Value of an Olympic/World title

[DimaToe]

So going through all of the "Survivor" threads on here I've seen people dismissing skater's victories because of a supposed weak field during that competition. So it got me thinking, do you feel that some world/Olympic titles are worth more than others? (Ex. 2006 vs. 2010 Oly ladies) Or are all olympic/world titles equal, regardless of the level of competition?

I'd really like to see what you all think

[judgejudy27]

Subjectively speaking of course some titles are worth more than others. Do people view Sato's 94 World title or Meissner's 2006 World title as on par with Ito's 89 World title or Kwan's 96 and 2001 World titles for instance. That isnt mean, it is just reality.

[sap5]

As memories fade, all the titles become equal.

[duane]

Historically, the titles are all equal. There will be no asterisk next to one's Worlds/Olympic title because of a supposed weak field.

But of course, when it comes to discussions on skating sites, it's a whole new ballgame. For the most part (tho not totally), I think all skaters who have won World/Olympic titles deserve praise, but I do find certain wins more impressive than others.

[blue_idealist]

I feel I have to assign them all the same value or we could argue forever which ones are worth more. However, in an opinion-based poll, OPINIONS on which ones are more valuable can enter into decisions, but those are just that: opinions, not FACT.

[judgejudy27]

As memories fade, all the titles become equal.

Memories may fade but reviews of what happened will persist. We still hear often about Poetzsch "controversial" 1980 gold, about the epic Battle of the Brians, about Janet Lynn owning the field in free skating but losing gold to a clunky figures specialist, about Meissner winning Worlds the year almost none of the top skaters were there.

[Cheylana]

Die-hard skating fans: Not equal
Normal people: Equal

[flipforsynchro]

Memories may fade but reviews of what happened will persist. We still hear often about Poetzsch "controversial" 1980 gold, about the epic Battle of the Brians, about Janet Lynn owning the field in free skating but losing gold to a clunky figures specialist, about Meissner winning Worlds the year almost none of the top skaters were there.

I feel like most world titles become equal as time goes on, but most people have greater memories of the Olympic golds and their controversies, or battles etc.

[spikydurian]

Die-hard skating fans: Not equal
Normal people: Equal

I am NORMAL.

[Marco]

As a fan, I don't care if the skater has a title or not. It's the performance that counts.

I will always remember the way Kwan skated to Taj Mahal in 1997 but not the way Ando skated to Grieg Concerto in 2011.

That's why I don't like to count titles or medals. Each competition has different depth. I mean, with all due respect, Bonaly and Slutskaya are multiple Euro Champs, but mostly during eras reigned by Americans or Asians and they were mostly runner ups during those years they won Euros.

[PashaFan]

As a fan, I don't care if the skater has a title or not. It's the performance that counts.

I will always remember the way Kwan skated to Taj Mahal in 1997 but not the way Ando skated to Grieg Concerto in 2011.

That's why I don't like to count titles or medals. Each competition has different depth. I mean, with all due respect, Bonaly and Slutskaya are multiple Euro Champs, but mostly during eras reigned by Americans or Asians and they were mostly runner ups during those years they won Euros.

I was waiting for the Ando bashing. I'm waiting for the Butyrskaya hate.
It get's old real fast
In terms of a performance I remember Kwan winning Lalique in 96' as much as her Olympic silver in 98'. Or Ando's free skate at the Worlds in 2010 as much as Yamaguchi winning the Worlds in 91'.
So for me it's the enjoyment of the programe not the end result.
Results in the past have made me want to stick my head in the oven !.
Affection for skaters are what drive our memories & how important they are IMO.

[judgejudy27]

As a fan, I don't care if the skater has a title or not. It's the performance that counts.

I will always remember the way Kwan skated to Taj Mahal in 1997 but not the way Ando skated to Grieg Concerto in 2011.

That's why I don't like to count titles or medals. Each competition has different depth. I mean, with all due respect, Bonaly and Slutskaya are multiple Euro Champs, but mostly during eras reigned by Americans or Asians and they were mostly runner ups during those years they won Euros.

LOL at your Slutskaya reference. Irina won Worlds twice, was top 2 at Worlds 5 times, won the Grand Prix final 4 times, and was the dominant skater in the regular season in the 2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006 seasons. She was a dominant skater period, not just in Europe. Until Arakawa in Turin after a poor skate from Irina she was never looking up at an Asian on a major podium.

[PashaFan]

LOL at your Slutskaya reference. Irina won Worlds twice, was top 2 at Worlds 5 times, won the Grand Prix final 4 times, and was the dominant skater in the regular season in the 2000-2001, 2001-2002, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006 seasons. She was a dominant skater period, not just in Europe. Until Arakawa in Turin after a poor skate from Irina she was never looking up at an Asian on a major podium.

YES !

[query5]

sorry irina was dominate due to the fact they (russian federation) heavily cheated for her. like euros won on 3 jumps.
would allow michelle never. overlooked alot of irinas mistakes.

to me irina wasn't as dominate why 1) after 2002 michelle didn't compete in gp events and in 2001-2002 especially in final shouldn't have won.


assign same value for olympics and worlds-but not gp events why some injured some not some showed up some not, and not all people competed.

worlds and olympics are same value -however is what PEOPLE and PUBLIC thinks of them.-so difference in value at all times based on opinion.
people won't agree on all things, skates etc. so alot of this stuff is useless fun and no bearing on skater, medal, title whatsoever.
how people think of them later that matters , how the skater/team acts that matters in the end and conduct them selvers.

[AxelAnnie]

I am not sure all medals are the same. They should be. But, isn't a World title a little diminished in the year after the OLYS when so many of the winners don't skate. That year, the World title is not a picture of who was outstanding that year, but rather a picture of who was left standing.

OLYS is a whole different ball game than Worlds. (and this from a friend who is an OGM winner). Worlds is every year.....OLYS once in four. It is THE prize. OLY Gold can set you up for life.

And as to Query5 - Irina was the dominant skater because she was....well the dominant skater. One could make an argument about almost any skater that she/he only won because (insert name of your fave) had an off night.

[judgejudy27]

sorry irina was dominate due to the fact they (russian federation) heavily cheated for her. like euros won on 3 jumps.

Europeans had the weakest competition of all Irina's years as a top skater. Poykio came 2nd with 5 triples, the same Poykio who cant even beat a clean Emily Hughes, so of course Irina won with 3 triples, especialy a clean short by her does and should have put way way ahead of skaters like Poykio (if I recall she didnt even win the LP over Poykio and Liashenko that year).

to me irina wasn't as dominate why 1) after 2002 michelle didn't compete in gp events and in 2001-2002 especially in final shouldn't have won.

Michelle was never a threat to Irina under COP in 2004-2005 and 2005-2006, and would have been no challenge to an on fire Irina doing some of her strongest skating ever in the grand prix either of those seasons. She did beat Michelle and others regularly on the grand prix in the early 2000s. Thus your point is completely moot.

I agree that Michelle should have won the 2002 Grand Prix final but I thought Irina should have won in 1996 since they should have been 2nd and 5th in the short program. Either way it doesnt matter, 3 or 4 Grand Prix final wins makes little difference to things.

[kosjenka]

Irina competed on almost all Europeans, while Michelle never competed on 4CC. I never understood that to be honest. I guess 4CC is not valuable to the NA federations as Europeans are to european federations.

I dont remember Kimmie at all from 2006, i THINK Morozov was the choreographer, but thats all.
Most of Plushenkos post 2003 titles are foggy to me because the repetitions of same stuff.
Ice dance is more rememberable for some reason, though I would like to forget most of Navka&Kostomarov programs...

Historically, the value is the same, but some careers and titles gained more public attention and sometimes there was no competition so it was just not interesting.

[UGG]

I think it depends on the impact, maybe? Take, for example, Kimmie Meissner's first world championship and Michelle Kwan's first world championship.

Michelle's performances at those worlds shot her into another level above every one else she was competing against. She became IT. the one to beat. and then there is the whole "transformation" thing that some ladies have tried to do but it just always falls flat. (how many times do we see "this is her salome" and...its the same as what they were doing before). It was a legendary moment in skating.

Kimmie's was very nice and exciting and she deserved to win and skated awesome, but there was really no impact made in the skating world and basically its just a nice story. LOL.

As far as the Olympics go...lets look at Yuna and Sarah. Even though Yuna is a much better and more decorated skater than Sarah Hughes...I would again say that Sarah's win is more legendary. It has everything that the Olympics are made of-drama, underdog winning, all that stuff. Any time someone performs as the underdog at the Olympics...chances are Sarah will be mentioned in reference to the "anything can happen at the Olympics" scenario.

[dawnie]

As far as the Olympics go...lets look at Yuna and Sarah. Even though Yuna is a much better and more decorated skater than Sarah Hughes...I would again say that Sarah's win is more legendary. It has everything that the Olympics are made of-drama, underdog winning, all that stuff. Any time someone performs as the underdog at the Olympics...chances are Sarah will be mentioned in reference to the "anything can happen at the Olympics" scenario.

It's been a decade since Sarah won and she is pretty much forgotten. For skating fans she is known as the one hit wonder and luckiest Olympic Champion of all time. To casuals, she's Sarah Who?

[attyfan]

Irina competed on almost all Europeans, while Michelle never competed on 4CC. I never understood that to be honest. I guess 4CC is not valuable to the NA federations as Europeans are to european federations.
...

4CCs didn't exist until something like '99; IMO, it doesn't have the history or prestige of Europeans because it is so recent.