Kristi Yamiguchi and Rudi Galindo

[thumbyskates]

I remember a while back someone giving the website to one of their routines online.

Does anyone know what that address is? I'd really appreciate if you could give it out again :D


~thumbyskates


PS - sorry if this is in the wrong area...i didn't know where to put it!

[Artemis]

And a totally different question related to them: I noticed while watching the SK8 broadcast that Rudy is a reverse jumper (i.e., clockwise). Kristy jumps counter-clockwise, doesn't she? How on earth did they manage when the were a pair?

[Lark]

They are mirror pairs, I think it is called.
I have never seen a mirror pair until this years Nationals, and that Pair was not ver good. Who was it?

[Trillian]

Originally posted by Artemis
And a totally different question related to them: I noticed while watching the SK8 broadcast that Rudy is a reverse jumper (i.e., clockwise). Kristy jumps counter-clockwise, doesn't she? How on earth did they manage when the were a pair?

Pairs who jump and spin in opposite directions are called "mirror pairs" and pop up every once in a while, although it's not really considered ideal. They do the moves that require unison as mirror images rather than in the same direction, which obviously makes for an interesting look. Kristi and Rudy were one of the more successful mirror pairs in recent years but there have been others. Just this year on the SP broadcast from U.S. nationals we saw Tiffany Vise & Larry Ibarra, who are a mirror pair and will be making their second trip to junior worlds in March--they were just up from juniors and the youngest couple in the senior event this year, so all things considered they did very well. Tiffany is the clockwise rotator and is extremely talented, but will probably have trouble finding a fellow lefty partner if it ever becomes an issue (right now she and Larry are doing fine as they are). The only high level male pairs skaters I know of in the U.S. who fit into this category are Philip Dulebohn, Garrett Lucash, and Nick Kole, who have all found lefty partners--Nick skates with Tiffany's younger sister Brittany, in fact. :) It definitely presents an added challenge to the already complicated process of finding a partner.

[Artemis]

How difficult would it be to "train" a skater at a young age to spin and jump in the ordinary, counter-clockwise direction? Is just a matter of doing it young enough and making them feel more comfortable ... or is it more like trying to teach a leftie to write with her/his write hand?

(sorry thumbyskates for hijacking your thread like this!)

[dbny]

Originally posted by Artemis
How difficult would it be to "train" a skater at a young age to spin and jump in the ordinary, counter-clockwise direction? Is just a matter of doing it young enough and making them feel more comfortable ... or is it more like trying to teach a leftie to write with her/his write hand?

(sorry thumbyskates for hijacking your thread like this!)

Everyone has a direction that is easier and more natural to them. Usually, right handers spin and jump counter-clockwise, and lefties go clockwise. There are exceptions. Some people feel equally comfy spinning and jumping in either direction. When teaching beginners, it is common to have them try spinning in both directions to find out which they prefer. The reason to choose one to focus on is that spinning and jumping are difficult and require intensive practice. Few people have the time and energy to work on both directions, even if they feel comfortable with both.

[rinkdad]

It was something like 14 years ago that Kristi and Rudy went to Nationals. This year Jennifer Don skated pairs and singles at the Senior level. Has any other skater qualified in singles and pairs in the same year (Sr. level only) since Kristi? Just curious.

[PAskate]

Kyoko Ina did. The last year that I remember her doing both was 1995 when she finished 4th (I think) in ladies and 2nd in pairs with Jason.

[Twizzler]

Jill Watson and Peter Oppegard were also mirror pairs. Also, Scott & Dulebohn both jump and spin clockwise. I think that's the first time I've seen that. Of course, Sarah Hughes, Roslyn Sumners, and Todd Eldredge jump and spin clockwise but by themselves.

[Spinner]

In the mid-90's there was another lesser-known mirror pair--Steve Moore (CCW) and Holly Benson (CW). They trained in Indianapolis. Both very nice people. :)

[purplecat]

Originally posted by thumbyskates
I remember a while back someone giving the website to one of their routines online.

Does anyone know what that address is? I'd really appreciate if you could give it out again :D


~thumbyskates


PS - sorry if this is in the wrong area...i didn't know where to put it!

Amy Edwards' site has a few clips:

Kristifans.com - videos (http://www.ontheice.org/video.shtml)

:)

[thumbyskates]

Yeeeeah thank you Purplecat!!! :D

The reason I ask is because there's a new category in non-competitive skating called Open Pairs (that's because there's a lack of boys in the skating community...they feel sorry for those who try and do pairs, and never get a boy :roll: ). Anyways, so me and my friend from the rink are going to do Pairs together, and we jump opposite ways.

I'm a lefty jumper...I don't write with my left hand. :) I'm just special I guess ;)

~thumbyskates

[Samskate]

For what it's worth, I believe Tai Babalonia and Randy Gardiner were also a mirror pair.

[Alexeiskate]

Tai and Randy both are CCW jumpers and spinners.

[Trillian]

Originally posted by Spinner
In the mid-90's there was another lesser-known mirror pair--Steve Moore (CCW) and Holly Benson (CW).

Steve Moore is now director of skating at the ISCC in Simsbury. I've had the opportunity to meet him at a couple of events in New England since we have a mutual acquaintance, and he seems to have a good sense of humor. He coached a number of singles skaters this year and also had a novice pair at regionals and Easterns. I think he had a boy at the juvenile or intermediate level who made junior nationals, as well.

Originally posted by Twizzler
Also, Scott & Dulebohn both jump and spin clockwise. I think that's the first time I've seen that.

Actually, that was true of both of our top two senior pairs at nationals this year--Katie Orscher & Garrett Lucash are clockwise skaters too. Garrett's other two partners have also been lefties--Jessica Waldstein (who skated in a "mirror" partnership for two years with Devin Patrick prior to that) and Jaisa MacAdam. And at the junior level, silver medalists Brittany Vise (Tiffany's sister) and Nicholas Kole are both lefties. Considering that I know of at least three examples at nationals just this year, I'm sure there have been others. :) I believe Dulebohn's first partner--can't remember her name, Anne something?--also rotated in a clockwise direction.

Originally posted by PAskate
Kyoko Ina did. The last year that I remember her doing both was 1995 when she finished 4th (I think) in ladies and 2nd in pairs with Jason.

She also competed in singles in 1997, although she finished much lower that year (11th?). I can think of quite a few skaters who have competed in two disciplines in recent years, but no one else comes to mind who's done it at the senior level. Shelby Lyons also competed in senior ladies and pairs in 1997 and 1998.

[Rogue]

Wasn't there a male skater at Nationals this year that competed in both singles and dance? I believe he was at Junior Men and Novice Dance? Or vice versa?

I need a better memory. I'll have to check my program when I get home.

[sk8pics]

Originally posted by Trillian

I believe Dulebohn's first partner--can't remember her name, Anne something?--also rotated in a clockwise direction.
...
I can think of quite a few skaters who have competed in two disciplines in recent years, but no one else comes to mind who's done it at the senior level. Shelby Lyons also competed in senior ladies and pairs in 1997 and 1998.

You're right about Philip Dulebohn's first partner, Anne MacWilliams (I think).

And I believe Philip also skated senior men and pairs. I know he did singles for awhile after starting pairs, and I'm thinking he did both at the senior level at Nationals in '98, although maybe it was '97 in which case it would have been senior men and junior pairs.

Pat

[Trillian]

Originally posted by sk8pics
And I believe Philip also skated senior men and pairs. I know he did singles for awhile after starting pairs, and I'm thinking he did both at the senior level at Nationals in '98, although maybe it was '97 in which case it would have been senior men and junior pairs.

I had actually looked that up out of curiosity prior to making my post. :) He was listed in the senior results for nationals in 1997, but not 1998--so yes, he did senior men and junior pairs in '97.

Rogue - Charlie White competed in novice men (finished 10th or so?) and finished around 7th in junior dance with Meryl Davis this year; he's also been an international competitor in dance. He was the intermediate national champion in 2002, but has been competing on the national level in dance much longer--I think he and Meryl were in their fifth or sixth season together this year.

A somewhat related question--I'm not old enough to remember Watson & Oppegard's skating (I wasn't quite seven years old when they won their Olympic medal :)), but I think I've heard they were unusual for a mirror pair in that they jumped in the same direction but did their spins in opposite directions, or vice versa. Does anyone remember for sure on that?

[A.H.Black]

Let us not forget the Goldstein's. Troy used to skate pairs and singles every year for several years. I think Dawn also skated singles at one point too. Also one year they competed in Dance.

[blue111moon]

I think Watson and Oppegard jumped opposite but did their spins the same way. I seem to remember that when they teamed up, Jill insisted that Peter learn to spin HER way and he had a pretty hard time doing it.

[sk8pics]

Originally posted by Trillian
I had actually looked that up out of curiosity prior to making my post. :) He was listed in the senior results for nationals in 1997, but not 1998--so yes, he did senior men and junior pairs in '97.


Thanks, Trillian. I should have known you'd have checked that before posting to begin with.

Pat

[kayskate]

I assume in a mirror pair the man learns to spin in his partner's direction for the purpose of paired spins (not sbs spins). Anybody know for sure?

Kay

[kayskate]

Originally posted by purplecat
Amy Edwards' site has a few clips:

Kristifans.com - videos (http://www.ontheice.org/video.shtml)

:)

I just looked at one of the clips on this site at it looks like Rudy and Kristi did paired spins in *both* directions.

Kay

[purplecat]

Kay, I did see them do a pair spin in both directions one time in their SP which is one of the clips...must've been the one you saw. I thought that was so cool! All the other times I saw them, they did a combination pair spin in Kristi's counterclockwise direction. They also did death spirals and lifts in Kristi's direction. Their jumps and sbs spins were mirrored.

I think some people are getting confused with "mirror" pair moves and pairs that jump and spin in opposite direction. Skaters that jump and spin in the same direction can do pair moves that "mirror" each other while not being skaters of different directions...if that makes any sense to anyone.

Anyone else find it pretty unusual that our gold and silver medal pairs in the U.S. right now are both clockwise pairs!? I find that pretty neat.

[Amandah]

Probably in the irrelevant facts category (and I'm never sure about Kristi's record as a singles skater), but...

In addition to being World Junior Pairs Champions in 1988 and US National Pairs Champions in 1989 and 1990, Kristi and Rudy were both World Junior Champions and US National Champions as singles skaters.

Rudy's World Junior singles championship preceded the Pairs Championship by one year (1987); Kristi was champion as a single and pairs skater in the same year at World Juniors (1988).

On the other hand, both became US Senior Nationals Champions AFTER their pairs days had ended--Kristi in 1992 and Rudy in 1996.

Kristi was twice World Champion (1991 and 1992); Rudy was a bronze medalist (1996). They were fifth in both of their World Championships as Pairs (1989 and 1990).

They were 20 and 18 when they stopped skating pairs in 1990.

Amanda

[what?meworry?]

Originally posted by Rogue
Wasn't there a male skater at Nationals this year that competed in both singles and dance? I believe he was at Junior Men and Novice Dance? Or vice versa?


charlie white competed junior dance and novice men. is that who you're thinking of? he and his partner, meryl are very good dancers. she also is a strong freestyler, but only made it to sectionals.

thry're a really fine dance team.

[Trillian]

Originally posted by what?meworry?
he and his partner, meryl are very good dancers. she also is a strong freestyler, but only made it to sectionals.

Actually, she got a bye to sectionals because of a JGP event; I don't believe she's qualified on her own in the past. (A skater's past record doesn't matter in such a bye, though; if they're registered to compete at regionals and an international competition conflicts, even in a different discipline, they get the bye no matter what.) I don't believe her placement at sectionals indicated that she would have qualified on her own, but you never know. Based on what I recall of her results she's certainly not a bad singles skater.

[BittyBug]

Originally posted by Trillian
Garrett's other two partners have also been lefties--Jessica Waldstein (who skated in a "mirror" partnership for two years with Devin Patrick prior to that) and Jaisa MacAdam.

I don't remember Garret skating with Jaisa - I thought that Jaisa skated with Shane something or other and then quit - but I do remember him skating with Meredith Cataldo, and I thought she was CCW (meaning that they also would have been mirror pairs). This was a looooong time ago, so I could be wrong.

[Trillian]

Originally posted by BittyBug
I don't remember Garret skating with Jaisa - I thought that Jaisa skated with Shane something or other and then quit

Jaisa and Garrett medaled at nationals for three years--novice silver medalists in 1997, junior silver medalists in 1998 and 1999. They also went to junior worlds a couple of times. I don't recall her having another partner after they split--if she did, AFAIK they never actually got as far as competing.

- but I do remember him skating with Meredith Cataldo, and I thought she was CCW (meaning that they also would have been mirror pairs). This was a looooong time ago, so I could be wrong.

Could be, I have no idea. I wasn't following his skating prior to his partnership with Jaisa and haven't heard mention of previous partners, but that doesn't mean there weren't any.

[BittyBug]

Thanks for the update.