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- Mar 9, 2011
Will the Chan/Hanyu Olympic battle match the epic scale of the 'Battle of the Brians'?
The 1988 Olympics did not just feature the famous 'Battle of the Carmens' between Katarina Witt and Debi Thomas. It also featured the almost equally famous 'Battle of the Brians'. The background to this contest was that Brian Orser was the reigning world champion, and Brian Boitano was his closest rival (and 1986 world champion). Going into the Olympics, the two Brian's had competed against each other 10 times, with Orser holding a 7-3 lead. At the 1988 Olympics, Fadeev led after the compulsories, with Boitano 2nd and Orser 3rd. However, Orser won the short program, beating Boitano into 2nd. Nevertheless, Boitano held a narrow lead over Orser overall going into the long program, but as it was so slender, whoever finished ahead between them in the FS would win the Gold. Ultimately, Boitano won the free skate by 5 judges to 4, and the Olympic Gold Medal. Orser (skating to Dmitri Shostakovich's "The Bolt") double footed and then stepped out of the landing on his 3F and doubled out on a 3A (ironic, as he was known as 'Mr Triple Axel' as it was his trademark jump. Boitano's trademark jump was one he had invented - the 'Tano Triple Lutz', a Triple Lutz with one arm raised above the head), and that cost him the title. Boitano (skating to music from Carmine Coppola's 'Napoleon') had skated clean (apart from a very slightly double footed landing on a 3A), landing 8 triples, 2 of them 3A's. It should be noted, however, that of the 9 Judges, 4 of them made Orser the clear winner of the LP, whilst 3 of them made Boitano the clear winner. The other 2 Judges (from Denmark and Switzerland) had them tied. However, the tiebreaker was the technical mark, and both of the Judges had given higher technical merit marks to Boitano. Hence, the reason why Boitano won by 5 Judges to 4. The irony of all this is, that this was the last Olympics at which the technical mark was the tiebreaker. Subsequently, the artistic impression mark was used as the tiebreaker. Had that been the case in these Olympics, then Orser would have won the FS by 6 Judges to 3, and won the Gold medal. Hence, an epic contest won by the slenderest of margins
Can Patrick Chan and Yuzuru Hanyu match the epic scale of the 'Battle of the Brians'? For a long time now, Patrick has been the favourite for the Olympic title. However, at the recent GPF, Hanyu demonstrated by winning the FS and the overall title that he can now match Chan. Hence, if both skate clean and near to their best, it is going to be really close. Moreover, what would be the 'icing on the cake' as it were in terms of making this one of the greatest ever contests, is if one or both of them could finally break through the 300 mark barrier for the combined score, the 200 mark barrier for the FS, and the 100 mark barrier for the SP. If they both managed all that, then it would certainly make for one almighty competition.
Patrick Chan's personal bests are: Combined Total = 295.27 (World Record), Free Skate = 196.75 (World Record), Short Program = 98.52
Yuzuru Hanyu's personal bests are: Combined Total = 293.25, Free Skate = 193.41, Short Program = 99.84 (World Record)
Hence, Chan and Hanyu are very closely matched and neither can afford to make mistakes at the Olympics. New world records look highly likely and a 300+ combined score looks on the cards. I think they will push each other very close.
The 1988 Olympics did not just feature the famous 'Battle of the Carmens' between Katarina Witt and Debi Thomas. It also featured the almost equally famous 'Battle of the Brians'. The background to this contest was that Brian Orser was the reigning world champion, and Brian Boitano was his closest rival (and 1986 world champion). Going into the Olympics, the two Brian's had competed against each other 10 times, with Orser holding a 7-3 lead. At the 1988 Olympics, Fadeev led after the compulsories, with Boitano 2nd and Orser 3rd. However, Orser won the short program, beating Boitano into 2nd. Nevertheless, Boitano held a narrow lead over Orser overall going into the long program, but as it was so slender, whoever finished ahead between them in the FS would win the Gold. Ultimately, Boitano won the free skate by 5 judges to 4, and the Olympic Gold Medal. Orser (skating to Dmitri Shostakovich's "The Bolt") double footed and then stepped out of the landing on his 3F and doubled out on a 3A (ironic, as he was known as 'Mr Triple Axel' as it was his trademark jump. Boitano's trademark jump was one he had invented - the 'Tano Triple Lutz', a Triple Lutz with one arm raised above the head), and that cost him the title. Boitano (skating to music from Carmine Coppola's 'Napoleon') had skated clean (apart from a very slightly double footed landing on a 3A), landing 8 triples, 2 of them 3A's. It should be noted, however, that of the 9 Judges, 4 of them made Orser the clear winner of the LP, whilst 3 of them made Boitano the clear winner. The other 2 Judges (from Denmark and Switzerland) had them tied. However, the tiebreaker was the technical mark, and both of the Judges had given higher technical merit marks to Boitano. Hence, the reason why Boitano won by 5 Judges to 4. The irony of all this is, that this was the last Olympics at which the technical mark was the tiebreaker. Subsequently, the artistic impression mark was used as the tiebreaker. Had that been the case in these Olympics, then Orser would have won the FS by 6 Judges to 3, and won the Gold medal. Hence, an epic contest won by the slenderest of margins
Can Patrick Chan and Yuzuru Hanyu match the epic scale of the 'Battle of the Brians'? For a long time now, Patrick has been the favourite for the Olympic title. However, at the recent GPF, Hanyu demonstrated by winning the FS and the overall title that he can now match Chan. Hence, if both skate clean and near to their best, it is going to be really close. Moreover, what would be the 'icing on the cake' as it were in terms of making this one of the greatest ever contests, is if one or both of them could finally break through the 300 mark barrier for the combined score, the 200 mark barrier for the FS, and the 100 mark barrier for the SP. If they both managed all that, then it would certainly make for one almighty competition.
Patrick Chan's personal bests are: Combined Total = 295.27 (World Record), Free Skate = 196.75 (World Record), Short Program = 98.52
Yuzuru Hanyu's personal bests are: Combined Total = 293.25, Free Skate = 193.41, Short Program = 99.84 (World Record)
Hence, Chan and Hanyu are very closely matched and neither can afford to make mistakes at the Olympics. New world records look highly likely and a 300+ combined score looks on the cards. I think they will push each other very close.
