Here Kati was already the 5th best in the world at the age of 15. After that she was unstoppable and cleared everything that could be cleared away. Nationally and internationally, it has taken home no less than 20 gold medals and 5 silver medals since 1981. 🤩 Reeeeespekt 😎
I think a lot of people may fail to forget that the compulsory figures had a heavier weight than the SP at that time. I could be wrong but the overall scoring was 30% CF, 20% SP, 50% LP. Audiences (both in-person and TV) were scratching their heads and wondering why a clean skate would result in a lesser standing. Eventually, the ratios changed to 20:30:50. Katarina was bad at CF in the beginning of her career, but then learned to master them so that she was usually in the top 3. Also, judges were better able to manipulate the standings during the CF phase since they weren’t on TV. A perfect example of the demise of the CF is the 1990s Worlds. Jill Trenary was in 2nd place in CF, Midori Ito was in 12th. Midori won both SP and FS. Jill had a poor SP (but held up by the judges) and a less technically difficult LP with one mistake. Because Jill was so high and Midori lower, Jill was able to win Worlds that year. Jill didn’t compete again after that due to injuries, but I’m sure that the complete elimination of CF had something to do with it. Hence, the ascension of Kristi Yamaguchi and Tonya Harding who were outstanding free skaters with all of the triples, but weren’t the best at the CF.
What a tallent! She was only 15 years old and skated a tripple flip and the combination lutz-tripple toe! Funny, that at this age, she was known as an excellent jumper and less that a performer.
I agree. She had amazing flow during the practices and remember how ethereal her skating appeared while skating to the slow section of the long practice. I was even fortunate to be able to congratulate her at the time and gave her a peck on the cheek after she was awarded her bronze medal for combined free skating. :)
I believe that was the first triple flip jump ever landed by a female figure skater in competition. She was certainly a better jumper at the start of her amateur career than in 1988.
I may have commented to your remarks somewhere else . You’re right about the flip and the fact her jumping went all downhill . Only 1987 W did she bring some of the sparkle back . Surely being able to get by with less may have contributed but a disappointment to early fans who really were left with a lot of questions regarding 88
@@robertsoslow733 it wasn't double footed... and anyway Witt did constantly triple flips until 83-84, so no chance for Chin to get the award ;-) The question is if/when Manuela Ruben did it: apparently both at the 1981 Europeans, so it could be about a few minutes, who did it first, but I can't find any video
I do think Witt should have placed higher in FS, especially given her stronger basic skills and presentation compared to Zayak (not to mention jumps in this case). By the way, @koolaidnhemlock (about Witt being the 1st woman to land 3F), is that really so? I thought Carola Paul had been landing them at competitions before Witt (including one at this same Worlds in an earlier group).
She’s skating to the original score from Superman (1979) and then the disco version too. The East Germans also cut the snot out of their programs. The head tosses slay me... She was very good and very well trained by Jutta Mueller. Her hands are so stiff. Love her though... very beautiful girl/woman!
I agree about the hands. And what about the arms and legs!? Jojo Starbuck comments on her leg positions in 83, and Dick Button aIways said "she doesn't have the best positions." I hope that's not American chauvanism. I kinda doubt it since they usually had very positive comments about Soviet pairs and dance teams. I think Katarina could have been even better with Frau M as the athletic and jumping coach, Gus Lussi as her spin coach and a North American or Soviet choreographer, or even Bielmann's choreographer (?her mother?). That is to say, although she was a real and deserved winner, her style and positions were really "not the best" at all. We thought she was stylish and artistic because of her enormous beauty and charisma--and the impressive speed into her jumps also helped a lot. I suspect that Frau M shaped her into an imitation of what she thought would seem Western by using tricks from her own '50s era playbook, when she was a second rate East German roller skater. If you could ever imagine a man skating these programs, you'd think of Jan Hofmann--and no one for one minute thought he had any style, flexibility or refinement. Then, imagine this same program skated by someone who looked like Anett Poetzsch... Kati was infintely more fun to watch and THAT was one of her secrets to success. I may be playing with semantics, but charisma and fun and speed do not equal "artistic" or "stylish" in any way. Since FS is a subjective sport, you get credit for charisma, sometimes too much credit. Look at Denise Biellmann, Caryn Kadavy and Jill Trenary. Those were the real '80s stylists in my opinion, but none had Kati's charisma or sheer audacity. KW was lucky to be "Born that way!"
she was 3rd in free skating. Her figures were said to be terrible. They were marked that way until the ISU decided she needed to start winning championships. Boy, did she sell tickets!
