Maria Butyrskaya's triple-triples video

[FunnyBut]

When I saw the thread title , I was only thinking about 3-3 combos, not sequences.

I thought it would be a really short video

[DBZ]

She was such a headcase with Kudriatsev, I remember 95 euros when she totally fell apart. When she switched to Tchaikovskaya, it was like something fell into place, they seemed like such a good match.

Interestingly, I thought her landings looked their best and the smoothest (for Maria, that is) pre-Tchaikovskaya. In her programs from 1996 on back, her knee bend was so much softer and controlled.

From 97 onward, everything seemed to get stiffer and wonkier. Granted, she never was a fluid skater to begin with, but I always felt her jumps looked back pre-1996.

[PashaFan]

At the 2000 Europeans she took herself out of it in the short program, but her long program was one of her best ever and Slutskaya skated cautiously with no triple-triple attempt and still drubbed her. She was never winning there, since Irina was clearly the panels favorite. If she had done that same long program at Worlds that year she would have won however.

Worlds in 2001? She skated a clean short program and the judges still put her only 5th, which ended up costing her the bronze even with bombing the Q round. She would have still gotten the bronze atleast if she skated better in the Q round, but it doesnt seem the judges considered her a serious threat for gold at that point. Maybe going into the 2001 Grand Prix final she still was.

I agree, Slutskaya could do no wrong at the Euro's. Even after Butyrskaya retired they still went for Slutskaya over others.
2003-Sokolova was better (Irina fell yet still won, plus with little artistry).
2005-Poykio was better (Irina had an awful free-skate yet still won).
2006-Sokolova was better for me, but I think it was close.

[briancoogaert]

I agree, Slutskaya could do no wrong at the Euro's. Even after Butyrskaya retired they still went for Slutskaya over others.
2003-Sokolova was better (Irina fell yet still won, plus with little artistry).
2005-Poykio was better (Irina had an awful free-skate yet still won).
2006-Sokolova was better for me, but I think it was close.

Well, to be fair, Vanessa Gusmeroli was better in the LP at 2000 Euros

[judgejudy27]

I definitely thought Irina was the easy winner in 2006. Sokolova only did the same jumps as her and Irina's good jumps are better than Elena's, and her spins, footwork, even spirals, and overall skating are much better (they dont have to be great to be better since Elena is weak in all non jumping departments). I can only see any argument for Sokolova ever beating Slutskaya if she does far harder jumps or Irina makes major mistakes, which is what happened in 2003 so I guess I could see an argument for Sokolova that year.

2005 I dont think Irina should have won the long program but she probably deserved to win overall. Her PCS in the long program were an embarassment though.

2000 Maria should have won the long program phase over Irina for sure, even though it wouldnt have mattered overall.

[PashaFan]

Sorry, I just don't agree. Vanessa was better than Maria at the worlds in the free skate but at the Euros Maria was better, plus she had the triple toe half loop triple salchow combination. Vanessa did not have a triple triple combo.
As for the 2005 Euro's Poykio for me was the complete package. Her programmes were more interesting.
I was never that big on Slutskaya, yes she improved her presentation but I always found her bland.
But hey, that's why we love figure skating, we all have our fave skaters !!!!!!

[bartek]

When I saw the thread title , I was only thinking about 3-3 combos, not sequences.

I thought it would be a really short video

Well, I made video for Fumie Suguri and it's really short. I found only three combos - NHK 2000, Goodwill Games 2001 and Skate Canada 2001. Do you know any others?

[judgejudy27]

Sorry, I just don't agree. Vanessa was better than Maria at the worlds in the free skate but at the Euros Maria was better, plus she had the triple toe half loop triple salchow combination. Vanessa did not have a triple triple combo.
As for the 2005 Euro's Poykio for me was the complete package. Her programmes were more interesting.
I was never that big on Slutskaya, yes she improved her presentation but I always found her bland.
But hey, that's why we love figure skating, we all have our fave skaters !!!!!!

I am definitely not a fan of Slutskaya's skating, and I do enjoy Poyko's skating and find her underrated. Still if Irina's short program was far better than Poykio or any of the other women. I might have placed her 3rd in the long behind Poykio and Liashenko but it wouldnt have changed the overall final placings though. Unfortunately Poykio lacked the speed and power and command to ever be a top skater at the World level even though she was pleasent, and in only a year even someone like Emily Hughes would be easily beating her.

Sokolova is also a bland skater with little artistry like Irina, but she is much weaker than Irina in spins, footwork, speed, and basic skating quality as well.

And I agree with you on Europeans 2000. Maria should have won the long program, 2nd could have gone to either Slutskaya or Gusmeroli. Volchkova beating out Gusmoli for the bronze was a disagrace.

[briancoogaert]

And I agree with you on Europeans 2000. Maria should have won the long program, 2nd could have gone to either Slutskaya or Gusmeroli. Volchkova beating out Gusmoli for the bronze was a disagrace.

Thank you