Figure Skating

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

I saw a few replies in the Question of The Day for Jan. 16th asking about the Olympics where people replied that they like figure skating.

Thought I'd open a topic to discuss skating.

I've been a fan since the Harding/Kerrigan "whack heard round the world". I used to watch every single thing on tv and we still go to as many live events that come to Philly as we can. But, my interest has been slacking off because of a few things:
1) poor tv coverage (due to a dying interest in the sport)
2) I hate the new judging system
3) The faces/names I started loving the sport with are all retiring and moving on to other things in their lives

I've attended Stars On Ice every year since 1995....the show is not coming to Philadelphia this year so I'm pretty disappointed about that. I can understand why, though. It went from the show being sold out to the lower bowl of the Wachovia Center not even being 1/2 full. I also attended the Champions on Ice Show every year since 1995 until it's demise in, I think, 2007.

I also attended a pro-am event in 1995. Parts of the 1998 US Nationals in Philadelphia. Shows I've seen besides SOI and COI are: Scott Hamilton & Friends, Kristy Yamaguchi's Salute to American Music, Country on Ice and Fashion on Ice.

My favorite skaters still skating are Kurt Browning, Katia Gordeeva, Ilia Kulik, John Zimmerman.
There are many others I enjoy, but many of them have retired...like Barbara Underhill and Paul Martini.
It'd be a pretty long list if I listed all the skaters I especially enjoy, but I appreciate the work they all put into their sport. There are a few I just absolutely do not like, though.

I prefer the professional skaters over the eligible skaters, especially since this new scoring system went into effect. The eligibles who are getting ready to retire from Olympic eligiblility need to carve out a niche for themselves the way Scott Hamilton helped create the Stars On Ice show. There is little for the Pro's to participate in to showcase their talent and skills.

I've shaken hands with Kristy Yamaguchi, Jamie Sale, Elena Bereznyaya and Anton Sikhurlidze and Alexei Yagudin.

Even though I've attended some of the "skaters with musical guests" shows, I do not like watching them on tv because of the splitting back & forth between the musical guest and the skater. There is nothing worse than the cameras moving away from Kurt Browning doing his footwork!

Here's one of the best pictures I ever took at an ice shows, Sasha Cohen, one of my personal favorite skaters:

[lvpets2002]

I just Love to watch Figure Skating.. I have never done it.. Would like to try some day.. Of course would need alot of padding on due to I am sure I would fall alot.. However I still Love watching & dreaming..

[Grace]

Here's one of the best pictures I ever took at an ice shows, Sasha Cohen, one of my personal favorite skaters:

The picture is spectacular!! You must have been sitting in the first row.

I remember watching Lyudmila Belousova and Oleg Protopopov - the great Russian pair who invented the Death Spiral. They were so elegant.

Whatever happened to Michelle Kwan - she sort of faded off the scene. I thought it was sad she never won an Olympic Gold.

BTW, there will be more skating on NBC this coming weekend - the finals of the Women and Ice Dancers.

[Grace]

Here is a great site about the current figure skating competitions.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Thanks!

I've belonged to skating forums before, but the best one went defunct.
I haven't been able to find one that was as friendly and fun as that one, so haven't been doing much on-line skate talk. Some of the discussion forums can be pretty cut-throat...and some are way too technical for me.

The ladies portion of the US Nationals will air on tv over Friday and Saturday the 22nd and 23rd; Dance will be on Sat. the 23rd.
Mens Long program will re-air on Universal Sports Thursday the 21st.

[Karen]

Ooh, thank, I'll have to DVR them! I love watching the skating, even though sometimes it seems the medal will end up going simply to the one who fell down the least!

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Karen,

The whole new judging system is so hard to figure out.

It's like the skaters just skate from one element to the next without any "pretty stuff" in between...just trying to rack up points for doing this jump or that jump. If a skater misses a jump early in the program, but then hits harder jumps after the half-way point, they get more points for those after the half-way point...So, someone with less difficult jumps and the jumps are in the first half of their program, they won't get as many points even if they don't fall!

I dislike how the new judging system is making the ladies do catch-foot spirals instead of the beautiful, classic, long-held spiral of days gone by. And the death spiral for pairs...the more positions they hit doing it, the more points, and some of the positions are down-right ugly!

Who are your favorites? Rooting for anyone special in the Oly's? Been to any live events?

[Karen]

Never been to a live event. I haven't caught much of this year's stuff so far, so don't have a sure favorite right now, but will after this weekend, I am sure!

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Grace,

Somehow I missed that you replied to the post with a comment on my picture before you posted the link....

Thank you for the compliment. I think I was technically 2nd row for that show...right behind the on-ice seats. I always snap away attempting to get photos, but because of the low-light and fast movement, many turn out awful, but thank goodness for digital, you just erase them!

I've seen the Protopopov's skate on tv and they were wonderful even in their 70's!

I was never a big Michelle Kwan fan. I don't think she has what it takes to compete under the new scoring system, plus was hampered by nagging injuries during her last couple of years. The last time I saw her perform live with Champions on Ice she did not do any jumps at all.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Karen,
Actually, for pairs, I'm rooting for Xue Shen and Hongbo Zao.
For the men, I am definitely not happy that Plushenko has returned to competition. I definitely want the American men to place on the podium at Oly's but I don't have a clear cut favorite...I guess I'd lean more towards Johnny Weir as far as who I'd like to see win Gold.
I have no idea who is skating in Dance and Ladies for the US or any of the other countries, so...who knows on that!

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Here are my photos on FaceBook:

Skating Album A: Stars On Ice March 13, 2009 Part I

Skating Album B: Stars On Ice March 13, 2009 Part II

Skating Album C: Photos from different shows

Enjoy!

[Grace]

Your albums are great!! Thanks for sharing.

I haven't watched much figure skating over the past couple of years - not sure why. But this topic has brought back so many memories.

I really liked Phillipe Candeloro, Toller Cranston, Rodnina and Zaitsev . . . . the list goes on

[redbird]

I also love figure skating and also remember the Kerrigan tragic incident. My favorite male skater has always been Brian Boitano, he is one of the most elegant skaters I have seen and with his height, he is just awesome. Scott Hamilton is fantastic and I love his funny antics on the ice.

Kristi Yamaguchi is my fav female, I never did like Michelle Kwan and still don't. You're right as far as they are not televising figure skating as much as they used to and that is why I have been away from watching it as often as I used to.

As far as the Winter Olympics, figure skating is the only thing I watch.

By the way I also live in NJ.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Grace, glad you enjoyed the albums.

One of the most moving performances I saw live was Phillipe Candeloro skating to "God Bless The USA" after 9-11. He unfurled an American flag from his costume towards the end of the program and the audience just ROARED with applause and vocal kudo's and gave him a long standing ovation. Being a Frenchman and some of the ugly stuff being said about France after 9-11, it was really special. Some people were of the opinion he did it as an attention getter, I felt he did it as a true and heartfelt tribute to the USA, to try to say he felt for the Americans after what had happened.

[Laura's Babies]

I've loved watching ice skating since I was a child and continue to watch it when I can. I didn't know they had went to a new scoring system..