I am a huge Irina fan, and I really wanted her to win the gold, although I wanted her to win it fairly. I think that 3rd is the place that she deserved, and I think that she should be proud of getting that far after recovering from a life threatening illness, and having to deal with the ailing health of her parents. I felt bad for her when she cried on the podium, but I know what she was feeling, I think that she had the right to be dissapointed. But I just wanted to see how other people thought (Irina fans and non Irina fans) just to spark up some discussion...

I accidently voted for the wrong thing, I meant to vote for the one about Sasha finishing ahead, not the one about how I was devastated. Sorry!

I chose the one about Sasha because it was the one closest to the way I felt about it. I feel sorry for Irina, but in the end I really wanted Sasha to to well and Irina just doesn't do it for me.

I accidently voted for the wrong thing

Are you from Florida?

^ Hahaha

Anyway. I voted "I think that she should just be happy after her triumphant recovery and success afterward". I understand that she was devastated by her loss and must be beating herself up about it, but I think she already has achieved so much by being up there with competitors that are, in skating years, much younger than her.

Personally I prefer Sasha's style and Arakawa's performance, but I still congratulate Irina for being able to go against so many odds and stand on the podium with the best! GO IRINA!

Yup, kinda torn between a few of the vote options. Yes. GO IRINA! I wonder if she will skate in the worlds coming up soon. It would be great to see her win there, just because she has been so consistent the past few seasons. Shes been so strong, with everything going on around her and pulling back from illness, and her skating is powerful and clean most of the time.

GO IrinA!

I personaly really hate her. she maybe good at jumps but she doesn't skate very pretty and also she does to many beillmens ( I don't think It is splet right)
the last thing is that she wears a unitard.

Lipinskifan4eva

Dear Lipinskifan4eva,
I respect your views, but i didnt want this to turn into a "bash Irina post". I dont feel that the fact that she wears a unitard as a costume (which she origionally wore to cover up the bruises on her legs from serious medical problems) is a reason to say that you really hate her, its just that you simply dislike her costumes. Also, I personally feel that the biellmann position is highly admired in figure skating because no one did it until Irina one the world championships under the new scoring system by using the position, and suddenly this year the biellmann position pops up in everyones programs. I wont agree with you that her skating is not "pretty", that is simply an opinion, the fact is that her skating is not as "artistic" when compared to people like Sasha Cohen and Michelle Kwan.

karma for you addi.

Re Addi
The Beilman has been done for years since Denise Beilman [Switzerland and the reason it is called after her ]did the first one many many years ago [back in the 70's and has been donre ever since

Mama DD's xxx

sorry for the miscommunication groovygran,
What i was meaning was, it didnt seem like many people used the biellmann before last year. I know that it was a move by Denise Biellmann, but before last year Irina was one of the few competitors who actually used it. This year, after she won the world championships almost everybody, icluding Sasha Cohen and Shizuka Arakawa are using it. I even read in Blades on Ice Magazine that Michelle Kwan has been working on a biellmann, and has accomplished a half biellmann. Before last year, Irina Slutskaya was one of the only people who I saw performing this position.

There are many skaters who have been using it for years Sarah meir of switzerland being one and also men
There are a lot of european skaters have been using it including GB skaters
I think you just noticed Irena because she is a top skater but there are many more even in worlds have done it for years

Mama DD's xxx

I still say that I thought, "You witch! Grow up!" when Irina went storming out of the arena when the scores were announced. She should have been thankful she got onto the podium. An Olympic bronze medal is nothing to sneeze at. It showed poor sportsmanship when she stormed out of the arena and then moped when she was on the podium.

I totally agree with you, maureensiobhan that an Olympic bronze medal is nothing to be ashamed of or sneezing over, but I think that she really wanted more than that bronze. She said that "it was one of the biggest disapoinments of my life" and I can understand that. I think that she really did have all that it took to win the gold before she fell and two-footed a jump, but she definately has the right to be disapointed. And I also agree with you that it was not at all very sportsman like for her to storm out of the arena like she did, but I think that both of us, including me interpreted something that she didnt mean to show. I think that we interpreted that she was kind of "walking out" as if she was angry at the judges scores or something, but I really think that she had no intention of things of that sort. I think that she was highly disapointed with her self and probably couldnt stand to look at the scores any longer. From the body language she exutes, she seems to be a very emotional person and probably was leaving to have some time alone to cry. But next time she probably needs to think before leaving like that. She did the same thing in Salt Lake City after recieving the silver, which the Russians still think was unfair.

Hi before we condem Irena ....We all deal with dissapointment in our own way

With Irena she also had underlying worries re her mums etc so double to think about

Some times it is better to walk away than to make a fool of yourself in front of the world

It is not just like a local comp but much much different

I do not know whether any of you have been to a worlds or Big international btu believe you me even as a spectator the nerves are immense

Sometimes we have to just step back a little and think what is behind an action

Just my opinnion from being involved with a skster on the international circuit

Mama DD's xxx

That girl really deserved the gold medal and I was keeping all my fingers crossed that she would skate well at the Olympics. I've been cheering for Irina from the first second I saw her peform (about four years ago) and I feel truly sorry for her that she never got to take that ONE olympic gold medal.

Btw: I just found this board, usually I'm just using the dancers' section, but I've been a fan of figure skating for a few years now and I'm always glued to the TV when Eurosport is showing figure skating. I'm, especially following the ice dancing and men's performaces of the competitions and I'm keeping a ladybug close to my heart every time Stephane Lambiel skates . Just to let you know who I am..

Maria