Irina Slutskaya (RUS) - 1998 Nagano, Figure Skating, Ladies' Short Program

[@rfillangi]

15 years later and I still need somebody to explain to me how a double lutz/doube toe combo is better than a triple toe/triple toe combo. The final slap in the face to Bonaly, no wonder she did the back flip in the long.

[@psychstudentrip]

rfillangi artistry my friend, and also the triple loop is harder than the triple salchow, the double axel with one hand raised makes it harder than surya's double axel and in her final combination spin, she did two biellmann spins in the end. I love surya and I love irina.

[@psychstudentrip]

rfillangi combine that with a good spiral sequence, a sit spin, a layback spin, and a rather good step sequence, plus, no errors(you can't count the double-double as an error) and you got a routine good enough for fifth place.

[@jf2602]

Oh please save it. Bonaly’s skating skill is pathetic. Her program is empty. And she got a 0.2 deduction because she was short of rotation on the combo spin.

[@FlabbyTitmuss]

Errr because Slutskaya's remaining seven elements were far better than Bonaly's? Not difficult to work out. Neither were exactly artistic but Irina's presentation and skating skills were superior too.

[@stuckin2003]

I love Surya, but the other 7 elements here were far superior to what Surya did, and some of the best in the competition. Honestly, if she did the 3Lz+2T cleanly here, this would have easily been 2nd.

[@b0rtie]

Wow, Tara using a cell phone in 1998, presumably making an long distance call. I can’t imagine how expensive that must’ve been lol. Also, can someone please explain to me why Scott says her technique on the lutz wasn’t ideal? Didn’t most skaters back in the day set their lutz up with that long entrance?

[@3Axel1996]

Like Nicole Bobek, Sasha Cohen, and Caroline Zhang, the problem was the change of edge right before the takeoff, making if more of a flip than a Lutz. Nicole Bobek was the first skater that had a big change of edge. So, since 1995, the judges started scrutinizing and examining for the proper use of edge. For some skaters to keep from changing edge is to have a quick entry into the jump rather than the long telegraph entrance.

[@jf2602]

are you talking about Tara's Lutz technique all Irina's?

[@nathanielharper8701]

Scott's remark "dodging the bullet" in the LP warmup really hit the nail on the head. She was LUCKY to be placed as high as she was.

[@Elizabeth1-h9s]

I Love Irina.

[@ciliarense]

to faeryqueen and what about lysacek on the last olympics taking a gold with no 4x jump? the level he showed was totally out of top 7 not speaking of podium at all. However, everyone was talking about his artistry (clearly as a substitute to the technical performance)... which is also a huge subjective issue in my opinion!

[@Generictwink]

You really can't make that comparison as they are totally different programs and judging systems. Not to mention she had no artistry to speak of anyways.

[@TheCandiceWang]

I've never seen Irina with this hair before, somehow

[@3Axel1996]

Hoffmann actually said that Baiul's artistry was more natural and very lyrical, whereas Kerrigan was more forced and not natural.

[@markone6068]

I agree with Jan Hoffmann 100% in his assessment of their artistic qualities.

[@divineson1681]

I never felt anything from her ....Michelle however, always gave us chills! Maybe even a cry on a good day ....

[@YVYization]

I think she did a great job!!!

[@lanpingpug]

I remember that the commentators on the version I watched here in the UK said she looked very uncomfortable and out of shape.

[@yuanchaoma5265]

what's this porgram's music?

[@figureskatingcommentator9162]

The Piano Waltz

[@ENIGMAPOP]

@@figureskatingcommentator9162 By who though?

[@faeryquene]

I love how Scott defends Jan Hoffman when once again the American commentator tries to make him out to be as some kind of cheating judge, the so-called East vs. West bias that allegedly 'robbed' Kerrigan of gold over Baiul rears it's ugly head. Jan thought overall Baiul had the better qualities in '94 and that's that.

[@dougierichardson484]

and he also gave Nancy the better technical mark, unlike many of the judges who put Baiul ahead. His marking was very defensible.

[@nathanielharper8701]

Irina’s music choices this era was so weird.

[@MrsBubaloo]

I'm not used to seeing Irina with that much hair.

[@faeryquene]

Irina was cute but her placement in the Final group in the LP was a travesty. No one who does a double-double combo should have placed as high as she did. She shouldn't have even been in the penultimage group. 10th place would've been more appropriate-or even lower.

[@psychstudentrip]

faeryquene This is why they changed the scoring system

[@dc19921000]

@@psychstudentripAnd now we get triples underrotated only 1/4 worth about as much as doubles. I guess ISU doesn't understand math

[@dougierichardson484]

It was a crappy skated event. The only one who placed below her who probably deserved to be above was Bonaly who was 6th. She was going to be in the final flight regardless.

[@lyverbird1973]

I always hated this programme, the music was just awful and that costume? Just no. I even developed a hatred of that hand movement at the beginning of the spiral. And I was a big Irina fan up to that point. I'm so glad she found her way back.

[@ileanaguerra8714]

+lyverbird1973 The worst part of this program is Scott´s non stop chit chat GRRRR

[@lyverbird1973]

+Ileana Guerra It is indeed a shame that there isn't a remote control function that could mute the commentary! My guys at Eurosport are thankfully much better than Scott about knowing when to zip it during a performance!

[@ileanaguerra8714]

Yeah the eursport guys are great :)

[@tyboogie1982]

I actually like it

[@divineson1681]

She was always wak... I never felt anything from her... Michelle have us chillz

[@espinaca79]

This program was terrible. It's concept belonged to a junior skater.

[@divineson1681]

She was so wak!!! Lmao....