Most underwhelming ladies world bronze medalist since '91?

[tennellicious]

I've been watching a lot of retro skating on YouTube this summer and have been shocked at some of these random one-hit world bronze medalists over the years...some whom I've never heard of before?

All the ladies on this list only have one Worlds bronze and never medalled at another Worlds/Olympics.

It's long past time for one of these ladies to "win" another title. So who is the most underwhelming bronze medalist?

I'm not necessarily only talking about their performance that landed them on a Worlds podium, but also their entire career, (lack of) charisma, other skating accomplishments, etc.

Good luck to all the ladies! ?

 

[barbk]

Most of those skaters had strokes of brilliance and a performance at Worlds that made me hopeful that they would have even better performances in later years.

Skaters run out of money, get injured or sick, or get miss out on competitions in favor of others. I'd rather remember my nice memories of those moments they had at Worlds than focus on their later lack of success. Tanja, Nicole and Vanessa each had memorably wonderful programs over multiple years, even if they didn't medal again at Worlds or Olympics.

Medals are not the only measure--or necessarily the best measure of a skater's success. Jason Brown might be the best example of that.

Also, in a number of those years, qualifying rounds counted in the eventual ranking, and which qualifying group you ended in and with what starting position made a difference. Those are mostly not available on video today.

 

[ninjapirate]

Going from memory, I think some though Pogorilaya could have been given bronze in 2014.

 

[Private Citizen]

Did you start in 1991 because Holly Cook (1990) would've won hands-down otherwise?

 

[Wyliefan]

I can't speak to all of them because I don't remember all of them, but there was nothing underwhelming about Suzuki or Radionova. They lit up the ice.

 

[guignardfabbri]

Soldatova by far. There was nothing memorable about her skating at all. She also got super lucky Malinina stepped out of her combo in the short program, or 1 more judge did not place Malinina above Kwan in the long program, as either of those things would have led to Malinina winning silver and Soldatova dropping down to 4th. Or 1 more judge did not place Malinina over Kwan in the short, as even that drops Soldatova to 4th for certain. I don't think she honestly even deserved to beat Gusmeroli (even with some mistakes) at these worlds mind you.

And she soon changed citizenship to Belarus since with Slutskaya's strong return to form, Butyrskaya holding her form relatively well (atleast until the Olympic season long away), and all the up and comers emerging in Russia, she knew she wouldn't be able to continue even making teams. And without Russian politics behind her also dropped like a stone in the rankings. The field did get stronger, and she declined as well, but even so.

 

[guignardfabbri]

And even if Holly Cook were an option I would still pick Soldatova. Soldatova is probably the "better" skater, but this thread title is least memorable, not worst. Holly Cook who is someone who stopped mid program to pull a wedgie out on National TV at Nationals, does barrel rolls, and has this ridiculous hand flick set up before all her jumps, while skating the weirdest cuts of music even for 80s/early 90s standards is anything but "unmemorable", unlike Soldatova.

 

[tony]

Lepisto for me. That era of skating was so weak beyond the top 3 or 4, and then that Worlds was a race to see who could get bronze with minimal content.

I have written a lot in the past about Soldatova probably deserving no more than 6th, but she did do a 3+3 and 6 triples (rotation issues aside) in the free skate. Even so, she’d be my second choice. I still to this day think Gusmeroli belonged on that podium, and her 1997 short program should’ve been in 1st place.

Suzuki’s free skate the year she won bronze is one of my all-time favorites. Glorious. As is her 2013 free skate.

 

[guignardfabbri]

Bobek deserves a mention simply since the judges were prepared to hand her the gold easily if she just stood up, and she managed to fall twice, get lost in the final seconds of her program, and only held on for even the bronze (she was 4th in the long program) due to her winning the short program. That is pretty underwhelming way to complete winning a world medal, in essentialy a flop fashion. And despite competing for years more, would never come close to this again.

 

[Vagabond]

Most of the nominees were far from one-hit wonders, having won several ISU Championship medals at the Senior Level and/or National Championships in highly competitive countries such as Russia, Japan, and the United States.

 

[tennellicious]

Did you start in 1991 because Holly Cook (1990) would've won hands-down otherwise?

I arbitrarily chose 1991 as that was the first Worlds without figures. No disrespect to Holly Cook intended (whoever the heck she is!). ?

Most of the nominees were far from one-hit wonders, having won several ISU Championship medals at the Senior Level and/or National Championships in highly competitive countries such as Russia, Japan, and the United States.

It's just a fun poll. Chill out?

 

[tennellicious]

Bobek deserves a mention simply since the judges were prepared to hand her the gold easily if she just stood up, and she managed to fall twice, get lost in the final seconds of her program, and only held on for even the bronze (she was 4th in the long program) due to her winning the short program. That is pretty underwhelming way to complete winning a world medal, in essentialy a flop fashion. And despite competing for years more, would never come close to this again.

But at least Bobek, unlike others on this list, had charisma for days. Even if the jumps were a hot mess, she was still captivating. And she did do a better 3Lz+3T in 1995 than most ladies (including my Bradie!) can pull off today.

 

[tennellicious]

I have written a lot in the past about Soldatova probably deserving no more than 6th, but she did do a 3+3 and 6 triples (rotation issues aside) in the free skate.

but her awful juvenile music should have been a mandatory 0.3 deduction! I'm fine with the technical but the presentation scores were a joke, thank you Russia.

 

[caseyedwards]

I don’t care how much people say short programs matter Lepisto did 3 triple long! Maybe they matter too much then

 

[alj5]

I also went with Soldatova. Because I literally had forgotten she won the bronze that year.

 

[guignardfabbri]

but her awful juvenile music should have been a mandatory 0.3 deduction! I'm fine with the technical but the presentation scores were a joke, thank you Russia.

It sounded like a bunch of bumblebees.

 

[caseyedwards]

It sounded like a bunch of bumblebees.

Flight of the bumblebees?

 

[SidelineSkater]

I don’t care how much people say short programs matter Lepisto did 3 triple long! Maybe they matter too much then

Uh oh. Hell just froze over. CaseyDesanctimoniusEdwards and I agree on something.

I’ve long been annoyed Lepisto win bronze, mostly bc everyone else also imploded. I was especially bummed for Mirai. Had she landed a double axel, she would have been third. The tech content of that era up through 2012 worlds was pretty lackluster with not many 3/3s from women. And not many with the 7 triple/full 3 up to lutz arsenal.

 

[millyskate]

They were all legends in their own way I can remember all of them which says something.

 

[briancoogaert]

Funny : Winning "only" one World Bronze when it's a dream for a lot of skaters who never achieve such a high goal ! Hehe

I voted Soldatova, very little skating, very lucky and very supproted by Russian fed.
Although she delivered at the right moment to win a European Silver and a World bronze.

My other vote goes to Daleman because of the high disappointment. Her a skating is so big. Too bad she can't skate at that level more often.

 

[Private Citizen]

I arbitrarily chose 1991 as that was the first Worlds without figures. No disrespect to Holly Cook intended (whoever the heck she is!). ?

You must watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdOydZDArMg

While there were some positive aspects of her skating (e.g., huge double axel), it's still shocking to me 33 years later that this program got anywhere near a world podium - and beat Kristi Yamaguchi! This was probably the luckiest result I've ever seen: good figures, combined with other people bombing the short program, plus skating last in the free skate, and a strange ordinal / factored placement situation.

Cook medalling (and Trenary winning, as much as I love her) should have silenced any doubt that eliminating figures was the right move for the sport.

 

[MsZem]

FWIW, Lepisto skated really well at that year's Olympics, was the 2009 European champion, and then got injured and wasn't really motivated to compete anymore. She also had excellent costumes, as befits a Finnish skater.

Suzuki had cool costumes, too, and more importantly she won a bunch of GP titles/medals and finished ahead of Kostner (who won Worlds that year) a month later at the WTT.

So anyway, not those two. Though admittedly the dropoff after Mao and Yuna at 2010 Worlds was steep.

 

[olympic]

Naturally, Soldatova.

I am surprised / not surprised that Radionova isn't receiving more votes. I really don't think her skating holds up well; it was so unfinished, unpolished, lacking extension, disconnected for me.

 

[bardtoob]

Cook medalling (and Trenary winning, as much as I love her) should have silenced any doubt that eliminating figures was the right move for the sport.

If Neske or Lebeveda had medaled overall, it would have more or less had the same effect as Holly medaling. However, Holly actually got the final result she deserved after they screwed her over hard in compulsory figures and not letting her have a tiny medal in that phase. Yeah, yeah people will ask how 4th is being screwed, but the rumor is that Jill and Holly were as far apart in skill in compulsory figures as Ito and Yamaguchi were in Freeskating.

 

[guignardfabbri]

If Neske or Lebeveda had medaled overall, it would have more or less had the same effect as Holly medaling. However, Holly actually got the final result she deserved after they screwed her over hard in compulsory figures and not letting her have a tiny medal in that phase. Yeah, yeah people will ask how 4th is being screwed, but the rumor is that Jill and Holly were as far apart in skill in compulsory figures as Ito and Yamaguchi were in Freeskating.

I honesty felt Lebedeva and Neske were a big underscored in free skating and Cook a bit overscored (maybe not the short but the long 100%) especialy in comparision. So I totally believe what you are saying, as that would give the most logical explanation to that happening.

 

[guignardfabbri]

Naturally, Soldatova.

I am surprised / not surprised that Radionova isn't receiving more votes. I really don't think her skating holds up well; it was so unfinished, unpolished, lacking extension, disconnected for me.

Probably since she was atleast fun to watch (well atleast for some people). I could be misinterpreting but I don't think this thread is just about worst, but most forgettable, which is for sure Soldatova. I already adressed Cook, and someone skating to TITANIC and seeming enthused by it in the year 2016, is already not forgettable in the least.

Yes Radionova's skating does not hold up well, which is why a slew of Russians overtook her pretty easily and quickly to the point she wasn't even a realistic contender for the 2018 Olympic team (which say Anna uninjured, still would have been), where someone like Maria, who never came anywhere near a world medal, made it as the 3rd girl.

 

[bardtoob]

I honesty felt Lebedeva and Neske were a big underscored in free skating and Cook a bit overscored (maybe not the short but the long 100%) especialy in comparision. So I totally believe what you are saying, as that would give the most logical explanation to that happening.

"Bountiful's Holly Cook won the last compulsory figure ever skated in ladies' international figure skating ... Since Cook is a first-timer to the World Championships and basically an unknown internationally, "Her figure had to be pretty good to have her up there," said her coach, Kris Sherard by telephone Wednesday morning from Halifax.

... She did a super loop. The marks could have been higher," said Sherard, assuming Cook's anonymity was somewhat a problem with the judges. However, after both figures, two of the judges placed Cook first overall on their scorecards."

"Sherard was a little puzzled why Cook didn't move up after winning the second figure but assumed it must have been because there was a big point spread in the first figure and a smaller one in the second."

COOK CLAIMS 4TH PLACE AFTER FIGURES

Bountiful's Holly Cook won the last compulsory figure ever skated in ladies' international figure skating and placed fourth in her other figure Wednesday to take a fourth-place standing overall behind an American, Soviet and West German at the 1990 World Figure Skating Championships in Halifax...

www.deseret.com

 

[tennellicious]

Uh oh. Hell just froze over. CaseyDesanctimoniusEdwards and I agree on something.

I'm happy this topic is bringing people together lol

Naturally, Soldatova.

I am surprised / not surprised that Radionova isn't receiving more votes. I really don't think her skating holds up well; it was so unfinished, unpolished, lacking extension, disconnected for me.

After Soldatova, I couldn't decide between RADIONOVA and LEPISTO. Radionova was charming in a low-rent way, yes, but the basic skating and jump technique was shockingly poor. That posture!!! ?

I think Gracie (or Ashley) should have medalled here, their quality was so much better. Maybe that will be the next poll!

On the other hand, LEPISTO was a lovely skater but I wasn't feeling that toddler xylophone Adios Nonino and the jump content would have been competitive in 1988, not 2010.

 

[tennellicious]

You must watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdOydZDArMg

While there were some positive aspects of her skating (e.g., huge double axel), it's still shocking to me 33 years later that this program got anywhere near a world podium - and beat Kristi Yamaguchi! This was probably the luckiest result I've ever seen: good figures, combined with other people bombing the short program, plus skating last in the free skate, and a strange ordinal / factored placement situation.

Cook medalling (and Trenary winning, as much as I love her) should have silenced any doubt that eliminating figures was the right move for the sport.

oh
my
god
?

that was possibly the longest four minutes of my life. I can't believe this was 1991! Everything about that video, from the hair, dress, music, styling, 2 triples, choreography screams early 80s to me, not early 90s.

Thank god they got rid of figures, the sport would probably be more dead than it already is.

 

[zigzig]

To be fair Soldatova had pretty solid tech content for that event - a clean 3S+3T, with just a fall on a 3F<. Even though her salchows were WHACK. All in all she did 6 clean triples and even though her program was tacky as hell, her closest competition was Malinina's Aladdin which was a legendary $hitfe$t in its own right.

Lepisto on the other hand