Denise Biellmann (SUI) - 1980 Worlds, Ladies' Long Program

[lambielkwanfan]

Just look at some of the skaters that figures made a World or Olympic Champion, sometimes many times over- Trixi Schuba, Anett Poetzsch, Dianne De Leeuw, Christine Errath, 80s holdover Jill Trenary in 1990 with 80s jump content. And none of those skaters ever won a free skate at a World or Olympic event, not even once.

[mlc2005]

She really would have been the star of the 80's. With Janet Lynn, and then Biellmann, it's hard to understand the argument that "compulsory figures were essential to make basic skating skills stronger." Hahahahaha.

[lambielkwanfan]

@mlc2005 Yeah she should have dominated this decade. She really was superior to Witt in almost every area. I am so glad compulsory figures are gone. They have victimized so many great skaters over the years and made champions of so many such ungreat ones. Check out a clip of Trixi Schuba performing, it is like a huge walrus on skates. If they were around now we would probably see say Elena Liashenko dominating womens skating and Kwan and Asada out of the medals due to low figures placings.

[mlc2005]

@lambielkwanfan : I totally agree. It's pretty depressing to think of how damaging figures really were to the sport. Beillmann (and so many other greats) said they retired b/c they were tired of winning the free skate (by miles) and yet coming in 7th or 8th. Figures only showed one thing: That you spent a lot of time practicing figures. It had nothing to do with skating, artistry, expression, or even skill, it was rogue repetition. I hear you about Trixi!!! I was shocked when I saw her.

[metsdudenj]

@lambielkwanfan Liashenko started competing way after the figures were eliminated, so your comment makes no sense.

[lambielkwanfan]

@metsdudenj My point is you would see a Liashenko caliber skater (either Liashenko or someone of her caliber in free skating) winning events due to figures if figures were still around probably.

[faeryquene]

Thank you for posting this. At the time I remember I thought she should have won-I thought the same thing when I was a little girl and Janet Lynn got bronze instead of gold. I did not know about compulsory figures at the time.