Swiss Spinners

[Arianne]

I was just wondering about Swiss spinners, and how many great spinners are internationally known. Here are the obvious ones I know of:

Denise Bielman
Nathalie Krieg
Lucinda Ruh
Stephane Lambiel

Are there any others? Is Jamal Othman a great spinner? Who is the latest ladies Swiss champion? Is she a grand spinner too?

 

[anything_for_skating]

Sarah Meier is, she is good, I like her very much, but she has normal,ordinary spins. Not extremly fast rotaton or something,you know...

 

[Arianne]

Oh, Sarah Meier! I forgot that she is Swiss. Yes, she is a decent spinner. Who is the number 2 Swiss lady?

 

[Mathman]

I don't think they have a second senior lady of the top rank internationally. Bettina Heim is an up and coming junior.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I'm not so sure Stephane is any longer a great spinner. I mean for me, he is, but considering skaters who can't get all the way down in the sit spin and get higher scores for spinning because they manage to convolute a couple of changes with two rotations and get great scores for this, I think Stephane will have to be called a good spinner but not great in accordance with the GoEs.

Joe

 

[slutskayafan21]

I'm not so sure Stephane is any longer a great spinner. I mean for me, he is, but considering skaters who can't get all the way down in the sit spin and get higher scores for spinning because they manage to convolute a couple of changes with two rotations and get great scores for this, I think Stephane will have to be called a good spinner but not great in accordance with the GoEs.

Joe

He is a great spinner who gets scored like a mediocre one, while mediocre spinners like Plushenko, Lysacek, and Oda get scored like great spinners. It the world of COP. :disapp:

 

[Arianne]

I think Lambiel is a grand spinner, as well as Evan L. Evan has great positions and speed, in my opinion. Who do you think is our greatest American spinner, past or present? Two come to my mind: Scott Davis and Todd Eldredge. Also, Janet Lynn and Dorothy Hamily had lovely spin positions.

 

[anything_for_skating]

I don't think they have a second senior lady of the top rank internationally. Bettina Heim is an up and coming junior.

No any lady in top ranks, but on Europeans there is Cindy Qua...something but she even didn't reach top 24

 

[Mathman]

Oh yes, Cindy Carquillat. She came 27th at Europeans. I don't know anything about her spins.

I love Todd Eldredge's spins. I don't know if he was technically the best, but the way he used them with his choreography always made for a big rousing climax.

 

[Ladskater]

Kay Thomson - Canadian Women's champion from 1982-1984 - was probaby the best woman spinner Canada has ever produced. Man could the girl spin!!! Unfortunately she was underrated internationally. I still remember watching her and marveling at her spinning talent.

Here are some clips of Kay spinning:

http://www.olympic.ca/EN/athletes/query/details2.php?id=37702

 

[Kasey]

Are there any others? Is Jamal Othman a great spinner? Who is the latest ladies Swiss champion? Is she a grand spinner too?

Having seen Jamal at Skate Canada last year, I would say he's a "serviceable" spinner at best, not great, not even really good. However, that may well have been an off event for him. Other times I have seen him in video, though, I haven't gotten a "wow" factor off of him.

 

[JonnyCoop]

Claudia Villiger was the top Swiss lady in 84-85 and 85-86, and was also quite talented in the spin department.

I would consider Sarah Meier a GOOD SPINNER, but I certainly wouldn't put her on the level of Biellmann, Krieg, or Ruh; actually, given that she is Swiss, I find her spinning to actually be amazingly ordinary.

 

[antmanb]

I'm not so sure Stephane is any longer a great spinner. I mean for me, he is, but considering skaters who can't get all the way down in the sit spin and get higher scores for spinning because they manage to convolute a couple of changes with two rotations and get great scores for this, I think Stephane will have to be called a good spinner but not great in accordance with the GoEs.

Joe

I thought MM had already done a post about how Lambiel does get better GOEs than the other skaters, he just doesn't crank up all level 4s and 3s on teh spins like the other who "beat " him in the spinning so objectively, in the quality department Lambiel is the better spinner, even though other skaters outscore him in spins because of the level cranking they do.

Ant

 

[Arianne]

Well, I just watched a video of Jamal Othman on YouTube. He has a beautiful, flowing style and nice extension. His spins have decent speed, but his sit spin is a really ugly position. He doesn't get low enough into the spin. I think he has potential to be a good spinner if his positions were better.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Well, I just watched a video of Jamal Othman on YouTube. He has a beautiful, flowing style and nice extension. His spins have decent speed, but his sit spin is a really ugly position. He doesn't get low enough into the spin. I think he has potential to be a good spinner if his positions were better.

An injury free Othman whom I saw in Moscow has a great smooth flowing style of skating (my kind of skater) but not having the big jump combos, is a downer for him. Maybe if he is injury free, it will at least make a statement this season. I hope so.

Joe

 

[CzarinaAnya]

I think Alissa Czisny could be the first american that could be known for her spinning, if she chooses to. Good spinning doesn't usually equal an olympic medal, sadly.

 

[Arianne]

Yes, Alissa could be a wonderful spinner. She already has great positions and good speed. It would be cool if spins could become her trademark.

So, who is the best male U.S. spinner? I don't know statistically who scores best in the spins, but I really like Evan's fast and centered spins. He has nice positions too. I like Johnny Weirs too. It doesn't seem that really any of the men right now are really known for their spins though.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Arianne - I would like posters to name Men who have beautiful perfectly placed camel spins!!! Not just CoP accepted because they put their foot in the air while bending over.

Joe

 

[76olympics]

Toller Cranston had an excellent camel spin--very extended.

 

[CzarinaAnya]

Arianne - I would like posters to name Men who have beautiful perfectly placed camel spins!!! Not just CoP accepted because they put their foot in the air while bending over.

Joe

Matt Savoie IMO, does.