Name your top five underrated skaters, past or present. | Page 8 | Golden Skate

Name your top five underrated skaters, past or present.

Ruthypegs

On the Ice
Joined
May 5, 2017
Country
United-Kingdom
I'm definitely joining you. Pairs are the thing for me, it's the discipline I love best. It is encouraging that in the US there are good developments (pair camps, couples staying together for a longer time, help from top coaches), that Canada seems to be getting back on track (really hoping the new pairing between Charlie and Lubov works out), China is continuing strong, while the depth of the field in Russia is just spectacular. Furthermore, the Austrians and Germans are becoming somewhat more succesfull even though one of those pairs was lost to us, that Zoe's partnership still is going strong, etc. However, last season was a bit of a bummer with so few participants in pairs at the major competitions. Let's hope it's picking up soon. There have been some ISU seminars just now, which should be a motivational factor.

I'm definitely joining you all, too. Pairs is an amazing discipline, and I would have thought it would be the most popular with newcomers to watching figure-skating - I don't understand why it isn't.
 

Ruthypegs

On the Ice
Joined
May 5, 2017
Country
United-Kingdom
1) Elizaveta Nugumanova - A victim of domestic judging. To this day i still believe she is the most artistic russian lady: best posture, best skating skills (both posture and skating skills better than any Tutberidze skater, i'm sorry, she is a better "ballerina" than Zagitova ever was), she holds her movements like spirals, she has great twizzles, she has a great charisma, she loves to be on the ice and skates to the music. Her spins are amazing too.

Yes she doesn't have the best lutz or flip technique, but so it was Lipnitskaya or Medvedeva or Konstantinova or Sotnikova and they all still got their chances.

She has never had a chance to compete at senior international events because judging at domestic competitions is all about the technical contents and consistency and reputation.

It's so sad and frustrating because in every other country in the world she would be praised much much more for her artistry.

I still hope she can find a way but that possibility becomes more and more uncertain every year, if i was her i'd work on 3A, or really spend all your money go abroad, compete for USA and have your Sasha Cohen moment, or switch to Ice Dance or Pairs cause the skills are all there.

Gala Events
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuOhe4aoK1o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTB5R_Ccack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ND3FmbFOrDs

Swan Lake (a piece suggested by Miki Ando)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6c3YSpCWL9I

Nutcracker
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R79i774lvPA

La La Land
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNhXE38Q7J0

2) Deniss Vasiljevs - he's getting a little lost in the shuffle due to illness but the previous season also i think he never got the marks he deserved due to the lack of quads. He should get Jason Brown's level of PCS in my opinion, his Recondita Armonia's SP is one of the best programs i've seen from the men in years.

3) Andrew Torgashev - again great great artist who deserves better mark but unfortunately he's super inconsistent.

4) Alexander Petrov - he had 2-3 seasons where he was really consistent and again he had very good skating skills but never rewarded for it. Then again injuries and lack of quads.

5) Akiko Suzuki - Beautiful skater who never had her moment for a gold medal at Worlds or GPF unfortunately, always outshadowed by others (Yuna, Mao, Miki, Carolina).

Not exactly underrated but i hope their careers in figure skating continue to grow because they deserve better

Matteo Rizzo
Kevin Aymoz
Daniel Grassl

Deniss Vasiljevs definitely underrated - his PCS scores should be MUCH higher. His skating is a joy to watch.
 

randomfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
1. Akiko Suzuki
2. Akiko Suzuki
3. Akiko Suzuki
4. Akiko Suzuki
5. Akiko Suzuki

Her highest PCS was 67, which she only managed to reach two separate times in her ENTIRE CAREER. Let’s take a moment to think about that, especially with how many inferior programs are being scored higher than that these days :(.

If you don’t know who she is, I suggest you search up her performances right now, especially her “O” program ;).
 

mikeko666

Final Flight
Joined
Apr 27, 2011
1. Akiko Suzuki
2. Akiko Suzuki
3. Akiko Suzuki
4. Akiko Suzuki
5. Akiko Suzuki

Her highest PCS was 67, which she only managed to reach two separate times in her ENTIRE CAREER. Let’s take a moment to think about that, especially with how many inferior programs are being scored higher than that these days :(.

If you don’t know who she is, I suggest you search up her performances right now, especially her “O” program ;).

I totally agree. She was held down by the judges numerous times and NHK Trophy 2012 was the worst, but I will always remember her "O" as a masterpiece.
 

labgoat

I have no words
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Country
United-States
Gillian Wachsman & Todd Waggoner 1986 US Champs, right behind Watson Oppegard in 1988 Calgary Olympics. The US would love to have pairs so highly ranked these days. Note that they were placed so high without much of a height difference.

1986 US National Champions https://youtu.be/G3xXzvtLGTY
1988 Olympics SP (4th)folk dance to two guitars https://youtu.be/207SXJM5LMU
1988 Olympics FS (5th) to Malagueña https://youtu.be/Y9hH_UU2kXo
1988 Worlds FS (4th) a better Malagueña and informative commentary on this fine pair https://youtu.be/LmQXhO8ZiP4
 

SarahSynchro

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 7, 2014
Country
Canada
I must also concur with those of you who listed Piper and Paul, even though they now have two 4CC medals under their belt.

Something I’ve always found perplexing: the judges always seem to give G/P the shaft; MEANWHILE, the ISU thought so highly of the choreography in their 2015-16 Beatles short program, that they plan to turn sections of it into an upcoming new pattern dance: The Maple Leaf March. I believe that along with coaches Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs, Piper and Paul are also listed as choreographers for many of their own programs.

:confused2:

Also, somewhat off topic; Piper designs nearly all their costumes too!
 

Giu

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 13, 2019
Country
Italy
1- Mai Mihara
2- Mai Mihara
3- Mai Mihara
4- Satoko Miyahara, her grace and artistry are saving this sport, she deserves higher PCS
5- Anna Pogorilaya

Among the men I always think to Tatsuki Machida, he deserved to be recognized as one of the greats of the last ten years.
 

deedee1

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
1- Mai Mihara
2- Mai Mihara
3- Mai Mihara
4- Satoko Miyahara, her grace and artistry are saving this sport, she deserves higher PCS
5- Anna Pogorilaya

Among the men I always think to Tatsuki Machida, he deserved to be recognized as one of the greats of the last ten years.

:thumbsup: Agreed, esp Anna and Tatsuki.

I attended the whole Saitama Worlds in 2014, and I thought Anna should have won the bronze, and Tatsuki should have won the championships. 5 years since, and I still believe so. :curse:

1. Akiko Suzuki
2. Akiko Suzuki
3. Akiko Suzuki
4. Akiko Suzuki
5. Akiko Suzuki

Her highest PCS was 67, which she only managed to reach two separate times in her ENTIRE CAREER. Let’s take a moment to think about that, especially with how many inferior programs are being scored higher than that these days :(.

If you don’t know who she is, I suggest you search up her performances right now, especially her “O” program ;).

:thumbsup: Sadly, Akiko and Yukari Nakano were often shadowed by their fellow skaters; Mao Asada and Miki Ando. Esp Yukari in 2005-06. She should have been named to the Team Japan for Torino Oly Games, over Miki with her reportedly broken little toe.
 

Giu

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 13, 2019
Country
Italy
:thumbsup: Agreed, esp Anna and Tatsuki.

I attended the whole Saitama Worlds in 2014, and I thought Anna should have won the bronze, and Tatsuki should have won the championships. 5 years since, and I still believe so. :curse:
I’m quite envious that you saw Machida live, it is one of my dreams that will never come true!!! 😔And yes, he is my 2014 World Champion, he should have won gold... just like Denis Ten in 2013, another underscored skater in my opinion.
 

yume

🍉
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 11, 2016
:thumbsup: Sadly, Akiko and Yukari Nakano were often shadowed by their fellow skaters; Mao Asada and Miki Ando. Esp Yukari in 2005-06. She should have been named to the Team Japan for Torino Oly Games, over Miki with her reportedly broken little toe.
Yukari is one of the most robbed skaters by JSF.
 

daniiltimin

Rinkside
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Speaking of the male single skaters, the first name that comes to my mind is Alexander Abt, he was Rafael’s first top level student.
 

elektra blue

mother of skaters
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Country
Italy
She's definitely not treated with the same regard as Sasha and Alena even now though.

i don't know, it doesn't look like so to me, she is the national champion, can jump quads, and i've read nothing but praises on this forum about her. again it's too soon to say whether she is underrated or not, let's wait the end of her first senior season at least :biggrin:
 

theharleyquinn

Medalist
Joined
Feb 25, 2014
i don't know, it doesn't look like so to me, she is the national champion, can jump quads, and i've read nothing but praises on this forum about her. again it's too soon to say whether she is underrated or not, let's wait the end of her first senior season at least :biggrin:

She isn't as consistent as the other two in competition. Plenty of people mention that here and elsewhere.
 

Arbitrary

Medalist
Joined
Sep 5, 2018
She's definitely not treated with the same regard as Sasha and Alena even now though.

Among those three Alena is the one who treated best from RusFeds. Anna is the second and Sasha deep down below.
Looks like the domestic Board decided solid to always award her with least PCS possible. The International Board only followed.
Sasha wins when ALL her jumps are OK which rarely happens. Any single mistake and the hell gates opening.

A pity for her.
 
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