Tara Lipinski (USA) - 1997 World Figure Skating Championships, Ladies' Free Skate

Lausanne, SWITZERLAND - 1997 World Figure Skating Championships, Ladies' Free Skate - Tara Lipinski of the United States placed 2nd in the Free Skate, but because of the size of her lead over Michelle Kwan after the Short Program, Tara was able to finish in 1st Place overall.

[@rickram1961]

Tara was always a joy to watch. Such an incredible talented skater for just 14 years old!

[@stationofdreams8242]

A prodigious talent for sure. You have to be pretty special at 14 to make it at this level in any sports, and to win the world championship is really phenomenal. And its a joy to watch this. God bless Tara where ever she is now.

[@gmanandhislady]

I loved Tara Lipinski so much when I was a kid. She wasn't much older than I was, and I always loved watching her skate with so much joy. I cheered so much for her to win that gold in Nagano. I loved figure skating so much, and I miss the days of watching the competitions every weekend on TV!

[@TT-ee4qp]

She didn't deserve to win the 98 Olympics. 😅 She skated like a happy puppy running in the park, nothing more.

[@annehancock6734]

Yeah me too what is so sad is that we haven’t won a medal in years and the Russians just dominate this sports. 😡

[@TT-ee4qp]

@@annehancock6734 The ISU raised the age limit to 17 NOW, which means Tara Lipinski and the Russian girls today all should go to the kid's Olympics.

[@sapphire22011]

Amazing, both here and in Nagano. However its worth noting that, on both occasions Tara was the Hunter, rather than the HUNTED. We never got to see her having to perform under the pressure of defending world titles, because she retired after the Olympics.

[@RedNekLvr22]

You're right. Let's face it. She retired because she well knew that once she went through puberty, she was going to have to relearn almost everything. She took the Olympic gold, and ran. I don't want to call her a liar concerning wanting to spend more time with her father and be at home again, but Tara always struck me as so ambitious that I really think she simply didn't want to relearn jumping again and decided to retire and eventually cash in on her success, which she is now doing.

[@sapphire22011]

@@RedNekLvr22 Her hips were also fucked from drilling the 3Lo/3Lo combos

[@TT-ee4qp]

@@RedNekLvr22 Tara's flip and lutz would be called out for under rotation today. Tara's triples were cheap. Tiny, rushed jumps. Under the new system, Tara would be a loser.

[@singsongeric]

@@TT-ee4qp Her lutz would get an edge call, but her flip was fine and her rotations were fine, no worse than anyone else she was competing against. There was pre-rotation for sure, but the judges still don't care about that now if the landing is clear or on a Q. The criticisms for her jumps was that they were small and with unsustainable technique that would have eventually failed her (and did actually require hip surgery 2 years later). There was hardly any mention of her under-rotating anything, whereas it was constantly mentioned for the next OGM Sarah Hughes.

[@elizabethhurley1129]

She skated for 4 years professionally - improved vastly in artistic interpretation and kept her triple jumps up the entire time. She would have been more of a threat, not less. She "retired" so her parents could live together.

[@lflagr]

I wish she had kept this program for the Olympics a year later. This program is so much more enjoyable to watch, she seems so free and easy here. The Olympics program felt like a lot of hard work and effort. (still skated amazing, of course)

[@robdurdain5912]

I prefer this program but I think the judges prefered her next seasons. Her artistic marks were consistently higher next year than this year, even when she had some very subpar outings (eg Skate America, Nationals). The one exception was Trophee France where her skating was really bad for her, although even there it was higher than her Trophee France 96, particularly in artistic scores. So she made the right choice, the key is to please the judges, not fans.

[@elizabethhurley1129]

Tara skated with so much joy - that was the difference - and, she was damn good.

[@KrystalKBeauty]

Elizabeth Hurley yes she is mesmerizing to watch! Biggest smile and so positive and happy. Not to mention her rotations.. I’ve never seen anything like it.

[@searanch32]

Fantastic skate. Interesting that she used the same music as Tonya Harding's SP from '94, so soon after. lol

[@nicolassanabria4386]

Oh wow

[@nicolassanabria4386]

I don’t think most people realize that she became the YOUNGEST world champion and moved Sonja Henie name in the record books.... along with winning the Olympic Gold medal the following year. She was, as Dick Button said, “a gladiatress”

[@snopesshop1903]

We all know that

[@TT-ee4qp]

@@snopesshop1903 We all knew that was a joke.

[@TT-ee4qp]

Under the new system, the ISU raised the age limit to 17 NOW, which means Tara Lipinski and the Russian girls today all should go to the kid's Olympics.

[@TT-ee4qp]

People couldn't ask more artistry of a kid like Tara, Tara's performance just like a Disney cartoon which not deserved the Olympics gold. Michelle was robbed.

[@TT-ee4qp]

@@snopesshop1903 We all knew that Tara loves MONEY more than the skating sport. （∩▽∩）

[@3Axel1996]

@NashfanVash Besides, I was referring the size of Tara's lead (1st) over Michelle (4th) -- 3 placements is a sizable lead!

[@coreyadkins8775]

What's striking to me. Is just how well she's performing and projecting to the audience. She was staged to reach way up into the tops of the arena. ❤ Job!

[@BmcC102]

Maureen, you're wrong about the triple-triples. Yes, Tara did flutz, but so did many other skaters. And, many great skaters at that. Not to mention those who lipped. The triple triples however, were very well rotated.

[@lambielkwanfan]

Michelle's Olympic LP was extremely slow, while her LP in Lausanne had speed and attack, and Michelle's Olympic LP had no triple-triple attempt of any sort while here Michelle landed a beautiful triple-triple. Tara had definitely improved her artistry, and her jump quality apart from the flutz and double axel had improved as well. Your revision of things is not at all accurate, and typical of a butthurt Kwan fanatic.

[@auntiechercher4266]

It is not exactly the same, but the program is close to the long program she had the following year. Not much different in terms of placement of the jumps or the choreography.

[@rtfe83able]

Triple loop half loop triple loop! First women to complete that triple combination. Youngest to win the World Championship. Pretty impressive.

[@kerryperryman3025]

She had nerves of steal and left it all out there on the ice. I like Michelle's style of skating better but each time Tara beat her it was deserved. Good for Tara.

[@TT-ee4qp]

Without a kid's body and weight, Tara couldn't do anything.

[@TT-ee4qp]

Tara's technique was overrated. Tara's flip and lutz would be called out for under rotation today. Under the new system, Tara would be a loser.

[@skaterboy-cz9wj]

Tara was a very talented jumper especially. She also was "lucky" or things worked her way. Under various rules she would not be allowed to compete due to age. The issues about her jumps - they may have been rotated BUT forget the edge issues - they did not have the amplitude - speed, height, power to get today's GOE's. Her jumps are more puny Miyahara. She did what she needed to win. Her family were supportive physically and financially - her dad was an oil executive and that money fuelled her skating and allowed her and her mom to live elswhere to train. She skated like a young prodigy; she did not have the grace, power, amplitude or maturity of other 15 or 16 year olds ie Baiul, Lipnskaya, Medeveda, Zagitova et al.

[@snopesshop1903]

That her family was very wealthy cannot be stressed enough

[@stephennowinsky1345]

All I know is Michelle Kwan is The only reigning American Champion going into the Olympics and beaten twice by Fellow American Teammates Tara Lipinski and Sarah Hughes.Tara had more Justification as she had been National Series Champion and World Champion before then.

[@IX19UT8O]

Michelle Kwan was not the American Champion going into the 1998 Winter Olympics, it was Tara Lipinski. Tara won the 1997 US National and the 1997 World. She beat Michelle both times.

[@stephennowinsky1345]

Wrong Tara came in 2nd because she fell on her triple flip Jump in her Short program and came in 4th.Tara skated a good long program but Michelle had the skate of her life. and won the 98 National Title Back.Tara came back and placed 2nd at 98 Nationals

[@IX19UT8O]

Stephen Nowinsky You're right. I was looking at the 1997 and not the 1998 US Nationals that occurred just prior to the 1998 Olympics. Tara was the 1997 champion and lost to Michelle in 1998.

[@zacburdha8135]

Yeah Sarah was such a fluke Olympic winner LOL. Bad for the sport

[@Letissiaskatetapes24]

Zac Burdha Look up Sarah's rise in the sport for the 2-3 years before the 2002 Olympics. She was robbed of at least 3 Grand Prix event titles in those two years. Two of those wins went to Michelle even though Sarah skated stronger and cleaner at both. The other wrongful loss went to Irina. Sarah's win was no fluke. People just weren't paying attention and the judges were holding her down.

[@HuynhTuanAnh91]

Tara is a little skating doll She's adorable.

[@jdonavan69]

Great Program- So great she kept it for the Olympics..no but seriously she deserved to win this...98 not so much..

[@marymartindale996]

Isn’t it wonderful to be 14?

[@christianguignard9980]

What else ? Tara at fourteen years old is the absolute grace ... Delicacy and authenticity reside in her entire body and soul ! She flies over the ice as no one else, always smiling and looking at people ! She moves me to tears as great singers or dancers from the past did, only the few great masters ! At only fourteen she was an absolute master, and later at fifteen, she raised to highest summits !

[@scottietoohottie5273]

Of course you are not in her short time and seeing the way she didn't have my favorite skaters proven longevity and growth of the body to come a woman and surya bonaly 3 Olympic games and 2 decades-long time on top with the body of a woman...overrated

[@snopesshop1903]

That’s a bit much

[@snopesshop1903]

I am not sure how buying a second nice house in another state to train with the best trainer and coaches and costume designers is a "sacrifice". I remember reading about one elite skater whose family slept on the floor in the family restaurant.

[@1andonlyCobra]

Basically, Michelle needed the scenario that Sarah won in Salt Lake....to break it down ordinally- Kwan earned 3.0 ordinals & Lipinski earned 2.5 ordinals, this Tara won the title.

[@locomadre3520]

2nd....she placed 2nd???? What did she need to do to place 1st? History making program and she placed 2nd?

[@JBlue761982]

I still can't believe Michelle wore that dot on her head for the LP.

[@lvega5606]

JBlue761982 why?

[@snopesshop1903]

😂

[@あん-k2s6s]

爽やかな雰囲気の演技で好きです。

[@TT-ee4qp]

A little kid ? ( ￣▽￣)σ

[@3Axel1996]

@NashfanVash Um excuse me, but Michelle was 4th after the Short! Tara was 1st, Vanessa Gusmeroli was 2nd, and Maria Butyrskaya was 3rd after the short. Michelle had to win the Long, and Tara needed to place 3rd or lower in the Long in order for Michelle to win the Gold. You have not idea what the hell YOU are talking about and don't give me that condescending crap about me not knowing what I'm talking about because you just proved that you obviously don't!

[@skatefan9495]

This basically the same program she skated at the Olympics, to different music. It is an impressive show of jumping. But Michelle won the long program with fewer triples, including one jump that she doubled. At the Olympics, MIchelle skated perfectly with seven triples and came in second to the same program by Tara.

[@carneliannred]

You're right - Tara should have been first in this long program too.

[@skatefan9495]

@@carneliannred A blast from my past!

[@geoboe84]

She's a tremendous jumper, but there was just no artistry or musicality at all. She literally races around the rink like a speed skater between jumps. Also, the illusion spin at the end makes her look even more juvenile.

[@sadiedeveau9318]

geoboe84 I agree, she is all hunched over speedskating as well. I guess she had a triple triple and Michelle did not. I never got taken in with Tara's skating, but Sasha Cohn brought me to tears even without performing a clean program for a gold medal. The Russian teens today would blow Tara our of the water. Just saying .

[@grantdesjardins764]

@@sadiedeveau9318 Well she won here since Kwan was 4th in the short, which was deserved as she had a major mistake in the short.. Kwan won the long over Tara, but was too far back to move up.

[@Person-mh6xq]

Completely disagree. She WAS musical. You are being influenced by her small stature and very young look. She had some beautiful, stylish moments though her forward stroking was her biggest weakness.

[@skatefan9495]

Not a big fan of Tara, but I probably would be if she were skating like this currently! The new judging system has just ruined skating. Skaters have to clutter up their programs with a lot of meaningless moves and beautiful spiral sequences are a thing of the past. And the judges still cheat on the second mark.

[@kirstenneville1934]

idolfan9495 are spiral sequences no longer a required element in the long or short program? even when i do see spirals now they look absolutely hideous; zero toe point and even bent knees and hunched backs. skaters at much lower skill levels had lovely spirals not too long ago. none of that matters anymore sadly..but i hadn't realized that they may not even be required at this point. also..remember when you had to skate a clean program to win a competition? not even tuktamysheva who is getting so much acclaim even did that at worlds. and i don't believe i've ever seen a spiral from her. (yuna-kim's is the absolute worst in recent memory).

[@skatefan9495]

Kirsten Neville Spirals are no longer required in the short program and count just as a choreographic element in the long.

[@kirstenneville1934]

idolfan9495 a shame indeed. how long has this been in effect?

[@vistaprime]

post 2010 worlds.

[@rickowen.k3725]

She is Winner but Flutz

[@chriscoyne3534]

Didnt Tonya skate to this music too?

[@pueraeternus111]

+Chris Coyne Yes, at the Olympics.

[@jjh2456]

The problem with Tara has always been her technique. She cheated on most of her jumps. It cost her as she grew up. Michelle was able to have a much longer career because her technique was much more sound.

[@vistaprime]

I agree. At the 1996 worlds with the triple salchow- triple loop combo it was easy to tell the loop was under rotated. However, by 1997 her artistic and technical growth was evident. She had worked on correcting her flutz and her axel, her triple -loop triple loop was fully rotated and done right in front of the judges to showcase this. Her jumps had increased in height. Her layback improved and so did her spirals. From 96 to 98, her growth as a skater was immense. I would have loved to have seen her do another two years to see where her artistry would have gone. I assume her layback would have been superb by that point as well as clean outside edge lutz, better ice coverage, better height on jumps... etc. but in 98 she skated well enough and even beyond well enough to deservedly take gold at the Olympics.

[@gymstyle5091]

LOL Give me a break. They were cheated

[@gymstyle5091]

You really don't think you're winning this argument repeating what I say.lol Tara cheated her jumps and the proof is there for everyone to see.

[@vistaprime]

fully rotated.

[@elizabethhurley1129]

Can't help but notice the two Olympic champions commenting don't mention under-rotated jumps. Perhaps some of you have better credentials than an Olympic gold medal?

[@belartful]

Good but lacks a womanly appearance..good jumps ,but no hight..but there is much more to womans figure skating..looks cute instead of great.I keep wanting to heat up her milk bottle! Needs a few more years.

[@tylerchandler1207]

See what I mean..in the slo mo replay of her triple combo..she under rotated that first jump and she was halfway into her turn, while still on ice before she went into the second loop and then she under rotated that jump..it was more like 2 3/4ish first jump and 2 1/2 on her second combo...she did that on all her combo jumps and her jumps were never executed perfectly...what does she say now in commentating..grade of execution..GOE...she would get -3 on all her jumps and she would be called on those cheated landing and under rotations...again..she never shouldve won the nationals, world's and Olympics...obviously she knew she was very lucky to have won those..therefore she quit competitive skating...

[@TT-ee4qp]

The ISU raised the age limit to 17 NOW ,which means Tara and the Russian girls today all should go to the kid's Olympics. Without a kid's body and weight, Tara couldn't do anything. How possible Tara won the Olympics with her Disney Cartoon program ?

[@skaterboy-cz9wj]

It's a Whole New World.

[@colleendonahue406]

She was awesome....but I hate the flute....she had a really hard time maintaining the outside edge on the takeoff of the lutz

[@colleendonahue406]

*Flutz

[@asmith4328]

What she did back then was still impressive for then even with the flutz but did leave on mark on peoples skating paths though

[@AdvantageYT]

excuse me? how did she finish 2nd for this free skate? wtf if this was being scored using today's scorin system she would be first unless kwan lands a quad of course

[@TT-ee4qp]

Under the new system, Michelle would be the 1998 Olympics gold winner.......

[@TT-ee4qp]

You're welcome. (≧ω≦)/

[@cityonamountain3169]

How in the world did Kwan beat this???? No pun intended.

[@conniemaheswaren554]

City on a Mountain she didn’t Tara won here and at nationals the same year

[@jjh2456]

Michelle won the long program portion of this with way higher presentation scores.

[@tally1604]

Michelle won hands down artistically. Tara was never artistic. Her posture was ugly and skating awkward.

[@tally1604]

Plus, both her loops were underrotated. And she flutzed horribly.

[@grantdesjardins764]

@@tally1604 Kwan was also a flutzer.

[@NashfanVash]

3Axe4l1996, you don't seem to know the rules of the 6.0 system which was in place in 1997. Any skater in the top 3 after the short program can win overall if he/she wins the long program. It has nothing to do with the size of the lead in the short program. You are confusing the current (COP) system with the 6.0 system.

[@skaterboy-cz9wj]

A bundle of joy. But she did skate young and though she got the jump her amplitude was lacking. She would do very well still today possibly BUT her GOE's would be limited as her jumps are as small as Sakamoto but not nearly as refined. So someone with less technical but higher GOES say an Osmond or Zagitova or Medeveda could win with less.

[@FlabbyTitmuss]

Zagitova has landed triple lutz- triple loop consistently throughout her short career. Her technical merit is better than Lipinski's.

[@patcassidyOutdoors]

Michelle was a 'paint by number' skater. Tara was a master creator.

[@gymstyle5091]

bulgaria and France gave Michelle and Tara the same Presentation marks. These judges were cheating

[@jjh2456]

Gym Style but the technical marks for Tara were lower.

[@maureenkearneyboecke2004]

Tara's triple/triples were always cheated and her lutz a flutz. Her artistry as both an amateur and professional was on a junior level.

[@lflagr]

I guess that didn't matter to the judges very much did it?

[@elizabethhurley1129]

If you don't like her, why do you watch videos of her and make nasty comments? The two gold medalists covering it don't seem to agree with you.

[@sadiedeveau9318]

Maureen Kearney Boecke yes, her tiny little jumps and racing around the ice all bent forward.

[@grantdesjardins764]

I agree but Kwan is also a flutzer. Lets not remember that. If judges cared about things like a real lutz back then skaters like Slutskaya and even Butyrskaya, and numerous others, would gain an edge on all of Kwan, Cohen, Hughes, Lipinski.

[@ec5582]

She doesn’t even get off the ice. Michelle was way better

[@skaterboy-cz9wj]

Michelle’s jumps were small too

[@annecohen8927]

@@skaterboy-cz9wj Most skaters with muscular build jump higher than those of slim build. You need stamina, stability and strength. Both Tonya Harding and Midori Ito. Including Surya Bonaly had that .

[@skaterboy-cz9wj]

@@annecohen8927 Interesting - Liz Manley, Joannie Rochette, Gabby Daleman and Kaetlyn Osmond - all Canadian and all world medallists had big, powerful jumps.

[@TT-ee4qp]

@@skaterboy-cz9wj Michelle kwan had triple triple combo since 1995 ~ 2005 ( not every time ), which means her technique was stable and better than the other skaters like Tara had triple triple combo just for 2~3 years.

[@chriscoyne3534]

Her and Oksana were overrated new young skaters in the 90's. Both very talented for sure, but weak jumps. I think Oksana has her, and most skaters beat, when it comes to choreography.

[@mattg.812]

+Chris Coyne Oksana's choreography was always directed only towards the side of the ice the judges sat on. Not good. The ISU referee cited that in 1994, in her opinion for choosing Kerrigan's performance over Oksana's.