Ladies LP 2:00 AM Eastern Time Saturday

[Nadine]

So it was downgrades? Underrotation problems?

Hmmm, I'll need to go back & watch it tomorrow on IN.

Just seemed weird to me, but then again I think Mirai is the USA girl that has been out of the loop recently? Not much international experience? I know reputation judging means a lot.

One final note, I think Kiira Korpi was overmarked in both the SP & FS, most likely due to her looks. I wish the USA had Nicole Bobek back, that is a Nicole Bobek that could land her huge jumps this time around , because she would enchant the judges with her beauty as Kiira does & blow away the field. Looks do matter.

[feraina]

Skating gods were with Rochette today.
Awesome LP for Akiko (didn't see the SP)

The SP was amazing, too! Very solid jumps, amazing footwork sequence, great transitions, and good speed, only the spins were a little slow and hesitant in the SP. But she came back with an even stronger LP, nailing not only all the rest, but getting the spins faster and into better positions, too. I'm so happy for her! She totally deserves her win, she skated by far the best through this competition. I hope all of this sets her up will to represent Japan in the Olympics. I give her higher marks than Miki from last week, and also both Mao and Yukari. If she keeps this up, she might be heading into the Olympics as the top Japanese, from 5th to 1st, wouldn't that be something?! Talk about peaking in the right year.

So, both Mirai and Rachael did pretty badly here, hit with multiple downgrades. So far, Ashley has done the best out of the Americans, so far. Although even Ashley was only credited with 4 clean triples at CoR, and Caroline also with 4 at TEB. Alissa was credited with 3 at CoR. I wonder how many clean triples Rachael and Mirai got.

I hope they post the detailed protocols, soon.

The American ladies are not looking so good so far this season...

[Kimmie Fan]

So it was downgrades? Underrotation problems?

Hmmm, I'll need to go back & watch it tomorrow on IN.

Just seemed weird to me, but then again I think Mirai is the USA girl that has been out of the loop recently? Not much international experience? I know reputation judging means a lot.

One final note, I think Kiira Korpi was overmarked in both the SP & FS, most likely due to her looks. I wish the USA had Nicole Bobek back, that is a Nicole Bobek that could land her huge jumps this time around , because she would enchant the judges with her beauty as Kiira does & blow away the field. Looks do matter.

You can stop wishing. Nicole is in jail.

[ks777]

So it was downgrades? Underrotation problems?

Hmmm, I'll need to go back & watch it tomorrow on IN.

Just seemed weird to me, but then again I think Mirai is the USA girl that has been out of the loop recently? Not much international experience? I know reputation judging means a lot.

One final note, I think Kiira Korpi was overmarked in both the SP & FS, most likely due to her looks. I wish the USA had Nicole Bobek back, that is a Nicole Bobek that could land her huge jumps this time around , because she would enchant the judges with her beauty as Kiira does & blow away the field. Looks do matter.

I think Nicole is too busy dealing meth.

[wonderland]

Frank's trip with the girls ended pretty badly, despite the promising SP's... There's still Evan left in Men's.

You summed up very well, but I believe Frank will be most likely to burst out laughing for Evan's grand performance later on.

[Phoenix347]

Why? Kiira did badly at TEB and is not a GPF contender, so her podium finish is good for skaters on the bubble. Which Mao, with her 6th-place finish last week, is not, BTW. She needs to focus on the rest of her season now.

Oops, you're right. I forgot that Kiira got only 8th at TEB. So that's irrelevant. But Mao got 5th not 6th last week not that it's going to matter a lot.

[sequinsgalore]

Mirai got hit with 5 downgrades and 2 edge calls (!)

Protocols

[mylastduchess]

I hope Kurt and Tracy stops over hyping Joannie as Yu-na's great rival now. I like Joannie and all but after Mao and Miki skated in previous events all they could talk about is Joannie.

[harmy18]

I can't believe Kiira got silver... must be that Grace Kelly look. This could really be bad for Mao trying to make it to GPF.

Might be Kiira was overscored, she sounds quite well COC IMO.

I don't think Mao could go to GPF this year, considering her bad performance in both TEB and COR. I really hates the programs only focus on 3axels

[abbykitty]

good for the Canadian girls bouncing back like that! didn't seem like Joannie was on her game this comp....but good for her getting on the podium after a disastrous SP. and great job by Diane getting 4th in the FS!

[*Sniper*]

Yikes @ Mirai's LP score.
I was expecting her to be ranked at least third overall.

So the USA ladies go 5, 6, and 10 in the field of 11.
That just doesn't cut it.... Very disappointing.

Hopefully their next comp goes better than this one!!

[feraina]

Just seemed weird to me, but then again I think Mirai is the USA girl that has been out of the loop recently? Not much international experience? I know reputation judging means a lot.

One final note, I think Kiira Korpi was overmarked in both the SP & FS, most likely due to her looks. I wish the USA had Nicole Bobek back, that is a Nicole Bobek that could land her huge jumps this time around , because she would enchant the judges with her beauty as Kiira does & blow away the field. Looks do matter.

I agree that Kiira was overmarked, especially in the FS. She's such a beautiful girl, but both her costumes were awful... But never mind that, she really didn't hit good lines or positions in her LP, it just didn't look fluid. She smiled a lot and tried to sell the program, but I don't know, it just didn't do it for me...

As for Mirai, she got the 4th highest PCS (Joannie, Carolina, Akiko, Mirai, in that order). I do think that that's the right order, and Akiko only got a little more than her, so I don't think relatively speaking her PCS was especially low. Akiko sold her program more than Mirai did hers. Akiko has really good audience connection, and she puts so much of her heart into her programs! I have really missed that, since Michelle and to some extent Sasha. Joannie at Japan Open looked like she was really getting into her programs, too; really she's been improving on that front all season last year, too. But now... she looks preoccupied and distracted by her jumps, I don't know what happened to her. Last year she looked unshakably confident, she's lost that invincible air. I hope she regains it soon.

[cloudkicker09]

poor Miri....pressure got to her.

[demarinis5]

Congrats to Akiko by far the best of the ladies tonight. Beautiful LP skated with flair and athleticism, spins were much better tonight. She had a real connection to the music and to the character of Maria. Loved it. Well deserved first place no doubt about. Bravo!!

[Phoenix347]

Great job by Akiko... the selection for the Japanese entries for the Olympic just got a little bit more interesting.