Caryn Kadavy

Last updated
Caryn Kadavy
CarynKadavy2006.jpg
Kadavy performing in 2006
Born (1967-12-09) December 9, 1967 (age 56)
Erie, Pennsylvania, US
Height1.62 m (5 ft 4 in)
Figure skating career
CountryFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Retired1988
Medal record
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Ladies' Figure skating
World Championships
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1987 Cincinnati Ladies' singles

Caryn Kadavy (born December 9, 1967) is an American professional figure skater and former competitor. She is the 1987 World bronze medalist and a four-time U.S. national medalist. She also competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics.

Contents

Career

Kadavy was born in Erie, Pennsylvania. As an amateur, she won medals at the U.S. Championships four years in a row, including silver in 1986. She won several competitions in 1985: the U.S. Olympic Festival, Skate Canada International, and the Moscow News Cup. She was a top-ten finisher at the World Figure Skating Championships three times, including a bronze medal in 1987.

Caryn's initial breakthrough was a bronze medal at the 1985 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, where she placed 2nd behind overall winner Tiffany Chin, but ahead of Debi Thomas in the long program. Due to poor figures and a fall in the short program, she settled for bronze, and due to only 2 spots being allotted to U.S. women for that years Worlds due to Elaine Zayak's retirement (at the time the rules were that at least one skater who earned the number of spots for a country had to fill one of those spots to maintain that number), narrowly missed the World Team. In 1986 she came into Nationals having won 2 international competitions already, and after winning the short program over both Debi Thomas and Tiffany Chin, seemed to be in strong position to win her first National title. However following Thomas's brilliant 5 triple free skate, a nervous Kadavy made a couple of major mistakes, and lost the title by a 6–3 split, winning silver and qualifying for her first Worlds. There she placed a disappointing 8th, with mistakes in all 3 phases. This was the beginning of her reputation as a nervy and inconsistent competitor.

At the 1987 Nationals she again went in as a strong threat for the title, especially with defending Champion Debi Thomas injured and in subpar condition (Thomas would in fact lose the title to a young upstart, Caryn's training partner Jill Trenary). After placing 3rd in the compulsory figures, Kadavy skated a disastrous short program featuring a major adel fall, and where she placed only 9th. With a respectable free skating performance Caryn was able to narrowly climb back up to 3rd and make the team due to Tiffany Chin's own disastrous long program performance where she failed to land even a double axel cleanly. At Worlds she delivered her best competition to date, skating strongly in all 3 phases - compulsory figures, short program, and long program - to win the bronze. She narrowly lost silver to Debi Thomas by a 6-3 verdict in the long program, and might have won silver or even gold but for popping both a triple toe and double axel in the dying stages of her program. This silenced many of her critics, and set her up as a potential major contender for the podium at the 1988 Calgary Olympics.

Kadavy circa 1988 Caryn Kadavy, RIT NandE Vol20Num3 1988 Oct6 Complete.jpg
Kadavy circa 1988

At the 1988 Winter Olympics, she was in 6th place after the short program but withdrew prior to the free skate due to the flu. [1] [2] During this period, Kadavy was coached by Carlo Fassi at the Broadmoor Skating Club; she also worked with Toller Cranston prior to the 1987–88 season. In December 1988, she underwent an operation to remove a cyst on an ovary. [1] She withdrew from the 1989 U.S. Championships due to a stress fracture in one ankle and a pinched nerve in the other. [1]

Kadavy went on to skate regularly in professional ice shows throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, and is still active as of 2010. She has won numerous professional championships, including Miko Masters (1993), Hershey's Kisses (1993 and 1994), U.S. Open (1993), Canadian Pro (1996), and Ladies Pro Final (1997), as well as numerous team competitions. She is currently a skating teacher in Minneapolis, Minnesota. As a professional she was heavily praised by Scott Hamilton, Dick Button, Peggy Fleming, amongst others, as showing the complete package of ladies skating, combining strong technical ability for a pro (capable of a triple loop, triple toe, triple salchow, and double axel), strong spins, speed, and wonderful artistry, along with a wider variety of artistic choices and programs than she had displayed as an amateur where she had been known mostly just for a balletic skating style. It was noted by many how she had gained the confidence and consistency as a professional competitor, which had held her back as an amateur.

Competitive highlights

International
Event1984–19851985–19861986–19871987–1988
Winter Olympic Games WD
World Championships 8th3rd7th
Golden Spin of Zagreb 1st
Skate Canada International 1st
Prize of Moscow News 1st
St. Ivel International 1st
National
U.S. Championships 3rd2nd3rd3rd
WD = Withdrew

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katarina Witt</span> German figure skater

Katarina Witt is a German former figure skater. A two-time Olympic champion, Witt is regarded as one of the greatest ladies' singles figure skaters of all time. Her Laureus profile states that "she is remembered most for her overall athleticism, her charismatic appeal and her glamorous image on the ice."

Debra Janine Thomas is an American figure skater and physician. She is the 1986 World champion, the 1988 Olympic bronze medalist, and a two-time U.S. national champion. Her rivalry with East Germany's Katarina Witt at the 1988 Calgary Olympics was known as the Battle of the Carmens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Figure skating at the 1998 Winter Olympics</span>

The figure skating events in 1998 Winter Olympics were held at the White Ring in Nagano. There were no changes in the format or scoring systems from 1994. Professionals were again allowed to compete, although they had to declare that intention and compete in ISU-approved events to do so. Previously, the ISU had been accused of rejecting Western professionals, while allowing Eastern Bloc state-sponsored "amateurs" to compete. Most of the top competitors by 1998 were now openly professional.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd Eldredge</span> American figure skater

Todd James Eldredge is an American former competitive figure skater. He is the 1996 World champion, a six-time U.S. national champion, a three-time Olympian, and a six-time World medalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosalynn Sumners</span> American figure skater

Rosalynn Diane Sumners is an American former competitive figure skater. She was the World Junior champion in 1980, the U.S. National champion in 1982, 1983 and 1984, World champion in 1983, and won a silver medal at the 1984 Winter Olympics.

Jill Ann Trenary is an American former figure skater. She is the 1990 World champion and a three-time U.S. national champion. She was inducted to the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiffany Chin</span> American figure skater

Audrey Tiffany Chin is an American figure skating coach and former competitor. She is a two-time World bronze medalist (1985–1986), a two-time Skate America champion, and the 1985 U.S. national champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirai Nagasu</span> American figure skater

Mirai Aileen Nagasu is an American figure skater. She is a 2018 Olympic Games team event bronze medalist, three-time Four Continents medalist, the 2007 JGP Final champion, a two-time World Junior medalist, and a seven-time U.S. national medalist.

Kay Thomson is a Canadian former figure skater who competed in ladies' singles. She is the 1981 Prize of Moscow News champion, the 1983 Skate Canada International silver medallist, and a three-time Canadian national champion. Her rise to dominance of Canadian ladies figure skating was unexpected as young phenom Tracy Wainmann had been expected to dominate Canadian ladies skating throughout this quadrennial, and beyond, but Thomson dethroned Wainmann at the 1982 Canadian Championships, and was only challenged by rising future superstar Elizabeth Manley thereafter as Wainmann fell off the map for a few years with personal issues and a growth spurt. She represented Canada at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, placing 12th, and at three World Championships, achieving her best result, fifth, in 1984 (Ottawa). She also finished a strong 6th at both the 82 and 83 worlds. At this event she had perhaps her best shot ever of a world podium finish in a heavily weakened post Olympic field and a respectable initial finish in compulsory figures which were never her strength, but a turn between her triple lutz-double toe combination in the short, and a miss on her triple flip in the long, was enough to keep her behind silver medallist Anna Kondrashova, bronze medallist Elaine Zayak, and 4th-place finisher Kira Ivanova.

Ladies' single skating was contested during the figure skating events at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizaveta Tuktamysheva</span> Russian figure skater (born 1996)

Elizaveta Sergeyevna Tuktamysheva is a Russian figure skater. She is the 2015 World champion, the 2021 World silver medalist, the 2015 European champion and the 2013 European bronze medalist. She is a 16-time medalist on the Grand Prix series, including gold at the 2014–15 Grand Prix Final and bronze at the 2018–19 Grand Prix Final. On national level she is a 8-time medalist in the Russian Championships and the 2013 Russian national champion, as well as 4-time medalist in the Russian Cup Finals. On the junior level, she is the 2012 Youth Olympic champion, 2011 World Junior silver medalist, and 2010–11 JGP Final silver medalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chen Lu (figure skater)</span> Chinese figure skater

Chen Lu is a Chinese former figure skater. She is the 1994 and 1998 Olympic bronze medalist and the 1995 World Champion. Chen won the first ever Olympic medal in figure skating for China.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bradie Tennell</span> American figure skater

Bradie Tennell is an American figure skater. She is a 2018 Olympic team event bronze medalist, the 2020 Four Continents bronze medalist, the 2018 CS Autumn Classic champion, the 2018 CS Golden Spin of Zagreb champion, and a two-time U.S. national champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Young</span> South Korean figure skater (born 2004)

You Young is a South Korean figure skater. She is the 2020 Four Continents silver medalist, a four-time Grand Prix bronze medalist, a four-time Challenger series medalist, and a five-time South Korean national champion

The 1985 U.S. Figure Skating Championships was held in early 1985 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. Medals were awarded in four colors: gold (first), silver (second), bronze (third), and pewter (fourth) in four disciplines – men's singles, ladies' singles, pair skating, and ice dancing – across three levels: senior, junior, and novice.

Jeri Campbell is an American former figure skater in ladies' singles. She won the Junior title at the 1987 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, and was an alternate for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games after finishing fourth at the 1988 U.S. Figure Skating Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 World Figure Skating Championships</span> Annual figure skating competition held in 2019

The 2019 World Figure Skating Championships were held in Saitama, Japan, from March 18–24, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alysa Liu</span> American former figure skater

Alysa Liu is an American competitive figure skater. She is the 2022 World bronze medalist, the 2021 CS Nebelhorn Trophy champion, the 2021 CS Lombardia Trophy champion, and a two-time U.S. national champion. At age 16, she competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics, placing sixth. At the junior level, Liu is the 2020 World Junior bronze medalist, the 2019–20 Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist, a two-time Junior Grand Prix champion, and the 2018 U.S. junior national champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daria Usacheva</span> Russian figure skater

Daria Romanovna Usacheva is a retired Russian figure skater. She is the 2021 Skate America silver medalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sofia Akateva</span> Russian figure skater

Sofia Dmitrievna Akateva is a Russian figure skater. She is the 2023 Russian champion. At the junior level, she is the 2021 JGP Russia champion, the 2021 JGP Poland champion, a two-time Russian junior national champion, and currently holds the junior women's world records for the highest total and free skate scores.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Sports People: FIGURE SKATING; Kadavy Still Injured". The New York Times. Associated Press. January 31, 1989.
  2. Cuneo, Kevin (February 11, 2010). "Caryn Kadavy: No regrets but lots of class". Erie Times-News . Retrieved February 19, 2010.