Swiss Lambiel, who has come out of retirement in time for this month's Vancouver Games to try to go one better than the silver medal he won at the 2006 Turin Olympics, is known for his expressive movements with the music and his creative spins.
With the abolition of the perfect 6.0 in a judging system overhaul following the 2002 Games, a complicated system with marks awarded for difficulty and execution of each skill as well as presentation is now in place.
There is an incentive to go for more difficult spins and jumps to get higher scores, resulting in some routines looking somewhat disjointed.
"It's not only a sport, it's an art and I'm sure that if we lose this direction in figure skating, our sport is going to lose fans because that's what makes figure skating special, it's the artistry of the skaters, not only the elements," Lambiel said in an interview.
"I know how important they (the elements) are and I'm a fighter, I'm the one who loves to do quads but not only that.
"The danger is that we really want to have the judges in our pockets so you are trying to impress them with something and I believe you can not think only one way and you have to build something full, it's a programme not just technical elements."
At last month's European championships Lambiel, received the highest marks for presentation in his long programme, pushing him up into the silver medal spot from fifth following the short programme.
Olympic champion Evgeny Plushenko, who like Lambiel has returned to the sport after time out, told reporters last month his comeback had put quadruple jumps back on the agenda after the last two world championships were won without them.
Lambiel, meanwhile, said his own comeback might instil in the new generation the need to keep the emphasis on 'artistic' in the sport's French word 'patinage artistique'.
"I'm bringing back all my skating, not only turns, not only spins but altogether, and I'm bringing my passion with me," he said.
"Hopefully, I'm bringing an atmosphere in the ice rink, that is very important to me. I really like it when someone uses the music to skate and not only makes the elements. Hopefully, they are going to (do that)."
Stéphane Lambiel won a medal at the Olympic Games in Vancouver! Dared, some would say. Likely, others will say, as the Valais has seduced, amazed at his Traviata the public, fans and even the Europeans board, 15 days ago.
The skater from Saxon succeeded with his 2nd place in Estonia's return to high level competition, after more than a year's absence due to recurring groin pain while all combinations and jumps were unsuccessfull. However, Lambiel was full of confidence and will be in Vancouver with a morale of steel.
Also in the medal mix in Vancouver is another comeback kid from Torino, Stéphane Lambiel, the two-time world champion from Switzerland and France's Brian Joubert, who earned a bronze medal at Europeans despite undergoing foot surgery in December.
Lambiel captured world crowns in 2005 and 2006 but fell to third place in 2007. He decided to make an Olympic-year comeback but couldn't compete until the European Championships last month with an injured abductor muscle. Lambiel proved he could still compete with the best by producing a silver-medal performance at Europeans. However, he finished 16.85 points behind Plushenko.
"There are about six guys who can all contend for a medal, " Orser said. "But, If I had to pick a favorite, I would say it's Lambiel. I've seen him skate closely this summer because he did a lot of training in Toronto and I think he's the poster child for this system. He has great spins and transitions and, he has a quad."
"I think it's going to be one of the most exciting events with all the guys coming back," said Scott Davis, who competed for the US at the 1994 Olympics when many top skaters returned to the Olympic ice after time off from competition.
"The Olympics is a different beast, added Davis, who will be in Vancouver coaching Canada's Vaughn Chipeur. "It's not always who's expected to win, wins."
This year, more than ever, that is probably the safest bet.
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