Retrospective: The 1980 Olympics

[Maofan7]

Next up on the retrospective on World Championships & Olympics in the lead up to the 2012 World Championships is the 1980 Olympics - one of the most controversial ever.

The low down on the key facts from this competition is as follows:-

• Huge controversy over Anett Pötzsch winning the Gold medal. Many still believe that Linda Fratianne should have won, whereas others (including myself) believe that Denise Biellmann should have won as she had yet again been held back by the School Figures. Here is an article which goes into the controversy in some detail: Article - Sonia Bianchetti This article refers to one by Doug Mattis called "Does The Pig Have Wings" which I read many years ago, but no long seems to exist on the internet. If anybody does know where a copy exists on the net, please do post a link to it. That way, people can read two different sides to the debate (albeit that given the nature of the controversy and the fact that at least 3 different skaters could have won the Gold, there are many more sides to the argument than that)
  
• Linda Fratianne was the first Ladies figure skater to successfully execute 2 different kinds of triple jumps (done in an earlier competition) - the triple toe loop and the triple salchow. Like Biellmann, she suffered from the continued presence of the compulsories during her era, but nowhere near to the same extent.
  
• Robin Cousins wins Gold. However, he would only win Silver at the following world championships and would never ultimately become a world champion. Like Biellmann, he was yet another casualty of the School Figures. However, he won the short program and free skate decisively enough at the 1980 Olympics to overcome his 4th place finish in the compulsories.
  
• 1978 World Champion, Charles Tickner, overcame his disappointment at finishing fourth at the 1979 World Championships, to win Olympic bronze.
  
• 1979 World Champion, Vladimir Kovalev, could only finish 5th in the compulsories and withdrew from the competition
  
• Irina Rodnina wins her third consecutive Gold medal in the pairs, making her one of the most successful figure skaters of all time. She won her first Olympic gold in 1972 with Alexei Ulanov and then won her next two with Alexander Zaitsev.
  
• 1979 World Champions, Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner, were the favourites going into the Olympic pairs competition. However, Randy Gardner suffered a groin injury which worsened in the month leading up to the Olympics. Hence, when the pair stepped onto the ice for the warm-up, he found that he could not apply any weight onto his leg. Accordingly, Babilonia and Gardner had to withdraw. Extremely unfortunate.
  
• After winning Gold at both the 1978 and 1979 world championships, Natalia Linichuk and Gennadi Karponosov win Olympic Gold in the Ice Dance. Like Cousins, however, they would win only silver at the 1980 Worlds. Consequently, they became the only ice dancers to ever fail to retain their world title after having won the Olympics.
• The 1980 Olympics were staged at Lake Placid in New York. This was the second time that Lake Placid had held the winter Olympics. The first was in 1932 where Sonja Henie won the second of her three Gold Medals in the Ladies competition.

Here are the videos from the Olympic competitions of the gold, silver, & bronze medal winning performances from all 4 disciplines:-

Mens

Gold: Robin Cousins - GBR

Short Program

Free Skate

Free Skate - Another Copy

Silver: Jan Hoffmann - East Germany

Short Program

Unfortunately, no video exists of Jan Hoffmann's free skate. Should anyone know where one exists on the net or can upload a copy to YouTube, please do so

Bronze: Charles Tickner - USA

Short Program

Free Skate

Ladies

Gold: Anett Pötzsch - East Germany

Short Program

Free Skate

Silver: Linda Fratianne - USA

Short Program

Free Skate

Gala

Bronze: Dagmar Lurz - West Germany

Short Program

Free Skate

Gala

4th: Denise Biellmann - Switzerland

Short Program & Free Skate

Free Skate

Gala

Pairs

Gold: Irina Rodnina & Alexander Zaitsev - USSR

Short Program

Long Program

Silver: Marina Cherkasova & Sergei Shakhrai - USSR

No Video's Available - If anybody knows of any on the net or is able to upload them on to YouTube, please do so.

Bronze: Manuela Mager & Uwe Bewersdorf - East Germany

No Video's Available - If anybody knows of any on the net or is able to upload them on to YouTube, please do so.

Ice Dance

Gold: Natalia Linichuk & Gennadi Karponosov - USSR

Free Dance

Silver: Krisztina Regőczy & András Sallay - Hungary

Free Dance

Bronze: Irina Moiseeva & Andrei Minenkov - USSR

Free Dance

Hope you enjoy!!

Postscript: If anybody has video's for the medal winning performances from the 1976 Olympics, please if you can upload them on to YouTube. For example, Dorothy Hamills free skate from the 76 Olympics used to exist, but no longer

[olympic]

As a 10 yr. old, the 1980 Winter Olympics was the very first skating competition I ever watched. Memories!

I recall how heartbreakingly close Linda was to Annett and I think there was a certain level of expectation that she was going to win. After all, she had gone to Fassi over the past summer to work on her figures and the competition was in the US.

In the women's event, my only quibble was that I thought that Anett's marks were a little high in the SP w/ a 2-2 only and an off-axis 2x, skating to Jutta Mueller's choreography. That may have made the difference between gold and silver. Linda rightfuly won the SP, and Denise won the LP. I also remember Emi taking herself out of contention with a botched jump combo in the SP [I re-watched it recently and it didn't look as bad as I thought, and I wonder what the deduction at the time for a non-fall mistake on a jump in the SP was?].

In the men's event, Robin Cousins was scintillating and just squeaked past Jan Hoffmann. I felt bad for Tickner who was stronger than '79 in the figures. It looked like he had a real chance with Kovalev tanking and withdrawing and only Hoffmann in front of him. Yet, he blew it in the SP

The biggest tragedy was in Pairs: Tai and Randy withdrawing while trying to warm up the SP. I remember they were skating in the 4th position [early], they went out to try the SBS 2flips and he kept crashing. I was a 10 yr. old and really upset! The pairs lost a lot of drama with the competition basically set as a coronation for R/Z, although Rodnina's emotion on the podium was special.

I don't recall Ice Dance all that much, but weren't the Hungarians much better received than Linichuk / Karponosov?

[Vash01]

I don't remember much about the 1980 Olympics, but three events left indelible impressions on me-

1.Tai crying back stage when she and Randy had to withdraw

2.Irina Rodnina's tears of joy atop the pairs podium, after winning her 3rd straight OGM in pairs

3.Denise Biellman doing what is now known as the Biellman spin

[A.H.Black]

Here's another video - Robin Cousins exhibition performance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpGOA3l57TY&feature=fvst

I'm not usually a huge fan of show skating but this is one of my all time favorite skates. Great flow and wonderful choreography. Too bad the ABC version isn't on youtube. Dick Button loved this performance and so did Jim McKay. A small piece of trivia - the two young children at the end of the Michael Jackson number giving flowers to Robin are Dick Button's children and his wife is in the background.

I also think this number makes a great argument for show skating to be performed in full lighting. I don't think I would like it near as much in spot lights.

[judgejudy27]

As a 10 yr. old, the 1980 Winter Olympics was the very first skating competition I ever watched. Memories!

I recall how heartbreakingly close Linda was to Annett and I think there was a certain level of expectation that she was going to win. After all, she had gone to Fassi over the past summer to work on her figures and the competition was in the US.

In the women's event, my only quibble was that I thought that Anett's marks were a little high in the SP w/ a 2-2 only and an off-axis 2x, skating to Jutta Mueller's choreography. That may have made the difference between gold and silver. Linda rightfuly won the SP, and Denise won the LP. I also remember Emi taking herself out of contention with a botched jump combo in the SP [I re-watched it recently and it didn't look as bad as I thought, and I wonder what the deduction at the time for a non-fall mistake on a jump in the SP was?].

In the men's event, Robin Cousins was scintillating and just squeaked past Jan Hoffmann. I felt bad for Tickner who was stronger than '79 in the figures. It looked like he had a real chance with Kovalev tanking and withdrawing and only Hoffmann in front of him. Yet, he blew it in the SP

The biggest tragedy was in Pairs: Tai and Randy withdrawing while trying to warm up the SP. I remember they were skating in the 4th position [early], they went out to try the SBS 2flips and he kept crashing. I was a 10 yr. old and really upset! The pairs lost a lot of drama with the competition basically set as a coronation for R/Z, although Rodnina's emotion on the podium was special.

I don't recall Ice Dance all that much, but weren't the Hungarians much better received than Linichuk / Karponosov?

The men of that quad were similar to the women of the Lynn quad after Seyfert retired. Amongst the men the best free skaters in order were usually Cousins, Tickner, Hoffmann, and Kovalev, but figures were just the opposite usually Kovalev, Hoffmann, Tickner, Cousins, which meant any of them could win if they delivered their best over all 3 portions. As it turned out though Hoffmann skated really well in Lake Placid, he actually was 2nd in the long program (ahead of Tickner who skated well, and who usually beats Hoffmann in the long program) and still was passed by Cousins overall, so in retrospect I am not sure if Tickner could have done any better than 3rd here even had he done his best in the short program. He had a better shot at the 79 Worlds.

Linichuk & Karpanasov did not deserve to win. They skated their worst free dance performance ever probably including a blatant trip/stumble. The Hungarians were behind but should have far outscored them in the free dance and pass them. Moiseeva & Minenkov also should have beaten them in the free dance portion but were too far behind after compulsories and the OD to place higher than 3rd. The crowd booed the result, and were strongly behind the Hungarians.

[gk_891]

I'm not sure how to rank the ice dance couples. Linichuk & Karpanosov were so ahead of the field in both the compulsories and to a lesser extent OSP. That FD was pretty uninspiring though and their cookie-cutter style had gotten very very tiresome for me (I found it to be such a massive chore to even watch them). But there's no question that they had the most difficult FD and technically, they were most the most proficient team of that time. Yes, Gennady was a weak skater but so were Szallay and Minenkov. I personally like Moiseeva & Minenkov's FD the best but their compulsories were pretty weak. The Hungarians had such an energetic style that was very easy to get into but I found their choreography to be rather simple. Artistically, there's no doubt though they and Minnie/Mo were superior to L&P. I guess I'm sort of ok with the end result but I could understand any order of the podium without too may complaints.

[aliceanne]

I remember the big fuss over Fratianne getting silver instead of gold. At one point I remember reading that Linda's mother wanted to sue for potential lost revenue in Linda's professional career.

In watching the videos I don't see where Linda "wuzrobbed". Neither one of them is sublime. I think Anett's jumps are bigger, while Linda is a little more flowing, but not by much on either count.

It certainly has eaten away at Frank Carroll.

[gkelly]

I also remember Emi taking herself out of contention with a botched jump combo in the SP [I re-watched it recently and it didn't look as bad as I thought, and I wonder what the deduction at the time for a non-fall mistake on a jump in the SP was?].

I wasn't paying close attention to skating in 1980 or even really until the early 90s. (I did in the mid-70s when I was skating myself, but then I lost track.)

I believe that the maximum short program deduction in the 1980s was 0.7 -- not sure if that was for a complete omission or if it would also apply to something like a fall on the first jump of a combination. Less difficult elements might have had lower maximum deductions; the jump combination was definitely where you could lose the most points.

Other deductions would have been proportional between 0.1 for a very minor error to 0.6 for serious or multiple errors not quite as bad as the worst possible.

I'm guessing somewhere around 0.3 for that particular error:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAwU6-pjTJg

[Frau Muller]

..... Linda .... she had gone to Fassi over the past summer to work on her figures ....

Really? I don't recall having read that. If anything, there was tremendous animosity from the Fratianne camp against Fassi's backstage machinations with the various German-speaking judges to ensure a win for Poetzsch and a medal for Lurz (partially as tit-for-tat to ensure a win for Robin Cousins). It didn't matter that there was East and West Germany...political lines were blurred. Fassi embraced all Germanies!

Did Linda really train figures with Carlo Fassi? Can anyone confirm?

I totally agree about the Hungarians being hugely robbed in the Ice Dance. Even to this day, I can't quite look at L/K in a Kiss n' Cry without thinking of this travesty.

[floskate]

I remember the big fuss over Fratianne getting silver instead of gold. At one point I remember reading that Linda's mother wanted to sue for potential lost revenue in Linda's professional career.

In watching the videos I don't see where Linda "wuzrobbed". Neither one of them is sublime. I think Anett's jumps are bigger, while Linda is a little more flowing, but not by much on either count.

It certainly has eaten away at Frank Carroll.

The endless and that this result still creates is not the free but the SP results. Many think that Anett was waaaay overmarked in the SP for what was essentially a popped combo and a very skary double axel while Linda skated clean as a whistle in her usual blah way.

We've had more than a few threads on this competition over the years and a while ago I did some and it wouldn't have mattered if Anett was two or even three places lower in the SP. (It would have swung a couple of judges Linda's way but Anett would still have won 5/4.) Under the total points system of the time, the damage was done in the figures not the SP.

[skatesindreams]

floskate,

Was the "distribution", as follows?

Figures - 30%
SP - 20%
FS - 50%

[aliceanne]

The endless and that this result still creates is not the free but the SP results. Many think that Anett was waaaay overmarked in the SP for what was essentially a popped combo and a very skary double axel while Linda skated clean as a whistle in her usual blah way.

We've had more than a few threads on this competition over the years and a while ago I did some and it wouldn't have mattered if Anett was two or even three places lower in the SP. (It would have swung a couple of judges Linda's way but Anett would still have won 5/4.) Under the total points system of the time, the damage was done in the figures not the SP.

I wouldn't vote for either as Olympic champion. There must have been a better free-skater in that competition! That is the person who was robbed whether it was by politics or figures.

[Louise]

The old Fassi/Linda/Frank/Poetsch theory... I think it was Sandra Loosemore, a very intelligent and knowledgable FS fan wrote up how it was just NOT POSSIBLE for Carlo to have made any kind of backroom deal.
Yes, Linda went to Carlo to work on her figures, since that was the one tangible thing that Anett did much much better. Carlo wanted Linda to stay with him through the Olympics, but her loyalty was to Frank. Even so, if she had stayed, I'd have believed that Carlo would have sacrificed his new pupil Linda to make sure his crowned jewel, Robin Cousins, at the time won. Linda was screwed either way.

I don't believe Frank Carrroll believes in the conspiracy theory somehow orchestrated by Fassi. His girl was American, did her job, but lacked so much in charisma and figures.

I forgot about Linda's mom threats about a lawsuit for future revenue, but it's all coming back. Who was she going to sue? Fassi? The IOC? What a joke.

[skatesindreams]

Take a look at this:

1980 Olympic Figure Skating - Denise Biellmann, Short & Long Programs US TV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-ewu0VeUdI

Denise Biellmann (SUI) - 1980 Lake Placid, Ladies' Long Program CDN TV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1_QiK85KRg

She was 12th after figures; so, despite a stellar SP and LP, couldn't finish better than 4th.

[briancoogaert]

I love Robin Cousins and Moiseeva&Minenkov.
I haven't rewatched ladies.

[judgejudy27]

The endless and that this result still creates is not the free but the SP results. Many think that Anett was waaaay overmarked in the SP for what was essentially a popped combo and a very skary double axel while Linda skated clean as a whistle in her usual blah way.

We've had more than a few threads on this competition over the years and a while ago I did some and it wouldn't have mattered if Anett was two or even three places lower in the SP. (It would have swung a couple of judges Linda's way but Anett would still have won 5/4.) Under the total points system of the time, the damage was done in the figures not the SP.

If people have no problem with Trenary coming 5th in the 1990 Worlds SP with a measley double toe-double toe combo (had she come even one spot lower she would have lost the gold to Ito, and many skaters below that did a triple combo) then there shouldnt be that much uproar over Poetzsch coming 4th in 1980 with a double loop-double toe combo. After all the 1980 standards are much lower than the 1990 ones. The big names always have a higher base mark than mediocre skaters like Lurz or unknown skaters like Lenz.

[olympic]

^In regards to many posts above:

IIRC, Fratianne had indeed improved in Figures by '80, but still found herself in 3d. Poetzsch was 1st and had marks in the mid-4's, not quite Schuba-ish, but she had quite a command of that portion of the competition.

I remember the final marks were Poetzsch - 11/189.00; Fratianne - 16/188.30 which was a 7-2 split for Poetzsch, BUT I think a majority of the judges who put Poetzsch 1st had her only 0.1 - 0.2 above Fratianne, An increase in Fratianne's score in the SP [I think she was undermarked slightly. She was perfect in that segment of the competition, doing an incredible for that time 3sal - 2loop; high 2x and nailed every non-jump element], plus knocking Poetzsch down a couple of tenths [where she belonged] may have made a difference. Total Points determined final ordinals and ultimately placement back then.

Ex of Judge marks back then [I made up the no's to show how it worked, but they are indeed representative of the type of marks that each skater got from any given judge back in 1980, IIRC!]-

Anett Linda
CF 1 4.4 4.0
CF 2 4.5 3.9
CF 3 4.6 4.2
--------------------

13.5 12.1

divide total by 2.5 [CFs were worth 30% of the comp score, so 2.5 was the factored no.] =

5.4 4.84

SP (T) 5.4 5.8
(A) 5.5 5.8

--------------------------
10.9 11.6

divide judge's mark total by 2.5 [SP was worth 20% of the comp score, so 2.5 was the factored no.] =

4.36 4.64

LP (T) 5.6 5.8
(A) 5.6 5.9
----------------------------
11.2 11.7

LP was worth 50%, so the marks for LPs were 'raw', no factored no.


Add up the no's for each segment above

Anett Linda
CFs 5.40 4.84
SP 4.36 4.64
LP 11.20 11.70
---------------------
Total 20.96 21.18

This judge would've assigned Linda the first place ordinal and Anette the second place ordinal by 0.22. And IIRC, several of the judges had them this close: a tenth here and there would've flipped the ordinal and made the gold and silver different.

[skatesindreams]

Thanks for the detailed explanation.

[judgejudy27]

The judges who had Annett over Poetzsch in the end by 0.1 and 0.2 would have had to change their short program mark by 0.3 to 0.5 to have had Fratianne ahead though. Only the long program marks directly are worth that, the short program scores were only 40% the value of the long program scores. Also Poetzsch's SP scores in Lake Placid were lower than Jill Trenary got in her SP at the Worlds TEN years later for doing an even easier combination.

[bardtoob]

After all the 1980 standards are much lower than the 1990 ones.

Umm, I saw lots of 3T- double combos until after the 1990-91 season, not much different than in 1980. The notable exceptions were Ito, Harding, Yamaguchi, and Trenary ... Trenary, of course, regressing from 3F-double attempts to 3T after she believed her figures were enough to keep her lead going into the Freeskate.