Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who's the Fittest of us All!?

I was just gazing through the Toronto Star for articles relating to health and fitness. Came across this title and found it interesting. As I clicked on this article and  began reading, I was curious to know what this Doctor thought. The way the article was set up stated a winter athlete, and explained the extreme physical characteristics of each sport. Amazed, I kept reading and reading. I thought maybe at some point he'd mention figure skating and comment on our fast-twitch ability, or something. When I didn't see it though, I wasn't angry or upset. I just figured "he didn't touch on every sport, so oh well." But as the article finished up, I was literally in such a positive shock. I was thrilled to read the following:

If he had to pick one sport with the most all-around demands on an athlete, Gibala opts for hockey. “In ice hockey you have to have explosive power, breakaway speed and endurance,” he said. “If you look at elite hockey players they’re not going to be the best in any of those …. But a lot of them are impressive athletes who have to combine all of those elements in order to perform on the ice.”


www.chelseapiers.com

Wells also opts for an ice sport. But it’s figure skating.“They have to be very flexible, extremely strong, and they have to be able to jump and be explosive,” says the Toronto professor. “Figure skating actually is the sport that may require the most different types of athleticism in one performance.

www.canada.com

“Of course, every single athlete from every single sport will debate that.”

So there you have it. Figure skaters are some of the world's greatest athletes. I was curious to know what others had to say about that statement... so I did a little googlin'.  According to Sport's Illustrated, the top  100 female athletes of all time (in history) contains 4 figure skaters in the first 50. WOWZA. According to The Top Tens figure skating is the third hardest sport to master.  (Although to be honest, I slightly question the validity of this site as competitive cheerleading is well above hockey......☺)

I just wonder about WHY all other athletes debate the athletisism required to be a figure skater. I just don't get it. We respect you guys, so what is it about skating that is hard to respect? Or maybe accept? It looks easy, eh? Shouldn't the fact that the best skaters make it look flawless be a huge asset as to why we're even considered one the world's greatest athletes? 

Just another question and another point to be raised. What are other people's thoughts? As outsiders from the skating world, why is it that you personally naturally believe that certain athletes are way beyond the athletisism than what skaters require? Would love to hear.