Who has the best skating skills? | Golden Skate

Who has the best skating skills?

TripleAxelQueens3

sasha trusova is superior
Final Flight
Joined
Apr 17, 2018
I was bored today so I was looking through last season’s archives and saw a thread about skating skills and then I began to wonder which active skater has the best skating skills. I’m going to exclude ice dancers because the majority of them have better skating skills than single skaters.

In my opinion: Patrick still has the best skatings skills out of the men, and Caro seems to be the front runner in ladies. Honorable mentions include: Marin Honda, Yuzuru Hanyu. Not going to lie, I don’t know enough about pairs to judge.

So... who has the best skating skills?
 

BillNeal

You Know I'm a FS Fan...
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Adding Daisuke Takahashi to the list, who is coming back this season competitively (active).
 

irriya

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 31, 2016
have to say Patrick Chan. never see someone skate that beautiful. just beautiful
 

Danibellerika

Medalist
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Chan, though I guess he's technically not active anymore. But the Japanese (ladies and men) in particular have wonderful skills. I could watch Yuzu, Shoma, and Dai not do a single jump. Satoko and Mai too. And though I'm not really into her skating Marin's got great feet. Kolyada's pretty great as well, underrated IMO. And we can't forget Caro for the ladies.
 

Baron Vladimir

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2014
I kind of agree, but also disagree... I would say Patrick and Caro have potentital to show the best skating skills (even in the whole FS history). But that was not always the case, cause i remember watching Evgenia and Yuzu clearly outskated them in some of SS department. So its sometimes dependable on a day we are watching them skating. They, who could be the best, are not the best all the time ;)[SUB][/SUB]
 

Metis

Shepherdess of the Teal Deer
Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 14, 2018
Hanyu, Daisuke, Kolyada, and Rizzo are the ones that come to mind for the men.

Ladies, eh. Outside of Kostner, no one jumps to front of mind.
 
Joined
Oct 20, 2017
From the perspective of fans, there’s probably different views on defining ‘skating skills’. The ISU Official take: overall quality of the skating ability (e.g. balance, cleanness and sureness, flow, edges, multi directional skating, power)

I call this being a ‘master of the blade’ and agree 100% with Patrick Chan and Jeremy Abbott as two of the best ever. I would add Kurt Browning as someone to this day I consider the GOAT in this category. Since the OP is looking for current competitors, my pick is Yuzuru for the men and for pure movement over the ice, Satoko Miyahara on my top list for the ladies. Some may be critical of Satoko’s jumps (I'll admit I am) but what she does between them is the epitome of my interpretation of this component.

High on my list are also Kostner, Medvedeva and Osmond, and if I get to see Daisuke Takahashi compete this year, I very much look forward to seeing his exquisite happy feet skating skills again.
 

lichi

sui holding a deep edge
On the Ice
Joined
Apr 24, 2018
Sui Wenjing is the definition of holding an edge and looking sexy.

Not that I'm biased or anything
 

Ic3Rabbit

Former Elite, now Pro. ⛸️
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 9, 2017
Country
Olympics
From the perspective of fans, there’s probably different views on defining ‘skating skills’. The ISU Official take: overall quality of the skating ability (e.g. balance, cleanness and sureness, flow, edges, multi directional skating, power)

I call this being a ‘master of the blade’ and agree 100% with Patrick Chan and Jeremy Abbott as two of the best ever. I would add Kurt Browning as someone to this day I consider the GOAT in this category. Since the OP is looking for current competitors, my pick is Yuzuru for the men and for pure movement over the ice, Satoko Miyahara on my top list for the ladies. Some may be critical of Satoko’s jumps (I'll admit I am) but what she does between them is the epitome of my interpretation of this component.

High on my list are also Kostner, Medvedeva and Osmond, and if I get to see Daisuke Takahashi compete this year, I very much look forward to seeing his exquisite happy feet skating skills again.

Yes definitely Kurt, he's the best!
 

NymphyNymphy

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 26, 2017
Adelina Sotnikova. Her step sequence in her 2014 FS rivaled Patrick Chan's in intricacy, complexity, and ice coverage.
 

4everchan

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2015
Country
Martinique
Patrick, Kurt, Jeff, and in a few years, Joseph ....

For ladies, my forever crush is Yuka Sato.

pairs : gordeeva grinkov

and the virtual pair of savchenko -radford ;)
 

daphenaxa

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 17, 2015
if we say active as competing this season : Takahashi, Shoma, Kolyada, Hanyu, Brown, Osmond, Kostner, Marin, Satoko, Sui/Han, Tarasova/Morozov, (Stolbova/Klimov? if not split)
 

Sam-Skwantch

“I solemnly swear I’m up to no good”
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2013
Country
United-States
I’m always scared of terms like best because I just don’t ever feel right making such claims but I’ll speak on some ladies who have impressed upon me.

Mao Asada: Great use of power and emotion to create not only amazing flurries of genius combinations but to advance the character of her programs. I never stopped watching Mao during those step sequences and often found myself letting out little involuntary “wows”. If I could pick one skater it would be her.

Satoko Miyhara for different reasons. I actually warmed slowly to her SS but as time went on and I watched her more and more I noticed that she really brings about defining moments of her programs during the StSeq. She’s not usually doing the most difficult things but she’s got a way of adding to the character of her performance with very precise skating skills that seem designed perfectly to the music and theme. I always look forward to her programs and her skating is a huge part of it.

As for the Future...Anastasia Gubanova is my eternal hope. Her deep fluid use of edges and deliberate control of speed and momentum during Step Sequences and connecting steps is a thing of beauty. She uses deep passion for her music combined with not only difficult but very well executed steps while adding to the character of her programs. I know a lot of people don’t follow juniors so I’ll add a link that I recommend to anyone who may have missed her. It’s amazing to me that someone so young can look so advanced and purposeful with her use of basic skating.
https://youtu.be/WNh2uOk2joo?t=41s




I guess I’ll add some ramblings about other disciplines for whatever reason :eek::


Ice Dance: I like the Shibs Twizzles best but the whole discipline is rooted in steps so I’ll just say all of them and :scard7:

Men: I agree with everyone already listed but Kurt really stands out in my mind. TBH when I watch men skating I look forward to the skating skills almost more than anything else. Yuzu and Denis and Patrick all have left very memorable performances on my brain and usually it’s that bladevto I’ve skating that I first remember before the other stuff. I think Jason Brown does s good job of using his skating skills to add depth to his programs.

I reallly miss Josh Farris. That guy utilized his blades like no other. I’m fortunate to have seen it in person :cry:
 

s_parks

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 25, 2013
Active skaters... well, if we're talking strictly SS, I'd say it's Torgashev amongst men that instantly stands out. I'm not an expert by any means, but his control, depth of edge, and speed/ice coverage with one-footed skating is insane when you watch him. (too bad the technical stuff isn't materializing, but I digress...). Aside from him, Hanyu.
Ladies- Kostornaia? And Gubanova...
Ice dance- not too familiar but Cizeron and Baker stand out.
Pairs- Stolbova and Klimov, hands down. Never got to see them live unfortunately(esp. since they've now allegedly split), but their speed really stands out from the rest. After that, I'd say Han, and T/M.
 
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