Takeaways from figure skating's long, strange trip of a pre-Olympic season

[Sylvia]

Olympic Channel article by Nick McCarvel (April 18):

Figure skating: What we learned from 2020-21 season ahead of the Olympic Games Beijing 2022

The figure skating season is officially finished. So, what did we learn? And what do we have to look forward to for the coming Olympic season ahead of Beijing 2022?

www.olympicchannel.com

NBC Sports Olympic Talk article by Phil Hersh (April 20):

In figure skating’s long, strange trip of a season, Nathan Chen showed the way

After the cancellation of the 2020 World Championships, through dealing with two more COVID-19 waves, the season came to a satisfying end.

olympics.nbcsports.com

 

[mjb52]

Hey you know, I didn't even realize until now that all three of Russia's world champions are first-time champions. I know that Russia has won three titles out of four before but has it ever been like that, where all the winners are winning for the first time? That's pretty cool.

 

[skatingguy]

Hey you know, I didn't even realize until now that all three of Russia's world champions are first-time champions. I know that Russia has won three titles out of four before but has it ever been like that, where all the winners are winning for the first time? That's pretty cool.

Yes, 1998 World Championships - Russia won 3 of 4 disciplines, all first time winners.
Men - Alexei Yagudin
Pairs - Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze
Ice Dance - Krylova/Ovsyannikov

 

[mjb52]

Thanks! No country has ever won all four in the same year right?

 

[Colonel Green]

Thanks! No country has ever won all four in the same year right?

I don't believe so.

Russia would likely have done so in 2005 if Plushy had been able to attend, since he was virtually unbeatable that quad.

EDIT: Oops, right, 1999.

 

[skatingguy]

Thanks! No country has ever won all four in the same year right?

Russia in 1999 - same 3 as 1998 plus Maria Butyrskaya became the first Russian to win the Ladies World title.

 

[AxelAnnie]

My take away
..it is all fixed up. And logic and rules do not apply here. The federations will select whom they want, and go on to rationalize those decisions.