1992 Worlds Ladies' Free Skating - Kristi Yamaguchi

[RanityIsOnThat]

I wonder why she decided against having a double win at the 1994 Lillehammer Games

[xxdramalover1xx]

she is breathtaking <3

[WaterLydia405]

how old would she be now?

[LauraMalfoy2011]

@WaterLydia405 40, according to wikipedia.

[firmingitup]

Is that Rudi Galindo that she's hugging at 6:03?

[maribel2]

oh, wow, i had never seen thi before!! absolutely breathless!!

[pinkskullsxxx1]

figure skating is so beautiful

[koolaidnhemlock]

would have loved to see her repeat in 94 .. she could have won 3 in a row at the olympics.

[dsfddsgh]

@koolaidnhemlock 3 in a row? Sorry but in 1998 she would have been a bit to old to compete with Tara and Michelle.

[superstartodd]

@dsfddsgh I think Kristi could have won 3 olympics in 6 years. katarina won in 84, 88, and even returned in 94 10 years after winning her first olympic medal and still finished right outta top 5 where she only could perfrom 2 triple jumps, Kristi up til early 2000s was still touring with ice shows landing the whole catalogue of triple jumps 1998 was definitely a possibility

[spartyutube]

I think that was the heighest triple lutz I've seen her do! lol And it was in combo with a triple toe! wow!

[cassyBITCH19]

OMG! im live in fremont and i go to the same school she went to!:]]]]

[barkingtree88]

She still remains the last lady to ever defend her World and Olympic title directly after the Olympics.

[a5615]

@barkingtree88 But don't forget that Midori Ito, her chief rival, retired after the Olympics. Who else could have won over her back then?

[geester37]

I see there are lots of comparing Kristi with Michelle kwan, Kristi was doing 7 tripple jumps when no one else was except perhaps medori ito, Kristi was the best in her era and time, Michelle was the best in her time,

[kimatoz3]

She is so fluid and graceful.

[Camilliusz]

wow. i can't believe thiis is how it was in the early 90's.

her moves seem so much difficult to the current performences of this year's olympics.

everythingy kristi did was perfect.

[TheMondrian1]

sorry Michelle was gorgeous emotional but not the competitor or complete package Kristi was. Michelle had to skate more worlds, she was victory-less at the Olympics despite three tries. Sorry Olympic champ is Olympic champ

[acousticxsoul]

the Quality of Michelle's Skating was 100 times better than Kristi. Michelle edges were smooth and clean. Her Spiral extension was better, her foot work and spins were were stronger as well. and Michelle's jumps were cleaner. and then she was the better artist. Michelle is a better skater than Kristi despite not having a olympic gold medal

[TheMondrian1]

Michelle a more emotional captivating artist but never mastered a difficult triple triple, Kristi did a triple lutz -3 toe at Olympics worlds and nationals in one year, and Kristi had better speed better lay back, better foot position, michelle couldn't get her foot position correct on lay back again, Olympic, world and National champ all in one year...can't really argue that especially when MK went three times and came up with bronze, silver.

[acousticxsoul]

Michelle never cleanly performed a difficult triple triple in competition but her's had better height and covered more ice. Kristi's combo was great but the rest of her olympic program had errors. Michelle's free skate at Nagano should have won gold. Her program had difficult footwork sequences and transitions.Kristi was not as difficult. Michelle won 5 world tittles, 9 national tittles, and 2 olympic medals. she did not compete in 2006 She only competed in 2 full olympic seasons.

[TheMondrian1]

None of the experts INCLUDING frank Carrol thought MK won the gold in Nagano. She was slow, and slipped on her flip and had the easier entrance on the lutz and no triple triple. Kristi's was much more difficult, and this is getting silly Kristi won gold MK never did despite 3 tries!

[idolfan9495]

@acousticxsoul Michelle performed a clean 3-3 many times in competition. See, e.g., Worlds FP 2000 and 2001. There are many other examples. I agree MK should have won gold in 1998. But Kristi deserved her title, too.

[WedgeOfSpite]

@idolfan9495 MK didn't deserve to win any gold medal. She's an excellent skater, but her programs were technically and/or artistically not there. Kristi is my overall favourite skater. When she's on her game, she's on it. And she can do so much wonderfully in term of the artistic and technical...except those darn Salchows. So if she hadn't had such a strong SP and everyone who could have contended also messed up their LP, she wouldn't have won, or deserved to win in '92. But well...:)

[skatefan9495]

@WedgeOfSpite None? I guess she was gifted a lot of times, since she has 5 World golds, 9 US golds and many other golds at Grand Prix, Pro-Am and cheesfest events. But why are we talking about Michelle Kwan on a Kristi video? Michelle came after Kristi.

[acousticxsoul]

Also Michelle skated away with her tittles with clean skates the only one's that had errors such as falls were. 1998 worlds,1999 nationals, 2000 nationals. the rest of her wins were clean skates with all triples performed. often times she completed 7 triples. Kristi was a wonderful skater, but Michelle was a better athlete. her over all skating was better. forget her brilliant artistry she was athlete. Her loses at the olympics were unfortunate. but she brought ladies skating to great heights.

[TheMondrian1]

MK was gorgeous but sorry, no triple triple. Look at what happened to Mao, two 3 axels but lower than Yu Na lutz toe combo. MK was very slow and tentative at the Olympics. Her back was poor, it hunched over, and her speed was bad, her layback had wrong edge, she flutzed a bit on lutz and had easier entrance. I know someone close to her from Palm Srpings we discussed this many times.

[vitranisuber]

2:34 nice.

[kev7978]

wow, illusion spin on the ice. how dizzy.

[ThePhantom2K9]

I guess FDR was alittle paranoid. I mean really, locking them up? What about the 442nd regiment!!!???

[ThePhantom2K9]

OMG She is so, cute. Ay ¿que linda?

[1rarerecordz]

Didnt they have a movie where Kristi Yamaguchi and Tonya Harding were rivals?

[Eispost]

Because the spin at 5:00 gives no points anymore

[mec441]

NO points for a really good scratch spin??? Are you sure? Either way it was very good.

[Eispost]

yes I'm sure, because of the new skating system. You are right the spin is very good!!

[ThePhantom2K9]

I only skipped to 5:00. Is it because she did it before? (Probably)

[daretodream86]

oh and that super fast spin @5:00 I don't see skaters do that anymore these days, how come?

[daretodream86]

3:46 --> that jump was awesome! i didnt even see it coming

[jeggy87]

what a great interpretation of music!

[pointeprincess302]

i love how kristi does her luxes and axles, she gets so high and her spins and gorgeous

[pointeprincess302]

sorry typo, i mean lutz

[Zuranthium]

She doesn't get high in her Lutz at all.

Very good Double Axel, though.

[ThePhantom2K9]

@pointeprincess302 She is sexy also.

[claude6599]

c etait la meilleure de loin

[sbsFREAK]

oh my gosh she is amazing!

you have no idea!!!!!!!!!!!

she makes it look so easy

[jondavwal]

And as nasty as this sounds Michelle Kwan is as dumb as a box of rocks and it shows up in her skating. Have you ever heard her talk on camera. She's barely literate. Just because Peggy Fleming tells us how graceful she is doesn't mean we can't see that she skated the same program with the same hand gestures and "artistry" to different music for 12 years. The day Tara Lipinski won in Nagano was one of my most satisfying moments in skating.

[jondavwal]

Kristi Yamaguchi was probably the greatest female skater of the past 25 years because she needed no preparation for any of her jumps except on the triple lutz. The salchow was a chink in her armor and she just didn't use her toe correctly to launch her into the jump, but for seamlessness there was nobody like her and she killed herself to keep up with Ito to be able to win unlike Kwan who didn't improve after the age of 13. Kwan had no guts and her Olympic results reflected that.

[thestandard1]

Ok there is no question Kristi is not only the superior skater to Michelle whom is also lovely. Michelle wasn't a clutch player, couldn't EVER do a one triple triple in competition, definately not the Lutz then toe like Kristi did numerous times. Kristi is a clutch competitor, has speed, grace and beauty. Michelle is emotional, graceful, but slow, has bad back poster and unfortunately chokes. I'm glad she didn't go for the Olympics, it was getting ridiculous.

[danjohnrob64]

This is one of my top 5 best choreographed and performed programs. Such attention to detail, musicality, edge control AND difficulty. I think this program would still be very competitive under today's scoring system. I could watch it over and over again!

[buchananbji]

Kristi vs. Michelle? Hmm. Michelle peaked at 15 but Kristi had to deal with those rotten school figures that were thankfully abolished (?). Kristi does the 3/L, 3T but can't do a 3S? Regardless, I LOVE them both! AMEN!

[dylanvalente]

Michelle never could pull off a triple-triple in competition besides the 3toe-3toe. On the other hand, she did many clean 7-triple programs during her career. I don't know that Kristi ever did. Maybe at the 92 Nationals, where she landed the salchow? Even if so, Michelle did it a bunch of times. I think Michelle had greater maturity and grace, but Kristi was strong artistically too. I'd say Michelle was better overall.

[jondavwal]

you're nuts

[dylanvalente]

How so? Michelle skated at the top of the sport for almost ten years, winning nine Nationals, five Worlds and two Olympic medals, skating many clean seven-triple programs along the way. Kristi was a brilliant skater too, but had a glaring weakness on the triple salchow, in contrast to Michelle, who had no major weaknesses. They were both great skaters.

[jondavwal]

Michelle Kwan couldn't do a layback spin to save her life so she had her own glaring weakness. The difference was Kristi tried to push the sport and Michelle Kwan coasted for ten years. And trust me when I tell you Michell Kwan would give back all her titles for one Olympic gold. Unfortunately, she didn't have the balls to win one. She just thought she would win if she showed up.

[jondavwal]

Plus an inability to land a triple triple combination except once in a 10+ year career is a major weakness.

[Nefertirisan]

OMg.. she has this aura of grace with her as she skates... amazing :o]

[skibluiz]

kristi is a goddess!

[SOLE2SOUL]

Kristi is magnificent but Sandra Bezic is the WORST skating commentator of all time! If only there were some way to filter her out!

[jeac2274]

I think that Sandra speaks as a choreographer, and that's actually pretty cool. Most of the times you have a commentator that doesn't know anything about the subject in display.

[shinshaw2000]

This was after Albertville right? Was this perhaps the last time that the ladies' Olympic Gold medalist actually participated and won the following World Championships?

[jayawr]

Yes. Oksana Baiul, Tara Lipinski, Sarah Hughes, and Shizuka Arakawa all withdrew from Worlds after winning.

Kristi was such a role model for all of the other skaters. I'm sure she would have come to these Worlds even if they hadn't been so close to home. I'm still bummed that Midori Ito got sick and couldn't compete.

[yagudicandelo]

True Olympic champion! She would've won 94, too. What a shame that she didn't try for consecutive gold which she well deserved

[Wellveryinteresting]

I also still think there was a chance Kristi could have also skated in '98 as well and probably could have even won there. I mean Kristi would have only been 26 years old in Nagano (I know that many say that's too old for a ladies champ), but really the sport of Ladies FS didn't advance all that much between '92 & '98. I could have easily seen Kristi skating to at least a silver in Nagano, right in between the youngsters Lipinski (at Gold, probably) & Kwan (at Bronze, most likely).

[Wellveryinteresting]

Lipinski would have probably been Kristi's chief competitor in '98, although Kwan won the U.S. nationals that year -- but really this performance here shows compared to Kwan's '98 U.S. Nats performance how very little had changed for Ladies FS in the six intervening years. Things didn't start getting tougher for Kwan and the other ladies until well after the '98 Olympics starting in 2000.

[jayawr]

Interesting thought! That would have been a treat to watch, though I don't think the professional explosion after the '94 Olympics would have been as successful without Kristi. She really was the only professional skater in the 90s who maintained consistency and difficulty in her programs.

[MelleAndKev]

I like you're thoughts on Kristi, I'm glad that Kristi got to flourish during the professional explosion (she didn't really get too many endorsements right after winning her gold.) She would land the jumps that she struggled with in 92 (mostly the 3 salchow or 3 loop) even in exhibition from '94 on (94's when I started paying attention.) She's admirable because she's always looking to improve her skills for her own enlightenment. Kristi is the real thing.

[eyeskater1]

what does your comment have to do with skating? I don't think others want you spamming these clips with porn links.

[mec441]

That opening 3Lutz/3toe loop combo=absolute perfection!

[OapostropheC]

Is that Rudi Galindo hugging her at 6:05?

[mec441]

yes it was. i never noticed that before.

[chiquitasbananna]

She was always my idol as a little girl! She's just AMAZING! I remember seeing her skate a few times, such fond memories.

[8data]

its amazing she fell twice and still won

cuz the heart never lies

[AmberNicole024]

she fell only once this time

[8data]

Shes Awesome

An amazing display of courage, performance, beauty and grace

All art is subjective, to the haters

She married a hoxey player, go figure

Shes gorgeous!!! Awesome person!

[celebritygirl17]

now kristi is on Dancing with the stars (with mark) i think they can WIN it all!!!

I wish she didnt fell on the triple salchow but yeah it passed a long time. thats weird that she didnt fell for the tripple lutz bcause triple lutz is lik WAY harder!!

[ShaefDawg]

The salchow has an edge takeoff, and it was one that Kristi really had trouble with. She got rid of it in her during her pro career. Who needed it anyway? She still did two triple lutzes and combos and difficult footwork and spins throughout her pros anyway.

[celebritygirl17]

well i know that the salchow has an edge takeoff but i didnt know she got rid of it!! but now she stopped figure skating so yeah!

[mec441]

Yes the 3 Salchow was always her most difficult jump. Just like the 3 loop always gave Brian Boitano trouble.

[Otaliafan]

she has not stopped skating.

[Lilia96]

screw the fall, she is amazing! Flows on the ice, like liquid, a beautiful performance. xx

[hulagirl201510]

I think that Kristi was great and she is still the best because even though she fell she is still the best skater to me.

[rickram1961]

This program would stand up today as well. Kristi is a perfectly beautiful artistic skater. Kristi is my all time favorite female figure skater.

[ballerinaash6140]

she is my inspiration....and i dont even skate! i am a ballerina! i love you kristi!!!!! <3 xoxo

[ptrzAlyson823]

This performance was PERFECT!!! There was not a single mistake!!!

[ptrzAlyson823]

Oops... I made a mistake. She had a fall... I didn't remeber that...

[suraaldy]

The commentator was wrong to say that Yamaguchi fell on the loop at the Olympics. She only put her hand down.

[mec441]

Putting your hand down is considered a fall because if you do not put your hand down to catch yourself you would more than likely have fallen.

[ShamusMacGuffin]

The rules have changed a bit, because a hand down isn't usually considered a fall today under CoP. They would just take off for the GOE.

[jondavwal]

Women's figure skating took ten steps backwards when she and Midori retired.

[wannabeboi25]

Good point ZUranthium about the jumps..also keep in mind that during the last two olympics, it was triple triple combinations that won the competition, and others weren't even trying it..but in 1992 christi did a triple lutz triple toe..as if it were normal and required..u hardly see the triple lutz triple toe anymore combo even NOW

[fong03]

I don't think Arakawa landed a triple-triple in her free skate at the Olympics. I could be wrong. Nonetheless, your point is well made. This program is 16 years old yet would still compete technically with the skaters today.

[suraaldy]

You're right. Arakawa didn't need the triple-triple at the Olympics. But she could have easily done it. (Well, she would have made it look easy, at least.)

[fong03]

Perhaps - she wasn't the most consistent skater, so we'll never know. She did what she needed to though to win her gold!

[rfillangi]

Why did Kristie have such problems with the triple Salchow?

[cahan]

Sorry that this repsonse was late. I remember back when Kristi was competing, it was mentioned that she was used to be thrown by Rudy Galindo into the triple salchow and she had a very hard time doing it in single skate.

[okhan001]

i never noticed this before..but it looks like they started the music before she was ready. But Kristi was so level headed, it didn't make a difference! :)

[okhan001]

oops, scratch that! wrong video

[ShaefDawg]

I remember there being a controversy with the British judge. Did she judge the men's event too, cause I remember NBC going up to her and asking her why she judged with such low scores compared to the rest of the judges?

[duckling1015]

I like to see more artistic work than jumps on the ice. On her performance I don't see any artistic work but only jumps. Boring....

[kallkevin]

I agree it's not really artistic, but it does have good choreography... and there's a difference between artistry and choreography...

[molly2222]

If only she had competed in 94 Olympics, too. She must have won consecutive gold!!

[mec441]

Not really because Tonya and her goon squad would have went after her instead of Nancy.

[quelita28]

What physical abilities are necessary in a beginner skater to do well in figure skating?

[FrozenHermit]

having lots of money helps.

[rickram1961]

Kristi's skating is pure magic. She is one of the most graceful skater's in US Figure Skating History. She is right up there with Peggy Fleming & Michelle Kwan.

[mec441]

You forgot Janet Lynn! How could you have forgotten the one skater that is universally known as one of the most graceful ever to step on the ice!?!?

[greggyPooP]

Kristi is still by far, the most polished figure skater ever. Even Michelle Kwan, as talented as she is, still never had the clean polish of Kristi. When you see the other clips out there showing a compilation of jumps from multiple skaters, you can see Kristi has the best technique from entry to rotation to landing, and everything else. Midori and Tonya had bigger jumps, but just ugly in the air. Michelle K. had amateur style entries into jumps and landings just not as polished as Kristi.

[skatin4r2]

I agree greggy. With the exception of '96 and '97, Michelle rarely had any difficult transitions and entrances to her jumps like Kristi -- Ina Bauer, footwork, a spiral, a split jump. Kristi - the best female figure skater EVER! with Michelle a close second.

Can someone tell me why Kristi reverted back to this ugly red/pink costume for Worlds?

[mec441]

I thought her costume here was prettier than the black and gold outfit she wore at the Olympics.

[TheMondrian1]

@skatin4r2 AGREE MK's lutz entrance was easier and slightly flutzed, she often slipped on Flip and had poor back posture and speed and no triple triple and slow rotation in the air. Kristi was only missing the salchow luckily its the lowest scored triple

[idolfan9495]

@TheMondrian1

Michelle had a triple-triple, see e,g.,World's FP 2000, 2001, SA 1995, Nationals 1999, 2002 Worlds QR. But why are we talking about Michelle? Love Kristi, love Michelle.

[kallkevin]

I agree... polished is a good word to describe her... but Kristi don't come close to the stretch/extension in her spirals as Michelle...

[Wellveryinteresting]

And as good as Kristi was in this year of 1992 and Michelle was in 1996/97, I do think Michelle did have the jumps in 2000/01 (and Michelle had a lot of style with her World Championship winning performances for 2000's "The Red Violin" long program & 2001's "Swan" long program -- but for some reason for Michelle, unlike Kristi, Michelle lost her 3/3 {triple/triple combination} jumps after 2001& never did get them back, unfortunately!)

[brunofttt]

Was that Rudy at the end?

[wgengaged]

I think so!

[brunofttt]

Skating at it's finest. It was skating back then, not just a jumpfest...

[Zuranthium]

"Skating at it's finest. It was skating back then, not just a jumpfest..."

Comments like that are hilarious. Kristi had 8 jumping passes here...these days with the new rules only 7 are even allowed! That's LESS!

[jondavwal]

Yeah, it's amazing. People don't even realize that this program would probably still win. Yu Na is just adding Kristi's first combination.

[josephbbl]

I once saw her and her husband at a Starbucks in downtown SF on Union St. She was very petite, but her husband looked like a ginat who had been in a few fights in his life. I think he's a pro hockey player.

[musicfan094]

Kristi is the last olympic champion who also competed at the Worlds championship in the same year. In 1994, 1998, 2002, & 2006, the olympic champion skipped Worlds. What does that tell you about Kristi?? She has incredible work ethic, truly loves to skate & compete. They just don't make olympic champions like her anymore.

[kallkevin]

1992 was an end in an era... endorsements became a bigger deal after 1994 Olympics... especially with the Nancy/Tonya saga... so skaters try to capitalize on that... instead of proving themselves again at the world championships... in fact it wasn't until the eighties that the worlds were held after the Olympics... it was always before the Olympics...

[mec441]

Kristi truly has the heart of a champion!

[socalazn168]

I realize that the British judge is always very anal with their scoring for alot of skaters.

[FrozenHermit]

at THIS competition she was.

[xPorcelainLolitax]

She's VERY good! Even if she fell, that was really unimportant ... *O*