1980 Olympic Games Figure Skating Men's Short Program

Full coverage of what was broadcast on ABC (US) on February 19, 1980
Scott Hamilton, USA
David Santee, USA
Robin Cousins, GBR
Jan Hoffman, GDR
Charles Tickner, USA

[@jeanettebird2739]

Robin cousins was so elegant in his style and his spins and footwork were superb . Jan Hoffman , Scott Hamilton a pleasure to watch and great sportsmen ! Good years for the sport !

[@victoriagill3337]

You never see an ugly line or body position from Robin Cousins, everything is aesthetic to the eye

[@scook5599]

So much fun to see a young Scotty!

[@lydwinaofschiedam2685]

I started following figure skating during the 1968 Winter Olympics. Dick Button is how I learned to identify jumps, spins and footwork. He was our computerized display board for the time period.

[@HHL-qt2xb]

Ha. Had forgotten figure skating used to occur in the same rink as hockey. Kind of funny seeing plexiglass, scuffed up boards and blue lines, etc. in the background.

[@Raven135]

He is such a wonderful representative for the USA. We adore Scott Hamilton and it has been a pleasure to witness all his many accomplishments!

[@nondescriptnyc]

I love, love, LOVE Charlie Tickner, and he is probably one of the nicest people I have ever met-and I realize he was nervous beyond imagination. But the judges were SUPER generous with him…and, frankly, I would have been pissed, had I been the British judge. She was probably the only one that scored him correctly here. Aside from the missed combo, his death drop was poorly executed, and even his 2F was off (his toe seem to have slipped a bit on the take off), and 5.0 is absolutely justifiable. His camel-change-camel was generally fine, but it was slow and cautious, as well.

[@julievanderleest]

Scott looks like a 15 year old kid. He’s so talented and seems like a great guy.

[@npe1]

Robin in a class of his own in this short programme. All that fuss over the low mark for Charlie Tickner from the British judge. He missed an element. The rules stipulated: "a two jump combination including a double loop" - he didn't complete the double loop as it was cheated and landed on a three turn and therefore he didn't complete the element. Even his own judge went as low as 5.3. The 5.8 for technical from the Canadian judge was ridiculous.

[@nondescriptnyc]

Re: Tickner’s marks, I can see why DDR and URS gave 5.7s-to keep him up there, so Hoffmann would have a better chance at beating Cousins, but the Canadian judge must have either looked away when Tickner missed his 2L OR s/he entered 5.8 instead of 4.8 (judges were not permitted to correct their entry errors, presumably to prevent them from making changes after seeing how others have scored the skater). I think these marks are absolutely scandalous in comparison to the scores given to others like Bobrin and Matsumura, who gave nice, error-free performances.

[@npe1]

@@nondescriptnyc Very true Bobrin and Matsumura were excellent in the short. The irony of course is that in the final tally after the free skate the URS judge put Cousins first over Hoffmann.

[@waynehentley4332]

@@nondescriptnyc Final places were predetermined, in general, barring a disastrous performance and you know it. It wasn't the turn of Bobrin and Matsumura.

[@metsdudenj]

@@nondescriptnyc That is exactly what I thought as well. Everyone knew the biggest threat was Cousins. Tickner wasnt even on the podium in 79. And Santee always imploded in the FS, so it was a 2 horse race

[@pianonine]

ROBIN OUTSKATED EVERYONE ON THAT RINK...ANY RINK! He is the epitome of what male figure skating should be...athletic, artistic, distance, height, lines and extension. PERIOD

[@martypellow9908]

Thanks for posting this. Wonderful!

[@tally1604]

Thanks for the upload. Do you have the long?

[@ksw4942]

What a sweet, kind boy.

[@ٴٴٴٴ_0]

I have zero knowledge of the subject, but I really liked Charles' performance. I'm sad his score was so low comparing to the others. Robin was simply astounding though.

[@coloraturaElise]

I always liked Charlie Tickner.

[@TravelingMan63]

Scott’s jumps and footwork were excellent, spins were weak for a skater at his level

[@scottw6704]

I really enjoyed Jan Hoffmann's ability to balance masculinity with gracefulness here. Oftentimes you see skaters who veer really far in one direction or the other - which is fine, of course, but I'm always impressed by the ones who can manage to find that middle sweet spot. Great skater and a fair, thoughtful judge. Sighhh....

[@russcohen3779]

Wish you can add the long program of the 1980olymic figure skating

[@russcohen3779]

Wish they had long program

[@fairamir1]

Why only a double flip ?

[@matthewhines9787]

Why is Jan Hoffman giving me some serious Max Aaron/Ryan Bradley energy?

[@scottw6704]

Perhaps Max and Ryan were inspired by his skating, if they had access to viewing his programs. I can't recall if the '80 programs had been uploaded to youtube in the late 2000s by anyone.

[@CrackedTroyster]

Do you have the long programs too??

[@guillaumedupont7565]

Without the compulsory figures Hoffman would not even have been on the podium His skating was atrocious: hesitant stiff slow dull and without charisma or charm he managed to make correct jumps that's all he had no sense atistic and hard for him to skate behind Cousins the greatest skater of all time eclipsed him in all respects.. Hoffmann won the silver medal thanks to lobbying from the Eastern countries

[@grantgoffin4774]

It is pretty easy to see why he won atleast the silver. Tickner had a bunch of mistakes, Santee isn't any good, and Hamilton was a baby at this point. Who should have placed above him, other than Cousins.

[@russcohen3779]

Wish the long program was added for the men in eighty

[@scottw6704]

The long program is easily found on youtube, it's just not on this channel.

[@НинаОсипенко-ш4к]

Юноша хорошо катается, но все же только Робин Казинс обладает виртуозной легкостью и техническим совершенством

[@will74lsn]

hamilton's 2F: wrong edge take off ....

[@russcohen3779]

In the men’s event

[@miloandtock1]

Scott 5.5 5.6, David 5.8 5.8, Robin 5.9 5.9, Jan 5.7 5.7, Charlie 5.3 5.7....British judge - that toughie Sally Ann Stapleford!

[@waynehentley4332]

Nonsense!!!

[@russcohen3779]

Wish they had long program