Midori Ito 1990 Worlds SP UKTV

[pelicanus11]

Great jumper but her spirals sucked compared to the flexibility of sasha Cohen

[officeaddict33]

She had incredible footwork her whole career. Notice how steady she always is ...right over her hips.

[mlc2005]

What bothered me about this time was that artistry for ladies seemed to mean long legs, femininity, and vanity. Remember, the second mark is for "presentation," not "artistry." Midori Ito was one of the best presenters EVER, as she always had the audience in the palm of her hand, and was simply joyous to watch. Was she as graceful as Michelle Kwan? No... but, imo, she was as graceful as Witt, Thomas and Manley, for sure.

[skaterdude1962]

Midori was obviously an AWESOME jumper but for all the critisism given to Jill Trenary's win, you have to look at the finer details that made Jill World Champion that year. Midori's spiral sequence was jerky and posistions not good. Although she had fast spins these positions also left a lot to be desired and of course the interpretation although fun and perky had no finese.

[thomstephens]

@skaterdude1962 you are right about Midori's spiral and occasional lack of finesse. However, Jill's win was outrageous! No triple in the short program and overall a performance that was just not on the level of a senior lady. Jill was graceful, yes, but she lacked the technical punch to be a World Champion. They didn't go and immediately change the rules - eliminating the figures for no reason - it's because all in power (not to mention the audience) were outraged midori lost.

[bendonna]

@thomstephens they did not get rid of figures because Jill Trenary won worlds...that was decided years before to reduce them from 30 to 20 percent in 89 and then eliminate them in 91. People were not outraged that Jill won worlds, there was more controversy about getting rid of the figures. Midori's ONLY world title was with figures, once they elimated them, she never won again, so....

[937anto]

what's the name of this music?

[rainbowslk]

@937anto

Anvil Chorus

[kh3205]

@SkateNater Actually, by this time, Midori improved her figures trememdously. Everybody expected her to be at the 6th place or above, but she did a drastic mistake this year on a figure. Also the cause of her bad figures was mainly financial. Practicing figures costed a lot. Her basic skating skills were superb, according to Yuka Sato's dad. Midori's mom struggled to pay even for lessons. Actually, Midori's first international competition (World Jr.) was supposed to be her last one.

[nolaughingmatter]

It's ridiculous that a skater of this caliber was ever in 10th place (I doubt she was ever that bad in figures). After an entire generation has passed, we still don't have a replacement for Midori Ito.

[safehaven11]

The Slow section was kind of off but she is such a jumper and skater.

[koolaidnhemlock]

she rushes through the slow moments too much

[keikoitohanano]

Thank you so much.I feel happy.

She was pretty girl.I remember that time.

[mlc2005]

Every single element Midori presented was textbook perfect! I just don't think we'll ever see this athletic talent again!

[Chutson353]

watching her routines you see the value school figures added to the sport - look at those beautiful edges on her landings - it draws out the landing into a long, beautiful, curve that you rarely see today.

[DDOKU]

ジャンプのスケールが大きくてパワフルでスピーディなんだけど、

それだけじゃなくスケートが滑らかで一蹴り一蹴りが丁寧なのが

ボナリーと決定的に違うところ。みどりは別格。

[nepadude]

I was at this World's and have to say she rocketed around the rink like no other female skater at his competition! And she's tiny! Powerful to the max! Her artistry did improve from year to year. And don't forget, skating styles as well as scoring have changed a LOT in 19 years! Brava to her, though!!!

[hannaremnant]

she has a lot of hutzpah; great smile

[hannaremnant]

the music. My, it's unimaginable playing today if you want to be a winner.

[b2367]

fantastic

She is Great

[StewNWT]

Wow what a combination spin.

They always go on and on about Kristi Y - for cripes sakes all her 'artistry' wasn't even that great, she's look like a cow next to Yuna Kim or any of the top girls today.

[intldawn]

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to call Kristi a cow. Certainly "good artistry" has evolved over the years and Kristi embodied it at the time. But I do think they made too much of Midori's supposed inability to be artistic and expressive. That was a terrific program and she sold it very well. What more could you really ask from a skater?

[SecondPlaceYuya]

Wow! That last double axel and spin combination were fantastic.

[SecondPlaceYuya]

This program was really nice, and the music suits her style. I love Midori

That spiral sequence was not so good though :( Undsteady edges, unsteady free leg, okay extension, but not held nearly long enough.

[mrshinyshoes]

No other woman has ever skated like Midori Ito----the speed, the power, and the height with which she skates and jumps is phenomenol. She literally seems to float in the air when she jumps. And the preciseness and quickness in her steps is all so natural. There has never been another skater like her since, and I doubt there will be another like her. Truly the best female skater of all time.

[Gedevanishvili]

I dont understand how she lose that competition. The LP was unbeatable.

[fgr8sktrfn]

Simple answer?

Compulsory Figures.

If you are not in the top 3 spot after Original program(Short pgm) under the 6.0 system...then it was almost impossible to win the Gold.

1990 Worlds LP is one of the Finest technical program Ever done by any female skater!!!

Midori landed 3Axel..3Lutz..3Flip..3Loop out of spread eagle..3Toe/3Toe. the only mistake?

Midori doubled her 3Salchow!

one of the greatest jumper I ever saw!!!

[mec441]

Just one small nit pick- for all her mastery at jumping and spinning her spiral was not very graceful at all. In fact, it was quite wobbly and ungainly and the transitions from foot to foot was not good.

[bardtoob]

With the 3Lutz-2Toe combination, she upped the ante since she was in such a hole after figures. The combination jump was originally a 2T/3T as seen in the 1989 NHK Original Program.

[mamasensei]

Her artistry may not have been as good as othe skaters of her time but her jumps were amazing (the height she gets!) and her smile just warms your heart!

[cashisking98]

Midor's POWER & SPEED was the best ever. I can't think of any other skater who could skate like she did. I love you, Midori!!!

[Chutson353]

I agree - she has such power and was also fun to watch - the amplitude on her jumps is amazing and technically she was the best female skater ever.

[Scissorhands999]

This was a fantastic performance with great jumps and a great step sequence. The jumps were not weak and there is nothing wrong with the double LUTZ with hands over the head. I would like to see some of the girls these days land such a good double axel and go straight into a spin, at top speed. You need your eyes tested. Midori was the best and still is the best of all time.

[spenceAMS]

Wonderful to see this program again and I love the pace of it. Would love to see Kristi Yamaguchi's SP that year again too if you happen to have it.

[daisyrobster]

I see her soul in her skating and it's so fun!

I can't stop watching her skatin. She's so outstanding

and it's impressive crowds loves her at anywere!

[neartorn]

As for the landings, I don't see how they were weak- it's not like she was wobble-legged or anything.

Alright, that was a lot to say. But it's kinda annoying when people post ignorant comments.

[neartorn]

Midori's spiral for her time was fine- compare it to other 1990 skaters and most everyone else had an "awful" spiral sequence, as you would put it. Again musicality is subjective. And the comment on how the landings were "rushed" on the combinations doesn't even make sense... Midori had to hold the landing on the lutz longer than usual just so she could pull around the wall, not to crash into it.

[neartorn]

I would just like to say metsdudenj's post is wrong on so many levels. First off I (as well as many others and the judges) felt the choreography was great- it was vibrant and exciting, fitting perfectly with the music. The "double flip" is actually double lutz. If you knew your history then you would know spiral sequences weren't given as much technical attention as they are nowadays.

[metsdudenj]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I feel she didnt always have great edges or landing positions. The choreography is better than she usually did, but I didnt find anything that showed she interepreted this music; she could have skated to anything and it would have looked the same. Yes, I am aware it was double lutz, okay, and her landing on that wasnt extended nor were her combination landing...execution is part of technical just in case you didnt know.

[premierrules]

To the post below: How can you say this? It was a FABULOUS performance. I loved it. Had it not been for the compulsory figures she would have won the gold outright. Great combination, fast, pacy routine and brilliant step sequence. One of the best ladies short programmes I have ever seen. Go Midori!!

[StewNWT]

That was probably the quickest combo spin I've ever seen, and look how quickly she whipped into it after that double axel. More than supposed 'artistry' she projected to the audience and got everyone in the building involved in her skating which is more than I can say for most of these girls.

[lavendee2]

She should have skated in a bigger rink...She might have not cut so close on some jumps...Love her.

[elisan693]

Midori Ito truly defines the power of being a woman and a superb athlete. Midori RULES as the Queen of triple axle! She also did it with stunning speed, soaring height and genuine grace.

[Newhighlander]

I agree. And now we even have people criticing her for "leg wrap" - how pathetic. Perhaps they have things in the rules now about that, but then I think the rules must be wrong - becuase I would sooner watch Midori than anyone else, and her jumps are text book.

[livuali]

This is the most animated I've ever scene her...this is a fantastic program...once they label a skater as not being artistic it just sticks...same thing happened to Elaine Zayak...

[mariahfan444]

Screw the artistry part...she has all the joy in the world! And since Midori retired from amateur competition in 92, 15 years and counting not one skater has been able to match the jumping and spinning quality of this young lady!

[slamballmanlita]

wrong she came back for 95-96 finished 7th in worlds and won japanesse title and nhk trophy

[premierrules]

What a performance! Loved it. Fast and pacy and well choreographed. Shame she was only 10th in the compulsories as her free skating was totally superior to Jill Trenary. I will always have fond memories of Midori Ito. Kerrigan, Kwan, Slutskaya and Buturskaya tried but they were no match for her.

[Newhighlander]

Her artisic marks should have been higher. Nicky Slater's comments about "grace" are stupid - artistic impression does not always mean the skater has to be graceful. She interprted this music really well ans was artistic. The program elements weren't all put in at the beginning - another plus. Vanessa Riley also needs her eyes tested.

[SwissMan73]

you're absloutley right. couldn't agree more...Midori is simply amazing

[skatespiral]

Agree, stupid comment by N Slater about 'grace'. Her movements are always seamless and she is always one with music. That's one of the attitudes that might have put women's figure skating technically backward for ages and produced skaters like Kwan, who saw the begining of an end to her competitive career when the new points system was introduced.

[clovera]

very well-said!

[metsdudenj]

the positions and choreograpahy were very medicore in this program, the double flip landing was weak, the spiral sequence was awful and she was independent of the music, the landings on the combination were rushed and weak also; this deserved 5.7 for technical at most and 5.6 at most for technical. Anything more would be crazy

[kristirulesice]

ROTFL!! Are you smoking crack or something. 5.7 for technical!!?! Technically this should be a 5.9 or 6.0 as she is probably the greatest technical skater ever. This program was head and shoulders above anyone else here and I say that as a huge Kristi fan. Holly Cook and Lebedeva doing freaking triple toe combos were getting 5.7 technically and you would give this a 5.7. Your comments here are some of the dumbest I have ever seen in my life.

[metsdudenj]

She had great technical ability, but this program for me wasnt anywhere near her best ever. Kristi surpassed her in all areas, because execution is a big part of technical skating, in case you didnt know. Extensions, toe point, raised feet and unwrapped jumps are all part of that program. Artistically I never cared for her skating, but however, seeing how weak the field was, I can understand how she got those marks. And dont call anyone's comments "dumb" just cause you disagree. Get a life~

[hmlilly]

I'm not sure I quite get the technical marks of 5.8; did they realistically expect two skaters with technical ability above hers?!

[TamaKun808]

Awesome.