Figure Skating

[elie]

Way, way, way irrelevant, but is anyone here into figure skating? And by that I mean watching it on TV
I am a big fan but I hardly ever find people who really enjoy watching it. Yesterday was the final day of the European Championships and needless to say, all four events were won by Russians. That's generally fine by me, but not when the victories are not well-deserved *cough* ice-dancing*cough

Anyway, looking forward to the Winter Olympics

[GODDESS6]

i love to watch figure skating & can't wait for the olympics to start!!!~

[ontheEdgeof17]

I like pairs and women's. The men and ice dancers are a bore.

[GypsySorcerer]

As a child, I was obsessed with figure skating. I still enjoy it, but don't follow it as much as I used to. I will watch the Olympics, though.

[skcin]

I LOVE watching figure skating, especially the Olympics. I prefer the women's competition, but I watch them all. The exhibition skates at the end are always awesome.

[Josh2003]

I'll be watching men's skating this year, to cheer on my Johnny Weir to gold! Such a queen, that boy...I love him!

[DavidMn]

I'm not bothered by Michelle Kwan making it at all btw. She's still going to have to prove that she can skate effectively at some kind of "Test" soming up in front of some kind of comittee. If she cant perform up to snuff then, she's already said she wont compete. Plus, the girl she'd be bumping off the team, Sarah Hughes sister, is only 16, so she'el have plenty of chances to make it in the future. Michelle's earned at least the right to see if she can compete in my opinion.

[jadegypsy]

I love figure skating, and am looking forward to the olympics. So happy Michelle Kwan is going, she deserves it, and I am hoping she gives a great skate at the olympics. Also am loving Tanith and Ben this year for US ice dance As for the men I am hoping for Plushenko to take the gold and as for pairs Shen and Zhou (sp?).

[jannieC]

Figure skating is probably the only sport I do watch. I love it. I have always dreamed of being a figure skater. Sadly, I can't even stand on the ice in skates. I think the good ones are just so graceful and it looks so wonderful. Sigh.

[Serrart]

Originally Posted by elie

Way, way, way irrelevant, but is anyone here into figure skating? And by that I mean watching it on TV
I am a big fan but I hardly ever find people who really enjoy watching it. Yesterday was the final day of the European Championships and needless to say, all four events were won by Russians. That's generally fine by me, but not when the victories are not well-deserved *cough* ice-dancing*cough

Anyway, looking forward to the Winter Olympics

I am, or better I was, especially when Klimova - Ponomarenko where still on the ice. I haven't followed the European Championship but Russians' style is always my favourite, so I'm happy they won all the categories. Did they have a common trainer? Tarassova? Tchaikovskaya? Mishin?

Romy

[elie]

Originally Posted by Serrart

I am, or better I was, especially when Klimova - Ponomarenko where still on the ice. I haven't followed the European Championship but Russians' style is always my favourite, so I'm happy they won all the categories. Did they have a common trainer? Tarassova? Tchaikovskaya? Mishin?

Romy

Mishin is still Plushenko's trainer I think. Tarassova coaches some other skaters, not necessarily Russian. And on ice-dancing, Navka & Kostomarov have Alexander Zhulin (Navka's husband).

I don't mind the Russians, but I have read articles stating that their marks are sometimes inflated and they always get higher points than the next skater even if they don't do well, just because the Russian Team federation or whatever is very strong.
Personally I am a huge Stephane Lambiel fan. He's very artistic and seems like a nice kid. I don't care much for Plushenko, I think he's nothing next to what Yagudin was (anyone who has caught his Exhbition program on the 2002 Olympics will know what I mean). But still, he deserves the golds *sigh*.
As for ice-dancing, I really don't get the Navka/Kostomarov thing. Ok, they look good, but they 're very boring and predictable compared to let's say, Denvoka/Staviyski (I am HUGE fan) or the newer french team Delobel/Schoenfelder.

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by elie

Mishin is still Plushenko's trainer I think. Tarassova coaches some other skaters, not necessarily Russian. And on ice-dancing, Navka & Kostomarov have Alexander Zhulin (Navka's husband).

I don't mind the Russians, but I have read articles stating that their marks are sometimes inflated and they always get higher points than the next skater even if they don't do well, just because the Russian Team federation or whatever is very strong.
Personally I am a huge Stephane Lambiel fan. He's very artistic and seems like a nice kid. I don't care much for Plushenko, I think he's nothing next to what Yagudin was (anyone who has caught his Exhbition program on the 2002 Olympics will know what I mean). But still, he deserves the golds *sigh*.
As for ice-dancing, I really don't get the Navka/Kostomarov thing. Ok, they look good, but they 're very boring and predictable compared to let's say, Denvoka/Staviyski (I am HUGE fan) or the newer french team Delobel/Schoenfelder.

Ok I know I'm going to F**K up the spelling on this one but what happened to Gordeeva after her husband and partner died on the ice? I know she had that perfume thing for awhile.

[CelticGypsy]

Originally Posted by DavidMn

Ok I know I'm going to F**K up the spelling on this one but what happened to Gordeeva after her husband and partner died on the ice? I know she had that perfume thing for awhile.

Katia is now happily married to fellow Olympic Champion Ilia Kulik. Together, they are raising two daughters, Daria Grinkova and Elizaveta Kulik. She still visits her family’s dacha in Moscow, which she considers her hometown. Katia continues to thrill a legion of fans, both young and old alike, that have come to embrace the angelic artistry that she embodies as a solo performer.

http://2005.starsonice.com/cast/cast....asp?CastID=85

Sounds like she is a very happy wife, mother and is still has a great career. Daria is her daughter with Sergei Grinkov.

[DavidMn]

Originally Posted by CelticGypsy

Katia is now happily married to fellow Olympic Champion Ilia Kulik. Together, they are raising two daughters, Daria Grinkova and Elizaveta Kulik. She still visits her family’s dacha in Moscow, which she considers her hometown. Katia continues to thrill a legion of fans, both young and old alike, that have come to embrace the angelic artistry that she embodies as a solo performer.

http://2005.starsonice.com/cast/cast....asp?CastID=85

Sounds like she is a very happy wife, mother and is still has a great career. Daria is her daughter with Sergei Grinkov.

Good. I'm glad she's happy. She seemed like a very nice person.

[Serrart]

Originally Posted by elie

Mishin is still Plushenko's trainer I think. Tarassova coaches some other skaters, not necessarily Russian. And on ice-dancing, Navka & Kostomarov have Alexander Zhulin (Navka's husband).

I don't mind the Russians, but I have read articles stating that their marks are sometimes inflated and they always get higher points than the next skater even if they don't do well, just because the Russian Team federation or whatever is very strong..

I don't think it's true, but they usually set the basis of the predominant style especially in Europe, so their exhibitions often are the most compelling, and find a mesmerizing balance between the technical and the emotional side.
I haven't followed with a big interest the last seasons so I haven't really favourites at the moment. Honestly Plushenko is great, really cold sometimes but I don't see others who can top him. I agree on Navka-Kostomarov, they're boring but Zhulin has been able to give them that touch of unpalpable class that he had with Maya Usova. Their exhibition on Vivaldi's Summer was unforgettable (even if Klimova - Ponomarenko were still the best ).

Romy