best performances of the season

[Simka]

Now that the season's over, I'd like to know what you thought were the best performances of the season. Any skater, any discipline, short, original, and free.

For instance:

Shen & Zhao LP, Worlds
Michael Weiss LP, Lalique
Carolina Kostner LP, Europeans
Lang & Tchernyshev FD, Worlds
Chengjiang Li SP and LP, Worlds
Belbin & Agosto OD, Nationals
Belbin & Agosto FD, Worlds
Tim Goebel SP and LP, Worlds

Was Michelle's best perf Nats or Worlds? Langlois & Archetto's best perf?
How about Stannick Jeannette? Jeff Buttle? Shen & Zhao's best SP? Bourne & Kraatz? etc.

[Debbie S]

Bourne/Kraatz - Worlds FD
Michelle Kwan - Worlds LP (I didn't go to Nats, so I have no idea if it was better - they were both perfect in terms of elements, but small comparisons in performance are hard to make if you see one program in person and one on TV), her Worlds SP was also amazing
Shen/Zhao - Worlds LP - they saved the best for last (of the season)
Michael Weiss - Worlds QR (Lalique LP was great, but didn't he have a stumble early in the program?)
Tim G - Worlds LP
Ryan Jahnke - Worlds QR (amazing)
Plushenko - Euros (it was better than GPF, wasn't it? Or am I getting them confused?)
Scott/Dulebohn - Worlds LP (a personal best for them)
Elena Sokolova - Worlds QR (2 3/3s, a personal best, and her SP and LP weren't too bad, either)

I thought Langlois/Archetto were great in their Worlds SP - and totally robbed. I thought they (and Pang/Tong) were better than Petrova/Tikhonov in the LP.

Unfortunately, Jeff Buttle's best performances at Worlds were in practices - but he's a fabulous skater nonetheless - if he could only keep his jumps together in comp....

[*dani-skates*]

Brian Joubert was great at europeans- when he is on he has alot of charisma
Stephane Lambiel has so much talent and when he becomes more consistant on his quad and 3a he could be right up there.
Carolina Kostner -LP at euros and SP at worlds
Elena Sokolova's come back, her SP at euros was great but the come back in general was amazing- is there anyone else who has done that?
Sasha Cohen at Skate Canada (i beleive) was very good
Julia Sebestyn- maybe not the best overall performance but for her a great performance was at europeans. She has amazing power in her jumps which you don't really appreciate until you see her live.
Shen and Zhao at worlds- there performance was incredible especially with her ankle
Jennifer Robinson at worlds (quals and SP) she seems so happy when she skates and has a great attitude.

I know my people were sometimes a little OT and there are alot of skaters who have acheived personnal goals and best performances that aren't going to win them medals but are still great skates like the worlds performances of Langlois and Archetto or Berankova and Dlabola

[Ximena]

I agree with most of your picks

Was Michelle's best perf Nats or Worlds? Langlois & Archetto's best perf? How about Stannick Jeannette? Jeff Buttle? Shen & Zhao's best SP? Bourne & Kraatz? etc
I prefer Michelle's Aranjuez program at Nationals and The feeling begins at Worlds.
Stanick Jeanette at Euros was really really good, I like "L'enfant Pure" very much.

Plushenko - Euros (it was better than GPF, wasn't it? Or am I getting them confused?)
GPF was better and he hit his 4-3-3!! It was really good he receive six 6.0 for presentation

I will add to that list
- Plushenko QR at worlds (I did not see it but they said it was great)
- Honda "Riverdance" at 4CC
- L&A at Euros
- Brian Joubert at Euros

[adrianchew]

From what I've heard - Carolina's qualifying round performance at Europeans tops her LP performance there, not a mistake in the qualifying round... she doubled the opening loop in the LP and later did another 3-loop in her Euros free. Of course, most of us will never get to see that performance. :(

Carolina's SP at Junior Worlds is just as good as her SP at Worlds, but the program was slightly easier due to the jump requirements and differences for Junior SPs... performance-wise, it was delivered at the same level.

Sasha's best performances SP at Cup of Russia, LP at Crest Challenge.

[Ellyn]

Originally posted by *dani-skates*
Elena Sokolova's come back, her SP at euros was great but the come back in general was amazing- is there anyone else who has done that?

Todd Eldredge, 1995? Of course he'd only been off the world team for 2 years, not 4, but his results that season were very similar to Elena's this year.

[duane]

Best performances this season, in no particular order:

Shen & Zhao (Worlds LP)
Plushenko (GPF LP)
Goebel (Worlds LP)
Kwan (Skate America, SP)
Cohen (COR, SP)

[loveskating]

Shen & Zhao (Worlds LP)
Plushenko (GPF LP)
Goebel (Worlds LP)
Sasha Cohen (Skate Canada LP; SC and COR, SP, Worlds Exhibition)
Belbin & Agosto: Elvis FD, at Worlds especially
Bourne & Kratz, Worlds FD (I only wish that in 98 they had been as mature, solid, commanding and innovative, as they did become)
Takeshi Honda: 4CC LP
A.P. McDonough: Skate America LP

Happiest about new up and comer: Brian Joubert...his basics remind me so much of the younger Yagudin, and I LOVE it that France has a skater with great technique, and so I really wish him well (also, he is a sweet cutie type, and that's always good for skating, LOL).

[Ivan W]

Originally posted by Ellyn
Todd Eldredge, 1995? Of course he'd only been off the world team for 2 years, not 4, but his results that season were very similar to Elena's this year.

Actually, he was off the world team for three years - prior to 94-95 season, his last worlds appear was at 92 (Oakland). However, both Todd and Elena comebacks were amazing.

However, the major comeback award has to go to Rudy Galindo. Prior to 1996, he last skated at worlds as a pairs skater with Yamaguchi in 1990.

NOW, THAT'S A COMEBACK!!!

[LAVENDER]

Michelle’s Worlds and Nationals sp and long
S & Z Worlds long program
Tim Worlds short and long
Plushenko Grand Prix long program
B & K 4CCs free dance
Sasha R & J Canadian Open or one of those fluff comps
Sasha Skate Canada short program even with fall on footwork. Just had a fire.
Takeshi 4CC long program with the 3 quads

[spiralsrfun]

My picks:

Shen & Zhao (Worlds LP) THE moment of the season IMO
Michelle (Nationals LP) Can you say emotion...lol
Michelle (Worlds SP) This was the SP performance of the season...WOW
Bourne & Kraatz (Worlds FD) Excellent, excellent, excellent!
Plushenko (GPF LP) Pure Plushy!
Goeble (Worlds LP) Inspired and free!
Honda (4CC LP) The best I've ever seen him skate, very, very good.
Sasha (Worlds Exhibition) Not a competition, but her best skate of the season. Stunning!

[Simka]

Thanks so much for all the good input.

How about Winkler & Lohse? Of the competitions they were able to make, what were their best OD and FD?

Was Shen & Zhao's Worlds SP their best SP performance?

Alexei Yagudin was able to compete his SP a couple of times, right? Which was his best?

What was AP McD's best SP?

What were Inoue & Baldwin's best SP & LP?

What was Takeshi's best SP?

Was Michael Weiss's best SP his Worlds one, despite the fall?

What were Pang & Tong's best SP & LP?

What were Ilia Klimkin's best SP & LP? Alexander Abt's?

[Ximena]

What were Ilia Klimkin's best SP & LP? Alexander Abt's?
Ilia best FP this season has been the one at NHK trophy, he had an step out on his quad but it was great. Also because he was like the last skater, he needed to win to make it to GPF and he did it. It was great.

Alexander Abt despite the two-footed quad did a very very good job at Bofrost Cup this season, both his SP and FP

I do think Weiss best SP was at worlds despite the fall

[*dani-skates*]

How about Winkler & Lohse? Of the competitions they were able to make, what were their best OD and FD?


Ohe yeah, Winkle and Lohse- I love them their FD this year, it was amazing and they have some of the best choreography around. I wish that they hadn't been injured this season. One day I would love to see them become world champions. I hope that they stay eligible for a while longer!

[roogu]

I would have to say that THE Performance of the year would have to be Shen and Zhao's FS at worlds .... it wasn't the technical stuff and I dunno what they did, but there was something magical about them that evening.

[Cryssania]

I'm not really sure if AP had a strong SP this year. Most times, she botched up one of the jump elements.

[DORISPULASKI]

Stephane Lambiel's best could well be his qualifying rounds at World's.

And Sasha's qualifying round at World's was her best LP this year, I thought. She had no major slipups in it at all, and I believe she said it was her first totally clean LP. (And it was great to watch, too).

[JDC1]

Michelle Kwan LP at Worlds - pure emotion and she was FAST

Michelle SP at Nats - LOVED IT. The best short I've seen in a LONG TIME.

Ryan Jhanke Qualifying LP -he's so elegant and he was clearly enjoying himself and it was great to share that moment with him.

Stephane Lambiel - Qualifying LP- I had heard of him but had no clue who he was and it was great to discover him in this competition.

Jeff Buttle QR LP - I know he wasn't clean but god he's a beautiful skater and his program was everything I LOVE about skating, you can have all the Plushy's you want THIS guy is my cup of tea.

[Lark]

S&Z Worlds LP - One of those rare performances (Galindo '96, Tara '98, Sarah '02) that make you just shake your chair apart.

Michelle Nationals LP - Just as good, if not better, than anything she had done in '98!

Sarah Nationals LP - I thougt she seemed more free here than anytime I have seen her, excluding '02 Olympic LP!

Timmy Worlds LP - Wuz robbed is the only way I can explain it. This was his best to date.

B&K 4CC FD - Magic. No other words needed.

[Canadian Chick]

Sasha Cohen-

Skate Canada SP- as someone said, there was just amazing fire!
Worlds QR
Worlds Exhibition
Sears Open Interpertive

Bourne and Kraatz-

Nationals FD

[icyboid]

Regarding MK's Nationals vs. Worlds LP, I'd say the Nationals barely edges out the Worlds performance because of her weird 3toe-2toe landing.