Calgary 1988 - Ladies competition

[iceboy]

I had the chance to find an old tape of the Calagary Olympics, 1988.

I did watch the short and long program...

I feel so bad for Manley, she (without the school figures) would be Olympic Champion.

Her free skate included a 3lutz, 3toe, 3salchow, 3loop(2feet), she skated with great energy and had the technical content to win.

Katerina Witt landed also 4 triples but only 2 different ones...
2 3salchows and 2 3toes, one in combination

Midori Ito skated a propgram that would probably medal at Worlds today... and it was 14 years ago.... 3lutz, 3flip, 2axel/½lo/3salchow, 3loop, 3toe/3toe combo, 3salchow, 2axel... WOW... Can you believe she didn't medal with that program... too bad she was so far after the figures...

Oh well, it was fun to see that competition again...
Anybody remember this...?

[Louis]

What do you think the competition results would look like if all of those programs were skated under today's standards?

I think I'd have had it something like:

SP
1. Thomas 5.8/5.9
2. Kadavy 5.7/5.9
3. Trenary 5.7/5.8 (no National bias, ahem! :oops: )
4. Ito 5.7/5.7
5. Witt 5.6/5.8
6. Manley 5.5/5.7

I still think Debi Thomas's short program is one of the ultimate triumphs for athleticism in ladies skating. Unabashedly powerful and brilliant! Definitely one of my all-time favorite short programs.

Caryn Kadavy's short program is a forgotten masterpiece of the opposite extreme! Beautiful, flowing, balletic choreography done by Toller Cranston plus a mean 3loop/2loop combination. I could even see a case for placing this first, but Thomas's program was too revolutionary to be denied.

Jill Trenary had a 3flip/2loop combination, and Midori Ito had a 2loop/3loop combo. Has anyone done either of those combinations since then? :) (I miss the double loop as a prescribed element in the combination.) This was one of Trenary's best skates -- all out and powerful; after 1988, she got too conservative athletically. Ito was phenomenal, too, and had presentation that was fresh and exciting. I think she got too conservative presentation-wise leading up to the 1992 Olympics.

I wasn't too enamored with all of the posing in Witt's program, but I'd still have had her ahead of Manley because 3toe/2loop is harder than 3salchow/2loop. I love Manley's basic skating, but the combo was too easy against skaters who were no slouches in the basic skating department.

Free Skate

1. Ito 6.0/5.8
2. Witt 5.7/5.9
3. Manley 5.8/5.8
4. Trenary 5.6/5.7
5. Thomas 5.5/5.6

Ito was out-of-this-world, and she should have been showered with 6.0s on the technical mark. Her performance was the equivalent of a lady coming out and doing three quads today. The speed, the power, and the excitement were like nothing I've ever seen. For those who haven't seen this performance, imagine Tara Lipinski in 1998 times ten. Under today's judging standards, Ito would have trounced the competition.

Witt in second is a bit controversial, but she did have four clean triples to Manley's three (even if they were easier triples), plus one real combination to Manley's zero. And my god, Witt was Carmen in this free skate. The first sixty seconds of this program is one of my favorite skating minutes -- beautiful, precise, powerful stroking into technically perfect, easy-looking triple jumps done with panache, flair, and excitement. Total mastery of everything. The rest of the program didn't live up to the technical excitement of the first minute, but like I said, Witt was Carmen in this skate.

Manley had a lutz that has yet to be equaled except maybe by Tonya Harding, and her performance certainly had speed and the emotional factor. She was very good on all of the technical criteria of the presentation mark and had the excitement of the moment, but the program didn't have quite the same crispness or polish as Witt's. I think Manley won the free by a 5-4 split, and that's understandable. Either way would have been fine with me.

Trenary and Thomas both opened up on too many jumps :(. I loved Thomas's "Carmen" and think she could have beaten Witt had she delivered. Every bit of the choreography down to the stag jump and the butterfly was all about power. Such a shame she let it go!

The free skate was a bit of a letdown after such a spectacular short program, but this is one of my favorite competitions to re-live. Thanks for bringing it up, Sly!

[iceboy]

I also thought that Kadavy's program was great! A Toller Cranston masterpiece, and a beautiful 3loop/2loop... It should have been in the top 3 after the short!

Trenary attempted an ambitious 3flip/2loop, but the quality of the landing on the 3flip was quite jerky...

Katarina Witt did a short program that had 6.0's written all over it, for presentation!!! I thought the interpretation and her straight line of footwork was exceptional... a real vegas show on ice and the costume...:twisted: :o

Debi was very athletic... and exciting to watch...

Hum, well it would have been close in my book, but I would have gone with the more difficult jumps...

Kadavy, Ito and Thomas should have been in the top 3 after the short!

[freeskate]

What happened to Kadavy in the long? Was it Olympics or Worlds that she withdrew from due to flu?

[bcskater]

i only have a tape of this event and it doesnt show that many ladies. its canadian coverage and they show charlene wong, and then a couple from the last flight including witt and manley. i could be wrong, i should watch the tape again but does anyone mind telling what the 3 american girls, along with midori, did in there long programs? thanks :)

[iceboy]

Long program:

Midori Ito
3lutz
3flip
2axel/½loop/3salchow
3loop
3toe/3toe
3salchow
2axel

Jill Trenary USA
2flip, meant to be a 3
inside Axel/3Salchow
2loop
3toe
2axel

Katarina Witt GDR
3toe/2toe
3Salchow
3toe
2axel
2loop, meant to be a 3
3salchow step 2flip
2axel

Elizabeth Manley CAN
2flip
3lutz
3toe
2axel
3loop (2feet)
3salchow
2flip
2flip step 2toe
2axel

Debi Thomas USA
3toe/3toe 2feet over turn
2flip
3salchow/2toe step out
3loop step out
3salchow fall
2axel

[bcskater]

thanks for doing that so quickly!
clearly midori should have won the free skate and then manley, witt, trenary and thomas into 5th.

[love2sk8]

ITA. Midori had an awesome skate that was deserving of first place in the long.

[viennese]

I'm so glad I've saved my Calgary videotape. It's fading out, I've watched it so many times.

I always enjoyed the short programs by Ito and the three American ladies. Liz Manley's programs were inspirnig -- having seen her skate the year before, I worried that she would melt down before such a huge audience. What a joy to see her skate "up" to the crowd that was loving every move.

At the time, I was disappointed that Witt triumphed. I didn't like her programs as well as the year before. But rewatching the tape, you can see the tension in her face, the pressure she is under. And overall, she was the skater who coped with the pressure best through all three phases.

[Sing_Alto]

Originally posted by freeskate
What happened to Kadavy in the long? Was it Olympics or Worlds that she withdrew from due to flu?

Caryn came down with the flu in Calgary.

[olivia]

Originally posted by Louis
I still think Debi Thomas's short program is one of the ultimate triumphs for athleticism in ladies skating. Unabashedly powerful and brilliant! Definitely one of my all-time favorite short programs.


A big me too! I'll never forget the ending pose or the unitard!

This event was grand. The different personalities made it even better. Witt was the ultimate diva. That Carmen dress was to die for! I know, I know, it's not about the dresses! :oops: Liz Manley's LP was triumphant. Debi's, the agony of defeat. Witt, cool as a cucumber. And poor Caryn Kadavy. I'll never forget how weak and sick she looked, and the sadness on her face having to withdrawal from the competition. What drama! The men's competition was even better!

O-

[Aaron W]

Louis,

For my 21st birthday present you can make me a copy of the 88 Olys and give it to me in Washington. ;) I'll even pay for the videos. :)

Hint, hint. :D

[Lulia]

I can't help but think that ladies figure skating has become so utterly boring since Katarina is not around. I mean, as so many of you pointed out, Midori Ito had the technical edge in Calgary, but Jesus, jumps are not all! Katarina told stories on the ice, she was a real actress.
Today, you get MK with her ONE facial expression, and some variations of it.
It seems that almost all the champions since then are just skate-bots letting nerves - and jumps- get in the way of artistry. Maybe Oksana Baiul had the potential, but she retired so fast. Chen Lu was beautiful to watch. And among that you have flashes in the pan like Trenary, who won worlds and then all but disappeared.
Where's the excitement? Where are the real
rivalries?
Sasha Cohen is showing promise, hope she doesn't get bland...

That was my rant! :D

[Alexeiskate]

Originally posted by Lulia
Katarina told stories on the ice, she was a real actress.



It's debatable whether Kat was "a real actress" on the ice. I don't think looking sultry requires much of an acting range.

[olivia]

Kat was just being Kat, actually. I wouldn't call her "Carmen" anymore a good acting performance than I would call Sasha's "Carmen" a good acting performance. In both cases, IMO, the skater's personality suited the music and theme.

More is required of the ladies today on the technical side. It's not a wonder they look like skate-bots a lot of the time with the focus and concentration required to complete the many jumps in a competitive LP. Just take Sasha's Romeo & Juliet program (the one skated that the pro-am). Because it didn't need to be jam-packed with jumps, Sasha could truly perform the program and present the program to its ultimate ... and she did!

Trying to end this on topic here, Kat Witt was an interesting personality that made the ladies event more intriguing to be sure.

O-

[Aussie Willy]

I agree about Thomas' SP. It was just fantastic and one of the best all time.

Ito just blew me away. Christopher Dean was commentating for Australian TV and said that she would be the first woman to get the triple axel - how true. He also said that the best thing about her presentation was the skating itself which was dynamic and exciting which should have given her the artistic marks.

And Manley really represented what the Olympics are about. She went out and did her best and got rewarded for it. It was like a fairy tale.

[JockProf]

The 1988 Olympics Ladies SP is my all-time favorite event. With the exception of Ivanova and Leistner, that last group (plus Ito) was amazing!! I loved Debi's footwork and the unitard was great. I can watch that event over and over again.

[chrisa]

I agree with Louis about Midori. That was absolutely amazing. I have it on tape too and to watch the energy she had was amazing. That was a non-stop program that shows why Midori is still the most exciting female skater I've ever seen. Her short program was fantastic too, especially the combo 2loop-3loop. The look on her face when she was done skating was priceless and the crowd was ecstatic. That was classic Midori before the heavy burdens of being a favourite took their toll.

I can't remember, right now, all the different programs, but it was one great competition.

[A.H.Black]

Does anyone remember seeing Midori skate before that performance? For me the performance and her reaction afterward always struck me as a moment of self discovery for her. Almost like "I don't believe I just did that! Look what I can do! In the Olympics! " type of a moment.

I'm wondering if she skated like that before or if this really was her big moment of realization.

[Anita Mann]

You're all making me so jealous!! I didn't have a VCR back in 1988.

Waaaaaaaah!

[Aussie Willy]

Leistner did not skate too badly in the SP. It was just that big rut she caught in her camel spin that caused her fall. In the slow mo you can see the blade stop and her body keep going. It was such a shame because she really was very talented and could have been placed better except for the rut.

I always thought Ivanova was a interesting skater, but pity that she was not a strong jumper.

[gatorboy]

In reply to AH Black, I did see Midori on ESPN that year (late '87) at NHK Trophy. She skated almost as well (maybe had one turnout on a jump) and clearly outskated Katarina Witt, who landed maybe 3 triples at NHK? The commentators were miffed but not surprised that the World Champion was held up over the jumping bean.

As for Olympics, for me, i felt Ito and Kadavy were hugely underscored in the short, as I owuld've had them 1st and second. Ito went with the most risky combo by far (2loop/3loop combo, so risky) and had energy to spare, huge jumps, great choreography for her (a little rough but most enjoyable). The only better program in my opinion (again, by today's judging standards) was Kadavy's short, which matched difficulty (3loop/2loop) with the most expresisve, lyrical, artistic of the numbers. It was a perfect skate despite her high fever. Coach carlo Fassi went nuts over the low marks (though several judges rewarded artistry with 5.9). Trenary had an ambitious 3flip/2loop but was shaky. I don't recall anyone attempting 3lutz/2loop. I personally didn't care for Katarina's show program to jazzy showgirl music. The camel change camel had ugly positions, as was her ugly humped over sit spin position (Kat has improved her spins immensely since turning pro). Debi Thomas did skate great but didn't get the artistic mark of Kat. The 2loop/3toe was more difficult (putting the triple as the second jump). Great footwork sequence also.

Ito's long program brought the house down and should have won the free skate, period. It wasn't just that she did 7 triples, it was the quality of the jumps, the security, the only clean 3/3, and the energy and joy of the program.

[A.H.Black]

Thanks Gaterboy. Interestiing about NHK marks. In those days figures could always make the difference and Midori had problems there, but I'm sure you're right about being under marked. There was a real sense of waiting your turn in the era of figures that has since lessened.