Introducing myself (and some other comments)

[annkirstin]

Hi everyone, I've lurked around here a couple times but it looks like a great place so I decided to register. My name is Ann, and I love figure skating although I am a "layman" and don't really know a whole lot about it technically (for example, I know an Axel from the other jumps but not much else). But I'm looking forward to maybe learning some more from you here. I first fell in love with figure skating in 1988. My family lived out in the country and we couldn't get cable or any channels with rabbit ears, so all we could watch were videos. My uncle taped some of the Calgary Olympics including the Ladies' LP and the Exhibition. My sister and I watched that tape so many times. We fell in love with Midori Ito and thought she should have won the gold medal. But I was only 8 and didn't know there were compulsory figures and a SP which also determined the outcome of the contest. ;) I've just recently really gotten back into trying to watch more figure skating, because I'm married now and finally have basic cable so I can. I say "trying" to watch, because what frustrates me is that ABC and ESPN move around their schedules around from what the web says, and besides that, they show only about four to six programs from the finals at any one event anyway (and I'm the kind of person who would like to see every entrant, even the people who end up like 20th). The televised coverage stinks, but I don't have enough money to ever go see skating in person. Guess I'll have to hear about most of it here! My favorite skater is Michelle Kwan and I was so happy when she gave that awesome performance and won worlds! Yea!

Since you all seem so knowledgeable, I had two requests I hoped you could help me with too. First, is there any database of the past results of US Junior Nationals on the web? I had a friend in college who said she was in the top ten in Junior nationals one year, so I thought it would be neat to look her up, but I absolutely cannot find a results list anywhere. This would have probably been 1996 or so. Second, does anyone know where to find pictures of Midori Ito's 1988 Olympic long program? I've searched and searched the web but found just one picture, on the city of Calgary's home page. I love computer graphics and webdesign and wanted to put up a tribute page to the person & program that first sparked my love of figure skating. But alas, one picture isn't much to make a webpage from.

Thanks in advance for any help you could give me!
Ann :D

[Elsy2]

Hi! Welcome to the boards! I have looked a few places on the web for older Jr. Nationals results, but can't find anything for you. Nationals, yes, but not Jr. Nationals. The USFSA website will list results for 3 seasons only from what I can see.

At least this will bump your question up, and you may get some answers on finding something on Midori's program. Good luck!

[annkirstin]

It looks like my mom might put our old Calgary 88 tape on DVD for me, if she can figure out how to hook the two machines together. If she can get it done, that would be great, because I could get as many screencaps as I wanted! :D I think I might ask her to put our 1992 Olympic tapes on DVD too; I hope my family hasn't recorded over them!

[Sylvia]

Originally posted by annkirstin
[B]First, is there any database of the past results of US Junior Nationals on the web? I had a friend in college who said she was in the top ten in Junior nationals one year, so I thought it would be neat to look her up, but I absolutely cannot find a results list anywhere. This would have probably been 1996 or so. [B]

Try searching "US Junior National Championships" at Skatabase:
http://www.silent-edge.org/skatabase/results/index2.html

[annkirstin]

Thanks! That page looks like a great resource with a lot of other interesting info too. Unfortunately I didn't find my friend in the Junior National results, but several of the years had only partial listings (for example 1994 only had 1st, 5th, 7th, 8th 9th, and 11th places listed), so that must be the reason.

[what?meworry?]

i've been trying to find statistical sources for past competitions. this is very useful, if a bit spotty. it's sure better than anything else i've found to date.

thank you.