Katarina Witt - 1983 Skate Canada Long Program 

I reckon this was the last time she landed it in competition

Katarina may have felt she didn't need to attempt the risky triple flip jump since Denise Bielmann of Switzerland had retired, Elizabeth Manley was not really a contender until 1988, and Rosalyn Sumners only landed the two easiest kinds of triples. Katarina's breasts really developed too, which surely hampered her jumping ability. She started her amateur career as a terrific jumper, but by 1988, she had to really work hard at landing triple salchows.

It was underrotated and double footed, but it was courageous to attempt it and a great effort

I think the US Americans, while obviously biased, were less impressed with her choreography and finesse (pointed toes, classic postions, leg extensions) than the Canadians. She was also not at her most charismatic at the 84 Olympics. They did appreciate her athleticism. In later years, Dick and Peggy, the US American commentators, obviosuly appreciated her charisma, theatricality and sheer star quality...which compensated for any lacking "finesse." At least that's my take on it. Toes pointed or not, I loved watching her.

At first Kati war trained to be a jumping machine in order to fight Zayak. Turned out it wasn't necessary anymore soon enough. So she instead concentrated more on her artistic side. In fact she didn't even need the triple loop to win the olympics in 88

Her body shape changed and she admitted she liked sweets so could never keep her triples out of season. It would leave her at a disadvantage having to regain them every year but also she had to devote more time to figures which held her back in 82 & 83 when she did really well in the free skating but not well enough because of her figures placings

That not true, she landed the flip cleanly serveral times in 1981, 1982 and here 1983.

Re Kr Thanks for your input. I am not sure to whom you are referring by “she,” but if you are referring to Witt, pls note that I said nothing about Witt’s flip because I have seen her land it. If you are referring to Biellmann or Manley, then I have never seen it or read about it. (It looks like my original comment from 11years ago was made in response to somebody’s comment on 3F because it seems to out of context...)

@@nondescriptnyc I agree with Nondescript. Manley never had a flip. The first time she landed a lutz in competition was 1985 Skate Canada. I never saw a really good clean triple flip from Katarina Witt - this Skate Canada one was the best attempt I saw. But I know she tried it in 1981 1982 and 1983 at Worlds/Europeans but always seemed to be two-footed or stepped out of. Maybe she landed it cleanly at her nationals or an international I didn't see. Incidentally Manuela Ruben of West Germany landed a triple flip at 1981 Worlds when she was much smaller, then stopped attempting it after she grew. That was the first clean triple flip I saw in competition but likely Witt had landed one somewhere before.

I also read in one of the skating magazines that Jacki Farrell, a US competitor, landed.a triple flip at 1981 St Ivel where she finished second. But I don't know if she had landed them in competition before.

I don’t think Witt ever had a 3Lz - she did 2Lz 3T in 84, she missed the 3T here. She landed the 3L clean at 87 worlds and landed it with fingertips at the 94 Olympics - brave of her I thought

Well this was 1983! More than 15 years before Kwan! And this were good enough to win two olympic gold medals, two more than Kwan. So.... 🤷🏻‍♀️

Why not try going back 15 years before Witt and see what was **lacking** then 🤷🏽‍♀️