Ice Skating: The World's 5 Top Ice Skaters

For many people, ice skating isn't a sport so much as a discipline. With speed skating, ice hockey, figure skating and several other sports falling within its umbrella, it seems unusual and even a bit inaccurate to classify it as its own independent sport. Skating is a discipline, a skill, and a useful term for classifying other sports, but it's not an independent sport on its own.

Perhaps that's why we see so little crossover between different ice skating disciplines – the best figure skaters, for example, are unlikely to compete in a speed skating competition. Similarly, a hardened ice hockey player seems like an unlikely pick to don the shiny outfits and complete an ensemble of figure skating moves. They share a lot in common, but they're certainly not the same.

So take these 'top five' ice skaters with a grain of salt and an eye for difference. They may not be equally skilled in the same discipline or similarly talented at the same sport, but they do share an important characteristic in common. While all succeeded today, they spend years of practice and tens-of-thousands of hours of hard work to become the world's greatest ice skaters.

1. Sasha Cohen

Sasha Cohen won a silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics, an American Championship medal in 2006, and a series of other awards before leaving the skating world in 2007. She's now back in the competitive skating world, having taken part in several major competitions over the past three years. Skilled and agile, Sasha is a skater that deserves close attention over the next decade.

2. Wayne Gretzky

While Wayne Gretzky certainly differs in style from most figure skaters, he has the dedication and focus that's essential for success on the ice hockey rink. Named the 'Greatest Player Ever' by NHL officials and a myriad of magazines, there are very few awards that the well known Canadian isn't holder of. For true focus, aggression, and success, there are few skaters better than Gretzky.

3. Michelle Kwan

One of the United States' most recognizable athletes, Michelle Kwan is a Chinese-American figure skater and diplomatic leader. With two Olympic medals under her belt, a record nine US Champion wins, and five World Champion statuses, this Chinese-American sports celebrity is one of the most important faces in the skating world. Kwan is popular both in the US and in Mainland China.

4. Tonya Harding

While Tonya Harding isn't like to feature on any list of most skilled skaters, she's certainly the best in the world at one thing: stirring up incredible amounts of controversy. The American champion is a true master at getting the media's attention, making headlines for alleged assassination threats, an unusual pre-Olympics attack, and a series of unusual incidents involving broken dresses and stakes.

5. Sonja Henie

Sonja Henie was a Norwegian figure skater, Hollywood superstar, and true skating celebrity. One of the most recognizable faces in Norway and one of Hollywood's highest-paid actresses, Henie made waves in both the skating world and the world of popular entertainment. While her achievements in skating have been bested by Michelle Kwan, many insist that Henie is the greatest skater of all time.