55 replies to this topic

[dirac]

I can't recall a time when there weren't complaints from some quarters about Too Much Jumping.  I remember reading an interview in the mid seventies with the late John Curry, who had to perform a grand total of three triples to take the gold in 1976, that these days it was all about the tricks these days and there was no artistry, blah blah.  Lipinski's injury was to the right hip, I believe.  I haven't heard of back trouble but it wouldn't surprise me.  She was well known for being self-willed, her coaches' influence was limited, and the parents were not much of a help.  


Susanne, the pro scene here is not what it was.  Since they changed the rules about "amateurs" earning money, an eligible competitor can now earn almost as much as a pro, so there's far less financial incentive to turn professional than there was before.  In addition, since the professional scene isn't covered by the media as the competitions are, Kwan's public profile would fade pretty quickly in today's environment.  And she clearly loves competing – it is a sport, after all. Until she starts losing with regularity, there's not much reason for her to quit, unless she just gets tired of the whole thing.  We'll see.  I must say I have never been less impressed by a program of hers.

[carbro]

dirac, on Oct 27 2003, 06:01 PM, said:

Until she starts losing with regularity, there's not much reason for her to quit, unless she just gets tired of the whole thing. 

Oh, yes there is!  Once she starts losing regularly, her value on the pro circuit will drop precipitously!

[dirac]

In the case of an ordinary skater that might be so, but not Kwan.  Everyone fades from the limelight eventually, but she has already proved herself a special case.

[vagansmom]

I recall that Sascha Cohen had a stress fracture in her back a couple years ago that kept her off the ice for several months.

[Funny Face]

So much of this seems jump related.  I wish there was more emphasis on the skating part of figure skating.  And the spins, like Lucinda Ruh's.  Heavenly.  I hope if any of you haven't yet seen Dorothy Hamill skate in person, try to do so in the near future.  You never know how long she'll continue to tour, and her skating is still so pure and incredible to watch.  Every dancer should study her back and use of arms.  Ditto for Yuka Sato.  Those two are so inspirational to me.  I just can't stand seeing otherwise promising young dancers with flapping, throw away arms, combined with weak spines.  THe upper body is too often an afterthought.

[Old Fashioned]

I agree with Funny Face on Lucinda Ruh's spins.  I wish I could see more of her on television.

[Susanne]

Yep Lucind Ruhs spins were awesome (haven't seen her since she turned pro)

But there is a new Swiss guy named Stephan Lambiel who is worth watching! His spins, oh la la! During Europeans in Lausanne 2002 he had the audience support as well so he did an incredible program and placed quite good (5th or something) without even attempting the triple lutz!

[Funny Face]

Actually, during Ruh's first pro competition, she got great marks -- better than most of the other, more traditional skaters -- as the judges seemed intent on rewarding an aspect of figure skating that has been neglected for too long.  I have it on tape, and when I show it to people who haven't seen her before, they're awestruck.  

She was also on the Today Show last year and entered the Guiness record book for number of consecutive spins which she performed on that show.  I think it was well over 100. :dizzy:

[carbro]

100 is amazing, but what makes Ruh's spins so mesmerizing is really the beauty of her positions.    It is the combination of elegance, steadiness and "lotsa" that prevents her skating from looking like a sequence of stunts, which on a lesser skater, it would.

[Redstorm]

With the new judging system the skaters will be rewarded for quality of skating rather than quantity. Instead of seeing a large amount of triple jumps, many not even making a complete rotation, you will see more spins, footwork and artistry. A perfect example was a recent competition in Nebelhorn Germany where Jennifer Don took first place. She had maybe one triple and a beautifully choreographed program with gorgeous spins and excellant footwork. She won over other skaters who attempted a much more difficult program but did not execute it to the perfection that Jennifer did with a much less difficult program.
The new system will bring out a much broader range of skaters. The emphasis will be more on the quality of the overall performance not on how many cheated jumps can be crammed into a 4 minute program. A skater like Sasha Cohen will do very well with the new system because she is not only an exceptional jumper but her artistry is comparable to Michele Kwan, not to mention her extension. I was really glad to see this new system in play. It is being used in this current round of competitions as well. It will be interesting to watch. Also...the new system takes a lot of the power away from the judges, so no more hanky panky deal making.

[Helene]

Cohen said that the stress fracture in her back was due to an injury she sustained while doing Pilates.

Lambiel was injured last year, and just announced that he is injured yet again.  He may be in shape for Euros and/or Worlds, but he's pulled out of his Grand Prix events.

[Funny Face]

I don't suppose that new system will put back in the compulsory figures?  That would truly make a difference.  Scott Hamilton was one of the most vocal opponents of the removal of this aspect of the judging.  He said the judges could now fit in one more cocktail party instead.  Do you all remember Peggy Fleming's nearly perfect compulsories?

[dirac]

Figures will never come back.

[Funny Face]

Is anyone besides me a little curious about the bone density of some of these youngsters?  That perhaps there might be some overtraining going on in the quest to excel at an ever younger age in a sport that considers someone over the hill at 22?  I'm rather unnerved to hear about a stress fracture occurring during Pilates.

[carbro]

I take that Pilates was the cause of a stress fracture with a giant heap of salt.  It is skating that requires repeated landings at high velocity onto a hard surface.  That is where I would expect the stress on the bones to occur.