The biggest transformation within one year | Golden Skate

The biggest transformation within one year

ioanna

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
Obviously not of Kwan caliber but still worth adding.

Tatsuki Machida - Firebird - Grand Prix Final 2012
FS score 128.05. Couldn't land quadruples at all, went on to finish 9th at the Japanese Nationals later that month. Had never been to any Olympics or World Championships before.

Tatsuki Machida - Firebird - Japanese Nationals 2013
FS score 183.82. Landed 21 quadruples that season, finished 5th at the Sochi Olympics and almost won the World Championships with a bigger FS score (184.05) and one of the best SP scores in men's skating (98.21).
 

Tutto

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Obviously not of Kwan caliber but still worth adding.

Tatsuki Machida - Firebird - Grand Prix Final 2012
FS score 128.05. Couldn't land quadruples at all, went on to finish 9th at the Japanese Nationals later that month. Had never been to any Olympics or World Championships before.

Tatsuki Machida - Firebird - Japanese Nationals 2013
FS score 183.82. Landed 21 quadruples that season, finished 5th at the Sochi Olympics and almost won the World Championships with a bigger FS score (184.05) and one of the best SP scores in men's skating (98.21).

:thumbsup:

Also Papadakis/Cizeron last season
 

CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Denis Ten going from the 2011-2012 to the 2012-2013 season.

I don't know if Liza's comeback qualifies but that was quite a turnaround. Although her overall skating hasn't really improved a whole lot.

I definitely agree with Ge. Also Javier's breakout season from 2011-2012 was quite special.
 

LRK

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
That was my first thought as well, but then is started actually thinking about it. Did he really transform as a skater that much, or did the community finally start respecting him?

No, I think he made huge strides - just see his Worlds' placements this year & the last, for example. Also, I never used to trust any of his jumps - this year, he felt... solid.
 

Krunchii

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 27, 2014
That was my first thought as well, but then is started actually thinking about it. Did he really transform as a skater that much, or did the community finally start respecting him?

Well he really buckled down and improved on his skating to me, he started landing his jumps, last year at the Olympics and 4CC he only had one 3A in the LP and it wasn't even consistent while at Worlds he pulled off two 3As including a 3A-1Lo-3S. His speed and transitions have also improved from the first time I saw him, I remember thinking he was just so slow at 4CC 2012

2014 4CC LP
2015 Worlds LP
 

silverfoxes

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
That was my first thought as well, but then is started actually thinking about it. Did he really transform as a skater that much, or did the community finally start respecting him?

No, he definitely worked hard on his skating skills, presentation, and his jumps are more stable w/o the UR problem he used to have (as far as I can tell). The guy pretty much skated clean, or close to it, all last season. You don't go from 27th place at Worlds to 6th place just because judges decide to start respecting you, though it's pretty funny to even imagine such a scenario...has that ever happened? :laugh2:
 

StitchMonkey

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
I just want to say I was not trying to diminish Misha accomplishments or hard work this year, he clearly is a hard worker. I just think that his skating last year was better than his placements indicated. I don't know how much his progress has been logically linear and how much as been leaps and bounds. I guess i was just looking for transformations where the before was a bit worse. :slink:
 

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam
Medalist
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
Well obviously Kwan in 1995. When finally her Dragon Dad let her put on makeup and do her hair, it was night and day.
 

mrrice

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 9, 2014
Misha Ge, from 2013-14 to 2014-15.

I definitely have to go with Misha Ge. I had at least heard of Michelle in 1995 and to me she was robbed not by Lulu, but by Nicole. It was all over the skating world that Michelle had been robbed due to her lack of maturity. Fortunately, Frank and Lori fixed that in 96 and the rest is history. Misha (to me at least) appeared out of nowhere and just rocked my world with his skating and his performance ability. Plus, he's so cute.
 

Sophie-Anna

Medalist
Joined
May 24, 2013
Papadakis/Cizeron were the first names, which came to my mind. They looked promising already at juniors but becoming champions so quickly was unexpected. I also agree with Misha Ge. Then I would add Ashley Wagner in 2011/2012 season. She wasn't bad before but Nicks ( and maybe also Mills?) have done a great job with her. Her skating started to look more polished and her overall skating just looked much better. She still isn't the clear favorite always time she competes, but everybody know that we have to count with her. Her skating in 2011/2012 was much better than the 10/11 season.
 

sunnystars

#teamotherskaters
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 14, 2014
Definitely Misha comes to my mind first. I think Rika also deserve some recognition for her hard work. Not a fan of her yet but her great progress is hard to not respect.
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
I would definitely have to go with Michelle Kwan. She went from being a little girl to a siren and a grown up woman in one year.
 
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