Underrated skaters

[coolboogie22]

I think it would be interesting to talk about the skaters that we love and that we feel that they are underrated in competition.

1- My favorite skater underrated is Yan Liu : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQl0uFCZMmE

I cannot believe that the judges always have make her low mark. She is absolutely graceful and beautiful to watch. Also, her jump look great. This skater doesn't deserve thoses low score, especially at the Olympic in Torino.

2- Yretha Silete : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZjXVMk5OHA

I think that this skater deserve better mark in the component score, she has great presentation, speed and musicality in her program.

3-Kexin Zhang: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn9I5bgTvLk

It's completely ridiculous that Kexin doesn't get better mark in the component score. She executed her element with grace and perfection. I simply don't understand the judges

4- Joelle Forte (only at skate america) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCMg3yTR1k4

Such an undermark performance at her first real international competition. She truly merits better mark in the technical element. To me, her jumps look rotate. She doesn't deserve the call for the jump downgrade. And, she should have won the bronze medal here instead of Victoria Helgesson.

5- Kevin Reynolds : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOGyTMPALm8

This skater should receive better marks now from the technical and artistic side. I find that he has improved a lot since the last 2 years. And I do not think the judges give him credit enought.

6- Denis Ten : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eti-mKn1-N4

I don't understand why he isn't consider like a contender for a world medal. He is truly amazing. He deserved better component score.

7- Adrian Schultheiss (only at the 2010 Olympic Games) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exEJ_GaDJI0 (at 0:45:50)

This performance was really creative and strong. I believe that he deserved better score for that routine.

 

[icellist]

Yan Liu was very inconsistent and lacked the SS or choreography to showcase her SS. The Torino Olympics were her best showing and I agree her scores were rather low. I think she landed the most triples for ladies in that competition. Her Torino program was great but her other programs left more to be desired.

I think we have yet to see the "real" scoring potential for Yretha Silete and Kexin Zhang. Both had their first fully senior season. Yretha's speed is great and Kexin came out no where this season to top 10 at Worlds.

I'm glad someone agrees about Joelle Forte with me. After rewatching both Viktoria Helgesson and Joelle Forte's SA SP and LP, it was a toss up. I didn't think Joelle's 2L (end of combo) and second 3S was underrotated but the second 3Lz in the LP certainly was. Joelle's SP was definitely underscored and the downgrades in the LP were uncalled for. Her score would have been very comparable with Viktoria but Viktoria does have the PCS edge. In any case, Joelle should've been at least 4th after Haruka Imai and Caroline Zhang's LP meltdown.

I always enjoyed Denis Ten and he's becoming more consistent with jumps. I'm slowly opening up to Kevin Reynolds like I am to Agnes Zawadzki. They were great technically a year or two ago. Got more artistry but loss some of that tech this past season but getting it back for this season.

 

[Buttercup]

2- Yretha Silete : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZjXVMk5OHA

I think that this skater deserve better mark in the component score, she has great presentation, speed and musicality in her program.

When I saw the thread title Silete immediately came to mind. She skates well and has quite a bit of interesting content in her programs. Certainly there is room for her to grow as a skater and a performer, but for her to be getting 4s and 5s on PCS is ridiculous.

 

[chuckm]

Yan LIU is a beautiful skater, and so is Joelle FORTE. However, I think they get low PCS marks because they are both so very slow. Speed is very, very important when it comes to skating skills, and if SS is low, the other PCS scores are low as well.

 

[Snoopy15]

In terms of who is the single most underrated skater, the most prominent one (at least in my mind) must definitely be Matt Savoie. A skater who was born in the wrong era of 6.0. Had he competed later on in the COP, he would've been absolutely phenomenal. His 2005-2006 SP to "Windmills of Your Mind" is haunting and packed with emotions that draw inspiration from the music. Uniquely designed program that doesn't follow the same structure of garnering points necessarily. His transitions have always been woven into the program and done so beautifully. The brackets going into the Triple Lutz are extremely difficult, considering how one must have a good checked position before entering the jump to secure the outside edge. Gentle qualities throughout the footwork and all the details. That being said, all his other programs are fantastic but, too me, this one stood out the most.

 

[skateluvr]

Skaters of the past are numerous. For US ladies, I got sick of seeig Jenny Kirk's confidence robbed when she did a 3x3 in her SP and MK or SC didn't attempt it or complete it. I loved her skating. Also, two girls, another with a consistent 3x3 in her SP was Amber Corwin. Skinny and gangly, the judges seemed not to like her. Angela was never flashy but she was caled a refridg break by Uncle Dick, before she got skinny, glam and skated with more confidence. She was always a very nice skater with basics. I guess in the age of Kwan, even Sasha couldn't catch on. It is like competing against Chan at Canadian Nationals. I like Kevin Reynolds, he has a style that is complete. I do not know if he is underrated re scores. We just hear little of him with Pat so dominant.

I also so some wow Bebe Liang performances, and I felt she did not have the look/body most of her career. I can't recall a lot of her career, but I seemed to like her more than the judges anyway.

And I agree about Matt Savoie. He was truly elegant, quiet. I think he was underscored but perhaps I am wrong.

 

[silverlake22]

Savoie I definitely agree with.

Silete as well. She skated very well at Worlds and I feel she should have been 8th, ahead of Marchei and Makarova who did not skate nearly as well in the FS. Her Black Swan SP was fantastic and she has very interesting, intricate choreography, big powerful jumps, and a striking elegance on the ice. Her PCS should be in the 6s across the board, maybe pushing 7s IMHO, she's a very big talent, I can see her medaling at Europeans in a few years time.

Kexin Zhang as well, though she needs to emote more in her skating.

Polina Korobeynikova, even when she skates poorly, her PCS should be in the 6-7 range. Her marks at Worlds were completely lowballed.

Risa Shoji. Her SS are really great and I don't understand why her PCS are sometimes in the 4s!

 

[Serious Business]

Matt Savoie was criminally underscored when he skated. The nuances of his skating were staggeringly awesome. Every jump had an intricate lead-in. He even did a hydroblade into a triple axel! He was musically sublime as well. If he had better results in skating, he'd likely have continued his skating career in some capacity instead of being a lawyer.

 

[MarkusNJ]

Matt Savoie and Elaine Zayak.
People can argue that Elaine did have some great success, but I challenge anyone to tell me that her short program at the 1984 Olympics did not deserve at LEAST 3rd behind Witt and Chin.

 

[icellist]

I really enjoyed the European grannies: Susanna Poykio and Julia Sebestyen.
They had great poise, control, and artistic subtlety in their programs.
Best example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6T6Tbw2Zgs