First skaters to land triple axels
Ellen B. Edgerton
various countries were the first to land triple axels. (ie, first French
skater, first Japanese skater, first Russian/Soviet skater, etc) I know
Steven Cousins was the first Briton to land one. And I'm assuming
Sabovcik was the first Czech skater.
mafa
I don't know about the men, but wasn't Midori Ito the first Japanese
woman (and first woman ever?) and Tonya Harding the first American
woman?
Skatephile
>I'm wondering if anyone out there can fill me in on which skaters from
>various countries were the first to land triple axels. (ie, first French
>skater, first Japanese skater, first Russian/Soviet skater, etc) I know
>Steven Cousins was the first Briton to land one. And I'm assuming
>Sabovcik was the first Czech skater.
Canada: Vern Taylor (1st ever in competition at 1978 Worlds)
USA: ???
Note: A USFSA media guide I have lists David Jenkins as landing the "first
triple axel witnessed at an event (not in competition)" -- at the 1960 Olympics
exhibition
Here are my educated guesses for:
Australia: Anthony Liu
Bulgaria: Ivan Dinev
China: someone before Zhengxin Guo??? Possibly Anthony Liu (born Yueming Liu)
before he defected?
Denmark: Michael Tyllesen
Finland: Markus Leminen
France: ???
Germany: ???
Hungary: Szabolcs Vidrai
Israel: Michael Shmerkin
Italy: ???
Japan: someone before Takeshi Honda?
Poland: Grzegorz Filipowski
Romania: Cornel Gheorghe
Switzerland: Patrick Meier
USSR: someone before Alexander Fadeev?
( plus all the new republics...)
--Sylvia
Skate...@aol.com
Tarakay80
axle. I think it was at 1982 nationals
Trudi Marrapodi
skate...@aol.com (Skatephile) wrote:
> Ellen asks:
> >I'm wondering if anyone out there can fill me in on which skaters from
> >various countries were the first to land triple axels. (ie, first French
> >skater, first Japanese skater, first Russian/Soviet skater, etc) I know
> >Steven Cousins was the first Briton to land one. And I'm assuming
> >Sabovcik was the first Czech skater.
[snip--poster's educated guesses follow]
> Finland: Markus Leminen
Not if Oula Jaaskelainen is to be believed. I remember going up to the
Mariposa Gala one summer (although I can't remember off the top of my head
which one) while Oula was still eligible, and him telling me and some
friends that he had landed a triple axel and was in the books as the first
Finn to land one.
Trudi
PegLewis
(Tarakay80) writes:
>I'm pretty sure that Brian Boitano was the first american to land a triple
>axle. I think it was at 1982 nationals
I dashed to the FAQ, and guess what? No nationalities to go with the names and
dates in the first-landed jumps section. <heavy sigh> Major omission, IMO.
Peg, who realizes how much work it would be to "correct" the oversight, and is
therefore understanding...
(PegL...@aol.com)
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Visit Ljudmillia's text archives (courtesy Don Edwards) at
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Skatabase
and
dates in the first-landed jumps section. <heavy sigh> Major omission, IMO. >>
Actually, the reason I'm asking is because I'm trying to get together a
"History of the Triple Axel" page similar to the "History of the Quad" page at
my site. Some time ago there was a lot of good info given on this newsgroup,
for which I can go back to Dejanews to look up, but I don't think anyone
discussed triple axel firsts for various countries.
I know about David Jenkins' 1960 3ax; also that Ronnie Robertson was
threatening to do one at the Cortina Olympics in '56.
Ellen
aka ebed...@mailbox.syr.edu
Ellen Edgerton (aka ebed...@mailbox.syr.edu)
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for searchable results, historical skating data and more!
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QuadLutz
> <<Canada: Vern Taylor (1st ever in competition at 1978 Worlds)
> USA: ???
>
> Note: A USFSA media guide I have lists David Jenkins as landing the "first
> triple axel witnessed at an event (not in competition)" -- at the 1960 Olympics
> exhibition>>
>
> Gordon McKellen, Jr. (1973,1974,1975 U.S. Men's Nat'l Champion) is listed in
> the 1974 Guiness Book of World Records as the first man to land a triple axel.
> He attempted it during the 1974 World Championship Competition, but failed to
> land it. However, at a subsequent exhibition he did land it. Here is a link to
> an article about him. In the article there is a hyperlink to a freeze frame
> photo of one of his triple axels.
> http://frog.simplenet.com/skateweb/pictures/historical
> Vern Taylor is listed in all the official publications, most likely because his
> was landed during competition. I do not know under what circumstances David
> Jenkins landed his triple axel. I have Gordie on tape, an old Wide World of
> Sports show, and it is exciting to watch as it was a big thing back then. Hope
> this helps.
>
>
I recall a couple of years ago watching a 'history of skating' show on one
of the cable networks (can't remember the name of the show though). They
showed a video clip of a man performing a triple axel (clockwise) and the
caption across the bottom said "David Jenkins, 1960". I brushed it off as
an error of some sort since the record states Vern Taylor's attempt in '78
was the first. But now that you posted this, I tend to think it may be
true! Someone out there knows for sure.....
Take care,
Nathan
nmdu...@iupui.edu
"So long as we are loved by others I should say that we are almost
indispensable; and no man is useless while he has a friend."
--Robert Louis Stevenson
Mrsfrz
Trudi Marrapodi
QuadLutz <nmdu...@iupui.edu> wrote:
> On 15 Jul 1998, Mrsfrz wrote:
>
The 1974 Guinness Book probably listed McKellen as "first to do a triple
axel" because back in the days before anyone had done it in competition,
doing it at all was pretty impressive. However, it doesn't appear that
whoever supplied their info knew about David Jenkins.
I remember that a few years ago, on a skating special (was it Scott
Hamilton's?), old footage of a Jenkins jump was shown. At that time some
of us here were saying "Was that a triple axel, because it sure looked
like one!" Eventually we determined, yep, looked like a triple axel.
> I recall a couple of years ago watching a 'history of skating' show on one
> of the cable networks (can't remember the name of the show though). They
> showed a video clip of a man performing a triple axel (clockwise) and the
> caption across the bottom said "David Jenkins, 1960". I brushed it off as
> an error of some sort since the record states Vern Taylor's attempt in '78
> was the first. But now that you posted this, I tend to think it may be
> true! Someone out there knows for sure.....
It appears to be so. At least there are enough "old-timers" who can
testify to his ability to do them...
Trudi
De Kiely
jump) for that matter the gold standard is landing it *in competition*. This
standard cuts out all the inane "i saw this" but "he did it in practice" etc,
etc.
For example, I heard that Jennifer Itoh and Tiffany Chin were landing
Triple Axels in PRACTICE in the 80's. BUT Midori Ito was the first to be
OFFICIALLY credited with the feat for competition purposes.
Similarly, I have heard/read that Vern Taylor was the first one
credited with the 3-Axel in competition. No one is saying that it was NEVER
done before in practice or exhibition by someone else, it probably was.
There are so many things that are accomplished in prctice that it would
be silly to try to credit those for the *first*. I mean who has tapes of every
practice for every skater?
Happy skating .... :-)
Rob Davison
> Similarly, I have heard/read that Vern Taylor was the first one
> credited with the 3-Axel in competition. No one is saying that it was NEVER
> done before in practice or exhibition by someone else, it probably was.
>
>
Ronnie Robertson was the first person to actually land a Triple Axel but Vern
Taylor was the first in competition. I know a coach who had an eye witness account
of the event.
--
I don't use drugs; my dreams are frightening enough.
Robert (Le)Davison
Ellen B. Edgerton
: Ronnie Robertson? Wow! This is the first time I heard of him having one.
: We just keep getting back farther and farther. Prior to that the
: farthest-back skater we thought who had done one was David Jenkins.
Ronnie Robertson "had" a triple axel in 1956, supposedly. And his coach
kept saying that he was going to uncork it at the Cortina Olympics. He
never attempted one in competition, however. It was basically a lot of
tough talk and grandstanding, from what I can tell, designed to unnerve
Hayes Jenkins, the Olympic favorite.
I don't know how reliable Robertson's 3ax was, but he was definitely the
first guy to make "triple axel noises." Check out old issues of Sports
Illustrated.
Michalle S Gould
: In article <35C8E927...@takethispartout.cadvision.com>, Rob Davison
: <davi...@takethispartout.cadvision.com> wrote:
:
: > Ronnie Robertson was the first person to actually land a Triple Axel but Vern
: > Taylor was the first in competition. I know a coach who had an eye
: witness account
: > of the event.
: We just keep getting back farther and farther. Prior to that the
: farthest-back skater we thought who had done one was David Jenkins.
I was talking to Sonja Henie at a seance last night and she absolutely
ASSURED me that she had landed a triple axel at the Norweigan Golden
Skate Sub Regional Qualifying Competition 8 AM practice but because a
vicious rival had sent all the reporters out of the building by telling
them that a member of the British Royal Family was about to engage in an
illicit assignation at the hotel down the road, no one ever gave her
credit for it. Needless to say, she still feels deeply betrayed and hurt
that she has, yet again, avoided being given the worshipful adulation her
accomplishments deserve.
Michalle
Ellyn Kestnbaum
>Ronnie Robertson "had" a triple axel in 1956, supposedly. And his coach
>kept saying that he was going to uncork it at the Cortina Olympics. He
>never attempted one in competition, however. It was basically a lot of
>tough talk and grandstanding, from what I can tell, designed to unnerve
>Hayes Jenkins, the Olympic favorite.
>
>I don't know how reliable Robertson's 3ax was, but he was definitely the
>first guy to make "triple axel noises." Check out old issues of Sports
>Illustrated.
While I was at the USFSA archives a few weeks ago, I was skimming through
a book (in French) by Didier Gailhaguet and someone else whose name I did
not recognize, probably a professional writer. Anyway, it (Didier?)
claimed to have seen Robertson land a "quadruple boucle" (loop) in 1974.
In practice, of course, or maybe some kind of pro exhibition. Seems
unlikely since Robertson must have been about 40 at the time and we still
haven't officially heard of anyone landing that jump even in practice
even if some have been said to be working on it. But that's what the book
said.
-Ellyn
Trudi Marrapodi
Gould) wrote:
Hey, if you think that's bad, I believe there is probably circumstantial
evidence that somewhere in the Prehistory of Figure Skating, Gor-Tar, the
Greatest Figure Skater of All Time, also landed a triple axel, and indeed
was the first skater ever to land one. But unfortunately, that was indeed
the Prehistory of Figure Skating, so it was never recorded and, sadly,
Gor-Tar's pioneering effort goes unrecognized to this day.
Trudi
Revjoelle
>evidence that somewhere in the Prehistory of Figure Skating, Gor-Tar, the
>Greatest Figure Skater of All Time, also landed a triple axel, and indeed
>was the first skater ever to land one. But unfortunately, that was indeed
>the Prehistory of Figure Skating, so it was never recorded and, sadly,
>Gor-Tar's pioneering effort goes unrecognized to this day.
>
paintings and the fact is--Gor Tar's triple axel didn't help him because there
was a little skater named Ska Tee who, though he never did a triple axel was
better with his figures and so still won the prehistoric championships.
Joelle
"Whoever you like is the best skater in the world."
Scott Hamilton
Kkonas
Ronnie is lots of fun to talk to with great anecdotal stories. I never heard
the one about the triple Axel, or quad loop. He did say that the competition
was fierce between he and Jenkins and I don't believe they talk [to each other]
even to this day.
loop_...@my-dejanews.com
marr...@binghamton.edu (Trudi Marrapodi) wrote:
> In article <35C8E927...@takethispartout.cadvision.com>, Rob Davison
> <davi...@takethispartout.cadvision.com> wrote:
>
> > Ronnie Robertson was the first person to actually land a Triple Axel but
Vern
> > Taylor was the first in competition. I know a coach who had an eye
> witness account
> > of the event.
>
> Ronnie Robertson? Wow! This is the first time I heard of him having one.
> We just keep getting back farther and farther. Prior to that the
> farthest-back skater we thought who had done one was David Jenkins.
>
Try Skippy Baxter; circa 1955.
-jl John
40 million dollars and all I got was this lousy apology -- K. Starr
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Barbara Hoffman
Furthermore, as Trudi has previously pointed out, after Ska-Tee turned pro,
Gor-Tar got his prehistoric butt kicked again by both Bry-Enbee and Bry-Enno.
Fortunately, I was present at The Battle of the Brys -- Dikbut-Tun gave me a clam
shell for a front row rock.
Barbara "I told you I was old" Hoffman
"I am not a vegetarian because I love animals; I am a vegetarian because I hate
plants." - A. Whitney Brown
Trudi Marrapodi
> In article <marrapodi-060...@128.226.35.187>,
> marr...@binghamton.edu (Trudi Marrapodi) wrote:
> > In article <35C8E927...@takethispartout.cadvision.com>, Rob Davison
> > <davi...@takethispartout.cadvision.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Ronnie Robertson was the first person to actually land a Triple Axel but
> Vern
> > > Taylor was the first in competition. I know a coach who had an eye
> > witness account
> > > of the event.
> >
> > Ronnie Robertson? Wow! This is the first time I heard of him having one.
> > We just keep getting back farther and farther. Prior to that the
> > farthest-back skater we thought who had done one was David Jenkins.
> >
>
> Try Skippy Baxter; circa 1955.
>
> -jl John
Now I remember someone said that too; was it you? He did do the first back
flip, didn't he?
Trudi
poster...@my-dejanews.com
Ellyn Kestnbaum <ekes...@students.wisc.edu> wrote:
> ebed...@newstand.syr.edu (Ellen B. Edgerton) wrote:
> >kept saying that he was going to uncork it at the Cortina Olympics. He
> >never attempted one in competition, however. It was basically a lot of
> >tough talk and grandstanding, from what I can tell, designed to unnerve
> >Hayes Jenkins, the Olympic favorite.
> >
> >I don't know how reliable Robertson's 3ax was, but he was definitely the
> >first guy to make "triple axel noises." Check out old issues of Sports
> >Illustrated.
>
> While I was at the USFSA archives a few weeks ago, I was skimming through
> a book (in French) by Didier Gailhaguet and someone else whose name I did
> not recognize, probably a professional writer. Anyway, it (Didier?)
> claimed to have seen Robertson land a "quadruple boucle" (loop) in 1974.
> In practice, of course, or maybe some kind of pro exhibition. Seems
> unlikely since Robertson must have been about 40 at the time and we still
> haven't officially heard of anyone landing that jump even in practice
> even if some have been said to be working on it. But that's what the book
> said.
>
For Ellyn...and many others who posted on this thread:
I asked a friend, who sees/talks to Ronnie Robertson frequently, to clear
up the 3x question. Following is his report of Ronnie's recollections (with
Ronnie's permission to attribute, for the readers of rssif): "I never
cleanly landed a perfect triple-axel. We (Ron & coach Gus Lussi) worked on
it a lot. I landed many in practice...with perhaps a half-turn cheat, which
I was able to 'hold on' to...but they weren't perfect. I landed several of
these in '56 Cortina (Olys)and Garmisch (Wlds) practices." As to the quad
loop, Ron says it COULD have been as late as 1974 (when he was 37!!).
"Sometime in the early '70s, I was landing that quad quite regularly. A
friend of mine has some on film, which he took in a rink in Las Vegas." (No,
Rev...he wasn't skating topless!!! I checked!) Ron says his best skating
was in his mid-late thirties. More rotations, better presentation. Today,
Ron coaches actively in Orange County...and consults internationally,
including at least annual trips to China. My additional, gratuitous comment:
Ronnie's piston roll and Donald Jackson's footwork are my all-time
favorite...and most sensational non-jump...skating accomplishments. Not even
the Biellman spin or Magnussen spiral, sensational although they were...quite
equal those two moves. IMO.
Cheers,
PosterBoy