In Celebration of Phenomenal TECHNICAL Single Skaters! (;^D

[LadyM76]

Technical Skaters....

I have thoroughly enjoyed all the skaters already mentioned. I would also include Michelle Kwan on the list of "Technically profficient" skaters. I know that she doesn't have the highest, fastest, or most difficult jumps. But what I feel Michelle has is amazing run out on her jumps, and usually lands them with lots of speed and secuirity. I really enjoy reading this board and enjoy reading the good natured debates.
LadyM76

 

[floskate]

Sarah I just love your post!!!! The more people discover and appreciate Midori the better. No she was never regarded as an "artist" on the ice, but she could perform, she could hold 15,000 people captive with her skating, have them on the edge of their seat with excitement, execute jumps of jaw dropping power and fill your heart wit hjoy and make you cry for her in happiness. THAT is one seriously talented lady!!!!

IMO she is one of the very few genius of the ice and deserves the respect that is due to her for single handedly revolutionising ladies skating!!!!!

Long may the gushing continue!

 

[sarahmistral]

what can I say, flo; as you already know, Midori just shines! I think her skating and her technical impact on the sport earn her a spot on the list of the greatest ever. I already voted for Kat Witt on that thread, for her competitive brilliance and incredible winning record, and her very own style, artistry, and panache, but after watching this one LP, I would go back and vote Midori, for outstanding, unparalleled technical brilliance with presentation and artistry (yes, why not?) all her own!

Worry not, the gushing will go on

Sarah

 

[dorispulaski]

Sarahmistral, While you are downloading programs, see whether you can get Midori's SP and LP from the 1988 Olympics. Frankly, they are better than Manley's. Midori was seriously buried in the figures, but she skated awesome programs in both. In some ways, I like her 1988 skate even better than her 1989 world championship win. She was not trying the 3A in 1988, but there were many other awesome touches. From way down in the pack, she earned a standing O from the crowd at the Calgary Saddledome.

 

[sarahmistral]

thank you much, Doris; I didn't see those on the internet, but I think I'm going to ring in the off season by treating myself to the 1988 Olympics in their entirety via tape trading. It seems those were some games, G&G, battle of the Carmens--the unparalleled dominance and competitive edge of the Kat (I may have seen her perform less than a handful of times, but she's just got this mystique about her and I'm dying to see all this play out on the ice), Usova/Zhulin (I think I heard something about them being fabulous there), Klimova/Ponomarenko, and now Midori's breakthrough performances...yep, that's my plan.

Sarah

 

[floskate]

Sarahmistral if you want a sneak preview I have both those files at Rinkside under this name and in my Midori folder - lots of goodies!!!!

 

[Kasey]

Yes, Griazev also has a Biellman, or did, and does have the 'donut spin'. I thought I had seen a picture of Shawn sawyer doing a spectacular biellman spin before? Don't know where it came from, but I thought it was in a thread here.

For simply a technical skater, I don't think anyone can beat the height and power of Joe sabovcik. (The true first ever quad jump!!! I don't care what the record book says! [although I love kurt as well]). For someone to get such "ahhhs" over an open or plain tuck axel, you KNOW there is some air under him!! And the layout backflip, always amazing.

Kasey

 

[Bijoux]

It's hard for me to appreciate just a technical skater, as what is figure skating, ladies and pairs esp. without a beautiful line, presentation, aesthetically pleasing positions,and flow across the ice? I guess Elaine Zayak was a great jumping bean, but who wanted to watch her with such awful style and no body line?

Ladies: Denise Biellmann is among those I liked, Tonya Harding, Michelle Kwan the Younger, Sasha Cohen (also a total package) Kristi Y. These were skater/are skaters who make you want to watch them with their elegance, but each has special technique they have brought to the ice. I couldn't watch Midori or early Irina without going UGH. Harding's presentation/technical prowess was great-she threw a lot away.

Men: Brian Boitano, Josef Sabocek, Kurt Browning, Yagudin, Stojko, Joubert, Goebel (before last season anyway)

Pairs: All the Chinese pairs since S&Z came on the scene. They drop jaws! Irina Rodnina with both partners, what a power house skater she was!

Ice Dancers: Can't say who is technically great, but I love Torvill &Dean with their beautiful edges, and B&K with their beautiful and very difficult footwork, as well as hydroblading pioneering.

 

[Vash01]

"..... I'm going to ring in the off season by treating myself to the 1988 Olympics in their entirety via tape trading. It seems those were some games, G&G, battle of the Carmens--the unparalleled dominance and competitive edge of the Kat (I may have seen her perform less than a handful of times, but she's just got this mystique about her and I'm dying to see all this play out on the ice), Usova/Zhulin (I think I heard something about them being fabulous there), Klimova/Ponomarenko, and now Midori's breakthrough performances...yep, that's my plan. .."

Sarahmistral,

Usova-Zhulin did not skate in the 1988 Olympics. They came on the world scene in 1989 and won the world silver (I was fortunate to see them skate live in the summer of 1988 when they were not yet famous). Back to Midori though-

For pure joy of skating, watch Midori's 1988 Olympic LP. She had not developed artistically, and she never did in the traditional sense. Her jumps, spins, and her infectitious joy on the ice was her artistry.

I would also recommend her Scheherazade LP at the 1990 worlds. She was the reigning world champion (having won worlds in 1989) and the element of surprise was not there. Still, she exuded the joy that was so charateristic of her. Her triple axel in that program would have made most men proud. Same with her triple axel in the 1992 Olympics, at the 3 minute mark. At the 1990 worlds she received Three 6.0's for technical marks.

Vash