Clapping when skaters fall

Ic3Rabbit said:

It didn't have anything to do with Jeremy "being a threat" or not. He had massive support from the audience there especially the large Japanese fandom that was there with American, Canadian and yes even some Russian.

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Indeed he totally deserve them, I was bawling at that point. Much of the patriotic crowd probably left when Plushy left, so we got a real nice figure skating crowd and one of the better atmosphere at these games.

OS said:

Indeed he totally deserve them, I was bawling at that point. Much of the patriotic crowd probably left when Plushy left, so we got a real nice figure skating crowd and one of the better atmosphere at these games.

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That patriotic crowd was mainly formed from other (macho) sports athletes as well as media and showbiz persons who had no genuine interest in figure skating at all except Plushy. Thank God they left early.

One of the first elite competitions I attended, in 1994, one of the lower ranked skaters was having a bad day in the freeskate and fell four times. After the third fall he looked completely disheartened like he would rather leave the ice than go on, but the crowd cheered him on by clapping so he did finish the program. Assuming no actual injury, I would imagine that in retrospect he was glad to have completed that competition.

Five years later, in one of my first adult competitions (I never got a chance to compete as a kid), I fell unexpectedly on my opening jump combination. For one second I didn't know what to do because I was so inexperienced, but the audience started clapping and I found myself back on my feet and back in the program faster than I believed myself capable.

They were all young skaters except for Ross Miner, so I think the audience was just anticipating the need for encouragement which is why the clapping often started so soon. The more odd part was that some of the programs were blah and boring so not many people clapped for it. BUT then the skater fell and everyone wanted to encourage them so they clapped a lot. It sort of gave the impression of rewarding a fall and more or less ignoring the successful jumps. So, my husband, who's new to watching skating, was confused.

I had heard Jeremy Abbott say he was going to give up on his SP in Sochi, but then the audience clapped for him so he kept going. So, I assumed that was the intent, but I like to ensure I have my etiquette down.

Curling also has the policy that you cheer a got shot --no matter which team made the shot-- and do nothing if a bad shot happens. That's what I'm used to. Also, in curling if you fall the audience doesn't need to encourage you to get up. Either you are injured and stay down or you're not so you get up quickly in order to avoid leaving a butt imprint on the ice that could mess up someone else's shot.

OS said:

Oh if only Plushy could have competed against the like of Patrick and Hanyu, what a difference would that make. Now... that would have been interesting.

I love him to bits, but Jeremy was no threat, unfortunately.

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Didn't they all skate against one another in the team event?

SarahSynchro said:

Didn't they all skate against one another in the team event?

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Yes lol!

lyverbird1 said:

This was the applause moment I would refer to as well. I'm not the biggest Anna fan but no real skating fan wants to see any skater fail or get into as much trouble as she did in that free skate. The encouragement she received in the arena that day was fantastic - not a hint of anyone clapping because they were pleased she fell but rather a collective willing her on to do well. Even when I'm at home, I find myself doing it...

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another example is alissa czisny at 2012 worlds. that was SO hard to watch.

macy said:

another example is alissa czisny at 2012 worlds. that was SO hard to watch.

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Alissa was hard to watch and there was speculation that was she was injured before the event and tried to tuff it out.....She certainly seemed injured but I have never heard the truth about it. If she was injured, they should have given her spot to the alternate. I guess it depends on when her injury happened. It could have happened during the 6 minute warm up before the free program. Who knows....

mrrice said:

Alissa was hard to watch and there was speculation that was she was injured before the event and tried to tuff it out.....She certainly seemed injured but I have never heard the truth about it. If she was injured, they should have given her spot to the alternate. I guess it depends on when her injury happened. It could have happened during the 6 minute warm up before the free program. Who knows....

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She had hurt her calf the winter prior, and then her hip declined w/o them knowing in the meantime or her coach, Jason Dungjen would have w/d her from the competition.

Clapping will be better than immediate pin-drop silence after a fall (including the music). That would be super weird.

I think the current generation of skaters have got used to clapping when they made mistakes. Most of them know they're being encouraged. It's a nice thing to do.