kwanfan1818
RIP D-10
- Messages
- 39,975
Lindemann was on fire in Dortmund. His were among my favorite performances in the entire competition.
Most Random Worlds Medalist of the 21st Century
- Thread starter Aerobicidal
- Start date
Pet Tikh skated in the 2002 Olympics.
Aerobicidal
Shut that door.
- Messages
- 11,147
This poll is about singles worlds medalists. Erin's poll is about world medalists who never competed in the Olympics and aren't currently competing.
The amount of confusion both have caused is bringing me holiday joy.
Foolhardy Ham Lint
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 6,311
It's crazy to think that Carlo and Christa Fassi coached five ladies at the 1980 Olympic Games, all of whom finished in the top twelve.
Frau Muller
From Puerto Rico…With Love! Not LatinX!
- Messages
- 23,394
That’s why skaters from many countries trained with him. He was the king of politicking to ISU judges...in multiple languages!
I was only responding to the poster who mentioned Pet Tikh.
ETA- Oops! I am in the wrong thread.
Foolhardy Ham Lint
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 6,311
I always thought that Cynthia Phaneuf was robbed of bronze at the 2010 World Championships. Her free skate in Torino was outstanding.
Looking at the total points, it was almost a five-way tie between third to seventh place.
Last edited:
- Messages
- 12,674
Same here, Yamaguchi and Galindo were such an interesting pair. I think he was a strong partner despite being quite short for pairs, and they had great jumps (interesting choreo with them jumping opposite ways) and their youthfulness and energy made them so cute to watch. I would rather re-watch one of their pairs programmes than her singles, with no offence meant to Yamaguchi.
Erin
Banned Member
- Messages
- 10,470
I’ve been rewatching 1990 and 1991 US Nationals after reading this thread, and I think part of the issue with continuing to do pairs and singles was Kristi’s move to Edmonton to follow Christy Ness. During the 1989-90 season, it appeared Kristi and Rudy were training mostly in Edmonton, while being coached by John Nicks for pairs, which just seemed like an insane arrangement. I’m sure there was extra travel involved for Kristi, which probably added to the strain. I don’t know why they didn’t just get a pairs coach in Edmonton - there were people like the Ullmarks or David Howe who could coach pairs. They didn’t have any particular relationship with Nicks, as they only started working with him after Jim Hulick had died the previous year. This is a long way of saying that I wonder if Kristi might have been able to stick with pairs if Rudy had moved to Edmonton full time and they had a coach there. Given how poorly skated Albertville was in pairs, they could have come away with a bronze medal.
Coco
Rotating while Russian!
- Messages
- 19,308
If she'd medaled in two disciplines at the same Olympics, we'd have to erect a million statues in her honor. That would have been AMAZING!
Foolhardy Ham Lint
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 6,311
I always thought that Yamaguchi and Galindo were robbed of silver at the 1989 World Championships in Paris. Bechke and Petrov weren't clean in the free skate, and certainly didn't have the sparkle or excitement of the Americans. How Landry & Johnston placed ahead of Team USA with only sbs double lutz jumps in the short is another judging mystery to me as well.
I found it interesting that when Tamara Moskvina was interviewed in Paris, she saw Kristi & Rudi as the biggest threat to her own students.
VGThuy
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 41,203
They probably were because they were young, exciting, energetic, strong singles skaters (strong jumps) who were actively competing in singles (and both would become National champions and World Champions/medalists in singles with Yamaguchi being an Olympic champion...typing that out and reading it back is really incredible), had a novelty, and were World Junior Champions in the Soviet age. That said, being Moskvina's biggest threat in 1992 may not have meant that much because I don't think they would have challenged for the gold no matter how many times M/D messed up in 1992. The Soviet stronghold on pairs was just too strong at the time and M/D had IMO one of the greatest pairs programs of all time with Liebestraum. From what I remember, Bechke/Petrov skated very well in Albertville as well, so I think silver wouldn't have been theirs either had they skated like they actually did, but then with Y/G there, maybe nerves would get to them. Anyway, I prefer Y/G over Brasseur/Eisler, a team I NEVER got the appeal of.
Kind of...in a way, Y/G could have done for pairs what Belbin/Agosto did for Ice Dance in America.
Kind of...in a way, Y/G could have done for pairs what Belbin/Agosto did for Ice Dance in America.
Foolhardy Ham Lint
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 6,311
I also got the impression from Galindo's autobiography, that he never felt as welcomed as Kristi, and was treated like a bit of an afterthought in Edmonton.
I don't think Laura's medal at 2010 Worlds was that random. She had a full set of medals from Europeans and skated a magnificent free skate at the Olympics to place 6th (very close score wise to 4th as well) just 6 weeks prior. It's no surprise that, in Joanne's absence, she grabbed the bronze in a close race.
About the result itself, if Mirai or Carolina had botched one less jump, or if Miki or Cynthia had some actual content in their choreography, the results might have been different. Laura might have popped a few jumps but she maxed out her combinations and skated beautifully. As it stood, I agreed with the PCS differentials / rankings amongst these 5, considering their mistakes.
As far as this poll goes, I feel Lindemann was actually a great skater who simply didn't skate well enough to score higher - but he did it when it mattered most. Leonova and Tursy were not my cup of tea but she skated consistently and solidly most times, so despite some ridiculous PCS scoring for them, their medals were not THAT random.
Gachinski though... almost got scores as if the judges were thanking Russia for pulling off Worlds at such short notice. The Japanese men's issues also possibly made the difference.
Gachinski though... almost got scores as if the judges were thanking Russia for pulling off Worlds at such short notice. The Japanese men's issues also possibly made the difference.
bardtoob
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 14,701
They were in Edmonton for Kristi alone. There was no reason for Galindo to be in Edmonton save to be in close proximity to Kristi. They had an unfortunate imbalance in their relationship that was not at all of their own making. When they were young they really needed each other, but as time went on Kristi had more opportunities available while nobody was doing any favors for Galindo except Kristi's family.
. . . I bet Kristi's family was also very excited when Galindo eventually won Sr. Nationals and a World medal.
Last edited:
Foolhardy Ham Lint
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 6,311
I remember my heart sinking reading Galindo's autobiography when Rudy said he gave up singles after 1988 during their partnership together, as a way of pleasing Carole Yamaguchi and showing how serious he was skating pairs with her daughter.
I found Tai Babilonia's take on Galindo's struggles between their pairing dissolving and Rudy's eventual victory interesting. She felt that it would have been nice for Kristi to help financially offset his training costs in some way on his climb back to the podium.
I guess Rudy's 'do or die' approach in the 1996 season, knowing it would be his last, and that the National Championships would be in his hometown, gave him the final push he needed.
Never in a million years did I think he would beat Eldredge or Scott Davis to take the title. His victory was one of the most electrifying moments the sport ever produced.
Last edited:
Brennan’s Inside Edge actually highlighted quite a bit of Rudy just prior to the season he won Nationals, and it paints the picture that the only relationship Kristi and Rudy had was via her leaving tickets for him when Stars on Ice was in town.
Brennan also had a memorable line in the book about how Rudy felt the judges would never award him a National title and she says he’s right. ?
Rudy now coaches Emma Hedican I’m fairly sure, so the relationship is back to being a strong one and they both had their careers work out just fine, I’d say.
Brennan also had a memorable line in the book about how Rudy felt the judges would never award him a National title and she says he’s right. ?
Rudy now coaches Emma Hedican I’m fairly sure, so the relationship is back to being a strong one and they both had their careers work out just fine, I’d say.
VGThuy
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 41,203
And according to Kristi, Carole Yamaguchi is still involved, chastising Kristi when she’s late bringing Emma to training with Rudy.
Coco
Rotating while Russian!
- Messages
- 19,308
Funny that he won his world championship medal in ... Edmonton.
overedge
Mayor of Carrot City
- Messages
- 37,313
Yes, it sounded like his training with her was just added on whenever she had time during her singles training. And because he wasn't at the Royal Glenora club as often as she was, he didn't see the other skaters enough to get to know them and to make friends. He also says that some of the skaters at the club were calling him "f----t" behind his back.
He mentions that when he was in Edmonton, he stayed in a furnished apartment up the hill from the Royal Glenora, and that a few times he had to walk to the club. I'm pretty sure I know the apartment building that he's referring to, because the University of Alberta used to rent apartments there for visiting professors. I wouldn't want to walk from there to the Royal Glenora either, especially in winter, because the winds blowing up from the river can be brutal.
Last edited:
bardtoob
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 14,701
Given that Rudy was capable of beating leading American and Soviet skaters as a junior in international competition in 1987 . . .
and had the 3A by 1988 US Nationals . . . unfortunately skated to a medley of ET, Top Gun, and Techno Fire Bird . . .
it was probably difficult for both Yamaguchi and Galindo to decide what was best for themselves.
Last edited:
Theatregirl1122
Needs a nap
- Messages
- 34,293
I really feel like @Aerobicidal hasn't been taken to task nearly enough for his inclusion of this new medal for not making the LP that both Galustyan and Loupolover apparently won. 