Ashley: SOLID other than the 3f-3t-- this combination was so good at the beginning of the season, but she just hasn't been 'on' with it since then. The rest of the skating was confident, cool, and fun. I hope tomorrow she really attacks and gets back to her reputation for being able to skate a nice LP.
Gracie: I guess I didn't think her jumps were that bad, compared to what I had read on here earlier. The 3z-3t mistake was not that big of a deal, but 2ax problem was WAY more noticeable, however, she held it together. Tomorrow will be tougher. I must say, I really loved her in between skating tonight. I kept thinking, 'this is the same girl from last year?'-- remember her juniorish "Hernando's Hideaway" compared to this? I loved seeing the improvement.
Polina: what confidence for at 15 yr old at her first BIG competition. She had fun, and while very unrefined (and needs to learn how to use arms, IMO), it was fresh. I thought her 3z/3t looked rotated enough to give full credit, but not surprised it got < from this tech. panel, which leads me to...
Julia: in the NBC replay, I honestly thought they were showing a close-up of her flip, but once it was landed, I realized it was her lutz. How on EARTH did that NOT get called for the wrong edge? We all know the Americans and Japanese skaters would get called... In terms of PCS, I thought she did the same as always, other than the flip. Not a lot of outward expression, but she did her thing. The spins were fast, but man, she travels a lot more than most, if you only watch the tracings.
Adelina: Russian bonus inflation. Sorry... she was very good, and definitely top three worthy, but she should NOT be in the within points of Koster and Kim (and I don't particularly like the latter, but can't deny her ability).
Carolina: Beautiful, calm, skating great jumps, ok spins (flying camel was my fav.). I would have her in 1st. She looked like she knew she would skate well before she even started, n'est-ce pas?
Yu-Na: Can't deny how wonderful her jumps are, but she leaves me cold on the PCS side of things. I don't get the huge appeal, BUT she is amazingly strong with skating skills and jumps, as I mentioned. Dick Button tweeted that Brian Orser tried to get her to work on her positioning in layback and pointed toe, but that she was disinterested. I think she just wants to maintain what she can already do, since it's worked until now. Not a bad strategy! I think Yu-Na aims to do everything she can do comfortably to her highest level (she doesn't do 3loop because of lack of consistency, not injury, if you ask me), but doesn't push herself to improve beyond what she can already do unlike...
Mao: She tried to fix her jump technique; she has worked on her positions over the years, and does everything she can to improve. I feel she is a skater who even when winning wants to improve and pushes herself (3ax, 3f-3t, all the triples in one program), but it obviously didn't matter in this moment. I wish she could have at least managed the 3l-2l combination to save the program, but it wasn't meant to be. Here's to hoping she can NAIL the first ever legally landed 8 triple program tomorrow!
Gracie: I guess I didn't think her jumps were that bad, compared to what I had read on here earlier. The 3z-3t mistake was not that big of a deal, but 2ax problem was WAY more noticeable, however, she held it together. Tomorrow will be tougher. I must say, I really loved her in between skating tonight. I kept thinking, 'this is the same girl from last year?'-- remember her juniorish "Hernando's Hideaway" compared to this? I loved seeing the improvement.
Polina: what confidence for at 15 yr old at her first BIG competition. She had fun, and while very unrefined (and needs to learn how to use arms, IMO), it was fresh. I thought her 3z/3t looked rotated enough to give full credit, but not surprised it got < from this tech. panel, which leads me to...
Julia: in the NBC replay, I honestly thought they were showing a close-up of her flip, but once it was landed, I realized it was her lutz. How on EARTH did that NOT get called for the wrong edge? We all know the Americans and Japanese skaters would get called... In terms of PCS, I thought she did the same as always, other than the flip. Not a lot of outward expression, but she did her thing. The spins were fast, but man, she travels a lot more than most, if you only watch the tracings.
Adelina: Russian bonus inflation. Sorry... she was very good, and definitely top three worthy, but she should NOT be in the within points of Koster and Kim (and I don't particularly like the latter, but can't deny her ability).
Carolina: Beautiful, calm, skating great jumps, ok spins (flying camel was my fav.). I would have her in 1st. She looked like she knew she would skate well before she even started, n'est-ce pas?
Yu-Na: Can't deny how wonderful her jumps are, but she leaves me cold on the PCS side of things. I don't get the huge appeal, BUT she is amazingly strong with skating skills and jumps, as I mentioned. Dick Button tweeted that Brian Orser tried to get her to work on her positioning in layback and pointed toe, but that she was disinterested. I think she just wants to maintain what she can already do, since it's worked until now. Not a bad strategy! I think Yu-Na aims to do everything she can do comfortably to her highest level (she doesn't do 3loop because of lack of consistency, not injury, if you ask me), but doesn't push herself to improve beyond what she can already do unlike...
Mao: She tried to fix her jump technique; she has worked on her positions over the years, and does everything she can to improve. I feel she is a skater who even when winning wants to improve and pushes herself (3ax, 3f-3t, all the triples in one program), but it obviously didn't matter in this moment. I wish she could have at least managed the 3l-2l combination to save the program, but it wasn't meant to be. Here's to hoping she can NAIL the first ever legally landed 8 triple program tomorrow!