Anett Poetzsch - 1980 World Championships Long Program

[libralady1010]

@mexicanafan I've been around the sport 30 years-still don't know if I could explain it.But I'll try:Anett was the 1980 Gold M'list.Reputation,everything to do w/how you were scored.Trixie Schuba-Gold Medalist in 1972-great in figures but a clunker in free skating.I believe CF's in1980 were30%They counted for 50% back when Schuba won when you had great skaters as Janet Lynn&Karen Magnussen, hence the change in' 73 w/the public outcry.Were changed again in 1981 after Fratianne was robbed in '80.

[bemar1972]

REMEMBER! Here was another scoring system, and Anette receive 1st place with BIG advantage in compulsory figures. Here in free skate Fratiani was 1st, that you all want?

[grafgirl27]

@bemar1972 and Fratianne did not even deserve 1st in the free skate. Watanabe was much better than Linda in both the short program and free skate and should have won the free skate hands down. Fratianne should have been off the podium considering Poetzsch and Lurz are way better in figures.

[dolcevitausa]

@bemar1972 If memory serves correct there was an article in 82 or 83 that stated if the scoring system had been changed a couple of years sooner Linda would have been World Champion all 4 years leading into the Olympics. She would still have lost the Olympics to Denise..I may be totally wrong with my facts since it was a LONG time ago that I read the article.

[nondescriptnyc]

@dolcevitausa True in many ways. But, to this day, the judges have always found ways to manipulate the results...so I am not so sure.

In 1977, for instance, Vodorezova won the SP/FS combined, and Biellmann won the same in Lake Placid--maybe because the judges were comfortable giving them the top marks for their SP and FS, knowing the they would NEVER threaten the top skaters due to their low placements in CF. Had they been better at CF, I am not so sure... Look at Emi Watanabe...

[sloams]

She did not deserve to win!! The judges held Linda down During the school figures from what I remember and gave her lower marks then she deserved. These Championships were held in Germany. Linda was robbed!!

[Marchjoy1963]

BORING

[peppe201]

@USAGymnast Yes, I understand from someone I know who attended these worlds, that Anett's figures were excellent.

[twilliger123]

She was 2nd over Fratianne with this pile of crap FS????? Purely East Euro bias!

[serenakicksass]

@twilliger123 She was 2nd BEHIND Fratianne in the free skate.  The best free skate of this competition was really done by Emi Watanabe but the judges placed her 3rd in the freeskate.

[nondescriptnyc]

By today's standards, Watanabe clearly outskated everyone else at this competition--with fast, accurate and ginourmas jumps, good basic skills, beautiful presentatiomn, and the strong audience appeal. However, back then, the judges were looking at other things....the skating quality didn't seem to matter as much.

[TheSienna29]

No expression or artistry in her skating. Yikes

[russianskatingfan]

I enjoyed watching Watanabe, Biellmann, young Voderezova (not the later Voderova who was more a medal contender in 82-84 just since she was better in figures even as a heftier and weaker free skater), Marie Allen, and Lurz. Fratianne was plausible. Poetzsch on occasion was plausible (not all the time). Still with Poetzsch winning so many big titles and Lurz on the podium of so many, just due to their figures expertise it made it a weak era.

[russianskatingfan]

Cmon it was a weak era. Figures impact the results but nobody cared about figures by the time skating became big TV which it had already become by 1980. Then as far as free skating Fratianne was just ok, Poetzsch was mediocre, and Lurz was plain bad. Yet those three zzzzz women were on the podium in some order at every big event pretty much. The more appealing free skaters werent winning medals so in a way they didnt matter much. So yes it was a weak era like grafgirl said.

[TheSienna29]

The commentator is a genius. The Canadians know great skating. No content is right!

[grafgirl27]

Yeah come to think of it you are right. Fratianne didnt struggle that much with figures but enough it made her vurnerable to much weaker free skaters like Poetzsch and even Lurz. Watanabe, Biellmann, Marie Allen, young Voderezova were all very nice free skaters who struggled alot at figures. Figures should have been gone by 1980. They had already run their course. It was horrible to see Poetzsch and Lurz always on that podium with their blah free skating performances.

[smokelean]

figures should have been gone after peggy fleming. in aperfect world we would be singing janet lynn praises. actually most skaters do recognize janet as perhaps the finest free skater of all time

[grafgirl27]

I agree. Peggy Fleming should have been the death of figures.

[Chutson353]

Why Peggy Fleming?

[grafgirl27]

Since she was the first truly memorable free skater that capativated public imagination. Of course Lynn took it to an even higher level, and Hamill was also great. My point is it should have been starting to be clear that free skating was going to fuel stars and the popularity of skating more and that was the time to start the devalueing of figures and speed up the process rather than dilly dally it as they did. To think of some of the horrible victims like Ito and Biellmann.

[grafgirl27]

This was a really weak era for women skating. A skater like this was probably the best skater of this era, or atleast equal best with Linda. Yet

compared to Michelle Kwan, Kristi Yamaguchi, or Katarina Witt for example she is a jump, even considering the time frame.

[barkingtree88]

I think Anett deserved her Olympic gold, but I think Emi Watanabe should have finished 1st in the freeskate. Thanks for sharing!