Some interesting comments on the quad here, with prominent Alexei mentions:
http://stateoftheskate.blogspot.com/2009/04/back-to-cali-in-review-to-quad-or-not.html
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So there's a flurry of names there, particularly near the end of the list, but here's my point: during a solid 8-year span (1997-2004), of the 24 worlds medals for men handed out during that time, 11 of them-nearly half-were won by just two men. Two Russian superstars, when all was said and done.
And they didn't just win on the technical difficulty of their jumps… they were arguably brilliant all-around skaters; Yagudin, in particular, frequently found himself smothered with 6.0s in presentation for his considerable efforts.
We just have to face facts-no matter what neck of the woods a skater is from, the bar was raised impeccably high for all of them, for a mighty long time, because of Yagudin and Plushenko. Respect it, and strive for it, but please don't make a pissing contest out of it, fellas. The ice is slippery enough for everyone.
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I also saw an interview with Ari Zakarian (Plush's agent), with some comments on Worlds results and discussing how this is the second year in a row that a man has won Worlds without a quad and that he thinks it's a step backwards technically (although he had very complimentary things to say about Evan's skating and performance). He thinks Plush's return will bring the quad back to being a required item for a men's titlist.
Laurie
http://stateoftheskate.blogspot.com/2009/04/back-to-cali-in-review-to-quad-or-not.html
>>
So there's a flurry of names there, particularly near the end of the list, but here's my point: during a solid 8-year span (1997-2004), of the 24 worlds medals for men handed out during that time, 11 of them-nearly half-were won by just two men. Two Russian superstars, when all was said and done.
And they didn't just win on the technical difficulty of their jumps… they were arguably brilliant all-around skaters; Yagudin, in particular, frequently found himself smothered with 6.0s in presentation for his considerable efforts.
We just have to face facts-no matter what neck of the woods a skater is from, the bar was raised impeccably high for all of them, for a mighty long time, because of Yagudin and Plushenko. Respect it, and strive for it, but please don't make a pissing contest out of it, fellas. The ice is slippery enough for everyone.
>>
I also saw an interview with Ari Zakarian (Plush's agent), with some comments on Worlds results and discussing how this is the second year in a row that a man has won Worlds without a quad and that he thinks it's a step backwards technically (although he had very complimentary things to say about Evan's skating and performance). He thinks Plush's return will bring the quad back to being a required item for a men's titlist.
Laurie
