They skated their hearts out

[eleonorad]

I'm starting this thread just because yesterday I rewatched the dvds from the Olympics 2010 and I was wondering - which are your favourite performances (in competitions) in which you really felt like the skater was "skating his heart out" on the ice?
I mean, it may not have been the best performance of the night, or of the skater, but for some reason it was a really important chance for the skater to achieve something - not a medal, more like a personal accomplishment - and he/she/they did it with their hearts.

I've always like this way of saying in english - is it correct, btw?

Anyways, these are mines:

Johnny Weir 2010 Olympic Free Program - I've never been a fan, but that program was the real highlight of his career and I couldn't help feeling excited for him - the music,the mistake on the spin, his final expression, it was like in a movie..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er2-MH2KnH8


Rochette SP & FP 2010 Olympics - no need to explain this..

Kostner 2010 Worlds Free Skate still the most overwhelming moment I've ever experienced since I like figure skating. Nice 2012 was a highlight as well, but it was not the same. That could have been the turning point of her career, she was so close to quitting after her second disappointing olympics (and she would have not given us those fantastic programs she did in the last 2 years) and the arena in Torino was PACKED, just like in 2006..I can hear myself screaming out loud right before the beginning of the step sequence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuS2ZV9x4u0

Hanyu 2012 Worlds Free Skate - I really felt that boy was giving EVERYTHING of himself on the ice. At one point we were all clapping and he was doing his step sequence and I had the feeling he must have felt so little in front of such a supporting crowd, and he also had a stupid fall of a transition, but still delivered a majestic performance.
http://youtu.be/Q0RBtPX2bLI

These are just a few that I can think of right now..the most recent ones..what do YOU think?

[reut]

Well, for me it was definitely this skate:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r60nbaRqPQw

Stéphane Lambiel's FS at Worlds 2007, after he had motivation problems that season and decided not to go to Euros, after disastrous short what a "come back" it was at free.

[Zokko!]

Yagudin, 2001:

Euros "Gladiator": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKT-v...eature=related
(Almost unknown in NA, I guess, far away from being "perfect", but still ...)
Worlds "Revolution Etude": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og59QN4L_ko
Well ...

[Shyjosie]

What comes to my mind first is this:
Denkova/Staviski's FD Adagio, Olympic Games 2006. They had hoped to medal, the mistake they had made in the OD was a minor one compared to the common falling and tumbling, but the judges were merciless and let them drop far behind. Their free skate (last performance of the ice dancing event IIRC) was said to be the best program of that competition. They had given it their all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZXxJDU0iQQ

Here's another one from the same event:
Fusar-Poli/Margaglio's FD Prince Of Egypt, Olympic Games 2006. They were the most famous victims of the OD's mess the previous day (don't know how many threads have been featuring comments on Barbara's desperate expression). Their free dance seems like an act of reconciliation with each other and their fate. They knew they couldn't win anymore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dNEZuTsShU

[UGG]

I know this is an exhibition, but MK Fields of Gold after the 2002 Olympics.

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

[SmallFairy]

Yagudin, 2001:

Euros "Gladiator": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKT-v...eature=related
(Almost unknown in NA, I guess, far away from being "perfect", but still ...)
Worlds "Revolution Etude": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og59QN4L_ko
Well ...

I was gonna post those two, but you beat me to it! 2001 Euros was weird magic, the entire crowd stood up and roared for Yags at the medal ceremony, Plush who won didn't get that much at all....

[aliceanne]

John Carlow at World Pros in Landover in the early 80's.

He was invited as a relacement (probably because he happened to be in town). He was a one time US pewter medalist competing against Cousins, Tickner, and Cranston so there was little chance of medaling, but this performance got a standing ovation.

http://m.youtube.com/index?&desktop_...?v=RlzayLplRdM

[Fure]

Plushenko at 2010 Olympics Gala - Je Suis Malade. Rarely seen this side of him, it's just heartbreaking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwfOetnyHmM

Delobel/Schoenfelder - The Piano 2008 Worlds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NDBF2yUKnk

Sasha Cohen - Romeo and Juliet 2006 Olys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kh3iW4I39DI

[aftershocks]

Those that come immediately to mind:

Shen Zhao 2003 Worlds fp

Savchenko/ Szolkowy 2007 Europeans (plus they always give it everything they've got)

Davis/ White 2010 Olympics sd and fd; 2011 Worlds fd; 2011-2012 sd and fd practically every performance, especially at GPF, Nationals and Worlds

Rudy Galindo 1996 Nationals sp and fp

Todd Eldredge 1996 Worlds fp

Anissina/ Peizarat practically every time they took the ice

Johnny Weir 2004 U.S. Nats sp and fp; 2004 Worlds sp and fp; 2006 Olympics sp; 2010 Olympics sp and fp; 2004 TEB sp; 2008 Worlds sp; plus exhibitions galore, including Ave Maria, Heartbroken, My Way, Imagine, Fallen Angels Trio with Melissa and Denis, Nature Boy, and Poker Face

Michelle Kwan 1994 Worlds fp; 1995 Worlds fp; 1996 Worlds sp and fp; 1998 Nationals sp and fp; 1998 Olympics fp; 1998 Worlds Pro sp and fp; 2000 and 2001 Worlds fp; 2004 Nationals fp; 2002 Olympics exhibition, plus numerous other performances

Brian Boitano 1988 U.S. Nationals sp; 1988 Olympics fp (the most memorable but there are others)

Midori Ito 1988 Olympics fp; 1989 Worlds fp

Kurt Browning Singin' in the Rain, and Brick House

Paul Wylie Schindler's List, Miss Saigon, Carmina Burana, On the Waterfront

Pang/ Tong 2010 Olympics sp and fp

Certainly many other performances by the likes of Janet Lynn, Toller Cranston, John Curry, Robin Cousins, Gordeeva/ Grinkov, Christopher Bowman, et al.

[VarBar]

Yagudin, 2001:

Euros "Gladiator": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKT-v...eature=related
(Almost unknown in NA, I guess, far away from being "perfect", but still ...)
Worlds "Revolution Etude": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og59QN4L_ko
Well ...

My all-time favorite skates of Yagudin, just AMAZING! And think that he didn't win with any of them. Thanks for posting those links.

[briancoogaert]

Michelle Kwan 2004 US Nationals LP :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWQSoIEAxns

Michelle Kwan 2001 Worlds LP :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhXa9JYtwLY

[lulu]

Midori Ito 1988 Olympics fp; 1989 Worlds fp

I pretty much agree with almost your entire list, but I have a particular soft spot for Midori Ito's performances. Her 1988 skate in Calgary was the skate of the night.

Two other performances that I haven't seen mentioned:
Valova & Vasiliev's 1988 World Championship Long Program
Mishkutenok & Dmitriev's 1994 Olympic Games Long Program

[Proustable]

Patrick Chan, 2011 Nationals LP: You've gotta remember the context. Simply speaking - we didn't know Chan could do THAT. His last clean LP was 2008 Canadian Nationals (probably). He had done a couple with pops and glitches, but most had falls. And this season seemed worse. Two four-fall competitions in a row; while he didn't fall at the GPF (and clearly deserved to win), it wasn't the kind of skater who want to win. And then he does this. Just holy cow. I love listening to the earbud commentary (even if it commits my least favourite sin - saying a program is clean after the final jump, as if falling on spins/footwork is impossible). Just the kind of purely amazing performance that defies belief.

Tanja Szewczenko, 1997 Champion Series Final, LP: Just an out of mind, out of body type skate from her. The sheer catharsis of the ending; the emotional utter letting go aspect just hits me.

[carriemarie]

Evora/Ladwig: 2010 Olympics: Such a beautiful Cinderella story:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1GdS...eature=related

She will be missed this year. Good luck to them both!

[aftershocks]

^^ Thanks for the memory!

It was like magic. They were where they had together dreamed so long of being ... on the biggest stage. They had no fear. They most definitely should have been scored much higher. However, the looks on their faces as they hit their final pose was better and more meaningful than any judges' approval.

[bbkenn]

Virtue and Moir Olympic 2010 SD & FD. They were mesmerizing.

[briancoogaert]

Not the same level, but she skated the best she can, at Worlds, and her joy at the end was so refreshing. I love this program, I love this skater, too bad she was injured after :
Ivana Reitmayerova 2009 Worlds LP :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOOCY7JJCAk

[Alex Forrest]

Well, I was probably the ONLY fan of Zhengxin Guo... He skated well at 1999 Worlds (to PeeWee Herman!!!! Gotta love him). Here is him the next season.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecKDD...=results_video

[l'etoile]

Yuna's FS at 2008 Worlds. You just know how she's pouring all of her heart and energy to the performance. It's even heart-aching when you see her face right after music ends

[clarie]

Virtue and Moir Olympic 2010 SD & FD. They were mesmerizing.

Yes they were!!!!

You posted before I had a chance to do it.......but those are two programs I can never forget.