Superstitions and FS

[SeaniBu]

I wonder how much suppressions play into FS. I remember hearing a few comments here and there during some broadcasts and wonder if anyone knows who and what these superstitions are.

Thought it might be an interesting topic.

 

[Eeyora]

It is bad luck for Michelle Kwan to wear black.

 

[Mathman]

It is bad luck for Michelle Kwan to wear black.

Yeah, because she was totally robbed at the 2001 Grand Prix Final:

http://www.pluto.dti.ne.jp/~ando3/figureskate/photo/2001Final/fin_kwan2.jpg

 

[Lanie]

Don't wear red dresses for the FS at the Olympics.

I love that black dress, MM, I've never seen it before...nice!

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Well, I'm not sure that this is a generally held superstition. However, I never make predictions about my favorites doing well, even if there is a weak field or my favorite is doing really well because I think that if I predict that it will happen, it won't. For instance, everone is talking about the GPS but I don't want to say anything about who I think will do well because I don't want to tempt the skate gods.

 

[Ladskater]

Most figure skaters are superstitious to some degree. They all have their different little rituals. Some don't wear socks, some lace their skates up the same way every time. Some wear a piece of jewellery or bring their favorite stuffed animal to the rink. Jeff Buttle had a fortune taped to the bottom of his boot when he won Canadians last year - I guess he should have done the same at Worlds this year.

 

[attyfan]

Is "the men's reigning world champ doesn't win the OGM"? a superstition?

What about the various beliefs concerning "commentator's curses" (i.e., as soon as a commentator speaks about how well a skater is doing, that skater will immediately make a mistake; as between Sasha and Michelle, whoever Peggy predicts to win -- won't.)

 

[Tonichelle]

well... if you "tempt the skategods" as a fan, your favorite skater is sure to lose lol

 

[julietvalcouer]

Heh, the commentator curse applies to all sports--take show jumping, the minute the commentator says what a nice round they're having, bang, there goes a rail.

*looks around sheepishly* I have a stuffed toy named Lucky Puppy who I carry in my skate bag.....I know I'm not the only one around where I live who has their good-luck charm. And on the grander scale, IIRC some skaters have rituals like "I have to step onto the ice with my right foot first", etc.

 

[Eeyora]

He who win's the world title in men's in a pre-Olympic year will not win the Olympics.

 

[Ladskater]

Canadian figure skaters - and athletes in general think it is bad luck to be the flag bearer at the Olympics. Then again our champion speed skater Cindy Klassen carried the flag at the last Olympics and she brought home 5 gold medals!!! She is the most decorated Olympic Canadian athlete in our Olympic history. So there goes the bad luck theory.

 

[eleonora.d]

Canadian figure skaters - and athletes in general think it is bad luck to be the flag bearer at the Olympics.

wow, if also Italians did know that, wouldn't gave the flag to Carolina ! I think that was too much for her,this year,at that age - we have many many other italian medalist in other winter sports - for example Di Centa.

 

[anything_for_skating]

wow, if also Italians did know that, wouldn't gave the flag to Carolina ! I think that was too much for her,this year,at that age - we have many many other italian medalist in other winter sports - for example Di Centa.

It was too much for her really...Poor my princess...

 

[JaeJ]

Alexei Yagudin made a comment once about skaters believing it is lucky to put their left skate on first. Don't know if that is a universal belief or a Russian one, though .

 

[antmanb]

I have heard lots of skaters talk about having to put the same boot on first everytime...i think Chris Dean was one and Chris Howarth commentating on Eurosport usually mentions for him, he always had to put his left boot on first and then step onthe ice with his left foot.

I think Jayne Torvill said she darned the same socks that she was wearing when they won the Olympics and wore them for good luck.

Ant

 

[Spirit]

All this talk about "tempting the skate gods" is just silly.

I'll take this opportunity to reveal that I am, in fact, one of the aforementioned skate gods. (No autographs, please. I don't feel like it today.)

All of you can do whatever you feel like, because really, we're not tempted by very much. Except Swiss Chocolate.

As skate gods, our duties are divided. My divine handle is "Slick", and I'm in charge of ice slipperiness.

We have other skate gods in charge of ice texture, ice grippiness, and -- yes, it's true -- commentator praise. His name's Pounce. He hovers above the commentator booth, and as soon as Dick Button praises a skater, he swings into action and Does His Thang, and he does it well. If Sandra Bezic had just held some Swiss Chocolate over her head during a couple of key moments in Salt Lake City, well, hello Gold Medal for Michelle Kwan and good-bye Gold Medal for Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze. But, hey, them's the breaks.

As for the concept that viewers can alter the outcome of a competition: HA! Don't make me laugh! We skate gods are just like the ISU -- we don't give a flip about you!

So go ahead. Continue to wear your lucky underwear whenever Joubert takes the ice. We don't care.


-- The Slickster

 

[Spirit]

Oh, yeah, one more thing -- we totally have a skate god permanently assigned to Jayne Torville's socks.

Normally, we wouldn't do that, but hey -- she's Jayne Torville.

 

[antmanb]

Oh, yeah, one more thing -- we totally have a skate god permanently assigned to Jayne Torville's socks.

Normally, we wouldn't do that, but hey -- she's Jayne Torville.

That's it!! I've lost all my faith in the skate gods...they can't even spell Jayne Torvill's name right

Ant <who laughed long and loud and the other post!!>

 

[Spirit]

That's it!! I've lost all my faith in the skate gods...they can't even spell Jayne Torvill's name right

We never went to school.

 

[anya_angie]

Plushenko never shaves during a competition, he said that's a superstition he has LOL. He does not look good IMO with a blonde stubble LOL!