The least appealing ladies worlds medalist?

[falling_dance]

What position was Laetitia Hubert after the SP in 1992? Looking at her FS ordinals I'm surprised she didn't medal.

She was fifth after the short.

[Marco]

I don't get the Kimmie Meissner hate.

Toe-axels aside, her skate was clean and she worked to get all those levels. Remember she was only 16 when she won, so her presentation wasn't there yet (though I loved her SP from that season and the FS from the next). Edging, speed and sureness where all there.

Ironically I started to enjoy Meissner's skating after her jumps left her. Her Turandot was subtle but nice. I wish the Japan open version was on youtube because it was probably her most solid performance of that program (and overall after 2007 Worlds).

[Marco]

I have to say Julia Soldatova was my least favorite medalist in recent history. Poor posture, sloppy positions and iffy technique (she lipped and flutzed).

And her 3sal was as ugly as Amber Corwin's 3toe with the pre-rotation. Sokolova at least had decent jump form.

[love_skate2011]

Leonova

I was waiiting for this

[judgejudy27]

I cant believe Fumie Suguri is even on this poll. I could see some thinking she overachieved a bit to win 3 world medals, which she probably did, she was solid and consistent while others made mistakes, but in no way is she one of the weakest World medalists, and her performances each you were fully deserving of her medals. I am not a big Fumie fan but I will say one thing about her, the judges never gave her any gifts in her career like they might have her more celebrated and popular competitors (Kwan, Slutskaya, at times even Arakawa, Cohen, numerous others). Glad to see she has 0 votes, just as it should be.

[MCC]

Where is Asada at 2008?

[SmallFairy]

I'm the only one ever on this forum who likes Soldatova! (and Eltsova/Bushkov too that is lol) I cannot help it, I can see the flaws you're pointing out, but I still enjoyed her a lot, both at worlds, and at euros the year before. She was fast, lots of stuff going on in the program, 3,3 combo, pre-rotated or not, who else did one? She was fun. Maybe I'm just mad? She did regress later in her career though. Btw, I was in Helsinki in 99 and no way Malinina should have been on the podium. Her jumps were so clean, she was such a sweet girl and I wanted all the best for her, but that program... Oh dear, stopping and posing and doing Arabian arm movements for four minutes! Like a little child,I just couldn't take it, sorry But Gusmeroli and Rechnio -fab fab fab!

[TheIronLady]

It didn't help that Malinina kept that program for several years.

[giselle23]

I voted for Other before I saw Laura Lepisto's bronze up there--oops! (Not that Laura isn't appealing, but didn't she win with something like two or three triples?) Some others who come to mind are: Alena Leonova's silver in 2012 and Carolina Kostner's silver in, I think, 2008 (the year Yukari Nakano was robbed of a medal).

[Lnt175]

I cant believe Fumie Suguri is even on this poll. I could see some thinking she overachieved a bit to win 3 world medals, which she probably did, she was solid and consistent while others made mistakes, but in no way is she one of the weakest World medalists, and her performances each you were fully deserving of her medals. I am not a big Fumie fan but I will say one thing about her, the judges never gave her any gifts in her career like they might have her more celebrated and popular competitors (Kwan, Slutskaya, at times even Arakawa, Cohen, numerous others). Glad to see she has 0 votes, just as it should be.

Agreed. Suguri and Bonaly are the strongest skaters on this poll.
Kostner to me was very forgettable at 05 and 08 worlds even if she deserved her medal. 2008 worlds was even worse, but Nakano never got her triples around, and Kim was off her game in the SP.

[TheIronLady]

Soldatova was pretty. I enjoy watching her for 15 seconds, but then her telegraphed entrances put me to sleep. I can never feel at ease with a Russian lady's layback positions or half hearted spirals. Judged as a Russian ladies competitor, she is not bad. As a world medalist, she is a little snooze inducing. Her going to Belarus was also tacky. I think she was ill advised and it harmed her. It would be like if Rachael Flatt went to skate for Bermuda.

Julia Soldativa 2000 GP Final FS

Julia Soldatova 2002 Olympics FS

[googooeyes]

Beatrix Schuba!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in the early 70's. She was a master at compulsory figures and was the reason the short program was instituted. She won the worlds in 70 & 71 I think and the 72 Olympic gold medal with mostly single jumps because she was so far ahead after the figures.

[giselle23]

Beatrix Schuba!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in the early 70's. She was a master at compulsory figures and was the reason the short program was instituted. She won the worlds in 70 & 71 I think and the 72 Olympic gold medal with mostly single jumps because she was so far ahead after the figures.

I thought of her, too, but decided that it would be wrong to call her undeserving. Figures were a part of the competition at the time and she is probably the best-ever among the ladies at compulsory figures. If we limit it to free skating, then I agree, she is probably the least-appealing.

[orbitz]

Beatrix Schuba!!!!!!!!!!!!!! in the early 70's. She was a master at compulsory figures and was the reason the short program was instituted. She won the worlds in 70 & 71 I think and the 72 Olympic gold medal with mostly single jumps because she was so far ahead after the figures.

Oh, c'mon, Schuba wasn't that weak of a jumper . Yes, she did single Axel instead of a double, but she had a 2lutz, 2toe, and I'm sure 2sal and 2loop somewhere in her LP.

[Vagabond]

Schuba's 1972 European Championship Free Skate, which was pretty much the same thing as her Olympics Free Skate. Doubles galore.

And, when it comes to single jumps, Schuba's successor as Ladies' Olympic Gold Medalist had one in her Free Skate too.

On the other hand, Schuba's school figures in the Olympics are commonly considered some of the best ever executed by a skater of either sex, and they counted for half of her overall score.

[TheIronLady]

Those Schuba figures look scary good! Schuba's free skate has no major artistic embarrassments. Good for Trixie rotating those doubles. After watching her free program, it occurrs to me I like Schuba's skating more than I think I like Anett Pötzsch's.

Anett Pötzsch 1980 Olympics FS

[googooeyes]

Schuba did have some clean programs with doubles but also a few pretty bad programs without too. Her edges are wonderful and she is rightfully recognized as the best 'figure skater' ever. I guess if you like to watch figures she would be the least boring of all! For one of the world gala shows she actually came out and skated a loop figure for the show. Cheers Beatrix

[Alex Forrest]

But were Trixie's edges and flow all that great? I mean, freestyle with strong edges is much different than figures. I would say Janet Lynn skated with better edges than Trixie.

[orbitz]

And, when it comes to single jumps, Schuba's successor as Ladies' Olympic Gold Medalist had one in her Free Skate too.

You can't really compare Dorothy's beautiful single delayed axel with Trixie's novice-like axel though. Dorothy's was done on purpose to show off her ability. Trixie did the simple single axel, because she couldn't do a 2A at that point of her skating career.

[Vagabond]

I know that, orbitz, but saying, as googooeyes originally did, that Schuba was undeserving of her gold medal because she did single jumps is silly. (I think this whole thread is silly, but that's a different matter.)