Lucinda Ruh - 1999 Worlds LP - Gliere Harp Concerto

[nightswimmer99]

I love how the audience applause builds and builds along with her spin at the end. She may not have wowed the judges but she certainly won the crowd.

[yayzIcanmoo]

She is amazing on the ice.

[hihellokonichiwa]

her book is coming out november 1st 2011!.. Iam so excited... it is already on amazon now for pre-order :)

[sk8ingcoach1]

Good for you, lucinda ruh

[ImmaculateRecovery]

absolutely breathtaking

[charizianne]

If I were doing helicopter spins like that I would have fallen right after from too much dizziness LOL

[charizianne]

In the very end she was spinning like helicopter blades LOL

[TheFigrsk8er]

I want to strangle those judges for giving her such a low score!!! When will they see spins like that ever again in their lives?! Probably never!

[GlitteringGirl65]

The commentator mentions that jumps are harder to do than spins, explaining her low technical scores. I disagree. Skaters who can do triple jumps are a dime a dozen. But name a skater who can SPIN like that!! If she were skating under the new system, they would have to award level 5 for them! (with plus 3 GOE). Honestly, I could just STRANGLE those judges who gave her 4.7 for technical!!!

[gandy74]

@GlitteringGirl65 Actually, I think Dick Button was referring to spins as being more difficult to do well than jumps. Isn't it odd that most of these remarkable spinners come from Switzerland? Bielmann,Krieg,Ruh & Lambiel spring to mind.

[herm712]

Lucinda was doing COP spins before there was a COP! She was so freaking awesome! that was the best back scratch spin i've ever seen!!

[herm712]

Lucinda was doing COP spins before there was a COP! She was so freaking awesome!

[Sensorie]

Too good; it's as if that last scratch spin was machine-assisted.

[Jontor11]

That last spin was simply out of this world. WOW! Lucinda is just magical.

The judges never rewarded her enough for her spins, and I am sad to say that the new scoring system would probably have scored her even lower.

But isn't Lucinda what figure skating is all about? She is like a fairy out there on the ice...like I said - just magical...

[MEareCAT]

Her spins are incredible, and she is so graceful. Her jumps aren't brilliant though.

[AsksOneThing]

I could be happy watching Lucinda all day, even if she didn't jump once!

[mrparke007]

This is the thing I hate about artistic sports... if you do something WAY better than anyone else, and it is technically challenging, you should be adequately rewarded. What a shame.

[filmfan1964]

Die Kür ihres Lebens! WOW !!!!

[pandagirl254]

Am I the only person that came here for the music? She's really amazing though! 

[greekluv85]

OMG?! Like no other. My favorite skating performance I think, EVER!

[ElizabethxPete]

How many languages does she speak?

Her spinning is fantastic!

[nightswimmer99]

What a smile. I hope she's as happy today as she was then. Of course if I could spin like that I'd smile too...

Lovely girl. Lovely performance. Sure there was a fall, but she finished extremely well. 3:40 to the finish is...

[scorptale]

WOW! SPINSZZZZ! WOW! My Inspiration!

[ja3399]

This is something I come back to again and again. Lucinda is 5'9" tall, so jumps were hard for for her. But her posture, her line, her musicality, all so glorious. Those spins...I cannot believe that a human body could do what she does. There is more to skating than jumps. Brilliant, awesome, unbelievable. I see that she has retired from competing, but I would love to see her skate again. I hope she will coach some young skaters. AND, she speaks so many languages OMG. I miss her.

[Sapphira514]

my god...shes graceful...how tall IS she?!

[Mansio1]

How does she get her back spin so fast?? That's Amazing!!!!! So beautiful.

[ErinosukeNoNeko]

What theWOW!!! Just stunning!

Her spins are beyond compare, and not only that, look how fast she skates! it's like watching her performance with fastfoward button pressed...

I absolutely agree with Level 6 for her spins lol ;D

[BeauteousBeing]

OMG!!!!

[faeryquene]

Greatest spinner ever. Dick should know-he competed with the best of his day in 1948-1952 and has seen them all ever since. :)

[liveinlove196]

wow that last back spin was sooo fast it was amazing!

[benegeseritwhore]

lambiel and ruh- swiss spins are magnificent. she's amazing

[Pregolegs]

Nathalie Krieg was another great spinner. The Swiss sure know how to spin!

[sidthesquid74]

Nathalie Krieg = early 90s

Lucinda Ruh - middle to late 90's

Stephane Lambiel - 00s

But let's not forget Denise Bielmann - yet another Swiss phenomenal spinner

[DaKillaZZZ64]

I know her ! :) ! She's my math teacher's fianceee . They're getting married either on november or october i think, in NYC :) .

[danrieke]

I have TEN autographed photos of her... and the letter with them! She is the GREATEST spinner who ever lived!

[elleepiphany7]

I agree!!!

[naprdel]

no)))

[naprdel]

Quite now jumps, bat absolutely marvelous. A lot of joy and beauty.

[SeikaHarp]

WOW. This has totally changed my perspective on the harp concerto because her figure skating is sooooo amazing!!!

I love this video so much! Thanks a lot for posting!

[ItsEmmalicious]

isnt sshe like 6 feet tall? she looks so pretty on the ice & her spins wow they are gorgeous i wish i could spin like that!

[wylmap]

WONDERFUL !!!

[Aditi000]

Why, oh why is there no channel for fans of figure skating?? A channel that shows OLD performances with ORIGINAL MUSIC!!! My tapes got ruined...(hopefully not) and I cry to think of the performances I will never see again! Thank you for posting this.

[mlc2005]

@Aditi000: I totally agree. Thank God for youtube, because otherwise so many magnificent figure skating programs would be unavailable to a wider audience. I also taped so many programs but the tapes got scratched, etc. There is a cable channel for practically every sport. If there can be a golf channel (of all things) they need a figure skating channel. It will come soon I hope!!!!!

[mistybabe5489]

too bad she retired in 2000. if she had waited 3 more years for the new judging system she'd have gotten all level 4's and +3 GOE on all her spins.

[ryotatateishi]

I agree. She is the only skater who will definately get +3 GOE on her spins.

[faeryquene]

Lucinda's spins should be Level 6 lol. Level 4 doesn't do them justice. She's just in a league of her own with those spins.

[binladencansukmy]

2:30 that was on purpose guys look how she got up >:O

[mk146hw]

Who cares about triples with spins like that!

[wcheng29]

I don't think I've ever seen a scratch spin done so brilliantly. The centering on that is sick!

[elleepiphany7]

THE best spinner in the business!!!

[cadebra1961]

Brilliant!!! Such a joy to watch, she is beautiful.....absolutely AWESOME!!!

[binladencansukmy]

not rly... my math teaher is like her friend and she came to our school but shes not really pretty

[uky1985]

you funny

[Froggie2121]

Yup...exactly pspruce18. You nailed it.

[pspruce18]

Wow!!! I've seen so many performances in skating but this one really is one of the best of all time! Her carriage across the ice, presentation, jumps and spins are superior!! The judging and scoring are close-minded and careless. Did the judges even watch this performance??? This clearly shows that skating is so much more than just random triple jumps forced to fit boring non-musical programs - like the ones that permeate the sport today.

[Avidity]

How the Hell did she get 13th ?!

[Avidity]

Nevermind, I saw the fall, but still, she's so brilliant.

[tedsler]

dear lord, i get dizzy from watching her spin lol

love her flow over the ice and the ease she performs with

[ryanfskater]

LOVE her, even though shes in consistant in here jumps, her spins and even her command on the ice is so worth watching, id cheer her on any day!!

[soulmuzixercher]

Whatever happened to her video at the 2000 world pro where she skated to Alanis Morisette's Mercy Prayer? That was my favourite video of her of all time because it showcased her spinning ability? Anybody know? Message me back please!!! I want the video

[awdemers]

amazing....i love her spins how many RPM's does she get? I love Lucinda Ruh

[stacysunshinee]

beautiful and so graceful!

and i love her dress it's gorgeous

[bunnyrabbit9999]

Amazing spins--just love it!

[fairfielder]

What Lucinda brings to the ice is a type of magical quality that I just don't see very often nowadays...she always has such a fairytale regal quality to her skating...maybe due to her breathtaking upper body carriage, superior line..etc. If you ask me, Lucinda could do double jumps all day long and I wouldn't care..it's the overall impression that makes Lucinda my all time fave female skater...something spiritual about her performances...hard to describe!

[khorkino]

how refined is this young lady at 19?! look at how she moves across the ice with such elegance. and those spins, what can i say, amazing!

[iloveYourDanceChanne]

one of the very best performances ever i dont care if she fell it had true genuine talent style and artistry

[diane5254]

This is what skating should really be about.

[BonesTu]

my gosh how she's not dizzy after that back scratch!? that's insane!! god amazing spins!!

[davidcalgary29]

Thank you so much for posting this! Her spins are simply amazing, and she's such a joy to watch.

[ShadowChrs]

figure skating needs to stop focusing so much on jumps. Look at that spin! And she's 13th?

[biellman94]

with the new system, a good spin is worth more than a good jump

[dolcevitausa]

Lucinda may have not been strong technically but her PHENOMENAL jumps were UNSURPASSED! She and Ronnie Robertson are the two best spinners ever,,,

[straightjacket4sale]

13th? 13th place? What did she do? tear a picture of the pope in half? The other 12 must be freakin legends.

[triciamatsuda]

Her spins are amazing!!!! I wish I could spin like that. She is amazing, and she's got the best spins in the world!!!!!

[Froggie2121]

hi jen, the moment of at 2h46 is called an ''Arabesque'' or a pirouette illusion.

[Zhainagul]

How come the Swiss skaters are so artistically talented and are the best spinners on the Planet, but not that strong in jumps?! Should we consider it as a so-called balance between the skaters?

[sidthesquid74]

A few words to say...

OH MY FREAKING GOD!!!!! Can anyone spin as good & fast as her? There really must be something in the Swiss Air......

[laybackspin]

wow she has really long thin legs and those spins are beautiful !

[saskiaburgermeister]

It is a variation on the flying camel spin.

[butterbat]

They're illusion spins.

[saskiaburgermeister]

Yep, also known as windmill spins.

[Froggie2121]

Best skaters ever to exist on the face of this planet...Denise...and Lucinda...PERIOD! And I am a Canadian! They completely blow my mind!!!

[specialj67]

It's too bad she skated under the old system that didn't reward her enough for her artistry. You just know she would clean up under this new system. Still, even knowing she got the shaft, I love to watch her performances.

[Zhainagul]

Old system = an unreawarded artistry indeed.

[cheezysneezysk8s]

yeah she is a gorgeous spinner...and her jumps are so light...

[eblocrock]

I think a lot of the level criteria for COP was developed with her in mind in terms of spins...the sideways to layback positions, the pancake spin...now you see so many skaters doing these to get the high levels.

[shishirth]

So artistic!

Love the music and the choreography - but could do w/o the unnecessary commentary

[czucksk84life]

i had a lesson from her in 2004 when i was 12. she taught me my bielmann

[AnyoneElse22]

I'm mesmerized with her spins! The best spinner EVER!!!

[CPQuadSkater]

Her positions and extension capabilities, her centering on spins and overall presentation are magnificient!

[wangquanquan]

I love lucinda forever.

[LAGUNAFLIPSTA]

UNREAL!

[No1ZmeskalFan]

Yeah I totally agree. As a matter of fact, even with the falls, I still thought Sasha was the best of the night. Its not about triple triple combos. Its about the WHOLE package and Miss Ruh is that. I remember being mesmerized by her when I first saw her. shes in my top 5 of all times for sure

[JP852]

Would Ruh have done better if she was scored with the new system, ie more marks reflecting the difficulty of the spins? If so, wouldn't it be great to have a championships not so focussed on big jumps all the time :) it gets a little repetitive :)

[twilliger123]

I think so, look how Sasha Cohen won a Silver in the last Oly's with two falls...Lucinda is amazing, love watching her!!!

[CrazyOverJojo]

She is the most greatsest spinner i ever saw! i am a fan of skaters you know, like Sasha Cohan, Michelle Kwan, Miki Ando, Juliana Canarrozzo and many many more!... OK there are many more fantastic skater but she is the most greatest spinne! (i just repeated it didn't I?)

[suraaldy]

That scratch spin at the end was the most amazing spin I've ever seen. That's the hardest spin in skating (says Dick Button) and she holds it SO LONG!

[SwissMan73]

this is fantastic. I never saw any other skater skating to this wonderful piece of music...it's so refreshing between all those carmen and tosca interpretations...extracredit for choosen this music :)

[plumeria66]

my favorite skater of all time, due to her mesmerizing spins. she deserves gold just for her spins!

[fairfielder]

One more comment from me! Has anyone ever seen a more incredible back scratch spin?? I haven't!! The way she snaps her head back to the beat of the music is amazing in itself...her centering on that spin is just perfection...So interesting and sophisticated on the ice..Sometimes I even giggle at her spins...they are just so amazing! And she is smiling to boot...she is absolutely in her element here.

[Jonschmo21]

I believe Denise Biellmann does a back scratch spin. Denise Biellmann does come from Switzerland as well, so maybe it's in the water. If the judges only gave her more credit for her spins. She could've have a better placement. She deserved to be in the top 8 at least.

[cadebra1961]

This is what skating is all about! This is why we love it. Yeah, triple jumps, combos & all that. But who else can skate with such grace and ease like this girl? Not many. Dick was right, she doesn't get enough credit for her spins and presentation. That kinda sucks. I miss the old 6.0 system. The new system is too arbitrary and convaluted. Blame it on Sale and Peltier, those crybaby Canadian douches at 2002 Olympics! They suck!!

[ddragon99]

Lucinda is 5 foot 9---she jumps well, given her height. Such lovely positions and edge quality. Her spins are in a class all there own---can anybody else spin like this? NO! Bravo to Lucinda....

[pylgrym]

Can you please repost this without the un-marvelous commentary? The Gliere` and the skater and tghe ballet are QUITE nice as they are!!!

[Muzicology]

Lucinda you are simply devine, all the best from tunisian fan!

[wangquanquan]

Brilliant! The music and her spinning,brilliant.

[Darkangel127]

I just love the way she smiles and sells this program to the audience and judges! Best spinner ever, it's really unfair she never got credit for it. I think she would have, had she competed under the new scoring system.

[orangejkel]

Everytime I watch this program, it brings a smile to my face. You really forget about the jumps, although most of them in this program weren't bad (she nailed a triple loop and double Axel from difficult entries). The rest of the program is wonderfully sold, as you say. I'd say it's beauty on ice personified.

[orangejkel]

I don't think the new system gives enough credit for well-executed spins. A lot of skaters try to just hit features and they probably get more credit by comparison, because the judges don't like to dock points for poor centering and/or speed.

[yodabeesh]

I agree with you. Since skaters are trying to rack up the points, they throw in as many different positions as possible, regardless of whether its well-executed or not. It seems like everyone does the same spins these days (catch foot, pancake, inside edge, etc...) They all look the same. I actually don't like all of the inside edge spins. I miss spinners like Ruh and Nathalie Krieg.

[fairfielder]

I think Lucinda is , by far, the most innovative and brilliant spinner the skating world has EVER seen, along with her MAGNIFICENT musicality and posture. Her crossovers and basic skating are, to use a Dick Button phrase, "a kindness to the ice". Also, the wonderful watercolor-like outfit along with the harp music is the WHOLE package. It's the entire picture,verses of lyrical skating coupled with choruses of magical spinning that makes Lucinda Ruh my very favorite female skater.

[samiracle]

Amen to that. I don't think there ever will be another skater like her, and figure skating fans were blessed to have witnessed that level of brilliance.

[LAGUNAFLIPSTA]

she's brilliant!

[ShamusMacGuffin]

Spinning is much more difficult than jumping. Her talents were not rewarded as the greatest spinner of all time.

[indicatoto101]

She's a giant for a skater (5'9) so that really effects her jumping. I wouldn't say she's a horrible jumper. There are plenty of skaters out there who have better body proportions that jump worse than she does.

[Chinamerican]

She's a horrible jumper but the commentator is right - her arms are FANTASTIC. Compare her arms to what Shizuka Arakawa's doing in her Torino 06 LP. Her spins are out of this world - speed AND centering! She looks like she bore a hole straight into the ice!

[kandidasama]

I have never seen such a brilliant spin like this in my whole life!!!! Poor thing that she never success since she is a bad jumper.