FSU Watch Party Saturday #3: 1999 Worlds Ladies LP [2:30pm CDT/8:30pm CET]

[Vagabond]

Source material for Hanyu's Tribute to Maria Butyrskaya program.

 

[VGThuy]

I always liked Maria’s very ladylike sit spins. Of course one time Tinami ranted against her and her “Victorian” like skating once so YMMV.

 

[Braulio]

Stiff knees and rocky landings could win world titles back then!

I loved this program then and still do

 

[tony]

I always liked Maria’s very ladylike sit spins. Of course one time Tinami against her and her “Victorian” like skating once so YMMV.

She should've kept the combination spin she does here (and in Swan Lake the following season). So unique.

And I'll finally admit it after 21 years- that final triple loop was not rotated

 

[alchemy void]

I love this program, and this is such a clutch performance, but I always felt like she skated through the choreography here. Compare this to her 98 Euros LP, and there's no comparison at all.

 

[VGThuy]

One thing I love about Maria’s best two LPs is that they didn’t look like generic skating programs. They always seemed constructed from a totally different pattern. Kwan’s early programs did too.

 

[Braulio]

From march of 1999 to march of 2000 Maria reached the peak in her career, then it went downhill, think she should have retired after Nice

 

[VGThuy]

From march of 1999 to march of 2000 Maria reached the peak in her career, then it went downhill, think she should have retired after Nice

You’re probably right, but that 2001 Worlds (2000 NHK) performance of 17 Moments of Spring were also career highlights for her even if the results weren’t the best for her.

 

[SmallFairy]

The arm variation on final spin is so gorgeous.

What a special moment. Of course I was sobbing up in the stands, and some other spectators on our row looked at me like I was an alien

The blue pillow in the KnC is mine, I threw it!

 

[alchemy void]

From march of 1999 to march of 2000 Maria reached her peak in her career, then it went downhill, think she should have retired after Nice

I wonder if the crazy good money with Grand Prixs and pro-ams back then factored into her decision to keep going.

 

[alchemy void]

The blue pillow in the KnC is mine, I threw it!

Awesome!

 

[Braulio]

I remember that when they said after Maria result only one combination was posible for Kwan to take the title and that was help from Anna Rechnio that was game over

 

[SmallFairy]

Rechnio! Sigh..... I knew they would never give her that medal, no matter how well she skated. The judges showed that already in the SP

 

[tony]

You’re probably right, but that 2001 Worlds (2000 NHK) performance of 17 Moments of Spring were also career highlights for her even if the results weren’t the best for her.

That, and she still was racking up lots of $$$ in Grand Prix wins. She also really blew both GP Finals in 2001 and 2002 where she quite easily could've ended on the podium ahead of Hughes but both were tanking one LP segment (when they used to have two).

And she does have the 2002 Europeans title, and at 29 I don't see that ever being broken.

 

[VGThuy]

Fun fact, out of 12 Worlds appearances, this is the second and last time Kwan skated dead last. The first being 1995, her second Worlds appearance.

 

[Braulio]

Anna giving me Nicole Bobek vibes, jumps, stroking and falls

 

[tony]

Rechnio! Sigh..... I knew they would never give her that medal, no matter how well she skated. The judges showed that already in the SP

Rechnio did that to herself in the short based on poor planning. NO steps into the individual jump, the final two spins were a mess-- the layback never centered and she didn't get anywhere near 8 revolutions, and the combination spin was sloppy too. She also two-footed her Lutz IIRC.

Her free skate jumps that she got right, though, were absolutely glorious.

 

[alchemy void]

And she does have the 2002 Europeans title, and at 29 I don't see that ever being broken.

I think Tinami predicted Trusova is going to win 2034 Europeans and break the record.

 

[SmallFairy]

Rechnio would have been such a poster girl for TTW back in the days

 

[VGThuy]

Rechnio would have been such a poster girl for TTW back in the days

Maybe an honorary cart should be named after her.

 

[Aerobicidal]

I think Tinami predicted Trusova is going to win 2034 Europeans and break the record.

She's a regular Cassandra!

 

[VGThuy]

Maybe Rechnio needed a ponytail to slow down the rotations a bit.

 

[alchemy void]

Rechnio would have been such a poster girl for TTW back in the days

And this was her last ever decent program in competition. Everything the next few seasons was an absolute disaster.

 

[SmallFairy]

Maybe an honorary cart should be named after her.

Believe me, I keep trying so hard for that!
@Jeschke are you listening? I'm not the only one!

 

[jlai]

I've been screaming Vanessa was robbed for 21 years.....

But she got lucky with that weird three way split with judges in 1997 and came away with the bronze.

 

[Braulio]

Come on Michelleeeeeeeee

 

[alchemy void]

Do we really think Kwan didn't know she couldn't mathematically win at this point?

 

[Aerobicidal]

Some middle aged Kwan uber in the crowd got the exact same haircut as the Kween! Solidarity!!!

 

[tony]

And this was her last ever decent program in competition. Everything the next few seasons was an absolute disaster.

The next season, actually. And then she was done. We in the US were treated.... to her GP short programs and she was just a different skater.

I remember Ziggy (RIP) saw her skating about 10 years after the fact and noted that she was still landing ALL of her triples with ease. Competition was just too much for her.

 

[SmallFairy]

But she got lucky with that weird three way split with judges in 1997 and came away with the bronze.

That's my only consolation. She kept being robbed the next season too.
#screwqualification