Olympic Champion SURVIVOR: LADIES Round 5

[skateboy]

Here we go, Round 6 -- Ladies!

In Round 5, we said goodbye to:

5th place: KRISTI YAMAGUCHI


We eliminate one skater per round.

[falling_dance]

There's a 5 where the 6 should be in this thread title.

I'm voting for Witt again.

[skateboy]

There's a 5 where the 6 should be in this thread title.

Oh crap!! Admins, can you fix the title to say "Round 6?" Thank you!

[berthesghost]

I'm voting for Witt again.

Me too

[satchelpooch318]

Me too

Me three!

[skateboy]

We've all seen Yuna Kim's Olympic LP, so here are the others:

Peggy Fleming 1968: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEeKHqFUTqo

Dorothy Hamill 1976 (US Nats LP--doesn't seem to be a video of Olys): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HudUg...eature=related

Katarina Witt 1984: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLS0nUK_syA

Katarina Witt 1988: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57R7aAY5QiM

[sk8ingcoach]

This entire poll i have voted for Katarina. But because it is so close between Yuna and Peggy, i voted peggy because Yuna is Awesome and should win

[briancoogaert]

I don't like Katarina Witt's style. But the weakest for me is Peggy.

[galaxy]

Sorry, double post.

[galaxy]

It's so weird. In the round 5 Peggy got only 10 votes while Yuna got 44. As soon as this round started, Peggy got more votes than Yuna.
This is why these kinds of polls are meaningless, isn't it?
Maybe FSU should disclose who voted for who also in Ladies just like some of other polls.

[t.mann]

Peggy

[judgejudy27]

I cant believe Yu Na is getting so many votes amongst this group. The only one of these who even compares to her is Hamill and "maybe" Yamaguchi (now gone anyway) due to her longevity and pro career. I LOL at the idea she was a weaker skater than Fleming or Witt even considering the eras they skated in.

[l'etoile]

It's so weird. In the round 5 Peggy got only 10 votes while Yuna got 44. As soon as this round started, Peggy got more votes than Yuna.
This is why these kinds of polls are meaningless, isn't it?
Maybe FSU should disclose who voted for who also in Ladies just like some of other polls.

Many posters in previous rounds stated that they were gonna vote for Peggy but since Kristi was on the edge, they went for her. Reasonable guess is that votes that were for Kristi are now going for Peggy.

And Konspiracy theory is already boring

[mazzy]

I LOL at the idea she was a weaker skater than Fleming or Witt even considering the eras they skated in.

One word: figures. Put 2010 Yuna in an 80s comp and she's so far back after the first segment that there's no point continuing to skate.

[satchelpooch318]

One word: figures. Put 2010 Yuna in an 80s comp and she's so far back after the first segment that there's no point continuing to skate.

Same scenario for 1966-1968...Peggy and Co. could've possibly wiped the floor with Yu-Na after Compulsory Figures, that not even Yu-Na's 3Lutz-3Toe would save her (even against Peggy's SE-2Axel-SE-Layback... )

[sk8ingcoach]

Im sorry but you cant use the excuse of figures to say that fleming and Witt are better than yuna. If compulsory figures were still in competitions, im sure yuna would have spent hours and hours on them like everyone else had to. Of course her figures arent going to be as good as fleming of witt, because she doesnt need it.

[l'etoile]

Im sorry but you cant use the excuse of figures to say that fleming and Witt are better than yuna. If compulsory figures were still in competitions, im sure yuna would have spent hours and hours on them like everyone else had to. Of course her figures arent going to be as good as fleming of witt, because she doesnt need it.

Similar analogy also applies. Well it goes around and comes around. If Peggy, Hamil, or Witt had lived in more current era, they probably would have upped their caliber with 3-3s to win.

We don't necessarily need to solely look into these champions' technical abilities or how excellent they were in figures. Dominance, their iconic position in their victories, ability to fully show and present their potential when the time came. These are easier to compare them with.

[AndyWarhol]

I voted Yuna.. not a fan.

[judgejudy27]

One word: figures. Put 2010 Yuna in an 80s comp and she's so far back after the first segment that there's no point continuing to skate.

LOL and you know Yu Na would have been defective at figures how exactly. Even if she didnt show excellent basic skating which would seemingly lend itself to strong figures if she came up in that era, you would still wouldnt have anyway to tell unless she was Surya Bonaly. Nobody would watch the free skating of Schuba and Lynn and imagine Lynn would be so poor in figures and Schuba so great. That is unless you are admiting the way the sport was then, so rife with politics that a Korean skater would be certain to be buried in figures that they would be certain to never become a big name (probably true in fact, but that only mocks the credability of results in the figures era, and in no way is a mark against Yu Na's skating ability).

One thing for sure, the likelihood of Yu Na being worse in figures than Witt would be next to nothing, given how pathetic Katarina Witt's figures were. Granted she wouldnt have the communist bloc and being the sex symbol of sports at the time to save her if she was anywhere near that bad. Since we are going into fantasy what ifs, an even more likely one is if Witt were from Korea nobody would have ever heard of her, or had she been born in the era of the jumps likewise she would be a nobody today. Only being born in the country she was, having the coach she had, skating when she did, and being born with the looks she did, could she have become a great champion.

[mazzy]

Im sorry but you cant use the excuse of figures to say that fleming and Witt are better than yuna. If compulsory figures were still in competitions, im sure yuna would have spent hours and hours on them like everyone else had to. Of course her figures arent going to be as good as fleming of witt, because she doesnt need it.

I haven't actually claimed that Yuna was worse than Witt or Fleming. I believe that the whole comparison of is somewhat pointless. Thus making claims like judgejudy has:

I LOL at the idea she was a weaker skater than Fleming or Witt even considering the eras they skated in.

is ridiculous. Yuna -as we know her- would have been slaughtered in Witt's or Fleming's era because she would be competing in a totally different sport.
Now had Yuna been brought up as a competitive skater in the figures era, she obviously would have devoted most of her time to figures...but then she'd probably also be a way weaker jumper and free skater in general. That's pure speculation we'd be indulging in.
Kim's actually my favourite skater from that list. I just cannot say that she's clearly superior to the other ladies. She's never had to acquire some of the skills that were fundamental to them.

LOL and you know Yu Na would have been defective at figures how exactly.

I said Yuna of 2010 would not be competitive in figures, which is a fair assumption given she's never had to practice them. As to the rest, see above. We aren't comparing hypothetical skaters that could have been totally different under whatever circumstances, which makes your claim of Yunas clear superiority considering the others' era ridiculous. As to the big konspiracy in favour of Schuba from mighty Austria or Witt from mighty GDR . Lacking any proof of them being upheld in figures, I'm more inclined to go with those that were around at the time. Especially Schuba is recognized for being and outstanding figures skater. The woman does deserve some respect.