FSU Watch Party Sunday #1: 1991 Worlds part 2 [12pm CDT/6pm CET]

[SmallFairy]

Awww Midori too cute!

 

[Aerobicidal]

I never knew Yamaguchi was coached by a sister wife.

 

[aliceanne]

I thought Nancy was better than this in ‘91. She seemed tentative. I thought Josee was better, but I didn’t count the triple jumps, which pretty much determined the ranking in this era.

 

[SmallFairy]

Josee wuzrobbed of bronze

IJS

 

[barbarafan]

I liked Maya with Platov better. Their long lines complemented each other. She was too tall for Zhulin and they always had to crumple her up to disguise it.

I think Platov is an incredible skater.

 

[VGThuy]

What helped Kristi was not only did she do a difficult 3/3 to fight off the 3A queens, but planned two lutzes and had artistically coherent programs. She was also an IJS skater before IJS was even thought up while Tonya was doing forward crossovers bent at the waist a lot of the time.

Vanessa Reilly’s judging was off the wall at the time but now seems to make the most sense.

 

[alchemy void]

I thought Nancy was better than this in ‘91. She seemed tentative. I thought Josee was better, but I didn’t count the triple jumps, which pretty much determined the ranking in this era.

I think Josee did 5 triples, but no flip or lutz, which would have been a problem.

 

[SmallFairy]

Kristi was very good! Clean, nice technique, good spins, good program construction, energy and charisma. Deserved win!

 

[Coco]

Nancy had loads of transitions And her posture and carriage was way better than Josee.

 

[Aerobicidal]

What a contrast between Kristi's polished, cohesive, corporate packaging and Tonya's OMGWTF approach. This would have been an interesting time as a U.S. ladies fan . . . in some ways at least.

 

[VGThuy]

Looking at Tonya watching backstage, to think that nobody knew what was to come.

 

[alchemy void]

Nancy had loads of transitions And her posture and carriage was way better than Josee.

But I liked Josee better!

 

[Sonata]

Yamaguchi is so under appreciated as a skater. One of the first skaters that I remember could combine athleticism with artistry and consistency.

 

[Coco]

Many, many thanks for putting this together!!!

 

[meggonzo]

ARE WE GETTING THE MEDAL CEREMONY?!?!

 

[Aerobicidal]

My favorite thing about Yamaguchi is when she tweeted "break a leg" to Nancy Kerrigan about three years ago.

If she'd added shade about Kerrigan's blind mother and Disney being corny, I'd like her more.

 

[Sonata]

What a contrast between Kristi's polished, cohesive, corporate packaging and Tonya's OMGWTF approach. This would have been an interesting time as a U.S. ladies fan . . . in some ways at least.

This is what drives me crazy about her recent comeback. It’s about more than the triple axel. Midori had it before her. Yamaguchi had athleticism too but combined it with a complete program and moved countries to train. Even if the knee whack hadn’t happened, the competition was plenty fierce.

 

[alchemy void]

ARE WE GETTING THE MEDAL CEREMONY?!?!

Barely any of it. What's playing now is what I could find.

 

[meggonzo]

Barely any of it. What's playing now is what I could find.

I was joking

 

[Sonata]

Omg killing me with the Browning Yamaguchi hug. Nice to see skaters support each other.

 

[aliceanne]

Yamaguchi is so under appreciated as a skater. One of the first skaters that I remember could combine athleticism with artistry and consistency.

I think there was a bit of anti-Japanese sentiment in the U.S. at this time. The Japanese economy was booming and Japanese autos had taken over the U.S. market. I saw some articles that even after she won the Olympics she had a hard time getting sponsors, advertisers preferred Nancy. Even Japanese companies wanted girls who “looked American”.

 

[Immortelle]

I liked Maya with Platov better. Their long lines complemented each other. She was too tall for Zhulin and they always had to crumple her up to disguise it.

I agree! I read an interview with Maya where she said she should have ditched Zhulin and teamed up with Platov after Dubova kicked Pasha out.

 

[VGThuy]

I thought I’d like Maya with Evgeny but their programs were really boring and you realized they needed the crazier partner to add some punch to their skating.

 

[Sonata]

I think there was a bit of anti-Japanese sentiment in the U.S. at this time. The Japanese economy was booming and Japanese autos had taken over the U.S. market. I saw some articles that even after she won the Olympics she had a hard time getting sponsors, advertisers preferred Nancy. Even Japanese companies wanted girls who “looked American”.

I very much remember this. Note that the commentators made a point of saying her family was from Japan (as though “Yamaguchi” was not enough of an indicator.) I believe part of the reason she skated to Yankee Doodle Dandee for her exhibition number was she felt she had to prove her American patriotism. Imagine - despite her history of artistry, superior music choices and choreography, she had to skate to YANKEE DOODLE DANDEE.

 

[Immortelle]

I thought I’d like Maya with Evgeny but their programs were really boring and you realized they needed the crazier partner to add some punch to their skating.

I think they (U/P) were a good match aesthetically but I see your point about the ‘spark’ missing.

 

[VGThuy]

I also think Kristi just seemed so packaged compared to some skaters fans really latched on to so some felt she was a bit soulless and her artistry was choreographed. So was Kerrigan but she really did look put together in very early 90s standards.

 

[aliceanne]

I think they (U/P) were a good match aesthetically but I see your point about the ‘spark’ missing.

I felt that the lack of spark between Usova and Zhulin is what kept them in second place a lot of times. Their programs were abstract and focused more on creating interesting shapes rather than any interaction between the two.

 

[SmallFairy]

Thank you so much for organizing this @alchemy void

 

[aliceanne]

Thanks again from me too @alchemy void !