Figure skating is a sport where shorter athletes typically hold a significant advantage for rotational jumps. Shorter skaters rotate faster due to a tighter axis, making quadruple jumps easier to execute. However, taller skaters often create more striking lines and powerful presence on the ice. Here are the tallest figure skaters who defied physics to compete at the highest level.
⚡ Quick Facts:
- The tallest figure skating player ever is Kurt Browning at 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
- This list covers the top 10 tallest figure skating players of all time
- Heights are shown in both feet/inches and centimetres
Complete List: Top 10 Tallest Figure skating Players
| Rank | Player | Height | Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kurt Browning | 5 ft 7 in (170 cm) | Canada |
| 2 | Evgeni Plushenko | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | Russia |
| 3 | Jeffrey Buttle | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | Canada |
| 4 | Ilia Malinin | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | United States |
| 5 | Nathan Chen | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | United States |
| 6 | Alexander Gorshkov (Ice Dance) | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | Russia |
| 7 | Scott Moir (Ice Dance) | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | Canada |
| 8 | Guillaume Cizeron (Ice Dance) | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | France |
| 9 | Irina Slutskaya | 5 ft 5 in (166 cm) | Russia |
| 10 | Yuzuru Hanyu | 5 ft 8 in (172 cm) | Japan |
1. Kurt Browning — 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Country: Canada
Kurt Browning was the first skater to land a ratified quadruple jump in competition in 1988, revolutionising men’s figure skating. The Canadian four-time World Champion was one of the most artistic and athletic skaters of his generation. While not the tallest, Browning pioneered the quad era that transformed the sport.
2. Evgeni Plushenko — 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Country: Russia
Evgeni Plushenko won two Olympic gold medals and three World Championship titles and was one of the tallest dominant men’s singles skaters. The Russian legend was remarkably athletic for his height, landing quad-triple combinations consistently. Plushenko competed across four Olympic Games from 2002 to 2014 and was one of the most decorated skaters ever.
3. Jeffrey Buttle — 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Country: Canada
Jeffrey Buttle won the 2008 World Championship title and was one of the most artistically gifted skaters of his era. The Canadian was known for his exceptional skating skills and musicality on the ice. Buttle won Olympic bronze at the 2006 Turin Games and later became a successful choreographer.
4. Ilia Malinin — 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Country: United States
Ilia Malinin became the first skater to land a quadruple axel in competition in 2022, the most difficult jump in figure skating. The American prodigy has been called the Quad God for his ability to perform multiple quadruple jumps including the quad axel, quad lutz, and quad loop. Malinin won the World Championship in 2025.
5. Nathan Chen — 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Country: United States
Nathan Chen won Olympic gold at the 2022 Beijing Games and three consecutive World Championship titles. The American was known for landing five different types of quadruple jumps in a single program, a feat never before accomplished. Chen combined athletic brilliance with artistic expression to dominate men’s skating.
6. Alexander Gorshkov (Ice Dance) — 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Country: Russia
Alexander Gorshkov won the first-ever Olympic gold medal in ice dance at the 1976 Innsbruck Games alongside partner Lyudmila Pakhomova. The tall Soviet skater was one of the pioneers of ice dance as an Olympic discipline. Gorshkov and Pakhomova won six World Championship titles and are considered the founders of modern ice dance.
7. Scott Moir (Ice Dance) — 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Country: Canada
Scott Moir won two Olympic gold medals in ice dance with partner Tessa Virtue, making them the most decorated ice dancers in history. The Canadian reached 5 ft 11 in, which is tall for a male ice dancer and created striking lifts with the 5 ft 5 in Virtue. Moir and Virtue won three World Championship titles and five Canadian titles.
8. Guillaume Cizeron (Ice Dance) — 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Country: France
Guillaume Cizeron won Olympic gold in ice dance at the 2022 Beijing Games alongside partner Gabriella Papadakis with a world record score. The French skater is one of the tallest successful ice dancers in history and uses his height for breathtaking lifts. Cizeron and Papadakis won five World Championship titles and revolutionised ice dance aesthetics.
9. Irina Slutskaya — 5 ft 5 in (166 cm)
Country: Russia
Irina Slutskaya was the first woman to land a triple lutz-triple loop combination and won two World Championship titles. The Russian was one of the most athletic women’s singles skaters ever and won Olympic silver in 2002. While average height for a woman, Slutskaya was tall by women’s singles standards where petite skaters dominate.
10. Yuzuru Hanyu — 5 ft 8 in (172 cm)
Country: Japan
Yuzuru Hanyu won consecutive Olympic gold medals in 2014 and 2018 and is widely considered the greatest men’s figure skater of all time. The Japanese superstar held world records in both the short program and free skate and was the first skater to break 300 points total. Hanyu combined athletic jumping with unmatched artistry and musicality.
📏 Want to see how you compare?
Use our free Height Converter to convert your height, or try the Height Comparison Tool to visually compare yourself with these figure skating giants. Browse our Celebrity Heights database or check out Average Height by Country for more data.
Final Thoughts
Figure skating demonstrates that height can be both a blessing and a challenge. While taller skaters create more dramatic lines and visual impact, they must overcome the physics of rotation that favour smaller athletes. The tallest skaters on this list proved that with exceptional technique and artistry, height can become a distinguishing advantage rather than a limitation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does height help in figure skating?
Height is generally a disadvantage for jumping in figure skating because taller skaters have a wider rotational axis, making it harder to complete multi-revolution jumps. However, taller skaters create more dramatic lines and have advantages in ice dance lifts and artistic impression.
What is the average height of a figure skater?
Male singles skaters average approximately 5 ft 7 in (170 cm), while female singles skaters average approximately 5 ft 2 in (157 cm). Ice dancers tend to be taller, with men averaging around 5 ft 10 in and women around 5 ft 5 in.
Who is the greatest figure skater of all time?
Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan is widely considered the greatest men’s figure skater with two Olympic golds and multiple world records. For women, Yuna Kim and Mao Asada are often considered among the all-time greats.