Brian Orser (CAN) - 1988 Calgary, Men's Short Program

Calgary, Alberta, CANADA - 1988 Winter Games, Men's Short Program - Brian Orser won the Short Program to move up to 2nd Place going into the Long Program.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• 1988
• figure
• skating
• Calgary
• Brian
• Orser

[mlc2005]

I felt that Boitano's program was much more of a "command" skate, and that EVERY element of Boitano's program was better, except for one: The footwork. Orser uses his whole body while doing footwork, whereas I felt Boitano was a bit stiff and upright.

Actually, Toller Cranston, who adores Boitano, mentioned the same thing at the 1988 worlds.

[npe1]

@Zuranthium I totally agree with you. I could never understand why 1988 was so close. Orser was a great skater but Boitano was head and shoulders better in both the short and long. Boitano's 'Les Patineurs' short was a masterpiece of choreography. By the way, I'm neither American nor Canadian but British so I have no patriotic axe to grind here. Sorry Orser fans, the right man won in Calgary and should have won by a country mile.

[victoriaindigo]

Sing Sing Sing (with a Swing)

[DaTallOne25]

@premierrules I agree!

[smokelean]

this was the program to beat it had it all i loved boitanos it was big and commanding i feel this program rocked n sizzled not just beacause of the music but the fire in the execution of the program still both wonderful programs

[premierrules]

One of the best Short programmes ever. Also the BEST head-to-head competition ever. Orser had the better short (slightly) and Boitano had the stronger Free but what a competition. We can still remember it now and I was 17 when this was aired. The 80's particularly 86-89 showed Figure Skating at its best. Bring back the old 6.0

[igorsinyutin]

LOVE LOVE him!

[HattieLovesCattie]

Brian's short program was something.

[salome7580]

This is when Olympic eligible skating was at it's best. Although I thought Boitano's program was better by just a tad, Orser was simply brilliant here. What impressed me most was not the jump combination, but I have not seen a footwork sequence that has come close to this. Sure you can throw out names like Browning and Yagudin, but Orser's wasn't frilly with unnecessary arm movements and leg kicks. He felt the music with every inch of his body. Plushenko and Lysachek cannot match this!

[BiGBANG0428]

orser lost 0.5 points loswer to boitano. SUCH a close game XD

i heard at the end, he made a mistake on his jump & that lowered his mark or something. :C

i like brian orser.. i think he really is in beat & flows with the music. (just like he taught yuna kim to be !) and i thnk boitano may be a bit cleaner but its a bit boringer also.. anyway, the battle of brians was so unique .. both very talented skaters :)