What do you consider Michelle Kwan's greatest LP performance ever?

[Vash01]

Another MK poll- I am bored and just want to talk about the good old days.

So here is the poll, and I know this is an unfair question, so you can pick TWO:

What do you consider Michelle Kwan's Greatest LP performance ever (TWO choices)? Notice, it's the performance, not the program.

[olympic]

I chose -

2001 Worlds SOTBS - She was in incredible shape, skated with an even higher-than-normal amount of sophistication, and executed perhaps her best ever 3t-3t. IMO, she should've pulled 5.9s for tech, but I realize the judges were holding a place for Slutskaya.

Other ['95 Skate America] Salome - This performance was her coming out performance. She executed everything in a highly sophisticated program that included a 3t-3t, 7 triples and 2 double axels [I think]. I also think she did an ina bauer into a 3loop.

[orbitz]

SOTBW - 2001 Worlds

[dawnie]

I voted 96 and 01 Worlds. Personally, I think Tosca 04 Nationals should be on there instead of Worlds.

[Vash01]

She was great at USN, skating to Tosca. The reason I picked worlds is that just before she took the ice there was a very distracting incident, with a fan getting on the ice. She put it away and delivered a great performance.

[Jarrett]

95 Worlds. It started it all.

[bardtoob]

The Red Violin had it all, 3-3, perfect classic layback, amazing step sequence ...

[briancoogaert]

For me, it Song of the black Swan, her 2001 Worlds LP.
It's not my favorite LP, but the performance was amazing. Everything so perfect. Her glide so light. And the passion. WOW

[VALuvsMKwan]

East of Eden -World Pros (if you consider both programs at WP long programs).

I love all the others - but this one is pure, iconic Michelle. Undaunted courage, indeed.

Didn't see the TWO option before voting, so, for the second - 98 Nationals, because of the pressure and uncertainty - I was sobbing in front of my TV by the time she finished because of how magnificently she skated.

[UMBS Go Blue]

By the way, it is the Kween's birthday today...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE!!!

[Karpenko]

98 Nats has been talked about to death but... I still think that performance is the most beautiful of all-time.

[Marco]

2003 Nationals version of Aranjuez. It wasn't the most difficult program but she skated it with such joy and freedom.

A close second would be 1995 Worlds version of Rondo. Yes she was unrefined and her skating was not the best, but her musicality and projection was out of this world. The relief during the final spread eagle says it all.

[attyfan]

I voted for TRV and SOTBS, as they were both great performances and great programs. The problem with her skate, before the QR at Worlds in '01, also provided a foretaste of how she would handle Worlds in '04 (IMO).

Also, Happy Birthday to Michelle!

[skatesindreams]

Happy Birthday, Michelle!
Your journey is only beginning.

[leafygreens]

Aranjuez. To me, it solidified her joy in skating after losing a 2nd OGM. Even years later I vividly remember the smile on her face as she went into the spiral. The music was one of her most emotional selections.

[peibeck]

"Lyra" at Nationals '98. After the stress fracture it was remarkable that she skated with such ease and seemed under no pressure at all.

I choose "Song of the Black Swan" in the qualifying round at '01 Worlds as my second choice. No 3/3, but they way she skated with her boot problems... astounding.

As an aside, I would put "Tosca" at Nationals on the list over "Tosca" at Worlds. The building was electric after that skate, even it it wasn't her most technically ambitious program.

[BigB08822]

The two that always come to mind, for me, are 2004 Nationals LP and 2000 Worlds LP, Tosca and The Red Violin, respectively. In 2004 she absolutely nailed every jump. Not one single jump was even a millimeter off. It was like she took every perfect jump she did in practice and inserted them into the program. Skaters dream of doing all their jumps so cleanly. Her Red Violin at Worlds was just amazing. She skating holding nothing back. All out speed and attack! 1998 US Nationals LP is a very close runner up.

[floskate]

I choose "Song of the Black Swan" in the qualifying round at '01 Worlds as my second choice. No 3/3, but they way she skated with her boot problems... astounding.

She did do a 3/3 in the qualifying round.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjRn9pjbOCc

Which makes that skate even more remarkable.

[skatesindreams]

^^^
One can only imagine the pressure during this QR performance.
Her "demise" was already being predicted; and she had to come through.
Bless her. she did - and how!

[kwanette]

She did do a 3/3 in the qualifying round.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjRn9pjbOCc

Which makes that skate even more remarkable.

So awesome, thanks for posting it! I have chills!