You don't see this sort of talent and artistry on ice anymore. All you have are a couple of Jumping Jills trying not to cheat or under-rotate their jumps.
Now this is one of those programs that precisely defines a "complete" program and package, even if you count out the natural abilities and appeal that Lu Chen was born with. Very technical, but also very artistic with no empty spaces. Lu Chen always had the package programs. To this day, I think Chen was robbed big time here and the corruption in skating showed. She should have been 1st or 2nd with Nancy in lp, and even 2nd in sp. Chen was the only one to do two triple lutzes in LP.
Another great routine by Lu Chen - she matured so much over the years - and her versatility was tremendous - compare her Short and Long programs at this Olympics and its pretty amazing - completely different style musically and choreographically.
@mlc2005 silver over Kerrigan. Are you saying you think Baiul actually deserved the gold, LOL! I think she deserved silver over BAIUL. She could not have won. Kerrigan won the short and Chen made a mistake in the short and was rightfully marked down to 4th. Kerrigan was the skater who did 2 excellent and clean programs and deserved to win.
I watch this on television in '94, and it was clear Lu Chen's program here or Kerrigan (any of them) should have won long program, which means Chen would be silver. She deserved it. Both her and Kerigan were very different quality than the rest. Even after the final skater performed, it was clear this performance and Kerigan's were no. 1 and 2.
Chen Lu has it all-grace,elegance,athleticism,and artitsry. Best LP of the competition, and she had a longer career than those who finished 1rst and 2nd.Stunningly beautiful, too. Like Michelle Kwan, when she was good she was sublime.
Baiul's SP was great for her balletic grace. Kerrigan's LP was solid all around. However, could ever equal Chen Lu.
It would have been interesting if she had hit all of her jumps. I bet she could have won the gold. Really good choreography - the timing with the spins? Amazing.
I love the outfit...oh yes....I believe made by " Vega Designs" The Vega family in Woodland Hills, Ca...I think I have their phone number, 818-348-2531....
I love how verne lundquist says that despite her success she is no big deal in her homeland. It's funny because the next month the commentators said that the hopes and dreams of an entire nation rested on her shoulders. Spin, Spin , Spin.
I would suggest that the two comments are not self contradictory. She could have certainly not been a major attraction before the olympics but after getting a bronze had started getting a lot more press. So then it wasn't media spin but natural evolution based on her success.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Worst music choice I'v ever heard for as fine a skater as Lu Chen. It's the polar opposite of her natural style. She is light and ethereal, this music is ponderous and heavy and dark. The judges simply could not give this high artistic marks as beautiful as she is. The music destroyed her chances this year.
I actually disagree that this music is at fault. Granted, I'm already a fan of dark, ponderous music but I think the problem is the choreography. I love to watch her skate, but in comparison to many of her other programs this one just doesn't have the same beauty. I think this kind of music could really suit a fluid skater like her with the right choreography. Incidentally, I can never get this music out of my head after watching this. It makes me think of Joe Hisaishi's stuff. Who wrote it?
Perhaps your right. This is Sarah Kawahara choreography. Her programs are in my opinion overly busy with lots of details that dont seem to add up to much from a standpoint of pure skating beauty. They dont accentuate long lines or fluid running edges. She did Kwans Long program in 2002. Not a masterpiece by any means.
Nancy was WAY over-rated from 92-93...Chen was phenomenal in this competition and I am sorry she didn't get to World's - she would have easily beaten Sato.
Not if Yuka skated cleanly. She is one of the most underrated skaters. Yuka is a joy to watch, as is Lulu. It would have been an interesting competition.
I do agree that Nancy was overrated, but in all honesty I did not care for any of the top 5 programs (and I love Chen and Sato).
Oksana's was the most "entertaining" of the bunch, but I thought Chen's was the most interesting, while Yuka's showcased her strengths the most.
i agree Chen kicked ass! she was amazing and only got better in the next couple years but i would rather say Baiul was over-rated than Kerrigan! Kerrigan was at least a polished skater if not technical.
Too bad Lu Chen didn't have some kind of 'sob story' to spin - to compete with the 'almost blind mother' story or the 'triumphant orphan' story - perhaps the best story would have won along with the best skate of the night. LOL
Don't count the Japanese skaters out, though. Mao Asada will gain more artistry as she works with it more, and behold that which Arakawa aleady has!
I really miss the forcus on artistic impression, as that made programmes so good, so different from each other. Perhaps if there's enough support, another new scoring system can be made, one that gives more freedom and incentive for beauty, you know?
Very, very serious. She's obviously not in the same league with Lu Chen (truth be told, who is?), but I've seen some lovely artistic touches in her work. Definitely not robotic, although I can see your point if you don't like her telegraphed jumps.
"all she has is speed" from your point of view I guess.... probabily you should consider that people have different opinion.... And She telegraph only the opening combination.... And that MY point of view...
she carries amazing speed across the ice!! and i like how she moves her legs when she accelerates.. plus, whoever choereographed this program is just great..
That 5.9 for Baiul was way off the mark, but it was cancelled out by a 5.5 (and I believe the highest and lowest marks were discounted). Definitely superior technically to Baiul's program.
Good observation, although I believe Kerrigan did have a brief layback as part of her combination spin (it may have been a sideways leaning spin though).
i love lu chen, she's always so elegant, her music selections are great (LOVE this one) and she just has this regal air about her skating. Her 96 worlds performance is one of the best ever.
That Rachmaninoff program she skated to 12 years ago was indeed a classic! Ever notice the delay in her jumps, the hang time she has before she completes the tripling rotations?
That was a cool battle for the gold, between Lu Chen and Michelle Kwan...
I remember watching this live and I thought she deserve to beat both Nancy Kerrigan and Oksana Baiul technically and artistically. Her performance was so much better and her program was much more difficult than the other skaters. Her jumps are so cool to watch. She jumps in the air, holds for a bit, then spins super fast at the end.
Definitely! Let's face it, she's not in the same league with Nancy and Oksana, she's by far the most artistic skater of her era (Yes, over Michelle Kwan too)! It's funny that everyone talks about who deserved to win that night, Oksana or Nancy, when THIS was performance of the night. Pity she hit the camera in the SP, she should have finished 1st after the SP and 1st overall.
I loved this program.. terrific use of music and choreography. Purely a superficial note comment but I have to say that she looks so much more elegant with longer hair. What was this bouffant/asymmetrical combover she had going on?
well since the Chinese government mandated when and when not she could live in the US...I'm guessing they probably also buzzed off her hair for the 94 Olympics! ;)
This should have been the winning performance in the event. Two 3 lutzes, six triples in total and of the top three she had the best attempt at the 3flip.
this music is much better than the crap oksana baiul skated to, in my opinion
lflagr 7 months ago
You don't see this sort of talent and artistry on ice anymore. All you have are a couple of Jumping Jills trying not to cheat or under-rotate their jumps.
ViVi80 11 months ago
She always has some of the most interesting music, and her choreography is very unique and different, but classy and modern.
Demetri450 1 year ago
Who choreographed this? Since Scott called it magnificent, I'm guessing it was by someone connected to Stars on Ice, lol.
OapostropheC 1 year ago
Now this is one of those programs that precisely defines a "complete" program and package, even if you count out the natural abilities and appeal that Lu Chen was born with. Very technical, but also very artistic with no empty spaces. Lu Chen always had the package programs. To this day, I think Chen was robbed big time here and the corruption in skating showed. She should have been 1st or 2nd with Nancy in lp, and even 2nd in sp. Chen was the only one to do two triple lutzes in LP.
delayedricochet 1 year ago
Do i hear the music of Joe Hisaishi while i'm watching one of the best figure skaters? Amazing, simply amazing.
jroc8196 1 year ago
Another great routine by Lu Chen - she matured so much over the years - and her versatility was tremendous - compare her Short and Long programs at this Olympics and its pretty amazing - completely different style musically and choreographically.
Chutson353 1 year ago
This was the gold medal winning performance. What an amazing skater.
jeac2274 1 year ago
Forget figure skating, she's dancing on ice!
RemyxedMagic 1 year ago
Wonderful, lovely program. I felt she deserved the silver over Kerrigan actually.
mlc2005 1 year ago
@mlc2005 silver over Kerrigan. Are you saying you think Baiul actually deserved the gold, LOL! I think she deserved silver over BAIUL. She could not have won. Kerrigan won the short and Chen made a mistake in the short and was rightfully marked down to 4th. Kerrigan was the skater who did 2 excellent and clean programs and deserved to win.
raichmaneuvers 1 year ago
@raichmaneuvers Good point. Now that I think about it, I agree.
mlc2005 1 year ago
I remember her, and this music I felt suited her perfectly b/c it seemed soft and lyrical but at the same time strong and powerful.
firmingitup 2 years ago
Kaze no Tani no Nausica.
wangtianthu 2 years ago
Lu Chen, you was the most beautiful and the best when I was young...
Meghann25 2 years ago
Wow. Her skating still just blows me away. So beautiful.
kristenevol 2 years ago
I watch this on television in '94, and it was clear Lu Chen's program here or Kerrigan (any of them) should have won long program, which means Chen would be silver. She deserved it. Both her and Kerigan were very different quality than the rest. Even after the final skater performed, it was clear this performance and Kerigan's were no. 1 and 2.
pieldeoliva81 2 years ago 2
Chen Lu is one of my favorite skater, superb skating quality.
amandakova 2 years ago 8
Chen Lu has it all-grace,elegance,athleticism,and artitsry. Best LP of the competition, and she had a longer career than those who finished 1rst and 2nd.Stunningly beautiful, too. Like Michelle Kwan, when she was good she was sublime.
Baiul's SP was great for her balletic grace. Kerrigan's LP was solid all around. However, could ever equal Chen Lu.
acotw67 2 years ago
It would have been interesting if she had hit all of her jumps. I bet she could have won the gold. Really good choreography - the timing with the spins? Amazing.
chrisbordeaux 2 years ago 2
Chen Lu is an amazing skater. No Chinese skater, not even a pair can beat her. Her choreography was amazing.
safehaven11 2 years ago 4
Has Chen Lu ever done a 3Z+3T?
uwoeric 3 years ago
never in competition
iceroby72 2 years ago
Actually she did land one at 92 NHK
judeluo 2 years ago
wow... and it was perfectly executed... thenks for let me know it
iceroby72 2 years ago
I love the outfit...oh yes....I believe made by " Vega Designs" The Vega family in Woodland Hills, Ca...I think I have their phone number, 818-348-2531....
cbunny9 3 years ago
I love how verne lundquist says that despite her success she is no big deal in her homeland. It's funny because the next month the commentators said that the hopes and dreams of an entire nation rested on her shoulders. Spin, Spin , Spin.
hilljacknutjob 3 years ago
I would suggest that the two comments are not self contradictory. She could have certainly not been a major attraction before the olympics but after getting a bronze had started getting a lot more press. So then it wasn't media spin but natural evolution based on her success.
bobbycratchit 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Worst music choice I'v ever heard for as fine a skater as Lu Chen. It's the polar opposite of her natural style. She is light and ethereal, this music is ponderous and heavy and dark. The judges simply could not give this high artistic marks as beautiful as she is. The music destroyed her chances this year.
hilljacknutjob 3 years ago
I actually disagree that this music is at fault. Granted, I'm already a fan of dark, ponderous music but I think the problem is the choreography. I love to watch her skate, but in comparison to many of her other programs this one just doesn't have the same beauty. I think this kind of music could really suit a fluid skater like her with the right choreography. Incidentally, I can never get this music out of my head after watching this. It makes me think of Joe Hisaishi's stuff. Who wrote it?
Arinozian 3 years ago
Perhaps your right. This is Sarah Kawahara choreography. Her programs are in my opinion overly busy with lots of details that dont seem to add up to much from a standpoint of pure skating beauty. They dont accentuate long lines or fluid running edges. She did Kwans Long program in 2002. Not a masterpiece by any means.
hilljacknutjob 3 years ago
Joe Hisaishi wrote it. This is a great program.
Zuranthium 3 years ago
seriously? I guess that would explain why it sounds like Joe Hisaishi lol
Arinozian 3 years ago
The music comes from the film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. It is one of Hayao Miyazaki's earliest films and probably my favorite from him.
Zuranthium 3 years ago
Nancy was WAY over-rated from 92-93...Chen was phenomenal in this competition and I am sorry she didn't get to World's - she would have easily beaten Sato.
thomstephens 3 years ago 2
Not if Yuka skated cleanly. She is one of the most underrated skaters. Yuka is a joy to watch, as is Lulu. It would have been an interesting competition.
I do agree that Nancy was overrated, but in all honesty I did not care for any of the top 5 programs (and I love Chen and Sato).
Oksana's was the most "entertaining" of the bunch, but I thought Chen's was the most interesting, while Yuka's showcased her strengths the most.
fong03 3 years ago
i agree Chen kicked ass! she was amazing and only got better in the next couple years but i would rather say Baiul was over-rated than Kerrigan! Kerrigan was at least a polished skater if not technical.
hvnlycrtr 3 years ago 4
Too bad Lu Chen didn't have some kind of 'sob story' to spin - to compete with the 'almost blind mother' story or the 'triumphant orphan' story - perhaps the best story would have won along with the best skate of the night. LOL
azsk8fan 4 years ago 13
just sad to see figure skating has turned into such a robotic sport as oppose to the fluidity of Kwan, Chen, Yamaguchi and the strengths of Ito.
lexlib 4 years ago 4
Don't count the Japanese skaters out, though. Mao Asada will gain more artistry as she works with it more, and behold that which Arakawa aleady has!
I really miss the forcus on artistic impression, as that made programmes so good, so different from each other. Perhaps if there's enough support, another new scoring system can be made, one that gives more freedom and incentive for beauty, you know?
OctopussInPants10min 3 years ago
i doubt that they will get artistic but the judging system is not constructed to favor fluid movements.
lexlib 3 years ago 2
what i meant is i don't doubt they will be artistic.
lexlib 3 years ago
You think Shizuka Arakawa, Kim Yu-Na, Mao Asada, Carolina Kostner and Caroline Zhang are robotic?
AnnaPavlovaFan 2 years ago
Kostner? you must be kidding. all she has is speed.
lexlib 2 years ago
Very, very serious. She's obviously not in the same league with Lu Chen (truth be told, who is?), but I've seen some lovely artistic touches in her work. Definitely not robotic, although I can see your point if you don't like her telegraphed jumps.
AnnaPavlovaFan 2 years ago
"all she has is speed" from your point of view I guess.... probabily you should consider that people have different opinion.... And She telegraph only the opening combination.... And that MY point of view...
iceroby72 2 years ago
she carries amazing speed across the ice!! and i like how she moves her legs when she accelerates.. plus, whoever choereographed this program is just great..
shuaiw 4 years ago
If that Oksana received a 5.9 for technical merit in her LP, then Lu should have received a 6.4!
delayedricochet 4 years ago 7
That 5.9 for Baiul was way off the mark, but it was cancelled out by a 5.5 (and I believe the highest and lowest marks were discounted). Definitely superior technically to Baiul's program.
suraaldy 4 years ago 3
She was the only one of the top three ladies to include a layback in her program.
FrozenHermit 4 years ago
Good observation, although I believe Kerrigan did have a brief layback as part of her combination spin (it may have been a sideways leaning spin though).
suraaldy 4 years ago
i recall Nancy did a layback just moments before she landed her lutz.
lexlib 4 years ago 2
i love lu chen, she's always so elegant, her music selections are great (LOVE this one) and she just has this regal air about her skating. Her 96 worlds performance is one of the best ever.
StewNWT 4 years ago 2
That Rachmaninoff program she skated to 12 years ago was indeed a classic! Ever notice the delay in her jumps, the hang time she has before she completes the tripling rotations?
That was a cool battle for the gold, between Lu Chen and Michelle Kwan...
fiercenfunky 4 years ago 3
This comment has received too many negative votes show
She skated well, but the choice of music for an Olympic season was kinda boring lol
bryan21tx 4 years ago
amazing performane, amazing artistry. very mature, graceful skater.
She should have one.
Figure skating judging is very confusing...
She was robbed.
haifa1983 4 years ago 2
I remember watching this live and I thought she deserve to beat both Nancy Kerrigan and Oksana Baiul technically and artistically. Her performance was so much better and her program was much more difficult than the other skaters. Her jumps are so cool to watch. She jumps in the air, holds for a bit, then spins super fast at the end.
bitterboi31 4 years ago 5
AMEN to that!!! She wuzrobbed!
darkshade112 4 years ago
Definitely! Let's face it, she's not in the same league with Nancy and Oksana, she's by far the most artistic skater of her era (Yes, over Michelle Kwan too)! It's funny that everyone talks about who deserved to win that night, Oksana or Nancy, when THIS was performance of the night. Pity she hit the camera in the SP, she should have finished 1st after the SP and 1st overall.
AnnaPavlovaFan 2 years ago
I love the music selection and interpretation!
hydrocarbure1 4 years ago 4
She Should have won!!!! Forget about Nancy and Oksana.
mellowboy23 4 years ago 4
sorry,the music is from "Valley Of The Wind",I have a mistake,but I still love it very much.
wangquanquan 4 years ago
wow,Castle In The Sky,my favorite,lu lu had finished all successful jump,she is brilliant.
wangquanquan 4 years ago
I loved this program.. terrific use of music and choreography. Purely a superficial note comment but I have to say that she looks so much more elegant with longer hair. What was this bouffant/asymmetrical combover she had going on?
escaflowne9282 4 years ago
well since the Chinese government mandated when and when not she could live in the US...I'm guessing they probably also buzzed off her hair for the 94 Olympics! ;)
nottheredbaron 4 years ago
This should have been the winning performance in the event. Two 3 lutzes, six triples in total and of the top three she had the best attempt at the 3flip.
tsimshan 4 years ago
Her performance was better than Nancy's. Had she not made a couple of errors she would've ended up in 2nd if not 1st place.
iluvbutters 4 years ago 2
nancy and lulu were 1-2 here, just above everyone else at this event!
delayedricochet 5 years ago
you're welcome
xueyinghu 5 years ago
Thank you, thank you, thank you, for posting this video. It's one of my favorite performances from one of my favorite skaters. Go Lulu!!!
musicfan094 5 years ago