Figure Skating Champions SURVIVOR: Ladies ROUND 7

[sk8ingcoach]

Voting for Chen Lu... Yes artistically she was great, but compared to the other skaters on this poll, her technical ability is way low.

[attyfan]

I voted for Shizuka. While her performances to "Turandot" were magical (esp Worlds 2004), she couldn't skate well to anything else ... Chen Lu (and all the others) could not only skate well to more than one piece of music, but actually medal! I also treat Chen Lu as having two World golds, since (IMO) 1996 should have been a tie, with duplicate golds.

[duane]

Chen Lu is the ultimate skating godess for me. The most artistic lady skater ever.
I'm no longer voting in any of these SURVIVOR polls in protest. But I'll continue reading/posting. ;)

The above is my sentiment exactly, but I can understand the rationale for voting Lulu off. Since becoming a FS fan in 94 after the famous WACK, I don't recall Chen Lu ever skating a clean (as in, all planned elements landed) long program other than 96 Worlds. I think her Olympics 94 LP was the best of the night and was undermarked, but wonder the outcome if she had landed her planned 3lz/3t and/or didn't have the hand down on the 3f. A doubled 3lz nearly cost her World gold. She barely squeezed out the win in 95 (if I remember correctly, she and Surya received 3 1st place ordinals, and either Michelle also received 3, or she received 2 and Nicole received one). And as happy as I was for her winning a 2nd bronze at 98 Olympics, I don't think it was deserved.

[FunnyBut]

The judges kept the scores artificially close to Slutskaya and Cohen in the SP, and Arakawa benefited from skating after Cohen and knowing she didn't need her triple-triples to at least lock in silver. I always thought she won Torino mostly on the practice ice.

Arakawa overwhelming won the LP and therefore the competition, given the way Cohen and Slute skated. I don't think it had anything to do with her impressive practices, she was the clear cut winner in competition. But I agree with you, she skated with conservative content to assure she'd get a medal of any color, not necessarily gold. Japan had not won a single Winter Olympic medal in any sport at that point, and Arakawa, sitting in 3rd after the SP, was the last hope. She was totally shocked when Irina faltered and she won the biggest prize in the Winter Olympic games.

[kwanatic]

Re-posting what I posted last round:


Shizuka.

I think she was a gorgeous skater with wonderful skills but to say she competed as long as she did, given her skill set, she should have accomplished a lot more. She lacked competitive fire and focus and was far too sporadic with her brilliance. Her gold medal win in Torino was good but definitely one of the more lackluster performances I've seen in terms of OGM wins. Her 2004 worlds performance was 3x better IMO.

Shizuka's inconsistency and lack of dominance is why I pick her to go...


I'll add to that by saying in comparison to Chen, Shizuka's record is less impressive. Yes, Shiz has an OGM but that's one competition and one result. As we get to the end of the poll we need curve the myopia and look at the bigger picture when it comes to the skater as a whole, which means pointing to one accomplishment isn't going to cut it anymore.

IMO Chen's body of work over the course of her career is more consistent. She's also regarded as one of the most artistic skaters of her era. Additionally, she was a pioneer for figure skating in her country (a la Yu-Na in Korea).

I think Shizuka was a skater with great edges, technique and jumping ability. Artistically I found her to be a one-note skater and that note was always something by Puccini. She was a middle of the pack skater who had the skate of her life in Dortmund (2004 worlds) and managed to hold it together in Torino while others fell apart.

When comparing her traits and accomplishments to the remaining skaters on this list, her body of work doesn't hold up IMO.

[Vash01]

For me it was a tough choice between Shizuka and Chen Lu. I love them both. I voted for Shizuka based on the fact that in all her years of competing she won medals at world/Olympic level just twice. They were both golds which raises her overall value a lot, but I would give more credit to Chen Lu's sustained success over the years. She missed the cut in 1997 worlds due to personal problems, but otherwise she has been very competitive and at least a medal contender (plus a world champion) rest of the way. Her 1996 LP performance at worlds, which got her two 6.0s (but did not win the gold) was one of the most artistic performance by a lady I have ever seen.

[RumbleFish]

I'm no longer voting in any of these SURVIVOR polls in protest. But I'll continue reading/posting. ;)

The above is my sentiment exactly, but I can understand the rationale for voting Lulu off. Since becoming a FS fan in 94 after the famous WACK, I don't recall Chen Lu ever skating a clean (as in, all planned elements landed) long program other than 96 Worlds. I think her Olympics 94 LP was the best of the night and was undermarked, but wonder the outcome if she had landed her planned 3lz/3t and/or didn't have the hand down on the 3f. A doubled 3lz nearly cost her World gold. She barely squeezed out the win in 95 (if I remember correctly, she and Surya received 3 1st place ordinals, and either Michelle also received 3, or she received 2 and Nicole received one). And as happy as I was for her winning a 2nd bronze at 98 Olympics, I don't think it was deserved.

Chen Lu was undermarked at major events so many times.

In 92 Albertville, she skated the best freeskate but didn't get acknowledged because she had made a silly mistake in the SP and hence didn't make the final flight.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c19Hk1g0qrE

Like you said, she skated the best freeskate in 94 Lillehammer but was undermarked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfAo4rfrSn0

In 95 Worlds, she won the competition convincingly, yet she barely eaked out enough ordinals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARd8UsQj_Ag
The Last Emperor has been one of my favorite programs. I just can't get enough of how she does her steps starting from 3m10s. Although I am an Asian, I had never realized before how effervescent Asian music can be.

At 96 Edmonton, she really should have won the gold with Rachmaninoff. There was a difference in level of maturity between her and young Michelle Kwan that one more triple jump just couldn't make up for.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHEMyp_QFYo

I agree that her bronze medal at 98 Nagano was a gift. I'm usually not for judges giving out medals for life time acheivements, but if I had to choose one skater who deserved one, it would have been Chen Lu at Nagano. She had been through so much, and yet given so many beautiful performances over the years.

I just saw this clip of her and her husband Denis Petrov. It seems she is doing so well having her own rink in China. I hope she does just as well in coaching as she did in skating, and showcase her students in major competitions soon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEnpb3pW-xM

[blue_idealist]

I voted for Arakawa instead of Chen.. same reasons as last time.

[briancoogaert]

Miss Asada never had a clean jump technique.
Otherwise, why would she bother completely revamping her jump technique so late in her career had it been so wonderful?
Get over it.
That's the problem with Mao. And that's why I don't consider her as one of very best. Her jumping technique is questionnable, IMO, and her landings are not really on a clean edge. :cold:

[judgejudy27]

For me it was a tough choice between Shizuka and Chen Lu. I love them both. I voted for Shizuka based on the fact that in all her years of competing she won medals at world/Olympic level just twice. They were both golds which raises her overall value a lot, but I would give more credit to Chen Lu's sustained success over the years. She missed the cut in 1997 worlds due to personal problems, but otherwise she has been very competitive and at least a medal contender (plus a world champion) rest of the way. Her 1996 LP performance at worlds, which got her two 6.0s (but did not win the gold) was one of the most artistic performance by a lady I have ever seen.

I went with Lu Chen but after reading your post I wish I had gone with Shizuka.

The thing about them is neither had the capacity to be dominant skaters. Both won all their major titles through others mistakes. That is why the 96 Worlds would have been the crowning glory of Chen's career, she would have defended her title over a clean 7 triple Kwan who had developed great artistry and dominated that season, but 2 more people had to feel a certain way for her to have that moment. Arakawa could have had that moment in Turin if she did her practice programs, nobody would dare say that a clean Cohen or Slutskaya had beaten her if she her program with the content she had planned as she probably would have scored around 140 based on what she got for what she did, but she didnt.

[Macassar88]

Voted for Shizuka because I think that C was under marked for most of her career. On top of the aforementioned under marks, I'd like to point out 1993 worlds where her beautiful six triple and combo having program lost to Baiul's combo less program. Chen should have won that worlds too IMO

[RumbleFish]

Voted for Shizuka because I think that C was under marked for most of her career. On top of the aforementioned under marks, I'd like to point out 1993 worlds where her beautiful six triple and combo having program lost to Baiul's combo less program. Chen should have won that worlds too IMO

She was undermarked in the SP of that competition as well. IIRC, she was put in 4th place behind Baiul, Kerrigan, and Chouinard.

[falling_dance]

Chen finished fifth in the short program at 1993 Worlds. Bonaly was third, Chouinard was fourth, and Sato finished sixth.

[briancoogaert]

She was undermarked in the SP of that competition as well. IIRC, she was put in 4th place behind Baiul, Kerrigan, and Chouinard.
IIRC :
1-Kerrigan
2-Baiul
3-Bonaly
4-Chouinard
5-Lu Chen

[judgejudy27]

I dont think she was undermarked in the SP at all at the 93 Worlds. Her program was poorly choreographed with poor music cuts, her combo was tight, and her overall performance was clearly inferior to the top 4. Chouinard who finshed 4th was undermarked and should have been 2nd or 3rd in the short, while Bonaly who was 3rd was also clearly better.

Still there is a case for her winning the 93 Worlds as 1st in the LP, Bonaly 2nd in the LP, and Bauil 3rd in the LP, would have still given her the title, but that isnt a popular viewpoint as I began a poll on those Worlds about a year ago and Bonaly and Baiul both had far more votes than she did. There was also a poll on who deserved to win the 96 Worlds and while it was a virtual tie Chen lost that one too. There doesnt seem to be a consensus she was robbed of any major title.