Rachael Flatt is 17 years old. She's the U.S. National Figure Skating Champion, the only woman to have beaten Yu-Na Kim in international competition this year, and one of the most solid jumpers in ladies' figure skating. She's a senior in high school who has an A average (that includes multiple Advanced Placement courses) and she has pending applications to nine universities, including Harvard, Stanford, and Princeton. From the outside, it sure seems like she has parents who are neither obsessed with her skating career nor crazy. On paper, she has everything going for her. So why does she feel like the underdog going into tonight's competition?The schedule for tonight's program has been posted, and folks whose dual tuner TiVos are committed to Lost and Idol through 10pm will not likely miss any medal contenders.
To be sure, in light of Yu-Na Kim's dominance, maybe all of the women (except Mao Asada, who can land a triple axel) have to be viewed as underdogs. But the critique on Rachael seems different. Rachael's consistency is used against her as writers critique her as being "safe and solid." Sports Illustrated has described her skating as technically competent, without grace or beauty. But consistency -- and jumping prowess -- should be a good thing in a sport like figure skating!
I think that Rachael gets criticized because in an era where women hold themselves to a standard of "effortless perfection," Rachael shows you how hard she works. Her skating style -- full of gravity-defying jumps and spirit, rather than weightless spirals across the ice -- reflects her extraordinary effort. Rachael also doesn't fit the physical mold of an ice princess. She's not a lithe, tiny sprite of a figure skater -- she's more compact and solid. As even Rachael's mentor Dorothy Hamill said, "Right now, we think of the world and Olympic champions as these beautiful, ethereal creatures that happen to be able to spin and jump. Rachael's not a tiny little button, so she'll never have that."
Obviously, all of the skaters work extraordinarily hard. But women's skating prizes the special, once-in-a-lifetime performance -- the inspiration, rather than the perspiration, the ethereal, rather than the solid. The Tara Lipinski rather than the Michelle Kwan. The Nancy Kerrigan rather than the Tonya Harding. The ice princess, rather than the ice warrior. Rachael doesn't fit the effortlessly perfect, ice-princess, inspired model of a figure skater. But she has something just as valuable -- consistency, strength, and passion. Tonight, though the smart money leaves her out of medal contention, I'm rooting for Rachael.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
DRINK EVERY TIME THEY SHOW ELIZABETH MANLEY IN THE AUDIENCE: Gretchen previews tonight's ladies figure skating short program:
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Slight hijack of the post - thought this group of readers might also be interested in this...
ReplyDeletehttp://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/In-Plushenko-s-mind-and-website-he-s-the-plat?urn=oly,221408
On topic: I, too, am cheering for Rachel and would love for Mirai Nagasu to hit all of her jumps and turn in a stunning performance. Her Olympic medal chances may have to wait until 2014, but she's such a beautiful skater. I hope she has a great night.
in light of kenedy's post: Who does Gretchen think will win the platinum?
ReplyDeleteAlso -- I've declared myself the Crystal Medal winner in the men's competition.
There is no end to his delusions!
ReplyDeleteGretchen, thank you for an insightful post. I'll watch with a fresh look tonight. (In my mind, though, Kwan was the ethereal performer - though also quite athletic - and Lipinski was the jumper without as much grace. But I was a Kwan fan.) I will cheer for Rachel!
Mmm. Without having read much commentary leading up to nationals, my boyfriend and I were both struck by Rachael Flatt's lack of grace. As you said in discussing the men's competition, flailing of arms does not equal choreography, and honestly, I rather thought that her routine was basically just set up for the next trick, accompanied by flailing arms. But I'll try to keep an open mind.
ReplyDeleteWith the men, I was anti-Plushy because I valued overall artistry over strong jumps, and if that's the standard I held the men to, that's the standard with which I'll be judging the women. Which isn't to say that Flatt is nearly as bad as Plushy in that department, but she'll have to really surprise me to get me fully in her corner. But here's hoping both American's put in strong showings tonight.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in seeing how Canadian Joannie Rochette skates just days after her mother's sudden passing. Part of me can't believe she's going to skate, but another part would be shocked if she didn't.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm afraid we might have another Dan Jansen situation here. I agreed when one of the commentators said it might be the incredible crowd support that puts her over the edge. Kind of like when you're barely holding things together until someone gives you a hug and then you fall apart.
ReplyDeleteI agree about Kwan vs. Lipinski. She was the epitome of artistic grace over brute strength throughout her career and sadly didn't peak at the right time.
ReplyDelete