Who is the better skater (all things considered): Evgeny Plushenko, Alexei Yagudin or Yuzuru Hanyu?

[Frau Muller]

Interesting that neither of them are petty enough to sneer at the champion who does, though... and that Yuzuru has the strength and honesty to do, wear and skate exactly as he wants to without kowtowing to what critics think seemly.

I love Yuzuru’s skating & achievements. I’m only sorry about how the toy bears add to the image of skating as a “sissy sport.” If only hockey fans around the world would appreciate the guts and effort that it takes to perform quads of quality. I feel that Yuzu fans, while well meaning, might be hurting the overall image of the sport, which isn’t doing that well economically. It’s not easy being a figure skating fan when surrounded by traditionalists! Heck, I can’t even get my husband to pop for tickets to Cirque De Soleil’s Crystal because he is so turned off by figure skating. He also dislikes ballet. So frustrating. Grrr.

 

[Fairuza]

Er... Yuzu sells whole arenas in a matter of minutes, yet his fans take the blame for the unpopularity of the sport? I can’t get the logic.

 

[DonnaVita]

Hanyu is the best. His skating is pure balance and harmony of artistic and technical side. The only thing he lacks is extension in his limbs but his musicality saves him and makes him look natural and slight. Yagudin is second although, unlike Hanyu, he wasn't naturally gifted performer, it was TAT who made him that. I don't think Plushy was much of an artist but he surely knew how to make his performance entertaining with help of his charisma. All three have superb jumping technique but Hanyu does more difficult stuff. Which is right and good, figure skating is developing but it's also not fair to compare all of them in this aspect. All three are excellent technicians for their eras. Hanyu certainly does have the best spins and skating skills of these three though.

 

[Ohyes]

I love Yuzuru’s skating & achievements. I’m only sorry about how the toy bears add to the image of skating as a “sissy sport.” If only hockey fans around the world would appreciate the guts and effort that it takes to perform quads of quality. I feel that Yuzu fans, while well meaning, might be hurting the overall image of the sport, which isn’t doing that well economically. It’s not easy being a figure skating fan when surrounded by traditionalists! Heck, I can’t even get my husband to pop for tickets to Cirque De Soleil’s Crystal because he is so turned off by figure skating. He also dislikes ballet. So frustrating. Grrr.

I-

 

[Japanfan]

I would have to strongly agree. Given that Weir did not even start skating until age 11 (eleven!) and was World Junior champion only 5 years later says volumes about his natural ability. After skating only 7 years, he was US National Champion. The rest we know, and anyone who says he wasn't/isn't a great skater has a) Probably never skated, b) Probably never competed at any elite level sport, c) Probably doesn't know their a$$ from their elbow and d) only looks at the visual aspects of skating, a shallow way to view skating.

To me Johnny was visually stunning - no, he didn't have the speed and power of many of his competitors, but he did have organic quality I mentioned above, which is what enabled him to succeed in the sport despite not starting skating until 11.

'Great' is open to interpretation, but generally it refers to few among many. Even when the term a 'great' nation is used, it means 'among many nations'.

Gifted does not mean he became great though.

Again, great tends to refer to few, rather than many. Gifted also refers to a few among many, but it is not the same as great.

In any case, Johnny Weir has nothing to be ashamed of!

 

[daydreamangel]

I think Alexei was the whole package, every movement was on point and he was a great jumper and very charismatic. So he is definitely my number one.
Haynu is in second place, but I feel his talents are being wasted with bad choreography. I liked his Romeo and Juliet program back in 2012 but his other programs after that were totally forgettable.
Plushenko has a unique style, and he can be quite entertaining but I feel empty when I watch him, he just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Japanfan]

I think the meaning of "charismatic" is absolutely the same in English and in my first language. This word is right, when we mean Yagudin, but this word is boring. I would use another word in Russian.

The word which I need should mean, that Yagudin can move like a creature from a fairy tale, so that people can't take their eyes off him. A creature with no bones in his body, and even the flaps of his costume can be musical.
Maybe the word "magical" is never used in such cases in English, maybe there is no such a word.

Like a creature from a fairy tale!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V0UMJwZdaY&t=26s

The word 'magical' is often used to describe FS and skaters in English.

The word 'mythical' might be used to describe a performance in which a skater portrayed a mythic character. But I've not heard it used as such.

'Iconic' is often used to describe memorable, definitive performances such as Kat Witt's 'Carmen' and T/D's 'Bolero'.

 

[tripleflutz]

Hanyu is the best. 2 time Olympic Champion in a tougher era than the other 2 guys who still failed to win 2 (unless you count Plushenko's Team Gold). Yagudin is 2nd. Better overall skater than Plushenko. Plushenko is a great but comes 3rd of this trio.

 

[giselle23]

Yagudin is the best Olympic gold medalist. His long program at SLC was the skate of a champion, no doubt. Hanyu lucked into his win in 2014 and didn’t even win the free skate in 2018. Plushenko just skated jump to jump and had no serious competition in 2010.

 

[Rina RUS]

"show must go on"?

"He tried to get a New Year tree from the forest for the third time, but he did it, when the spring had already come"

 

[giselle23]

Hanyu is the best. 2 time Olympic Champion in a tougher era than the other 2 guys who still failed to win 2 (unless you count Plushenko's Team Gold). Yagudin is 2nd. Better overall skater than Plushenko. Plushenko is a great but comes 3rd of this trio.

Yagudin’s record compares favorably with Hanyu’s: 4 time World Champion and never off the World podium, never off the podium from 1999 on and OGM. He probably could have won again in 2006 if he hadn’t been injured. And he had strong competition in Plushenko.

 

[Bonjour Sherry]

Hanyu is the best skater, objectively.
I personally like Yagudin's skating the most.
And I like Plushenko's personality the most.