Are there any real competitions?

[Nathan]

I can't recall the last time I remember a non-American winning skate America in the ladies division. Then again...I can't recall the time I remember a non-Russian winning in the ladies division of Cup of Russia.

Are all these GP events small versions of Cheesefest, where skaters from the country are heavily favored, and event helped to win by the judges?

Even though we sometimes invite international competitors to come to our Cheesefest I don't see the point. They're basically Kwan/Sasha "lovefest". Even though Irina won the 2004 Marshalls, it's very seldom that these competitions are actually competitions, particuraly if you're not from that country.

Is Worlds and Olymics and possibly the GPfinal the only real competitions, with glorified cheesefest's filling in between them?

[Skatekwan6]

Nothing's real. We're all in an imaginary world. Skating isn't really real. How could someone actually skate on those tiny blades on slippery ice?? Come on, that CAN'T be real! Michelle and all the others aren't real. When they skate, they are participating in some huge virtual reality game and it is made to look real on television. The people in the audience are hypnotized into thinking that they are actually seeing real people skate, but really they are tricked into participating in the game with the skaters...the only difference is that they don't know the secret code. The only people who know the secret code are the skaters...that's what makes them look like they're skating. Everyone else who doesn't have a code just sits there. There are actually other codes...a coaching code, a security code, a flower girl code...you know, for people who aren't members of the general audience, but perform other functions at a skating competition. Olympics and Grand Prix? They're fake too. I thought everyone knew that. Nate, I think you're slipping...pay more attention!!

[lillyfly]

Didn't Irina and Plushy win one of the cheesefests last year? Marshalls maybe?

[honey827]

I think you are being a tad overdramatic. IMO the reason that SA has been dominated by Americans is because like with all other GP events the host country assigns their strongest skaters to the event. Russia, Japan and the US have the strongest ladies skaters in the World. Taking that into consideration and the strength of the rest of the field assigned to a GP event you will see domination by certain countries. It isthe same thing with the GPF, Worlds and the Olympics.

[EigthAv]

Skate America,1998: Maria Butyrskaya won the event,Elena Sokolova came 2nd and Angela Nikodinov was 3rd.That was the fall that the ISU sanctioned a made for television pro-am series.Skate America was televised,but after that,ABC ran the pro-am series instead of the rest of the GP events. Butyrskaya competed in GPs and in the fluff event series.She was on American television almost weekly,sometimes on more than one network.

[WorldsGreatestMK]

Irina won the CUP OF CHINA event last year. Has there been any skaters that could match Chen Lu from china from China in the ladies. NOT JUNIORS!!!!!

[EigthAv]

I'm looking at a list all Worlds ladies medalists that goes through 1998.Only one name from China.Chen Lu. Gold,silver and 2 bronze. I know China hasn't produced a ladies World medalist since Lu Lu so she is in a league of her own.<!--EZCODE BR START--><!--EZCODE BR END--><!--EZCODE BR START--><!--EZCODE BR END-->Here are some more non USFSA Skate America ladies champs:<!--EZCODE BR START--><!--EZCODE BR END-->Surya Bonaly,France-1994<!--EZCODE BR START--><!--EZCODE BR END-->Oksana Baiul,Ukraine-1993<!--EZCODE BR START--><!--EZCODE BR END-->Yuka Sato,Japan-1992 <!--EZCODE BR START--><!--EZCODE BR END--><!--EZCODE BR START--><!--EZCODE BR END-->In 1993,Ukraine's Viktor Petrenko won Skate America.He owns a few Skate America medals.2 silver and 2 gold.