Caro this season | Golden Skate

Caro this season

Bennett

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
I am hoping that Caro gets better at the next event and shines through at the Olympics. Can we finally see clean Caro?
 

berrycute

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 14, 2008
I am hoping that Caro gets better at the next event and shines through at the Olympics. Can we finally see clean Caro?

I sure hope so. I mean, she has some serious potential and has delivered great performances in the past (short programs at Worlds 2005 and 2007 are my favs). It is such a shame she continues to struggle with confidence. That said, I don't know if either programs she has this year will take her through to an Olympic medal. The long program has some lovely moments and she looks lovely in blue but the music cuts seem sloppy.
 

zartian

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 28, 2008
I feel so bad for her too. She has so much potential to be a top..but..her weak mentality screws up everything. C'm on.. why can't you be as confident as Yuna is although you have all those jumps? Forget about medals, your family, your country, or anything. Just try to enjoy. I know it's not that easy... :cry:

Maybe she didn't suffer as much hardship when she was a kid as Yuna did. I've heard that Yuna had so hard time finacially and emotionally when she was young. Such hardship made her strong, I guess. I really want all the skaters to perform at their full potential.
 

Jasper

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
What's worrisome about Kostner is that, at times in the past and before her current slump, she was so consistent at nailing amazing short programs. And she was so good at hitting that 3F-3T! She seriously had that combo in the bag since she was a young girl. Yes she lost it during the last Olympic season because of pressure but then she re-found it just to lose it again. Now she's been screwing up her jumps in SPs and LPs both.

I honestly do feel that this is a make-or-break year for Kostner. If she doesn't improve her competitive consistency or intensity, and if she flubs at the Olympics and World,s perhaps she should move on from eligibles to pros/performances. That way she can let her beautiful speed, spins, skating skills, choreography, and lightness on the ice shine without being let down by her jumping issues. And besides jumps, she really is one of the very best figure skaters in the world.
 

berrycute

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 14, 2008
It's so nice to see some encouraging thoughts on Caro, usually she just gets trashed by everyone on these boards!
 

herro

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 17, 2009
Carolina has talent. Period. No doubt about that. I'm just always biting my nails when I watch her programs though. I can tell that her telegraphed jumps got much better and so has her artistry. For some reason, this season's LP music really suits her, even though I would never have thought that this type of music would be good for Carolina. She just needs her jumps back. I like the programs otherwise.
 

kalle

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 28, 2003
Well, I saw her live yesterday and I just loved her LP!
I know, she has not been with Caroll for a long time but it is a very, very good program and so nice to see that she is "holding out" every element..that was what I liked with Kwan when she was training under Caroll.
Also, Carolina is a real performer and she was one of the few ladies that actually reached out to the audience.It is terrible when you have a skater in front of you that do not dear to look up from the ice..
I have never been a fan of Carolina but with this program, all she needs is her jumps back and she could be on the podium.Her jumps looked very good in the warm up though..but of course you need to deliver when it counts..
Hopefully, she will be able to build up her confidence as the season gets on.
 

skfan

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 29, 2009
i think the new long program really suits her talents and i was very disappointed that NBC didn't show her long program today. she really has it all--the extension, the posture, the personality when she's on (even when she's not on). i have faith frank will be able to help some, although is there enough time?
 

herro

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 17, 2009
Yea, I completely agree. I was never a big fan of Carolina. Haha, I was actually kind of angry at her when she took bronze over Michelle at worlds a couple of years back. :laugh:

But yea, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed her LP - may I daresay, I enjoyed it more than Yukari or Mao's? She just needs those jumps. I like the direction she is heading with Frank. Should be interesting as the pair builds a stronger bond.
 

snowflake

I enjoy what I like
Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Well, I saw her live yesterday and I just loved her LP!
I know, she has not been with Caroll for a long time but it is a very, very good program and so nice to see that she is "holding out" every element..that was what I liked with Kwan when she was training under Caroll.

I have never been a fan of Carolina but with this program, all she needs is her jumps back and she could be on the podium.Her jumps looked very good in the warm up though..but of course you need to deliver when it counts..
Hopefully, she will be able to build up her confidence as the season gets on.

Sounds good for her. Hope you are right!

Also, Carolina is a real performer and she was one of the few ladies that actually reached out to the audience.It is terrible when you have a skater in front of you that do not dear to look up from the ice.


I know what you mean. I have seen skaters live doing mistakes but still give me great pleasure.
 

HCOSurfer

Final Flight
Joined
Feb 25, 2007
It's so nice to see some encouraging thoughts on Caro, usually she just gets trashed by everyone on these boards!

I really hope I don't get trashed for this, but I like to call this the "Kimmie Syndrome"; when a skater that's often trashed by other posters starts to go on a downward spiral, generally those posters feelings about that skater change for the better.

Take post-2007 Kimmie for example. Before her jumps started to diminish, numerous posters would often rant about how Kimmie was just a jumping bean and nothing more. Now just about everyone has jumped on the Kimmie bandwagon, pulling for her in any way possible.

Caro and Kimmie definitely have their similarities. For example, Caro was constantly ragged on how her PCS marks would be astronomically high no matter how she skated. Now that she's not landing her jumps like she used to, people are starting to hop onto her band wagon as well.

Just my two cents.
 

Kypma

Final Flight
Joined
May 12, 2007
And she was so good at hitting that 3F-3T!

I don't know if it's been discussed anywhere else on the forum (I honestly must admit I don't have the patience to go through the threads on the Ladies' short and long programs from TEB), but is it me or has Carolina changed her entry into the 3F? I thought she used to do a mohawk, and it all looked so smooth and effortless, while this past weekend I noticed she now uses a 3-turn and it doesn't look as easy. Maybe that's making a difference? It wouldn't explain everything else but maybe Frank is tweaking her technique and it wasn't quite ready by this weekend, but her aim is to have it comfortable by the time the Olympics arrive in February.

-kypma
 

Jasper

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
I don't know if it's been discussed anywhere else on the forum (I honestly must admit I don't have the patience to go through the threads on the Ladies' short and long programs from TEB), but is it me or has Carolina changed her entry into the 3F? I thought she used to do a mohawk, and it all looked so smooth and effortless, while this past weekend I noticed she now uses a 3-turn and it doesn't look as easy. Maybe that's making a difference? It wouldn't explain everything else but maybe Frank is tweaking her technique and it wasn't quite ready by this weekend, but her aim is to have it comfortable by the time the Olympics arrive in February.

-kypma

That's very interesting and I'll have to go back and check. That could be a way of upping the difficulty and transitions in her programs but, remember the saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." She should go back to her old entry into the triple flip if she is more comfortable with it. And the judges clearly like her and give her high PCS, so it's not like she needs to go for incredible difficult entries into each jump. Maybe because her flip is so important to her in terms of accruing points, she should focus on the execution and not try anything too fancy before it.
 

herro

On the Ice
Joined
Oct 17, 2009
Caro and Kimmie definitely have their similarities. For example, Caro was constantly ragged on how her PCS marks would be astronomically high no matter how she skated. Now that she's not landing her jumps like she used to, people are starting to hop onto her band wagon as well.

Just my two cents.

I honestly think that Carolina is much more talented than Kimmie is/was. This is just my honest opinion and I don't mean any animosity by it, but I never understood why people loved Kimmie's skating so much. Her artistry didn't do anything for me. I remember her being really stiff, especially with her arms. Her jumps weren't that marvelous to me either. She cheated most of her 3-3 combos, and her triple axel wasn't as fluid or high as some of the other triple axel jumpers today.

On the other hand, I love Carolina's jumps. Talk about speed and flow. Just the telegraph can get annoying sometimes for her toe jumps (like her flip and lutz).

But I think you're right about the PCS scores. They both got way more than they deserved in the past. This year, however, Carolina's programs are deserving of those kinds of scores I believe.
 

berrycute

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 14, 2008
I really hope I don't get trashed for this, but I like to call this the "Kimmie Syndrome"; when a skater that's often trashed by other posters starts to go on a downward spiral, generally those posters feelings about that skater change for the better.

Take post-2007 Kimmie for example. Before her jumps started to diminish, numerous posters would often rant about how Kimmie was just a jumping bean and nothing more. Now just about everyone has jumped on the Kimmie bandwagon, pulling for her in any way possible.

Caro and Kimmie definitely have their similarities. For example, Caro was constantly ragged on how her PCS marks would be astronomically high no matter how she skated. Now that she's not landing her jumps like she used to, people are starting to hop onto her band wagon as well.

Just my two cents.

You know, I was thinking the same thing! AND they both have used a similar kind of Long Program for their "comeback". I just hope it works better for Carolina! But I have been noticing a lot of nicer comments about Caro this week, from people I have not expected it from.

I was never a real Kimmie fan either, she seemed sweet as a cupcake in person but she didn't have much in the way of style and she did not know how to put any passion in her programs. That isn't as much a problem for Caro. People complained about her style all the time, but I kind of noticed most Caro-trashers were big Sasha fans, and I kind of think they have this unshakable belief that the Sasha style is the ONLY style acceptable for a lady skater. In this regard, I never remember people carping on about Kimmie they way they did with Caro. Perhaps (and I too hope I don't get trashed for this) it was because Kimmie, like most board users here, is American. But anyway, we'll see. It's early days yet, and her performance from TEB wasn't so bad (I honestly think she should have been fourth, not sixth).
 

lakeshore

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Unfortunately, she's still the headcase she used to be. If her performance at TEB was of any indication, I saw no improvement in that regard after the coach change.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Unfortunately, she's still the headcase she used to be. If her performance at TEB was of any indication, I saw no improvement in that regard after the coach change.

Personally, I'd give her a little time first. Even then, all it takes is the right performance at the right event, no matter how much of a "headcase" you are (look at Alyssa Czisny for testimony)
 

PROKOFIEV

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
I think Carolina improved a lot musically this year. She skates with more maturity and she put so much more emotions when she skates especially at SP. People criticizes her jumping techniques and I am not so fond of them either, but I feel as long as she lands those jumps clean, they should not matter so much. There are no rules for scoring based on detailed techniques.It is just like Yukari's case. I think little more speed may help her to clean up jumps.I love her spirals and spins, They are much better than Yuna and Mao's!! I do not think it is even necessary to change those techniques. ( It is too late to change them anyway!!) She can be remembered as the skater with the best spin and spirals with different jumping techniques!!


Go Rachael, Go Caroline, Go Alissa, Go Mirai, Go Alexe, Go Sasha!!!!
 
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Tinymavy15

Sinnerman for the win
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2006
I see some improvements that Frank has made with her skating, and hopefully she will have enough trust in her new technique later in the season to make it work. I see that he changed the entrance to her flip which makes it look less telegraphed (always a good thing). Her style looked a bit more "normal" and her catch foot spiral position is a lot better. Nice program, but she really needs a new dress. Has this girl ever worn a good skating dress?
 

jiggs

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
I am a huge Carolina fan and have always believed in her potential.
I've seen her in practice and exhibition a lot of times and always thought that she stood out - she has this natural presence and elegance on the ice, in her own way. I see why a lot of people don't like/get her style, but I think THAT is exactly what makes her stand out.
It's incredible how easily she does all elements in practice, including jumps. Look at her warm up at TEB - she did all jumps perfectly, without hesitation and with perfect landings. Then, 5 minutes later, she messes up most of them. The only thing she lacks to be on that podium is confidence. She is such a headcase and it must be frustrating for her and her team to be working on that, because that is something you can't improve from one day to the other.

I think changing coaches was a good move. It seems like Carroll and her get along well and I can already see some improvements in her skating - her spins have got better, she holds her positions longer and she takes her time for each element. Her steps and spirals have always been amazing IMO.
Personally, I like both programs, but I find them a bit too "usual" for Carolina. She has always stood out by doing something different, e.g. her The Doors SP, which was just "cool". It was like a breath of fresh air and she really enjoyed skating to it. Again, a lot of people didn't like it because it wasn't a classic ladies' SP, but I just loved it.

I think this year's music is a safe choice, she skates it beautifully, but I wished she would pick something unusual again...

I'm just glad that I can read some encouraging words here on this board. Carolina has been bashed a lot and I don't think she deserves any of it. She is a lovely girl and I wish she could overcome her nerves and show us what she's got in competition. I still haven't given up yet, and I've been her fan since she's come out at Euros 2003 to do two 3-3 combos. It's a rollercoaster being her fan, but I still haven't given up.
 
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