WC99 FP Maria Butyrskaya

[dbulcavage]

@ calomeni - you're so right. You don't see these types of programs anymore, with this kind of grace and artistry. These days are long gone. The figure skaters today can jump with the best of them, but I think it's been forgotten that figure skating shouldn't be all about jumps; it should also be about touching the audience emotionally.. that is lacking in the sport today. Oh, how I miss the old days of figure skating! Michelle, Maria, Irina, Lu Chen (even Nancy and Oksana)...

[MsKHOFO]

superb

[glenn212now]

Stunning performance. I always liked her.

[portishphonic]

She was the only reason I watched women's figure skating when I was a kid.

[smokelean]

one of the best clutch performances done at worlds

[nashleigh79]

she totally deserved to win here.  i prefere her skating over michelle's

[nondescriptnyc]

What a beautiful moment for her. The top women these days don't always perform 5 different triples--but, back then, pretty much everyone at the top did. I am not sure if the new rule has been good for the sport.

[Ucheckmeout]

The history of this Sport cannot be complete without this great and fluent performer, Maria Butyrskaya, taking a measurable chunk of its pages.

[muscleboi4use]

LOVE this program. Her leg extentions after her jumps are perfect. Her 'line' and her expressiveness are really show her inner passion.

She reminds me of a "Hitchcock" blonde. Ice on the surface, all simmering sensuality waiting to burst through into heat. She is very very cool!

[dbulcavage]

Figure skating really was at i's peak in the 90's.. These figure skaters today don't compare to Maria, Michelle, and Chen Lu. Wow, it's amazing how artistic and put together these programs were compared to today.. Sad, i miss these days :(

[mlc2005]

@dbulcavage: I completely agree. The mid 90's to early 2000's were a peak for ladies figure skating, as we got to watch the great match ups between Kwan, Chen Lu, and then Kwan with Irina and Maria. They all had their own styles, and each program was completely different from the next. Now, the programs all look the same, imo. Thank god for youtube, where we can go back and relive the glory days :)

[koolaidnhemlock]

FO REALS!!!!

[hairbrush81]

Oh shove it Serena Williams fan. Maria was never a judges favorite, and her own federation only campaigned for their pet Irina while letting Maria fend for herself. She had to work her butt off for every medal she ever won. Heck she was robbed of some more too. She should have won her 2nd World title at the 2000 Worlds. Also robbed of the bronze to Chen's sob comeback story at the 98 Olympics. Also was robbed of silver at the 97 Grand Prix final where Kwan and Irina placed over her.

[serenakicksass]

Maria isnt even one of 10 greatest skaters of the 1994-2002 era she skated in. 1. Kwan 2. Slutskaya 3. Lipinski 4. Chen 5. Baiul 6. Cohen 7. Kerrigan 8. Hughes 9. Sato 10. Bonaly Ooops where is Maria. Not even a top 10 skater of her own 8 year period, LOL!

[mlc2005]

First of all, where is this arbitrary list from (your own head)? I never said Maria was one of the greatest skaters of all time. We just come on to this link b/c we like the fact that she skated two perfect programs to win the gold here, that's all. What's the problem? I don't think Maria is a "second rate" skater, but I think she was inconsistent and had nerve problems for sure. She was a 6 time Russian champ, three time world medalist, and three time Euro champ, that counts for something.

[serenakicksass]

Who cares about Russian titles. The field in Russian sucked until Irina was in her prime from 2000 onwards. All 6 of her Russian titles were before 2000 where she faced no really good skaters to win them. At Europeans other than Irina she had no competition.  At Worlds from 98-2000 the field was rebuilding after post 98 Olympic retirements and before new stars like Hughes and Cohen emerged, so there were only 2 or 3 really good skaters so no wonder she medaled those 3 years.

[trommelbiel]

Russian women are probably the sexiest of all creation. It comes naturally. It cann`t be learned.

[shineluvslambiel]

a lot of them look trashy too.

[warriorgr]

Maria has given to this sport the best SP and the best FS ever! Her SP at the 2000 Worlds and this FS at the 1999 Worlds are the two best programs ever made by a woman skater! They both reflect exactly how the perfect short and long program should look like!

[mlc2005]

great point warriorgr! i couldn't agree with you more that those two programs were incredible. I can't pinpoint why she is so interesting to watch, but she brings something totally different. I do notice how she is the most musical of all skaters, as she is perfectly timed wiht the music always, and she never telegraphs a jump.

[serenakicksass]

Please name me a single program, heck forget competition, but even a single program, where Maria has beaten any of Kwan, Slutskaya, Lipinski, Chen, or even Cohen skating cleanly. Silence.......yep that is what I thought. Maria is a 2nd rate skater who only won not only titles but even medals when the many better skaters of her time fell on their butts, that is on the rare occasion her own ass wasnt mopping the ice surface.

[mlc2005]

Maria was 1st in the short at the 2000 worlds, after clean skates by Kwan and Irina. But that's not the point... The point is, why are you coming to a Maria link and belittling her accomplishments? I don't get it? Nothing else to do? I mean, go watch the clips of people you like, and don't keep saying crap about people you don't. And, your lists and "best of" bs is coming out of thin air, I'm sorry. Where are you getting this stuff?

[serenakicksass]

I think you need to look at some video footage if you believe Kwan and Irina had clean skates. Irina in her 2000 worlds short program had a shaky landing on the her triple lutz combination, and Kwan had a shaky landing on her triple flip.

[serenakicksass]

I will happily explain why everyone on my list of skaters from 94-2002 is greater than Maria:

1. Kwan- 5 World titles, 2 Olympic medals

2. Slutskaya- 2 Worlds titles, 2 Olympic medals, dominated Maria her whole career.

3. Lipinski- packed a World title and Olympic gold into only a 3 year senior career. Amazing.

4. Chen- 2 Olympic medals, past her prime and technically weak Maria still couldnt beat her for the 98 bronze.

[hairbrush81]

Your list is also retarded. Kwan, Slutskaya, Lipinski, Chen, are greater skaters in history than Maria? Yes I agree. Baiul? Baiul was just a myth, everyone now realizes she was just an average skater. Cohen? Beautiful skater but Maria has the World title Cohen never got. Kerrigan? Nancy deserved the 94 Olympic gold but her other medals were lucked out with splatty performances. Hughes? NOOOOO.

Sato? Was a great pro skater, but Maria was the better amateur skater. Bonaly? ROTFL!

[serenakicksass]

5. Baiul- way overrated and her Oly gold for her skate that night was a joke, but still an Olympic and World title in only a 2 year senior career.

6. Cohen- could have been one of the greatest ever if she could stay on her feet in competition. One of the few good enough to beat a perfect Kwan if she were "on". Sadly will be more a what could have been then what was since couldnt handle her nerves. Still with an Olympic silver, 2 world silvers, and 1 grand prix final gold, she tops Maria.

[serenakicksass]

7. Kerrigan- 2 Olympic medals while Maria has none, and was robbed of the 94Olympic gold which nearly everyone agrees with.

8. Hughes- I hate her skating but an Olympic gold medal is what it is.

9. Sato- a World title as the high point of an Olympic medal-less career ala Maria. Unlike Maria went on to be a dominant pro.

10. Bonaly- like Maria no Olympic medal. Maria's World title edge not enough to overcome Bonaly's 2 extra Euro titles and 2 extra top 2 world medals all combined.

[warriorgr]

You are entitled to your opinion and I am entitled to mine. Maria's artistry was far superior compared to any skater of her generation. Period. The only reason why she never made it among the greatest ever (like Kwan or Slutskaya) is her inconsistency and not her competitors' superiority.

[Cellchuuk]

I couldn't have agreed more with you.

Lyrical skating from Maria in those two performances. So strong technically as well.

[ostar85]

Happy 10 Year Anniversary!! ...A Proven Timeless Performance. :)

[shawntaylorcassidy]

this is such an inspirational performance. if ever i'm going through a rough period or i feel down, i watch this and it inspires me to never give up. this really shows how hard work and dedication can pay off.

[Basileus1983]

Lovely performance

Magnific.

7triples and 1 2Axel

The combo 3Loop+2Toeloop is very nice.

[jprush]

Every time I watch this I get such a smile on my face. It has to be one of the best performances I have ever seen Maria give!

[grafgirl27]

I think this was a case where it worked for a skater to keep the same program two years in a row. This was her long program in the Olympic season but it was much more polished and comfortable by this season.

[ladyMandrake]

what's this music ???

[MichelleKwanForever]

Otonal!

[xlutskaya]

Otonal by Raul di blasio

[schulz1]

A simply stunning piece of skating! Mesmerising...It provokes a true emotional response.

[myrtoulova]

Godess!

[calomeni]

this is the real women figure skating. I mean she has everything that ladies figure skating is about. A really deserved title for Maria. When Maria, Irina or Michelle retired - then comes a period of girls figure skating (Yu Na, Mao, Miki) - I like them very much, but still I miss the real ladies figure sakitng

[robinsongentle]

I agree. It is nice to see mature womenly artistic skater that contrasts with the flutzing cheating jumping beans of today.

[buttleelegant]

You are totally right. I so much such beautiful mature and artistic skating these days.

[mlc2005]

Fabulous, the BEST. She is so good!

[GreekOrca]

By FAR the most meaningful world title for any ladies singles skater ever

[alainek]

to bad to have disabled the embeds, I sometimes like to post these on myspace...especially this win for it which was so universally inspiring.

[ostar85]

Gorgeous! There's something very satisfying about a WOMAN who can land a 3/Lutz jump and pay rent. ; In contrast, Maria wasn't some brace-faced, flat-chested teenager who went home after skating and slept underneath a Ricky Martin poster at night; rather, Maria was [is] a grown-ass woman-mature, elegant and TALENTED!! :)

[tirdie]

omg you are so true!

love her, love her music, her program and her style =)

[dbulcavage]

I love your comment. So true! LOL

[alainek]

a grown-ass woman. Amen to that!I adore her, and miss her spark.

[dbulcavage]

there is something so intriguing about her and her skating. She's very elegant on the ice and her costumes are always so nice. This is a perfect song for her skating style!

[mckavitt]

To think that this unsurpassable (and unsurpassed) artist on ice could even fall a few times (not here!!) and still come in for the gold medal proves that this competition is really about art and not really about technique--for her, as they judiciously point out, a question of nerves. The real prima prima donna of all time on ice.

[alainek]

Absolument!

[ostar85]

What an "in yo' face, kiss my ass" WONDERFUL performance for Maria! My favorite!

[mckavitt]

Yes and yes!

[memariya]

Does anyone know what this music is, who is the composer?

It's brilliant, I want to find it.

[memariya]

nevermind) found him already - Raúl Di Blasio. Great pianist!

[sekretaznman81]

had she skated even one triple less than this in nagano, she would've won a bronze. this was golden--loved this performance.

[StewNWT]

Maria definitly deserved the win. I was so choked that Tatiana Milinina didn`t get a medal though, she rocked. We`ve never heard from Yulia Soldatova again either.

[visceraltuning]

I think this is one of the most special freeskates ever. The skills demonstated were so different than the other programs in this competition . . . or in the post-figures era for that matter.

[quelita28]

Best Russian skater ever!

[fatalbeauty]

A woman on the ice! gorgeous!

[escaflowne9282]

such a wonderful program and performance

[premierrules]

What a performance! Loved it,watched it live on British Eurosport and had tears in my eyes after that 2nd triple loop. Great choreography and lovely music, the full package. Nice one Maria, one of my favourite free skates of all time , second to Midori Ito 1989.

[sk8princess3]

OH YEAH! WELL I THOUGHT TATYANA DESERVED 1ST!! YEAH SHE ROCKS the HOUSE, YO! SHE is the BOMB DIGGITY! SHE WILL ROX UR SOX!

[Orolim]

Wow, she skated very good in this. It's such a different program than Johnny Weir's Otonal, but at the same time, it has the same grace and elegance in it.

[wangquanquan]

love her,especially her figure

[masinindy]

I think this is one of the most brilliant performances by a female at Worlds.

Maria ROCKS! :)

[rickram1961]

I absolutely love this elegant piece of music, very romantic. This is Maria at her absolute best where her nerves that didn't get the best of her this time.

I'm glad that Maria won the ladies championships. Very well deserved!

[GreekOrca]

My favorite ladies world championship performance of all time :)

[mariahfan444]

Well deserved, finally able to get over her stage fright and show the world she's capable of winning big. Just stunning!

[thephantomshadow]

This is my favorite program of Maria's. It's so beautiful, and this performance made go out to get the "Otonal" sheet music for piano.

[craigpatt]

Maria's program is pure class, wonderful !

[manfi2]

SOOOOO BEAUTIFUL :))))

The way she skates is just great!

This happened in Helsinki, Finland

[marriedtothemob]

wow!beautiful

[hydrocarbure1]

Wow!  Great performance. Also, I really like her spins with her hands pulled back.

[leonidasse]

I love the 03:20 moment. BRILLIANT