Most improved skaters ? [Archive]

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lulu

10-31-2012, 06:27 AM

Have you ever watched a skating event and were just bowled over by a skater (and in a good way! :P)? Maybe you've always liked that particular skater, but you also saw a definite improvement in their skating from past performances? I realize this thread sounds like it belongs in the front section of the high school yearbook, but what skaters, in your opinion, have improved the most over their careers?

Chait & Sakhnovski: Truth be told, I love their programs regardless, but while he always had excellent basic skating skills, I felt Galit really improved in this area, especially after moving to Platov.

Elena Bechke: B&P's gorgeous Nutcracker LP at the 1992 Olympics showed they were certainly capable of beautiful performances, but as professionals they really shined. Elena, known for battling nerves as an eligible skater, came into her own as a professional skater. B&P had one of the most consistant and high quality professional careers of the 1990s.
http://youtu.be/fYJviebbVY0 - one of my favorite B&P programs :swoon:

Oksana Kazakova: The quintessential example, IMO, of the improved skater. I think winning that OGM did wonders for her confidence and she became so much more expressive and her skating improved so much just between 1997 and 1999-when K&D turned professional.

:)

briancoogaert

10-31-2012, 08:54 AM

Kevin Reynolds has improved a lot few years ago. i remember having been impressed, although I really don't like his skating !

essence_of_soy

10-31-2012, 12:07 PM

Elena Bechke: B&P's gorgeous Nutcracker LP at the 1992 Olympics showed they were certainly capable of beautiful performances, but as professionals they really shined. Elena, known for battling nerves as an eligible skater, came into her own as a professional skater. B&P had one of the most consistant and high quality professional careers of the 1990s.

I agree about B & P. As amateurs I thought their programs were either too generic or inaccessible until the 1992 Olympic Season.

One of my favourite free skates they did as pros was to "You Don't Bring Me Flowers." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI-zFJfE8Hg)

Other teams as professionals I really loved were Christine Hough & Doug Laudret (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otO-nOmUiHA), and Natalia Annenko and Gernrich Sretenski (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITYvFGQGjoQ&feature=relmfu). They were the epitome of glamour.

lulu

10-31-2012, 07:50 PM

I'm not a fan of the song, but B&P's skating is gorgeous-especially their spiral around the 2:55 moment. :swoon:

Christine Hough is so expressive and bonus points for them because I actually like the song they are skating to. Thank you so much for the link. :)

I really miss quality professional skating, heck at this point I'm starting to miss the "Skaters Go Country" fluff fests. Not all skaters were able to transition to the professional ranks, but your post reminds me of how many skaters really expanded their horizons artistically as professional skaters.

Vash01

10-31-2012, 08:20 PM

lulu

10-31-2012, 08:43 PM

Stephane Lambiel- He was a good skater as eligible- and a much improved one artistically after 2006-, but after turning pro he became a top notch artist.

Totmianina-Marinin became really wonderful artistically after turning pro, and they did not lose their technical ability either.

Good choices. :) T&M are certainly skaters that I've learned to appreciate much more in retrospect than I did during most of their eligible career. I always loved Stephane's skating, and I love this pro program from him as well: http://youtu.be/0MVF0aL7bq4

I would also add Surya Bonaly to my list of most improve skaters. Truth be told, on a purely subjective level I prefer Surya's skating to a lot of other ladies skaters who had better technique and basics, but I do think Surya's skating improved in that regard as well over the years, and I always found her to be an enjoyable performer. :)