Why Tonya Harding Is The Greatest Skater Of All Time

[neptune]

And Neptune, Tonya should definitely release a single as her next career move.

Well, since that move didn't quite work in the past, maybe this time she should release a double.

[Ziggy]

She already tried that remember? It was called "Golden Blades" and she got booed off the stage.

It's not on You Tube.

[Spinner]

Proof that Tonya could skate "pretty"-- her 1987 NHK exhibition. Jo Jo Starbuck gives commentary. One of my fave programs to watch over and over. Her 2Axel right on the music gives chills!

[Chris_E]

Proof that Tonya could skate "pretty"-- her 1987 NHK exhibition. Jo Jo Starbuck gives commentary. One of my fave programs to watch over and over. Her 2Axel right on the music gives chills!

That was actually quite nice. Thanks for sharing!

[skateboy]

Kristi Yamaguchi was actually a big fan of Tonya's skating (well, her jumps). In an interview she said that while she admired Midori's great jumping ability, Tonya's were even more beautiful.

[Marco]

Kristi Yamaguchi was actually a big fan of Tonya's skating (well, her jumps). In an interview she said that while she admired Midori's great jumping ability, Tonya's were even more beautiful.

Was it before or after Tonya beat her at Nationals and then at Skate America?

Stylistically I prefer Yamaguchi, but Harding's skating quality and power deserved much much more than those tiny 3lutzes that Yamaguchi did.

[skateboy]

Was it before or after Tonya beat her at Nationals and then at Skate America?

It was after, lol!

[robinhood]

Tonya was a true pioneer, as Midori was for Japan. Look how many great jumpers has Japan produced since Ito
Harding was the truly first and outstanding american jumper. I dunno why with such depth and history in a skating country like the US, it hasn't produced so many great jumpers as other countries

[gkelly]

Harding was the truly first and outstanding american jumper. I dunno why with such depth and history in a skating country like the US, it hasn't produced so many great jumpers as other countries

What, no respect for Elaine Zayak, Linda Fratianne, or even Carol Heiss each in their day?

[essence_of_soy]

What, no respect for Elaine Zayak, Linda Fratianne, or even Carol Heiss each in their day?

Agreed. The American style for ladies from the 1960s onwards has been often defined by its athleticism. The list includes Julie Lynn Holmes, Dorothy Hamill, Fratianne, Zayak, Jill Frost, Debi Thomas, Cindy Bortz, Jeri Campbell, Holly Cook, and Tisha Walker.

Even skaters known for their artistry like Lisa Marie Allen, Rosalynn Sumners, Tiffany Chin, Caryn Kadavy, Jill Trenary and Nancy Kerrigan were excellent jumpers as well.

[allyx82]

NO SHE COULD NEVER BE " The Greatest Skater Of All Time" .

*As the USFSA put it "a clear disregard for fairness, good sportsmanship and ethical behavior"

When you physically hurt someone that just wrong and even though she could skate very well it means nothing...

[Triple Butz]

NO SHE COULD NEVER BE " The Greatest Skater Of All Time" .

*As the USFSA put it "a clear disregard for fairness, good sportsmanship and ethical behavior"

When you physically hurt someone that just wrong and even though she could skate very well it means nothing...

It means something to me. Whack or no whack, I still find myself watching videos of Tonya's performances time and time again...If I ever decide to watch Nancy, it's because I need a good laugh.

[allyx82]

It means something to me. Whack or no whack, I still find myself watching videos of Tonya's performances time and time again...If I ever decide to watch Nancy, it's because I need a good laugh.

Physical violence is wrong..

plus her career was really short compared to other skaters and she even changed sport to boxing..

[robinhood]

What, no respect for Elaine Zayak, Linda Fratianne, or even Carol Heiss each in their day?

Sure, you're right. I meant since Tonya there hasn't been a truly great jumper in the US. Perhaps Bobek had the potential, but if you think about it the US hasn't had the very best jumpers since Tonya Harding

[DORISPULASKI]

Well, which little US skater would want to be known as "the next Tonya Harding."

Also, I'm wondering more and more whether extreme flexibility, which we have been emphasizing as goodness in the US since the days of Bobek & Kerrigan, doesn't mitigate somewhat against doing well with the toe jumps, resulting in mule kicks & such?

[bardtoob]

Sure, you're right. I meant since Tonya there hasn't been a truly great jumper in the US. Perhaps Bobek had the potential, but if you think about it the US hasn't had the very best jumpers since Tonya Harding

Because everybody in the World outside the US was so inconsistent, Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipiniski were the best jumpers in the Worlds from 1995-1998, so the US did have the best jumpers . . . in between the inquisition of Chen Lu and the rise of Irina Slutskaya. However, sometimes it is hard to consider Michelle and Tara good jumpers because, like much of the skaters that came after Midori and Tonya, there technique was suspect.

Like Midori, Tonya would have been competitive today. Tonya was also ahead of her time. Although I am certain the USFSA was eager to erase any kind of special distinction for Tonya Harding, everybody knows that Kimmie Meisser's jumping could not have competed with Tonya Harding's jumping.

[robinhood]

Tara and Michelle were really good jumpers, and the most consistent skaters. Chen Lu, sato, Kerrigan were excellent jumpers, too. I consider them to have really solid technique for the most part
But these skaters never had the jumping ability of an Arakawa, Bonaly, Onda, Ando, Asada, Slutskaya...even Sebestyen, Rechnio, Hubert or Gusmeroli as inconsistent as they were had superb jumping ability
Which was the last american skater that can compare to this skaters in terms of powerful jumps? I can only think of Tonya

[screech]

Sure, you're right. I meant since Tonya there hasn't been a truly great jumper in the US. Perhaps Bobek had the potential, but if you think about it the US hasn't had the very best jumpers since Tonya Harding

Well, you could say Kimmie Meissner, since she had a 'ratified' triple axel at the 2005 Nationals...

Physical violence is wrong..

plus her career was really short compared to other skaters and she even changed sport to boxing..

Tonya's senior career, according to wikipedia, went from the 1986 Nationals where she came 6th at 15 years old through the 1994 O's where she was 23. She started winning medals on the Grand Prix circuit in the 86/87 season (still 15/16 years old). That's 9 seasons. Not too shabby.

And I don't think anyone here is condoning physical violence. We're just looking at her skating. Mistakes made off the ice have no bearing on someone's talent. Alexei Yagudin was kicked off a tour in 1998 for alcohol use (and was arrested for DUI in 2003) and Nobu got a DUI just a couple of years ago. They made the conscious choices to engage in behaviour that could hurt others. Does that mean we can't say that Nobu is outstanding and Alexei is among the greatest ever?

Maxim Staviski, well, we all know about what happened with him because of his drunk driving, which lead to worse than 'physical violence'. Does that mean we can't acknowledge his talent as a skater?

[Ziggy]

Physical violence is wrong..

Somebody should have told Tonya's mother.

[IceKween]

plus her career was really short compared to other skaters and she even changed sport to boxing..

Um, did you just start watching skating a couple of years ago? You clearly do not know anything about what you are talking about. Tonya Harding was winning Skate America LP's and SP's in *1986*, and winning internationals since then too until she (was) retired in 1994. Tonya was there long before Kristi Yamaguchi in seniors and long after. Who else sustained her level of skating for that many years? Go to Youtube and search for Tonya vids.
I mean really, you sound so ignorant. Sorry, but you do.

ETA: Screech, I posted before reading your post. Your are correct wrt Tonya's career. She really could have been a great.