Lysacek's triple Axel

[silverlake22]

Evan IS extraordinarily TALL as a skater. As far as I can remember, there're very few top tier single skaters who's taller than 6'. As Jaana pointed out, Robin Cousins (6'1") is probably the closest to Evan's height, but he doesn't have 3A. So considering his special body build, his jump consistency is pretty impressive.

This is a very good point, to put it in perspective, if Evan (6'2" the 94th percentile for height for a man) was a girl her would be 5'8.5".

People talk about skaters like Yuna, Alissa, and Mao being tall and they are only 5'4" to 5'5" which is very much average in the normal world (maybe a bit tall for Japan). Even Carolina is only 5'6" or 5'7" and we know how hard it is for her to consistently land triple jumps.

I think it's amazing that Evan is such a great skater, especially when you consider that two of his toughest competitors, Oda and Daisuke, are 5'5" and probably weigh around 120 pounds. Evan is awesome :agree:

 

[jcoates]

This is a very good point, to put it in perspective, if Evan (6'2" the 94th percentile for height for a man) was a girl her would be 5'8.5".

People talk about skaters like Yuna, Alissa, and Mao being tall and they are only 5'4" to 5'5" which is very much average in the normal world (maybe a bit tall for Japan). Even Carolina is only 5'6" or 5'7" and we know how hard it is for her to consistently land triple jumps.

I think it's amazing that Evan is such a great skater, especially when you consider that two of his toughest competitors, Oda and Daisuke, are 5'5" and probably weigh around 120 pounds. Evan is awesome :agree:

Good points. This may also explain in part why judges reward him so well in PCS, esp. SS. They may be taking into account the fact that he is doing the same skills as people much shorter than him. While it may not have the same look as a Chan or Takahashi, the difference either way may be a factor of the skater's height. Long limbs on anyone rarely look totally graceful when moving at high speed or in multiple directions while shorter people almost always look more coordinated. The fact that he can control his balance given his higher center of gravity and still do difficult footwork and spins likely works in his favor from the judges perspective. His size also likely makes many of his movements appear to have more impact thus helping his other PCS when he skates well.

Since his height does not always translate through the TV, such subtleties might not be as noticeable to us as to a live audience or the judges.

 

[silverlake22]

Good points. This may also explain in part why judges reward him so well in PCS, esp. SS. They may be taking into account the fact that he is doing the same skills as people much shorter than him. While it may not have the same look as a Chan or Takahashi, the difference either way may be a factor of the skater's height. Long limbs on anyone rarely look totally graceful when moving at high speed or in multiple directions while shorter people almost always look more coordinated. The fact that he can control his balance given his higher center of gravity and still do difficult footwork and spins likely works in his favor from the judges perspective. His size also likely makes many of his movements appear to have more impact thus helping his other PCS when he skates well.

Since his height does not always translate through the TV, such subtleties might not be as noticeable to us as to a live audience or the judges.

Yes exactly, I have seem him live and I was impressed by how graceful his skating was, usually a guy his size looks gawky. I also think Evan's size makes him look imposing, I mean Oda's jumps are great, but he is the same size as most of the lady skaters, while Evan just looks really powerful out there and has great presence.

 

[jcoates]

True. I have heard many commentators (Hamilton, Button, Browning, Boitano) say over the years that skaters have to "skate big", "fill the ice" or "command the ice".

It's certainly easier to skate big if you already are big. But you still have to skate well.

On the flip side, it's certainly possible for shorter skaters to meet this challenge since most champions are short. An example of a shorter smaller skater supposedly skating bigger than a rival is Lipinski v. Kwan in Nagano. (Please no flames anyone. ) I only bring that up as an example b/c many who were in the arena commented that Tara's skate felt bigger and more powerful than Michelle's.

Glad to see this has been a thoughtful conversation without the usual vitriol between member of various fan bases. Maybe a trend can start??? :yes:

 

[Tinymavy15]

I think it's amazing that Evan is such a great skater, especially when you consider that two of his toughest competitors, Oda and Daisuke, are 5'5" and probably weigh around 120 pounds. Evan is awesome :agree:

I think it is another proof of his dedication and hard work, and his faith in his coach and his training. That he is twice national champion and world champion is a testament to this.

 

[silverlake22]

True. I have heard many commentators (Hamilton, Button, Browning, Boitano) say over the years that skaters have to "skate big", "fill the ice" or "command the ice".

It's certainly easier to skate big if you already are big. But you still have to skate well.

On the flip side, it's certainly possible for shorter skaters to meet this challenge since most champions are short. An example of a shorter smaller skater supposedly skating bigger than a rival is Lipinski v. Kwan in Nagano. (Please no flames anyone. ) I only bring that up as an example b/c many who were in the arena commented that Tara's skate felt bigger and more powerful than Michelle's.

Glad to see this has been a thoughtful conversation without the usual vitriol between member of various fan bases. Maybe a trend can start??? :yes:

This is true, but Michelle is still a petite skater at 5'2". Tara at that time was very small but still the difference might not have been that much.

I do think some skaters can command the ice without being tall though, Yuna has very long limbs but isn't tall and certainly commands the ice, and more so than some taller skaters like Kiira Korpi or Carolina Kostner even. When you take into consideration that Yuna and Caroline Zhang are nearly the same height I think this illuminates the point. Miki also does a nice job commanding the ice even though she is petite.

And I will say this, I was surprised to learn that Daisuke was only 5'5". Oda is a great performer but on the ice he seems a lot smaller than Daisuke even though they are about the same size.

 

[jcoates]

This is true, but Michelle is still a petite skater at 5'2". Tara at that time was very small but still the difference might not have been that much.

I do think some skaters can command the ice without being tall though, Yuna has very long limbs but isn't tall and certainly commands the ice, and more so than some taller skaters like Kiira Korpi or Carolina Kostner even. When you take into consideration that Yuna and Caroline Zhang are nearly the same height I think this illuminates the point. Miki also does a nice job commanding the ice even though she is petite.

And I will say this, I was surprised to learn that Daisuke was only 5'5". Oda is a great performer but on the ice he seems a lot smaller than Daisuke even though they are about the same size.

Excellent point. Michelle's long arms and upright posture make her look taller than she is. The length of the limbs along with the body mass very much affects one's perception of a person's height. That's why Peggy Fleming appears so tall in skating videos while Dorothy Hamill looks much shorter despite only being about an inch less in height.

Same is true in other sports. Federer and Nadal are actually the same height. But you only notice it when they are side by side. Going even further back, Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova were virtually the same height and wore the same tennis dress size (even though their weights were different) when they were competing against each other. But Chris has long slender limbs which made her appear to be so much smaller than Martina who was more muscular.

 

[OHgal]

Thanks all for the explainations! I get it now. And I'm glad I'm short. LOL!

Josef Sabochek(sp) is only 5-8"?? I thought he was over 6 ft tall! That single axel of his was so HUGE I thought he had to be hugely tall!!

 

[silverlake22]

Thanks all for the explainations! I get it now. And I'm glad I'm short. LOL!

Josef Sabochek(sp) is only 5-8"?? I thought he was over 6 ft tall! That single axel of his was so HUGE I thought he had to be hugely tall!!

Haha. Have you ever seen Angela Maxwell's 2a? She's 4'11". Guess you don't have to be big to jump big

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Accordintg to the tech panel guidelines, "The Technical Panel may only watch the replay in regular speed to determine the cheat and downgrade on the take off (more often in combinations or sequences)."

So if they're not sure in real time, they give the skater the benefit of the doubt. But they do watch a replay before downgrading.

That seems to justify the score, So no matter what we see on the 2 dimentional screen, it's all in the eyes of that Panel. Incompetence by the Panel doesn't count towards scoring.

btw - whatever happened to that meeting they were supposed to have in May after the Worlds?

 

[vlaurend]

Miki also does a nice job commanding the ice even though she is petite.

At 5'4", Miki Ando is actually on the tall side for a figure skater. She is the same height as Nancy Kerrigan and an inch taller than Ashley Wagner.

 

[Mathman]

Alexe Gilles is 5'7". She looks very elegant on the ice. (BTW, I had the pleasure of seeing both her brother and her sister skate last weekend. All three of them will be competing at Nationals, Todd in senior dance and Piper in junior dance. )

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

As far as skaters' height is concerned, there is such a thing as Technique . I consider Free Skating a form of dancing, and in that milleue(sp), discussion centers on Technique which includes the technical part of the tricks. There have been tall dancers and short dancers - the good ones have no trouble executing Fortes to 32 beats of music, or executing triple saute basques in a circle

Figure Skating is a sport and should dump the music at least in the SP.

 

[Tonichelle]

isn't Boitano also "rather tall" for a figure skater? or is it my imagination?


either way, Evan's 3A scares teh dickens out of me... I nearly bite my knuckle off everytime he goes into that jump... how he lands it I don't know (then again how do any of them land it? I can't even stand up on skates)

 

[silverlake22]

At 5'4", Miki Ando is actually on the tall side for a figure skater. She is the same height as Nancy Kerrigan and an inch taller than Ashley Wagner.

I never can really understand skater's heights. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvN0kSPkF...I8/dPZbbY4YIWw/s400/aflo_2009110800131335.jpg
If Alena is 5'5", Miki 5'4" and Ashley 5'3" how come Alena looks shorter than Miki and Ashley?

http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/ISU+Grand+Prix+Figure+Skating+Final+Day+3+iZMrUoaJHKNl.jpg
Akiko is listed as 5'2", Yuna 5'5" and Miki 5'4" but Akiko looks taller than Miki and hardly shorter than Yuna.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/01/did-judges-make.html
Rachael is listed as 5'2" Ashley 5'3" and caroline 5'4" and they all look the same height. Alissa is also listed as 5'4" but looks a good 3 inches taller than Caroline.

Sometimes I wonder if skaters' heights are often inflated like celebrities? I wouldn't think so but picture prove confusing. Are some skates taller than others?

 

[ae9177]

This is a very good point, to put it in perspective, if Evan (6'2" the 94th percentile for height for a man) was a girl her would be 5'8.5".

People talk about skaters like Yuna, Alissa, and Mao being tall and they are only 5'4" to 5'5" which is very much average in the normal world (maybe a bit tall for Japan). Even Carolina is only 5'6" or 5'7" and we know how hard it is for her to consistently land triple jumps.

I think it's amazing that Evan is such a great skater, especially when you consider that two of his toughest competitors, Oda and Daisuke, are 5'5" and probably weigh around 120 pounds. Evan is awesome :agree:

ITA! Carolina is probably the tallest female skater out there, but she's only 5'6.5", and look at how big of a impact her height is on her jumps.

Just a minor correction, if you take 94% of 6'2", you get 5'9.5" (not 5'8.5"), I can't remember any elite lady skater in history ever be that tall. Kudos to Evan for all his hard work! I'm especially impressed with his toe-pick jumps. His Lutz is huge and gorgeous.

By the way, Brian Boitano is 5'11", 3" shorter than Evan and he doesn't have quad.

 

[Tonichelle]

"doesn't" but he did. he just never landed it when it counted.

 

[Tinymavy15]

Skaters list their height as we do, in bare feet. Skates add another 3 inches or so to height, and because everybody's boots/blades are different, heights can vary when they are all wearing skates. In this picture,

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvN0kSPkFh...0800131335.jpg

all girls appear to be the same height to me, Elena only looks shorted because she is standing behind Miki.

Alissa is also listed as 5'4" but looks a good 3 inches taller than Caroline.

I think Alissa is taller than 5"4. She towers over most of the other ladies.

 

[Nadine]

Lol, this thread proves that Zhenya still has it!

 

[sk8rdad]

I never can really understand skater's heights. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YvN0kSPkF...I8/dPZbbY4YIWw/s400/aflo_2009110800131335.jpg
If Alena is 5'5", Miki 5'4" and Ashley 5'3" how come Alena looks shorter than Miki and Ashley?

http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/ISU+Grand+Prix+Figure+Skating+Final+Day+3+iZMrUoaJHKNl.jpg
Akiko is listed as 5'2", Yuna 5'5" and Miki 5'4" but Akiko looks taller than Miki and hardly shorter than Yuna.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/01/did-judges-make.html
Rachael is listed as 5'2" Ashley 5'3" and caroline 5'4" and they all look the same height. Alissa is also listed as 5'4" but looks a good 3 inches taller than Caroline.

Sometimes I wonder if skaters' heights are often inflated like celebrities? I wouldn't think so but picture prove confusing. Are some skates taller than others?

Although you can't get an exact height you can use the rink boards to get an idea of how tall the skaters are relative to each other at a given comp. Rink boards typically measure somewhere between 40 and 48 inches in height. Check where they come up to on the skater when they are standing beside the boards with their coach (this is frequently shown during broadcasts) or as the curve around an end setting up for a jump pass.