Todd Eldredge 1998 World Championship Long Program

[ChristineTheHippie]

Had he been even a higher, he would have won the title. He did skate better than Yagudin. Eldredge was always one of my favourite skaters! Such a classy guy.

[FrozenFourthSeason]

Todd just seems like one of those skaters who's not at all a huge diva... that's what I love about him! Just a normal guy who happens to have tremendous skill and talent!

[gjglrb]

this guy gave everything ...outstanding performance, 6.0 system is gone now, results could be different then

[gjglrb]

this guy gave everything ...outstanding performance

[mec441]

Did he ever land a clean quad??? is it on video?

[nolaughingmatter]

He was such a choker. Hamilton always praised him about his hard work ethic and "consistency," but Hamilton always praises people he has business interests with. Eldredge had quite a few chances to win an entire championship if he would only land 2 3axels and the other triples, but he often blew it. He could normally land 1 axel and the other triples, but blow the second 3axel. Forget the quad. He outstayed his competitiveness. He should have retired in 1996 and saved himself the embarrassment.

[RedSonja92]

@nolaughingmatter "He could normally land 1 axel and the other triples, but blow the second 3axel." That is such a blanket and inaccurate statement and certainly doesn't apply to this program.

[nolaughingmatter]

@RedSonja92 Why don't you check your facts? Blowing the 2nd axel is frequent with him- He could have won the bronze medal at the 98 Olympics. He could have won '97 Worlds if he had only landed the 2nd 3axel. My statement can't be inaccurate if it has happened at least twice. This specific video is where he doubled a salchow and fell on a quad. The quad looked strong to me, but he has psychological issues with the quad and so he fell, even though it looked like a cleanly executed jump.

[RedSonja92]

@nolaughingmatter Wow, two times means "normally." Gotcha. Somebody else can point you toward '01 Worlds, '98 GWG, '96 Worlds... Hey, that's three off the top of my head. I'm done here. Have a nice day. :)

[russianskatingfan]

@nolaughingmatter he would have won the silver at the 98 Olympics, not the bronze. Remember Stojko didnt even beat Candelero in the long program.

[paskatefan]

Thanks for posting this. While, Todd was not quite as strong here as in 1996 Worlds, it was a very reassuring performance of "First Knight." I am so glad he rebounded here from his feelings of disappointment in Nagano, and that he won the free skate! I also love Todd's reaction at the end.

[bibi24]

WOW

[lmatches]

Oh, the memories that brings back. Such a huge moment after what happened in Nagano. I cried through the whole thing back in 1998. Beautiful.

[6151RichmondStreet]

@lmatches Me too. I cried all through his Nagano performance. It broke my heart and to watch him come back was amazing. I'm from Vancouver and I'm so glad he made his comeback here. I have so much respect for his skating and was glad to cheer him on :)

[StewNWT]

his toe pick plant was from such a shallow angle going into that quad, that's what made it almost look like a sow. He really should have landed it.

[StewNWT]

Todd always had a lousy triple salchow, I can't believe that cost him a world title, but it did.

[JPPT1974]

That was his, least favorite jump, btw! He hated to do that!

[ilabach]

Todd won the free skate here... his placement after the short cost him the world title. Had Alexei Yagudin finished fourth or lower Todd would have been world champion.

[StewNWT]

I can't for the life of me tell whether than quad attempt was a salchow or toe loop...it look like a bizarre combo of the two. He rushed the takeoff, otherwise he would have landed that cleanly.