My lady friend is into the ice skating and I have for some reason been watching of late.

What happened to Ando Miki? Didn't she used to be cute? She looks like a smoky-room hostess bar mama.

That Korean lady is looking on her own level. And looks so much more graceful and refined. Good to see that 007 routine as well. Why do most of them choose such awfully predictable tunes.

What a silly "sport". Can't believe I'm creating a thread on it.

Nothing wrong with ice skating I usually watch it and follow a lot of the competions. Shizuka Arakawa is my favourite, but she has retired from skating competion, now doing dance skating instead! I really liked her performance in the last winter olympics where she won gold with her routine that included the inabawa!
I even ice skate a bit too, it is fun!

Yuuna, while skilled, is a bit too studied for my tastes. For the home team, I used to prefer Ando Miki over Asada Mao, but that has reversed lately. Kind of enjoy rooting for the second-tier kids now, such as Nakano Yukari.

For boys, Oda Nobunari and Takahashi Daisuke are fun to watch.

I prefer curling

It is a rare thing to see Figure Skating broadcast in Perth unless it is linked to the Olympic coverage - and until this year I would have to say the Winter Olympics coverage has been ...well... hit and miss to say the least.

Currently there is a big foxtel (cable/satellite) push for their 4 channel paid coverage - even though it is pay per view it is MUCH BETTER than anything offered before.

I really enjoy watching figure skating, and now that I have begun to learn to skate I can really appreciate the sport. I had 5 hours of Ice time yesterday - and my legs ache!

I'm sure they used to focus on the crotch area more than they do now. (Serious comment!)

Yuuna too studied? I'm not sure I get the meaning there but Ando is the one who looks like she's concentrating and having to really think it all through. Yuuna looks very natural.

Mao seems to be bottling it of late. Too much pressure perhaps.

The exibition part that they had on last night - where they're danding around with spotlights and having a good time seems to make more sense. That's what figure skating should be IMO. No point pretending it's a "sport" though. Having to spend an hour or so in the make-up chair before going on the ice disqualifies it as a sport. Can you imagine if hockey players did that? How about rugby players?

Everyone knows rugby players a bunch of wusses anyway, so wouldn't make much of a difference.

oh come on! Ger!
Reminds me of the ballroom dancing quote "A female ballroom dancer does everything a male ballroom dancer does, but does it backwards and in heels!"
Similar thing going on here. A figure skater shows as much athleticism and skill and training as a hockey player but instead of wearing padding, protective and a FIGJAM facial expression they have to suit up in teensy tiny glittery outfits, make up, have perfect hair - and then go out there and make hard work look easy.

It's a sport.
A pretty sport.
But a sport, nonetheless!

No knock on the skaters, but I wouldn't call it a sport because the judging is so subjective. Figure skaters are supremely athletic, no question. But there's no objective determination of the performances. It's like rhythmic gymnastics or synchronized swimming (I LOVE the singles!).

It seems like you're saying that figure skating is as much of a sport as ballroom dancing. Hmmm...
I'm honestly not knocking skaters or dancers. It takes incredible skill, no doubt. I just think it's not a sport for the very reasons you've said. Silly outfits, make up, and perfect hair. Plus there's the subjective judging element of course...

Anyway, it makes for good entertainment. Remember that year when the US team was getting thugs to beat each other up with lead pipes? That was cool.

oh I remember that! Tonia Harding....if I recall...

OKAY...I agree on the subjective judging thing. That sucks. I hate the way the judges in Olympic competition favor their own country and lowly rank their rivals! Diving, Gymnastics, Figure Skating ...all good examples of that.

Oh how can you be so CYNICAL, Mamabear?

I was searching for some youtube examples. But I can't find any. Maybe they were removed by the IOC!!

I refuse to believe it. (Arms folded in serious position).

need pics

To be fair: If we're going to disqualify figure skating on the grounds of the judging, it could be difficult to qualify Olympic boxing as a sport. Certainly we'd have to toss out the moguls & half-pipe competitions, no more ``style'' points in ski jumping, etc.

This could be a good thing, cut the Olympics down to a watchable scale and force all the has-beens & never-weres (when's the last time any actual medalist served as a judge?) to go out and get real jobs.

Here here.

Don't cancel Curling though. It's ace.