Retrospective: The 1982 World Championships

[Maofan7]

Not sure if The Trash Can is the correct place for this, but if it isn't then please feel free to move it. Previous retrospectives I have done have gone in to The Trash Can, but I know that the criteria has changed since then. I assume it is The Trash Can, as I don't think it would go in the Great Skate Debate and the K&C seems to be reserved for current competitions - not historic ones (but, correct me if I am wrong).

The key facts about the 1982 World Championships were as follows:-


Elaine Zayak becomes world champion for the first time. She landed 6 triples in her long program, but 4 of them were toe loops. This lead to the introduction of the "Zayak Rule" which states that a skater may not perform the same type of jump more than twice (one of which must be in combination). The rule was enacted at the 1982 ISU congress and was designed to encourage skaters to perform a greater variety of elements in their programs. Although it is known as the "Zayak Rule", Zayak was not the only skater to have incorporated the same jump more than twice into their free skate. Sanda Dubravčić also used to include multiple triple toe loops and double axels into her free skate. However, this did not prevent her from winning a silver medal at the 1981 European Championships

Katarina Witt wins Silver - her first medal at Worlds. Rosalynn Sumners makes her debut at Worlds, finishing in 6th place. She would win the title the following year. She was unlucky in her preparations for the 1982 Worlds as she suffered a hip injury which left her only a short time to get ready.

Torvill and Dean retain their World title. Their free dance was the absolutely amazing Mack and Mabel for which they received five 6.0's! Everything else was 5.9. Great innovation. Interestingly, during the early part of 1982, Torvill and Dean went to the London Palladium and saw Michael Crawford in the musical, Barnum. This of course inspired them to create their new Free Dance for the 1982/83 season (i.e. Barnum)

Irina Moiseeva & Andrei Minenkov, known as "Mini & Mo", moved up from 4th to 3rd as a result of their free dance (denying Judy Blumberg & Michael Seibert, with their Fred & Ginger routine, a medal in the process). They skated to Bolero in their free dance, a full 2 years before Torvill & Dean did.

Scott Hamilton also retained his title. Brian Pockar won bronze for Canada, beating Brian Orser into 4th place.

Sabine Baeß & Tassilo Thierbach win the world pairs title for the first and only time after several years of trying. Moreover, they were the only pairs skaters representing East Germany to become World champions

Kitty & Peter Carruthers won their first and only world championships medal at these championships, but would later go on to win the Silver at the 1984 Olympics


Here are the medal winning performances:-

MENS

Gold: Scott Hamilton - USA

Free Skate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvCHCWV0ek8)

Silver: Norbert Schramm - West Germany

Free Skate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk57Bi1RwXs)

Bronze: Brian Pockar - Canada

Free Skate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D67WFACKHMQ)

4th: Brian Orser - Canada

Free Skate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f15opj-oN3E)

LADIES

Gold: Elaine Zayak - USA

Short Program (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI06rChH4hY)

Free Skate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHWnBNLV7QE)

Silver: Katarina Witt - East Germany

Short Program (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIjBp2jFgbI)

Free Skate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LzwTFRIK8s)

Bronze: Claudia Kristofics-Binder - Austria

Free Skate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxEgk_kTqwQ)

6th: Rosalynn Sumners - USA

Free Skate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNWb1sFr5As)

PAIRS

Gold: Sabine Baeß & Tassilo Thierbach - East Germany

Short Program (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcmmAFlMv3c)

Long Program (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH29UFGqIfk)

Silver: Marina Pestova & Stanislav Leonovich - USSR

Short Program (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S7K_o67oL4)

Long Program (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQevYcXRWq4)

Bronze: Caitlin Carruthers & Peter Carruthers - USA

Short Program (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFxd1Ugmj8k)

Long Program (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RIsYiYrwUs)

ICE DANCE

Gold: Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean - GBR

Compulsory Dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcKjEao1Rb0)

Free Dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td41K0LG2xc)

Silver: Natalia Bestemianova & Andrei Bukin - USSR

Free Dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GqBCHkkLhw)

Bronze: Irina Moiseeva & Andrei Minenkov - USSR

Free Dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4O9wHiONuw)

4th: Judy Blumberg & Michael Seibert - USA

Free Dance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miOMAtM2FQE)

[olympic]

My biggest and best memory is of Elaine Zayak moving from 7th to 1st place with her LP that included 6 triples.

But, the rest of the ladies comp was pretty :yikes: Even normally solid Witt was a bit stumbly. Anyone remember where Sumners placed in the LP amidst the splatfest?

Men: I think Scott Hamilton fell in the SP, which was considered shocking, but he still retained his crown. Norbert Schramm was solidly 2d to Scott for a couple of seasons, but disappeared by Sarajevo '84. Anyone know what happened to him? I also recall that this was David Santee's final amateur competition and he finished a dismal 8th [some felt that a teenager by the name of Brian Boitano should've been on the US team]. Robert Wagenhoffer was 6th.

Pairs: An odd competition; The GDR and US teams were inspired. The top Soviet teams were NOT. B/T won their first and only World title. I remember they did 3 throws which was something. They were quite technically proficient. Pestova/Leonovich was 2d with what I recall was a pretty subpar performance. The Carruthers's moved up to the Bronze after defending World Champs Vorobieva / Lisovski bit it in the LP. Did the Carruthers' have the 2d best LP? I do recall the Soviet teams weren't that great

Ice Dance: B/B moved up to 2d and it was a fight for the Bronze between B/S and M/M. I do recall thinking that M/M deserved it, though.

[gk_891]

I really like Moiseeva and Minenkov but I wasn't a fan of their FD that year. It felt like 3 random numbers pasted together.

[Maofan7]

I really like Moiseeva and Minenkov but I wasn't a fan of their FD that year. It felt like 3 random numbers pasted together.

I think Blumberg & Seibert were definitely unlucky to miss out on the bronze.

[Ozzisk8tr]

I remember Katarina skating to Superman in that hideous purple and white diagonal floral thing. I also remember Scott Hamilton being hit in the eye by some flowers someone threw as he was interviewed. Maybe that explains things.

[nubka]

Wow, you really put a lot of work into your post - thanks! I will enjoy watching all the skates you have linked here. :)

[matti]

This lady was leading after the figures and short programme:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Ebj70Mh3E

She dropped from 1st to 9th - a record?

[Seerek]

Also of note that this was the final year that the double flip was used as the required jump in the jump combination. Some of the more ambitious ladies (Zayak and Witt) went for the 2 flip - 3 toe combination with varying degrees of success. Not sure how it went with the men's SP that year...

[olympic]

This lady was leading after the figures and short programme:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Ebj70Mh3E

She dropped from 1st to 9th - a record?

I'm at work and can't access youtube. Is that Wegelius? Did she even manage 1 clean triple?

[briancoogaert]

Mini & Mo ???? I thought their nickname was Mo&Min !

Anyway, thanks to the original poster because I've never watched these Worlds and I'm happy to discover them !

[berthesghost]

^
1 yes
2 no

She only appears to have tried one triple, which she fell on. She stepped out of 3 doubles in the 2nd half of the lp which is what really did her in.

[Seerek]

Keep in mind that Kristina Wegelius needed to place ahead of Claudia Kristofics-Binder in the free skate (4th) to win gold, and Claudia had 2 3-salchows in her LP. There was no way Wegelius was going to place 4th in the LP with her planned content.

[matti]

I'm at work and can't access youtube. Is that Wegelius? Did she even manage 1 clean triple?

I don't think she ever landed a triple in competition...(?) Shame.

[essence_of_soy]

Having Carlo Fassi as a coach must have really been an influence on Kristina Wegelius' style. She has modeled herself on Dorothy Hamill right down to the Wedge haircut.

[sus2850]

Thanks for putting that post together, I enjoyed watching the videos!
Someone asked about Norbert Schramm, here is his website:
http://www.norbert-schramm.de