Skaters Who've Won All Six Grand Prix Events

[minze]

I didn't say it was ALL luck, I also never said it doesn't take talent to win a GP, even being invited you have to have some talent. But the first obstacle is the luck of the draw to be invited all six. Not all skaters want to go to certain countries, that takes them out of the running right there. Then it depends on the skaters you have to compete against. The first roster that gets put out in June is much different than those who compete due to injury, break-ups, illness etc.

The pairs usually run out of skaters who are eligible and the picks near the end are not the cream of the crop, so yes, it's easier for a top team to win over Israeli skaters who've been together for five months.

Is it luck the world champions aren't there so the competition is against 'newer' teams? Of course, it's much easier to fall a few times and still win than it is to have to be the best you've ever been just to medal.

K/S would have never won the honor unless they got (A) picked for Skate America this season after eight years together and (B) V/T dropped out....LUCK! Did they have to skate well? Absolutely, but other factors have to fall into place as well that are totally out the skaters control. Like another team failing.

That's why skaters like S/Z, S/S, Z/Z and K/S have been the only pairs to do it, because they have been together that long. K/S won their first GP medal at Skate Canada six years ago. If it wasn't K/S this year, it would have been V/T. Lucky for K/S, they got picked and V/T were not there. They may have had another chance or maybe not. LUCK

Pang and Tong also don't have that honor. Why? Because they were unlucky enough to be competing against Shen/Zhao and Totmianina/Marinin. If P/T were lucky enough to have just one of those teams not be assigned or drop out, they too would have the honor.

If anyone doesn't think sports doesn't have to have a little luck of the athletes side, they haven't been watching long enough.



I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that, at least until Oda learns to count.

My Original post:

Only great skaters can win all six events. No one is denying that there is politics involved but to win all events it means you competed non stop. You showed up and did your job against the competition. Only elite skaters go to GP so if you beat them you are good. If you won all of the events it is not just luck

 

[anyanka]

Only great skaters can win all six events. No one is denying that there is politics involved but to win all events it means you competed non stop. You showed up and did your job against the competition. Only elite skaters go to GP so if you beat them you are good. If you won all of the events it is not just luck

And some skaters have a bad day. For S/S, it happened twice and other teams who were consistent and strong that day won against them:

- M/T at 2009 TEB, where S/S won bronze but Maria and Max performed well. It was that competition that drove S/S to switch to their Out of Africa routine a month later
- K/S at 2011 NHK, where S/S missed the last lift entirely and again won bronze - it might have gotten K/S their only NHK title to date, but they won it fair and square!

I would say it's a combination of various factors to win: consistency, strength, and luck of the draw.

 

[mousepotato]

Only great skaters can win all six events. No one is denying that there is politics involved but to win all events it means you competed non stop. You showed up and did your job against the competition. Only elite skaters go to GP so if you beat them you are good. If you won all of the events it is not just luck

Again...I never said it was ALL LUCK, I said luck plays a part in it.

Obviously you don't have to compete non-stop because K/S were out all last year. Also (in the most delicate way possible) not all 'so called elite level' skaters at the GP are great.

And some skaters have a bad day. For S/S, it happened twice and other teams who were consistent and strong that day won against them:

- M/T at 2009 TEB, where S/S won bronze but Maria and Max performed well. It was that competition that drove S/S to switch to their Out of Africa routine a month later
- K/S at 2011 NHK, where S/S missed the last lift entirely and again won bronze - it might have gotten K/S their only NHK title to date, but they won it fair and square!

I would say it's a combination of various factors to win: consistency, strength, and luck of the draw.

At the 2011 NHK Trophy K/S were in 5th after the short and did ok in the free with a score of 122+. They needed S/S and T/T to fail and they both did, miserable. So K/S were lucky to have both teams fail and get the win.

 

[gimble]

Are there a lot of skaters or pair/dance teams who competed in all 6 Grand Prix events in their career? It seemed that some skaters/teams just go to the same 2-3 events each year... whether by invitation or choice.

 

[Sandpiper]

Of course luck plays into it. Luck plays into everything. Winning Olympics, winning Worlds, scoring well on your English essay... I don't understand why this particular achievement is "That Which Must Be Dismissed" because of this.

Winning 6 GPs isn't the pinnacle of the sport, but it is interesting achievement that takes a lot of hard work and competitive spirit.

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on that, at least until Oda learns to count.

Why would you punish him for Zayaking at a competition where he didn't Zayak?

 

[anyanka]

At the 2011 NHK Trophy K/S were in 5th after the short and did ok in the free with a score of 122+. They needed S/S and T/T to fail and they both did, miserable. So K/S were lucky to have both teams fail and get the win.

... and sometimes, as with T/T and S/S, stuff happens.

 

[anyanka]

Added: Maria Petrova & Alexei Tikohonov. They took COC, NHK, COR and TEB. They didn't quite get SC or SA (2nd in both) and were close at GPF (2nd, and 3 x 3rd)

 

[anyanka]

Added: Marina Anissina & Gwendal Peizerat. They won SC, SA, NHK and TEB, plus the GPF. If you add Nations Cup, that'll be 5 titles. COC wasn't around when they competed and they never went to COR.