Who is your favorite all time singles skater and why?

[Scrufflet]

Toller Cranston and Belita!

YeS! I must say I have loved your articles on borh! Anybody who hasn't read them yet, I encourage to go spend some time reading. Your Belita feature prompted me to go searching for more info. on her and I was really surprised to see the quality of her skating, far more modern than I would have thought. Keep it up!

 

[Scrufflet]

It depends on which aspect of skating we're talking about. I've always been a bigger fan of mens skating than ladies, so my favourites are men.

For actual 'skating', it's Patrick Chan without a doubt. That man's basic skating is just sublime, in a class of it's absolute own. I would rather watch him just do basic stroking exercises around the ice for 5 minutes than watch a perfectly skated quad-filled program by almost anyone else. I was fortunate enough to see him at Skate Canada a few years ago, and was just in complete awe (even with mistakes, his brilliance was clear)

I've always loved the energy and performance of Javier Fernandez. I was lucky enough to see him live at Europeans a few years ago, and he just reaches out to the crowd. I remember him performing his Barber of Seville program, and during the final step sequence, even from rows back, you could see him flirting with the audience. Not many skaters can reach out like that.

And with no explanation really needed, Kurt Browning (who I'm also fortunate enough to have seen in person, both during his competitive and professional careers).

Oh yes, Kurt and Patrick! For me, Kurt just seems to have everything, plus he makes me feel 14. You've captured what Patrick is like. I've tried many times to tell what seeing Patrick live feels like but I agree: just seeing him take the ice and stroke is better than a whole program from anyone!

 

[Laney]

I follow figure skating for 25 years now and over the years I had many favourite skaters and skaters I really adored. But my all-time favourite single skaters are Stephane Lambiel and Carolina Kostner. I love the passion of Stephanes skating. I he a completly different skater now as he was while still competing. He grows as an artist every season. He doesn´t skate that much anymore but when he skates, he´s on. When he enters the ice, you just FEEL he´s there in a quiet way. For example when Plushenko enters the ice he´s like: here I am, look at me, let´s the show startet. Completly different with Stephane. He´s there and speaks with his skating.
And Carolina - I follow her carreer since so many many years now. She also has grown in an artist. I love that she still brings this to the competitions. Her jumps may be off some times, but her skating is sublime.

 

[supergirl573]

Single skater? Either Chan or Yagudin. Yagudin's injuries cost him his prime, so he's really underrated.

 

[dramagrrl]

Kurt Browning, Kristi Yamaguchi (mostly as a pro, but I also think her pairs skating was underrated) and Michelle Kwan.

Honourable mentions to Patrick Chan, and Elizabeth Manley because she was the one who got me hooked on this sport way back when.

 

[Eeyora1]

Michelle Kwan
Kristi Yamaguchi
Ashley Wagner

 

[Japanfan]

You've captured what Patrick is like. I've tried many times to tell what seeing Patrick live feels like but I agree: just seeing him take the ice and stroke is better than a whole program from anyone!

I was always nervous watching Patrick skate because I was waiting for him to make a mistake, and he often made silly ones - like when he pretty much gave the gold medal away to Hanyu at the 2014 Olympics.

However I was fortunate to see Patrick deliver clean or near-clear performances live two times (at 4CCs and Nationals in Vancouver). He was so breathtaking in those performances because of he amazing edges.

 

[el henry]

Three guesses, and the first two don't count

Although since "All time" covers over 40 years, I will add Jason Brown out of current competitors. He follows in his skate-steps.....

 

[LarrySK8]

Janet Lynn. John Curry. Also Yuka Sato and Toller Cranston.

 

[Frau Muller]

Peggy Fleming. As both amateur and pro. The epitome of femininity floating on ice!

Favorite man? That’s tougher. Either John Curry, for the same reasons I love Peggy or...for sheer “fun factor,” Rudi Galindo!!! Nobody made me smile more than Rudi.

 

[Angela-Fan]

Tara Lipinski
Jeremy Abbott

 

[Orm Irian]

It switches back and forth between Kurt Browning, Stephane Lambiel and Alexei Yagudin depending on the day and possibly the weather.

ETA: As to why, I think they all share/d similar qualities in their competitive and pro careers: a compelling combination of discipline and wildness in the competitive years, and a dedication to continued growth in the pro years. I tend not to find the men's field very interesting, but all three of them overrode that completely for me.

 

[Scrufflet]

^^
Well said!

 

[aliceanne]

I would add Robin Cousins. Here he is at the end of his pro career:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fq951GYz7ig
Although his tech is relatively low compared to his competitors, his athleticism is still superb ( lands those jumps with no cartilage in his right knee), and his musicality, timing, and choreography are perfect.

He never rested on his reputation.

 

[bardtoob]

David Jenkins

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Robin Cousins. For someone that tall to take advantage of it, he had amazing spins, jumps, line, and footwork. He really knew how to make and capture a moment with his programs.

 

[bardtoob]

David Jenkins

. . . Why? . . . Just watch!

https://youtu.be/esMOC6coY8U?t=144

There is so much power and ease, and there are field moves we simply do not see anymore. I think he was better than Uncle Dick and the best skater up to Chan and Yuzuru.

He was also clearly as athletically gifted as modern skaters, that is, those like Orser and Boitano or later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2unFSmlNjI

He certainly had a better 3A than Jason Brown.

 

[Flip Jump]

Dorothy Hamill, Paul Wylie, Kristi Yamaguchi & Jason Brown. I am a long time fan(since 1968).

 

[judiz]

Christopher Bowman and Johnny Weir

 

[CoolGuy]

The skaters who I rewatch the most on YouTube are: Kwan, Eldredge, Wylie, and Kulik. So, for the women, it's easy: Kwan. No contest.

For the men, it's difficult; I think Eldredge (1996-2002) has the best long program music cuts and program layouts of any man in skating (I'm a huge fan of movie soundtracks), but I think Paul Wylie is one of the most stylish and dynamic skaters around. Then there's Kulik who has some of my favorite short programs (1997's Faust being a standout) mixed with excellent basic skating skills. So, it depends on my mood.

 

[kwanfan1818]

John Curry, for his elegance and for fusing dance and skating and Patrick Chan, for his unequaled mastery of the blade.

 

[anonymoose_au]

David Jenkins

. . . Why? . . . Just watch!

https://youtu.be/esMOC6coY8U?t=144

There is so much power and ease, and there are field moves we simply do not see anymore. I think he was better than Uncle Dick and the best skater up to Chan and Yuzuru.

He was also clearly as athletically gifted as modern skaters, that is, those like Orser and Boitano or later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2unFSmlNjI

Wow he's pretty amazing! Those sit-spins, he gets so low! Excellent jumps too - the delayed axel in the second link is jaw-dropping! And as a fan of bowties I can even appreciate the costume.

My favourite singles skater - to no-one's surprise is Plushy - who alas can't do quality sit-spins , but everything else is amazing! Yes, even the arms...I'm a huge fan of Plushy's arm movements, to the extent where watching other skaters I'm like "Where's your arm movements?"

Plus there's the charisma factor, I'll never forget the first time I watched his LP at the 1995-96 Junior Worlds on YouTube after Sochi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRZoZWEzCYQ Only 13 and he looked ready to kick butt and take names. Also the Beillman, what a boss.

My one regret is that as an Aussie there was next to no coverage of figure skating here except for the Olympics so I pretty much missed all of Plushy's career.

Ah well, at least I can follow his coaching career.

 

[savchenkoboss]

Dorothy Hamill for her incredible basics and overall quality.

Also Yu Na Kim for her classiness, kindess, and technically perfect jumps, and grace even while being the most undermarked skater in history.

Todd Eldredge for his overall quality and class while also being severely undermarked and robbed repatedly by overscored skaters like Stojko.

 

[savchenkoboss]

Also Robin Cousins and Denise Biellman. Biellmann for her incredible spins, technically perfect jumps, and fitness level years after retiring, and her incredible innovation artistically as a pro rather than doing pwetty princess programs like all the others she could get higher marks and win easier with. Cousins for his incredible artistry, musicality, speed and power, huge jumps, and personality on ice.

 

[skatesindreams]

David Jenkins

. . . Why? . . . Just watch!

https://youtu.be/esMOC6coY8U?t=144

There is so much power and ease, and there are field moves we simply do not see anymore. I think he was better than Uncle Dick and the best skater up to Chan and Yuzuru.

He was also clearly as athletically gifted as modern skaters, that is, those like Orser and Boitano or later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2unFSmlNjI

He certainly had a better 3A than Jason Brown.

Back in the day he was discouraged from doing triple jumps in competition; and eventually pushed out of the sport, because of them. (They were thought to be more appropriate for "show skating"). He discussed this during his interview for the "Manleywomen Skatecast".

 

[Cachoo]

Kwan--no one has moved me emotionally more than Kwan. But I also love Kurt Browning, Paul Wylie, Jason Brown, Kaetlyn Osmond, Sasha Cohen and now Evgenia has become a favorite.

 

[Triple loop]

Back in the day he was discouraged from doing triple jumps in competition; and eventually pushed out of the sport, because of them. (They were thought to be more appropriate for "show skating"). He discussed this during his interview for the "Manleywomen Skatecast".[/QUOTE
Wow, I just watched David Jenkins. What an amazing skater. Love the height of his jumps and his spins. Funny how the skating community tried to push him out for those triple jumps. Well, history repeats itself with that same issue arising in the 1980's with Elaine Zayak's triples. Thank goodness that the sport was able to evolve in singles skating.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Seeing Zayak's comeback at the 1994 United States National Championships live and in person, is one of the absolute highlights of my love for skating. The love she felt from the capacity audience at the Joe Louis Arena must surely have been overwhelming.

 

[Triple loop]

Seeing Zayak's comeback at the 1994 United States National Championships live and in person, is one of the absolute highlights of my love for skating. The love she felt from the capacity audience at the Joe Louis Arena must surely have been overwhelming.

Fantastic!!

 

[paskatefan]

Todd Eldredge for his overall quality and class while also being severely undermarked and robbed repeatedly by overscored skaters like Stojko.

I wouldn't blame that on Elvis (whom I really admire as well), but I do take issues with the judges. However, the worst case of that, IMHO, goes back to 2001 Worlds, when Todd was placed third by (@ least) 3 of the judges. Alexei skated a very flawed free skate (yes I do realize that he was injured & I don't wish that on him or anyone else), but the judges had no business placing him above Todd in that particular competition. Todd was very gracious about the podium placement ( I loved the audience reaction, though as they seemed very displeased with his free skate marks & placement). Furthermore he had said in an interview back then that he would be pleased with a top five placement (after taking off 2 seasons of Nationals/World competition), so his final results here surpassed his hopes & expectations. I have NO issues with Alexei wining the Olympic gold medal the following year.