

#1 Rudy Galindo 1996 USFSC "Swan Lake" FS
I really don't think I really understood what was possible in the sport of figure skating until I saw that FS. To this day it is still one of the most awe inspiring performances of all time. Perfection and extra magical because it was in his home town. His reaction was priceless as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXIj_UGchiE
#2 Irina Slutskaya 2005 World Championships "Wonderland" FS
I cannot believe what she accomplished with her heart condition. It was incredible. I was literally sobbing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvBSI97Vuw8
#3 Johnny Weir 2008 USFSC "Ave Maria" EX
He rightfully should have had his 4th National title and I think everyone realized that after one of the most magnificent Exhibition pieces I have ever seen. Unfortunately all audio has been disabled for the YouTube clips of this. Same with "My Way" which was also amazing. This vid is the only one that has music on it, but it is a poor substitute for what he did at Nationals:
Different performance (no audio on original):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0df6ipvVd0
Original (no audio): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAztWux5m9s
#4 Tanja Szewczenko 1997 CSF (now GPF) "Speed" FS
One of the most incredible technical achievements I have ever seen from a female skater. She was lucky to just be able to skate again and look what she accomplished! Wow!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dj9q7UOqwQ8
#5 Alexei Yagudin 2002 Salt Lake Olympics "Winter" SP
One of the best Men's Short Programs of all time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3epqHXQUeHY
#6 Davis & White 2009 USFSC "Samson et Delilah" FD
Gorgeous.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTDxsbHfOpY
#7 Johnny Weir 2006 Torino Olympic Games "The Swan" SP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf5t-4HFPOo
#8 Brian Boitano "The Red Chair/I Ain't Missing You" Outdoor Competition Sun Valley 1994
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvPcrNcbxw4
#9 Brian Boitano 1996 World Professional Championships "Music Of The Night" AP
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hUdJacuVsA
#10... I'm going to leave this open for a performance this year!

 

[southwest wind]

A teary performance for me was Underhill and Martini's first performance of Yesterday after Barb's baby Stephanie died. Barb skated it like Paul was simply not there - she was so caught in the moment and the emotion.

Close onto that was her performance with Paul and Ron Duguay at the final episode of Battle of the Blades last month where Samantha , Steph's twin is singing and Barb starts out along, then is joined by Ron then he leaves and Paul comes in to finish hte number with Barb, doing all their signature moves including Leap of Faith and the best death spiral ever.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XhiUby3OMA

 

[n_halifax]

A teary performance for me was Underhill and Martini's first performance of Yesterday after Barb's baby Stephanie died. Barb skated it like Paul was simply not there - she was so caught in the moment and the emotion.

Close onto that was her performance with Paul and Ron Duguay at the final episode of Battle of the Blades last month where Samantha , Steph's twin is singing and Barb starts out along, then is joined by Ron then he leaves and Paul comes in to finish hte number with Barb, doing all their signature moves including Leap of Faith and the best death spiral ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XhiUby3OMA

OMG yes... and their last real performance together - Not A Day Goes By. That was another very special moment. And Brian Orser's "The Story Of My Life". Such true legends!

 

[1795]

tear:
shen/zhao's nutcracker at the GPF (2004?)...or almost any S/Z program hahaha
davis/ white world 2009 FD
jeremy abbot GPF 2008-09 SP
delobel/schoenfelder 2008 worlds FD

 

[psbfan01]

99 Worlds

Let me add to these recollections Maria Butirskaya's long program at the 1999 Worlds - that made me cry.

Elvis Stojko's long program at the 1997 Worlds - an amazing display of technicak superiority - made me cheer.

 

[Olympia]

Thanks so much for that link to the video of Underhill and Martini. They were good as amateurs, but as professionals they were unparalleled. Their skating had a musical fluidity that no one else could equal. I remember when Underhill's daughter died, and I'm so happy to see how she and the family are doing now. Not to mention the chance to see them skate again! Delightful.

Just watched it. Man, they still have it! That beautiful smooth stroking, and the Leap of Faith move, and the way Martini lifts Underhill, and the death spiral that no one else can do quite as beautifully--and of course the extra beauty of her daughter's singing. Sublime...completely!

I agree that I'd put several of their professional programs on my "cry or tremble" list, including of course Unchained Melody, and now this performance. Bravissimo.

 

[n_halifax]

Let me add to these recollections Maria Butirskaya's long program at the 1999 Worlds - that made me cry.

Elvis Stojko's long program at the 1997 Worlds - an amazing display of technicak superiority - made me cheer.

Agreed re: Butyrskaya's 1999 Worlds FS. I was rooting for her with every jump. I almost cried for Laetitia in Nagano too - I felt so bad for her in the FS. She just looked so despondent. I find it hard to watch someone SO TALENTED fall apart and give up.