Slutskaya complains about 2002 and 2006 Olympic Placements

[jamesy]

Would anyone care to speculate as to the results in Salt Lake City if there had been Compulsory Figures before the Short Program?

1) Kwan
2 - 22) Everyone else
23) Slutskaya
24) Hughes

 

[Fiero425]

Super, super hypothetical because we would be looking at PCS through a lens that wasn’t even established yet. And would it be the 2005 PCS with five different criteria (hello, transitions being worth just as much as skating skills) or the condensed, current three-criteria model? And the spins and step sequences would be leveled as opposed to just getting through them with 8 rotations or going board-to-board or whatever other minimal requirements there were.

From a jump standpoint, I think Hughes obviously suffers with rotations in the short program that would put her quite a ways back, while Kwan would also get hit with it. Slutskaya surely would’ve run away with the short because she checked all the boxes before they were there to check, even with spins and the one-foot step sequence that wasn’t exactly revolutionary, but at least offering more complexity than most skaters opted for then. Butyrskaya comes away with a high score probably because of both flip and Lutz being on a very clear correct edge, and her flying camel really was a thing of beauty.

I used to like to do these rescoring things but using a completely different system that has changed so much since it started, it’s kinda like what’s the point now?

As much as commentators judged skaters like Hughes & Lipinki doing their "3-Flutz," I serously thought Maria was the only female skater who really scratched that opposite edge! IMO even Kwan's Lutz was questionable!

 

[bardtoob]

In 2002, I remember some commenting that Fumie Suguri could have been higher except for luck, which would have included Fumie placing above Sarah in the SP.

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[jägerbomb]

Would anyone care to speculate as to the results in Salt Lake City if there had been Compulsory Figures before the Short Program?

I suspect old lady Butyrskaya would have dominated school figures.

I feel like 5th or 6th was a reasonable placement for Hughes after the short program -- absolutely behind Suguri, and then maybe behind Sebestyen or our figures specialist. Too bad Kwan's long program was so underwhelming -- this really was her Olympics to win.

 

[Fiero425]

I suspect old lady Butyrskaya would have dominated school figures.

I feel like 5th or 6th was a reasonable placement for Hughes after the short program -- absolutely behind Suguri, and then maybe behind Sebestyen or our figures specialist. Too bad Kwan's long program was so underwhelming -- this really was her Olympics to win.

Michelle was just as confident, totally on top of things in Nagano at '98 OG's! Gold was hers to lose & she did w/ a performance you may call "underwhelming!" The situations almost mirror each other w/ Tara hitting that Triple Loop/Triple Loop combo! Even Frank Carroll was concerned! I can still see/hear Lipinski scream thru the TV! I was initially going to bed at 5 AM in California & heard Kwan's, "Lyra Angelica," then Tara's, "Sense & Sensibility" music proclaiming her the OG medalist! I couldn't wait to see the telecast over 12 hours later! The men were just as dramatic w/ Ilia Kulik favored & doing the job over Elvis Stojko!

 

[olympic]

If Slutskaya placed first in the SP in SLC, and if they all skated the same way, a few of those judges would have placed her third in the LP to give Hughes the gold. I have nothing to prove this but it’s a strong feeling I have. The skate orders would have been different due to the order of draws were determined by SP placement order.

And, to add, MK in 2nd after the SP may have snapped her into focus a little more. Thus, no fall on the 3F. I believe had she just given her 02 Nationals or Worlds LPs here in SLC, she would've won. Why she went coachless in an Olympic year boggles the mind.

 

[Fiero425]

And, to add, MK in 2nd after the SP may have snapped her into focus a little more. Thus, no fall on the 3F. I believe had she just given her 02 Nationals or Worlds LPs here in SLC, she would've won. Why she went coachless in an Olympic year boggles the mind.

Michelle & her camp sorta freak out after the results of the 2001 Masters comp.! Irina Slutskaya not only outskated her & the rest of the field, Michelle singled or doubled all her jumps! I believe she fired Frank Carroll that night!

 

[bardtoob]

Michelle & her camp sorta freak out after the results of the 2001 Masters comp.! Irina Slutskaya not only outskated her & the rest of the field, Michelle singled or doubled all her jumps! I believe she fired Frank Carroll that night!

2001 Masters was certainly the last event where Frank was in the Kiss and Cry with Michelle, and she announced the separation the week of Skate America 2001. While skating at 2001 Masters, Michelle looked like "the feeling was gone" and she just couldn't get it back. On the other hand, Irina was actually connecting with the audience, as opposed to focusing on creating an athletic display.

The next competition where Irina and Michelle faced each other, Skate Canada 2001, both Michelle and Irina failed to hold down the fort, losing to Sarah Hughes.

Of course, Irina easily won the 2001-02 GPF, which had that odd one SP and two LP format. On a side note, I liked Irina's Samson and Delilah program from 2001 Masters much better than her Tosca LP and would have rather seen her used that program at the 2002 Olympics. Irina's Don Quixote LP from that GPF was also a real winner and far better than Tosca.

 

[Private Citizen]

Why she went coachless in an Olympic year boggles the mind.

told me at the time it was a cost-savings measure from Danny Kwan, to avoid paying a cut of her future earnings. I'm sure Carroll's agreement entitled him to a percent of her future earnings, but perhaps he was due more if she stayed with him. And they definitely saved by not having to pay an additional coach a percent of her earnings.

This wasn't the only time that Danny Kwan was penny wise and pound foolish. He was also the mastermind behind the boot sponsor deal that resulted in so many problems in the 1996-97 season.

 

[orbitz]

And, to add, MK in 2nd after the SP may have snapped her into focus a little more. Thus, no fall on the 3F. I believe had she just given her 02 Nationals or Worlds LPs here in SLC, she would've won. Why she went coachless in an Olympic year boggles the mind.

MK's flip was off for the entire Olympic event, I think. NBC showed the last few seconds of the SP warm-up where Michelle went for the flip. The landing was a scratchy pitched forward, and the free awkwardly swung to the side like she was trying to save her balance. That had me worried. She was just so very lucky to not have landed that flip on her behind or popped the jump during the actual SP performance because of the way her the toe-pick went into the ice.

 

[bardtoob]

told me at the time it was a cost-savings measure from Danny Kwan, to avoid paying a cut of her future earnings. I'm sure Carroll's agreement entitled him to a percent of her future earnings, but perhaps he was due more if she stayed with him. And they definitely saved by not having to pay an additional coach a percent of her earnings.

While I have no doubt that Danny was looking out for Michelle financially, as her father, at 2001 Masters Michelle looked absolutely miserable on the ice.

 

[bardtoob]

Would anyone care to speculate as to the results in Salt Lake City if there had been Compulsory Figures before the Short Program?

I suspect old lady Butyrskaya would have dominated school figures.

Butyrskaya was certainly the most well trained, including having Vladimir Kovalev as a former coach. However, she was a jumper, which is why she rose to the top of Russian skating almost immediately after compulsory figures were eliminated, when she was 18 years old.

For fun:

1991 Nations Cup SP

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1991 Nations Cup LP

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