The biggest transformation within one year

[desertskates]

Michele Kwan was my first though, then Angela Nikodinov sprang to mind. Poor thing, losing her coach. But then her mother. I swear if I'd turned down the TV, I'd have been able to hear her spirit break from over 1000 miles away. Glad she's happily coaching with her husband now.

 

[MK's Winter]

The Kween. Simply because I grew up watching her. Such an amazing evolution of a skater.

 

[iluvtodd]

Michele Kwan was my first though, then Angela Nikodinov sprang to mind. Poor thing, losing her coach. But then her mother. I swear if I'd turned down the TV, I'd have been able to hear her spirit break from over 1000 miles away. Glad she's happily coaching with her husband now.

Also Misha Ge, Denis Ten, LIza this season

 

[Sugarpova]

Papadakis/ Cizeron

 

[Skater Boy]

:thumbsup:

Also Papadakis/Cizeron last season

I actually don't agree totally. They were already amazing; it was more a lot of circumstances and luck - lots of retirements, splits and they moved up but they were already incredible. So yes, their results improved amazingly but the skating it self was not really as dramatic or huge transformation versus Kwan.

 

[Mista Ekko]

Elana Sokolova became an international star in 2003 after doing nothing in the 2002 olympic season, terrific SP that year.

 

[Skater Boy]

Stefan Lindemann in 2004, getting bronze at Worlds when his previous best was 13th. I wish he could have kept that standard a little longer.

There were kind of a slew of one shot wonders so to speak - they won bronze and then never seemed to get it back ie Holly Cook, Dube and Davidson,

 

[mrrice]

Elana Sokolova became an international star in 2003 after doing nothing in the 2002 olympic season, terrific SP that year.

True!!!! And She was the cutest thing East of the Mississippi. Isn't She the one Mr. Button called a Cupcake?

 

[breathesgelatin]

I actually don't agree totally. They were already amazing; it was more a lot of circumstances and luck - lots of retirements, splits and they moved up but they were already incredible. So yes, their results improved amazingly but the skating it self was not really as dramatic or huge transformation versus Kwan.

Truth.

 

[blue_idealist]

True!!!! And She was the cutest thing East of the Mississippi. Isn't She the one Mr. Button called a Cupcake?

Yeah she was. It wasn't exactly a permanent transformation since she slipped back down the standings, but Julia Sebestyen had one wonderful GP season, 2004 I think, during which she was much improved from the season before.

ETA: It actually was '03-04, and it wasn't just the GP, her entire season was phenomenal in comparison with her usual results.

 

[hippomoomin]

Valentina Marchei from single to pairs, and with amazing results.

 

[plushyfan]

Valentina Marchei from single to pairs, and with amazing results.

:thumbsup: yes. the biggest!

 

[iluvtodd]

Valentina Marchei from single to pairs, and with amazing results.

Absolutely!

 

[Weathergal]

I've enjoyed Misha Ge's skating for several years--I love his passion and his sometimes quirky nature. To see him rise in the standings and gain more appreciation is awesome. Even so, I wouldn't have guessed watching him at the 2014 Olympics that he would have had the season he had this past year and the jump in the standings.

Other transformations for me that come to mind are Michelle Kwan from 1994-1995 to 1995 to 1996, Angela Nikodinov from 1999-2000 to 2000-2001

 

[cheerknithanson]

I've enjoyed Misha Ge's skating for several years--I love his passion and his sometimes quirky nature. To see him rise in the standings and gain more appreciation is awesome. Even so, I wouldn't have guessed watching him at the 2014 Olympics that he would have had the season he had this past year and the jump in the standings.

SAME! Like I started to really get into skating in the 2014 Olympics and watched the whole men's SP and FP (Thanks to having 2 snow days perfectly on those 2 days) and I remember Misha. Such a character. Like IIRC he did a bit of air guitar in the K&C and it had me laughing. And to see him jump in the rankings makes me so proud of him.

 

[OS]

Misha has always been undermarked for his quirky personality and original programs. This is the year he went 'respectable' and 'straight laced' and he was finally rewarded by 'predicable and safe' tastes from the over 45s judges. I think he is VERY smart and knows he has to do his own politicking by being really active in the social media including put himself actively as skaters representative, otherwise he will just get lost among all the power federation players. I hope there are more opportunity for him to go back to some original source materials that I know he has in him.

For me Rika Hongo in the ladies has had the biggest transformation. Her win at Cup of Russia was a complete fluke, probably an embarrassment to Russia federation who picked a third tier skater from Japan who got the replacement spot after Adelina backed out, but some how managed to win the whole competition, that seems entirely designed for Adelina to win with the weakest field among all the GP series. What a fluke, and totally hilarious.

It is wonderful to see Rika improve steadily to have visible improvement and run away with her golden opportunity by the last WC, you have to respect that. I'd be curious to see how she will do at this years COR. It will be deeply ironic if she some how miraculously beat Sotnikova at Cup of Russia, not likely - but it is not an impossibility! Oh boy the PCS game will be very interesting to watch as I don' think realistically they are that far apart.

 

[LiamForeman]

Nikodinov did have a nice transformation in the 2001 season, but she was always an elegant skater IMO. I still think she arguably should have been either third or second at 1997 Nationals. But Kwan totally transformed in 1996. It wasn't just the hair and makeup, her body grew and she had more attention to detail and musicality. Though I do think if she at least attempted to up her appearance with hair/makeup in 1995, she would certainly have been on the podium at 95 Worlds, if not win the whole thing.

 

[Ice Dance]

Misha has always been undermarked for his quirky personality and original programs.

And, yet, I was re-reading a 2013 Worlds thread recently, and posters were griping about how the judging was so lousy because the judges had dared to place Misha above Peter Liebers. LOL. Hindsight is always interesting. We're quick to criticize the judges for lacking insight, but fans rarely go back and critique their own poor judgment calls.

 

[gmyers]

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.

If you don't think she transformed why bring her up? RIDICULOUS!

 

[Mathman]

Tuktamysheva is in a different category. She was great as a young up-and-comier -- along wiith Sotnikova, shortly after 2010 she was the future of the sport. Then she hit kind of a plateau and let some others catch up to her, such as Lipnitskaia. Then Liza zoomed on ahead.