The best ever Female Pairs skater- tell us why

[Vash01]

Who do you consider the best female Pairs skater ever? You define the criteria and tell us why you picked her.

 

[clairecloutier]

I feel like Savchenko is definitely the best ever, by a combination of overall ability and competitive record. (Notwithstanding recent events.)

Rodnina clearly has the best record in terms of Oly, World, and Euro titles. But she competed in a different era with less technical difficulty. And I think it’s generally agreed that she was never personally a standout in presentation or artistry. Gordeeva is one of the all-time great talents of the sport IMO, and has more Oly gold than Savchenko, but technically was indisputably weaker. Berezhnaya was beautiful but her competitive record doesn’t match Savchenko’s, while Volosozhar was the complete package but also can’t match Savchenko’s overall record. ETA: Shen actually comes closest to matching Savchenko’s competitive record, but she only has 3 World titles to Savchenko’s 6.

Interesting fact—looking at Aljona’s Wikipedia, she appears to have finished on the podium of every Grand Prix or Challenger/senior B event that she entered from 2004 to 2018. That’s 13 seasons of senior competition. That’s got to be some kind of record.

 

[Finnice]

My heart would say Volosozhar, but I also voted Savchenko. What a longevity! Berezhnaya is also out of this world in many ways, she has soul in every move she makes.
Of all mentioned, Totmianina has Oly gold, yes, but her skating never moved me. My eyes were always on Marinin.

 

[briancoogaert]

It's very difficult because it's not just about the lady, the male partner is also very important.
My hesitation is between Aliona Savchenko, Tatiana Volosozhar and Katia Gordeeva.
But my heart goes to Katia Gordeeva, because of her amazing glide, and softness, and lightness. Her technique is very good and efficient.

 

[Orm Irian]

Aljona Savchenko may have more medals, but Sui Wenjing creates moments of perfect beauty on the ice.

 

[Frau Muller]

Irina Rodnina, absolutely! Champion with TWO different partners and winner of multiple Oly and World titles. A true GOAT, if ever there was one. Strong character, too.

 

[skateboy]

Almost picked Rodnina, but she never did throws, even when others were doing them.

I chose Gordeeva.

 

[MsZem]

Interesting fact—looking at Aljona’s Wikipedia, she appears to have finished on the podium of every Grand Prix or Challenger/senior B event that she entered from 2004 to 2018. That’s 13 seasons of senior competition. That’s got to be some kind of record.

Savchenko never finished off the podium after 2006 Worlds.

But I don't consider her the best ever - the most accomplished, possibly, and certainly inspiring (TJ Nyman shenanigans notwithstanding), but I think Volosozhar had a better combination of technical and artistic abilities, though her partners and programs didn't always display this to best advantage. Gordeeva I never watched in real time so it's hard for me to evaluate her. Berezhnaya was wonderful but for some reason I just can't see her as the best.

In short there have been many excellent female skaters and I refuse to choose one. But Galina Kukhar deserves a lot of credit for her work with two of the greatest.

 

[nuge]

Aliona my goodness there's no stopping the woman! Never gave up for that olympic gold. Her stroking and posture and medals !

 

[Taso]

In short there have been many excellent female skaters and I refuse to choose one. But Galina Kukhar deserves a lot of credit for her work with two of the greatest.

Absolutely. Truly one of the best coaches for developing beautiful skaters. I don't think she coaches any longer, which is a loss for the sport.

 

[miffy]

Savchenko in terms of longevity and determination But Mishkutenok in terms of beauty of movement.

 

[Spiralgraph]

I voted for Irina, but my favorite female pair skaters definitely go for Ekaterina and Natalia M. Irina had more gold medals but Ekaterina and Natalia had more appeal, grace, liquid movements and connection to their partners and the audience.

 

[rfisher]

I voted for Savchenko. Medalling the sheer number of times she has in incomparable. She won every major skating competition from junior worlds through senior GPs, Europeans, Worlds and an OGM. Moreover she competed against and won against many on the list.

I loved Gordeeva, but it's really hard to compare the earlier era of pair skating to the modern due to the astronomical difference in technical abilities of the skaters.

 

[Kateri]

Voted Savchenko, but even if she's not the "best ever", Sui's the one with my heart.

 

[ChelleC]

Voted for Savchenko, but my heart is owned by Gordeeva, Shen, and Sui.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I love a wow factor... or something that differentiates yourself from the crowd... and Natalia Mishkutenok's flexibility was the wow factor in early 90s....

Still gives me chills!! No one was like her...

if I had to pick someone for second place it would be Caitlin Yankowskas for her fluidity and the image she created on the ice.

And third place to Brasseur.... I still think she is the most fearless skater..and thats hard to determine because pair females are the MOST fearless of them all!!!!!

Fourth would be Kavaguti!!!!! Such a unique presence.....

So actually you dont even have 75% of my top skaters in the poll. lolz

 

[lurkz2]

I feel like Savchenko is definitely the best ever, by a combination of overall ability and competitive record. (Notwithstanding recent events.)

Rodnina clearly has the best record in terms of Oly, World, and Euro titles. But she competed in a different era with less technical difficulty. And I think it’s generally agreed that she was never personally a standout in presentation or artistry. Gordeeva is one of the all-time great talents of the sport IMO, and has more Oly gold than Savchenko, but technically was indisputably weaker. Berezhnaya was beautiful but her competitive record doesn’t match Savchenko’s, while Volosozhar was the complete package but also can’t match Savchenko’s overall record. ETA: Shen actually comes closest to matching Savchenko’s competitive record, but she only has 3 World titles to Savchenko’s 6.

Interesting fact—looking at Aljona’s Wikipedia, she appears to have finished on the podium of every Grand Prix or Challenger/senior B event that she entered from 2004 to 2018. That’s 13 seasons of senior competition. That’s got to be some kind of record.

I don't know why you would compare Gordeeva to Savchenko technically when they were competing in different eras. Technically, Gordeeva was cutting edge for her era for a time, which I don't think you can say for Savchenko. Gordeeva was even capable of a quad twist, while Savchenko won her Oly gold without quads while others were competing them.

 

[SmallFairy]

I have to go with Katia. There was an ease to what she did, she was such a natural, she lived and breathed every program. Like the commentator in Calgary said after G/G finished their FS: "It was like she was skating on air".
She wasn't technically the strongest jumper, but she matched out for her time, she did 3t, 2a, triple throws (though she was terrified of them, you couldn't tell on the ice) and could perform a quad twist. The pair elements were exquisite, of course, helped by being perfectly matched with her partner. I love how she holds her head, her smile, showing how much she loves skating, the little details with the hands, wrists, and most programs were performed with her heart in it.
Her track records does not set her back, with 2 OG, several Worlds and Euro-titles, JW-championship.

 

[SmallFairy]

PS Special mention to Natalia M. who was maybe not the typical pair girl back in the days in terms of expression and style, but man, did she have it in spades and I luuuurve her and her power, and I never grow tired of watching her either.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

PS Special mention to Natalia M. who was maybe not the typical pair girl back in the days in terms of expression and style, but man, did she have it in spades and I luuuurve her and her power, and I never grow tired of watching her either.

Totally, that’s why I always gravitate towards somebody who has a “wow” factor versus somebody who is consistent with good technique and perhaps more cookie cutter. (As Johnny would say, lolz). I like someone that differentiates themselves even if they’re not always winning a gold medal.



And if I were a pair skater today she would be my one and only coach. I want to absorb everything she had to say.

 

[floskate]

So tough this. Katia is the most perfect female pairs partner (in my eyes at least) but that doesn't necessarily mean she was the best. In the end I went with Rodnina because of the way she absolutely changed the sport. Plus she got better and better throughout her career and peaked in 1977. She was still great in 1978 (particularly Europeans) and came back amazingly in 1980 aged 30 and after giving birth to win it all again, but 1977 she was unbelievable.

I'm so conflicted on Rodnina - her politics is certainly not my cup of tea - but when I watch her I just marvel; the phenomenal speed, incredible skating skills, barrier-pushing overheads and setting the technical standards of the time with sbs double axels and triple twist. No she didn't do throws later in her career though she did do throw axels early on but, when you watch those old comps, it's easy to see why she won as many titles as she did! And when you watch her skate compared to today you realise how slow modern pair skating can often be. She was also WAY better with Zaitsev than Ulanov (and much more consistent). Had the poll been best ever pair, then I would have voted very differently.

 

[VGThuy]

I voted for Rodnina because I think she was so tough that she could excel in any era if she wanted and had the training for it. Plus I love the story she told about how she could have gotten Kwan the gold medal in Nagano if Frank just asked for her “help” since most of the judges wouldn’t have cared which American won.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Plus I love the story she told about how she could have gotten Kwan the gold medal in Nagano if Frank just asked for her “help” since most of the judges wouldn’t have cared

LOL... for real?

 

[sap5]

I voted Gordeeva because I would never have fallen in love with pairs without her. No other woman captured my eye and made me realize the beauty of pairs the way she did.

 

[alchemy void]

Rodnina for me. I didn't actually see her skating until a couple years ago on YouTube and I was shocked with her skating...fast, powerful, and modern.

And when you watch her skate compared to today you realise how slow modern pair skating can often be.

This. Bring back the speed!

 

[VGThuy]

Rodnina for me. I didn't actually see her skating until a couple years ago on YouTube and I was shocked at her skating...fast, powerful, and modern.

This. Bring back the speed!

That Moscow school!

 

[Vash01]

Rodnina for me. I didn't actually see her skating until a couple years ago on YouTube and I was shocked at her skating...fast, powerful, and modern.

This. Bring back the speed!

That Moscow school!

I remember commentators saying years ago that the Maoscow school is about technique, power, speed, and the St Petersburg school is about artistry, creativity.

Around 1997/1998 I remember Peter Carruther's comment on Berezhnaya-Sikharulidze. He said he thought he would never see the speed of RodNina Zaitsev but these two have it.

B&S were very fast in their early years together. They may have traded in a bit of the speed to create more complex programs. They were still very fast. I believe Elena had trained in the Moscow school early in her career. Also G&G had the speed and lightness.

 

[Cachoo]

I don’t know. The thing is, more than any other pairs skater I’ve seen, I cannot take my eyes off of Sui. There is just something very arresting about her when she is on the ice.

 

[hanca]

I don't know why you would compare Gordeeva to Savchenko technically when they were competing in different eras. Technically, Gordeeva was cutting edge for her era for a time, which I don't think you can say for Savchenko. Gordeeva was even capable of a quad twist, while Savchenko won her Oly gold without quads while others were competing them.

That’s not quite correct. Savchenko did win her Olympics without quads, but I don’t think anyone else was doing them either at those Olympics. The point system changed that it was not worth the risk. But when others were trying quads (before the point values changed), Savchenko was also trying quad and 3A. In fact, Savchenko was even risking 3A at worlds.

 

[tony]

That’s not quite correct. Savchenko did win her Olympics without quads, but I don’t think anyone else was doing them either at those Olympics. The point system changed that it was not worth the risk. But when others were trying quads (before the point values changed), Savchenko was also trying quad and 3A. In fact, Savchenko was even risking 3A at worlds.

Duhamel (and Radford) landed a throw 4S in the individual competition free skate. James & Cipres attempted one. Sui & Han, Tarasova & Morozov, and Knierims technically did 'quads' in the form of quad twists.