Ladies LP 2:00 AM Eastern Time Saturday

**Wicked** · 10-31-2009, 06:37 PM

When I first heard Mirai was doing Carmen, I thought oh no, she's too young! But she did a good job with the character. I think this program has potential for her, if she can clean it up.

Rachael's SP is just wrong for her. The LP is better but doesn't grab me.

Kiira Korpi in her long program reminds me of flight attendant Barbie.

Way to go Joannie for coming back in the long. You have the skills, girl! The rest is all in your head.

Akiko was just lovely.

**feraina** · 10-31-2009, 07:07 PM

I re-watched Mirai's LP, and noticed something about the UR calls.

Since what determines downgrade or not is whether there the landing is more than 1/4 rotation short or not, it's critically important to say that's 1/4 rotation with respect to *what*. One might have thought the natural reference is the line that you can draw from the last point of contact for take-off and first point of contact for landing. That's what I've always thought anyway.

But that doesn't seem to be what the CoC tech panel was using. They drew a line based on the tracing of how the skater came out out the landing, and looked at how much rotation was on the ice before the skater straightened out. So it's a totally different reference line. That means that a skater can rotate 3 times in the end, land, then rotate an extra half a turn on the ice, and that jump would be downgraded -- whereas in the first, it wouldn't be.

Mirai belongs to that unfortunate category. Well, she typically gets full rotation or less than 1/4 UR in the air, but she lands on the wrong edge, as fairly4 already mentioned, so then she has to switch onto the outside edge to come out of the jump, and it is the switching of edges that makes her landing have that hooked look, and it also makes her rotate on the ice greater than 1/4 turn, hence all the downgrades. This latter criterion for downgrades also means that it doesn't matter how much distance, height, or rotation is covered in the air, all of which Mirai has abundance of -- but rather something like landing-edge and run-out matter a lot. So exactly as fairly4 said, she really has to work on her landing edge, and that means having her weight right over that landing blade during rotation and during landing, and not let her center of mess shift a little toward the middle so that she falls onto the inside edge upon landing. I hope Frank Carroll is going to work with her on that!

**ks777** · 10-31-2009, 07:21 PM

I was so sad when I saw Mirai praying in the Kiss'n cry. I feel so sad for her.. I wish I could just help her with her jumps!!!

**herro** · 10-31-2009, 07:33 PM

Hey guys, haven't posted in awhile.

What do you people think about Mirai's jumping technique? Some skaters just "turn me off" because of certain things about them. For example, I was never a big fan of Miki (because of her artistry) or Mirai (because of her jumps). So for Mirai, I never really enjoyed watching her because I cringe whenever she lands a jump. She has a really awkward way of landing jumps. She kind of loses speed, dips down, and ... yea I'm not sure how to describe it but I'm sure you guys have noticed it. Again, I'm not trying to start anything contentious. Just my opinion and I would appreciate any feedback.

**Medusa** · 10-31-2009, 07:55 PM

The more I think about this - has the Japanese federation perhaps anticipated Suzuki's success? Just look where they send Nakano - to the monster ladies lineup at TEB and to NHK. But Suzuki was send to two competitions, where she even with a normal Rochette, always had a good chance to snatch a silver.

**enlight78** · 10-31-2009, 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by feraina

I re-watched Mirai's LP, and noticed something about the UR calls.

Since what determines downgrade or not is whether there the landing is more than 1/4 rotation short or not, it's critically important to say that's 1/4 rotation with respect to *what*. One might have thought the natural reference is the line that you can draw from the last point of contact for take-off and first point of contact for landing. That's what I've always thought anyway.

But that doesn't seem to be what the CoC tech panel was using. They drew a line based on the tracing of how the skater came out out the landing, and looked at how much rotation was on the ice before the skater straightened out. So it's a totally different reference line. That means that a skater can rotate 3 times in the end, land, then rotate an extra half a turn on the ice, and that jump would be downgraded -- whereas in the first, it wouldn't be.

Mirai belongs to that unfortunate category. Well, she typically gets full rotation or less than 1/4 UR in the air, but she lands on the wrong edge, as fairly4 already mentioned, so then she has to switch onto the outside edge to come out of the jump, and it is the switching of edges that makes her landing have that hooked look, and it also makes her rotate on the ice greater than 1/4 turn, hence all the downgrades. This latter criterion for downgrades also means that it doesn't matter how much distance, height, or rotation is covered in the air, all of which Mirai has abundance of -- but rather something like landing-edge and run-out matter a lot. So exactly as fairly4 said, she really has to work on her landing edge, and that means having her weight right over that landing blade during rotation and during landing, and not let her center of mess shift a little toward the middle so that she falls onto the inside edge upon landing. I hope Frank Carroll is going to work with her on that!

I will have to disagree after looking at slo mo mira does not complete three full rotations in the air; if go by where her blade leaves the ice she definitly lands 1/4 short even on her double axel she comes close to it; look at Akiko jumps they are rotated; Mirai loop was at least a half turn short; there is no triple in the a

**museksk8r** · 10-31-2009, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by i love to skate

Glad to see Joannie pulled up for a medal. I think it may have been too much for her to travel to Japan back to Canada and then back to China within a month.

I think you've hit the nail on the head as to the source for this finish for Rochette in China. She has to be exhausted from all this traveling in such a short period of time from Canada to Japan back to Canada and back to China (and back to Canada) in less than 1 month . . . Mao Asada can relate to this too.

Luckily, Joannie's last Grand Prix in the series will be in Canada, where I think and hope she will win gold to advance to the Grand Prix Final.

I am so happy for Suzuki for winning the gold and for Rochette rebounding to capture bronze after that disastrous SP. The biggest shock of all has to be seeing Korpi on the podium at all! Normally she completely falls apart in the LP. Good for Kiira for turning things around in China. What a strange and unpredictable ladies' event this was!

**skatingbc** · 10-31-2009, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by macemace1980

Could someone explain to me better how it was possible Akiko got level4 for the spins? Because I really don't understand the system to me, her spins were not beautiful at all.
Her steps were nice, but I do not like her spins and jumps.
I prefer Joannie's LP choreography, music and dress.

I think that spin levels are more about the number of revolutions, changes of position, changes of foot and changes of edge. Beautiful positions, fast revolutions and changes of speed are things that would come into the GOEs of a spin.

**Hikaru** · 10-31-2009, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by ks777

I was so sad when I saw Mirai praying in the Kiss'n cry. I feel so sad for her.. I wish I could just help her with her jumps!!!

I know!! I felt so sad, she really wanted to do well... it was funny how she asked Frank Carroll for the skates' guards and he said something like "after they give your scores, now you have to keep smiling" it was very cute.

**Hikaru** · 10-31-2009, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by herro

Hey guys, haven't posted in awhile.

What do you people think about Mirai's jumping technique? Some skaters just "turn me off" because of certain things about them. For example, I was never a big fan of Miki (because of her artistry) or Mirai (because of her jumps). So for Mirai, I never really enjoyed watching her because I cringe whenever she lands a jump. She has a really awkward way of landing jumps. She kind of loses speed, dips down, and ... yea I'm not sure how to describe it but I'm sure you guys have noticed it. Again, I'm not trying to start anything contentious. Just my opinion and I would appreciate any feedback.

Well I'm no expert in the UR department, but I really like her double axel, she covers great distance with it, a big jump for her. I think she has a nice 3Flip (I think hers wasn't downgraded), in fact I would exchange her 3Loop for her 3 Flip in the FS, and move down her 2A-3Toe combo for later in the program (she would benefit from the half mark bonus).

**Wicked** · 10-31-2009, 09:31 PM

I loved it when Mirai said, "I just want to go home and practice," and Frank said, "Well just remember you said that when you practice."

**janetfan** · 10-31-2009, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Hikaru

I know!! I felt so sad, she really wanted to do well... it was funny how she asked Frank Carroll for the skates' guards and he said something like "after they give your scores, now you have to keep smiling" it was very cute.

On the plus side of this, people have wondered about Mirai's practice habits and committment to skating in the past.
I don't like to see any of these skaters cry, but I was glad to see Mirai really caring so much about her score.

Don't forget she really lost most of last year and if Carroll is working on changing her jumping technique it is not going to get better in a few months.

I hope it works out and that by next year we begin to see better jumping from Mirai. I think she is a naturally charming skater out on the ice with many great qualities.

**wonderlen3000** · 10-31-2009, 09:34 PM

I'm sad Marai doesn't medal. I was hoping she could at least get a bronze. Korppi on the podium,...nothing against her, but I'm amazed a program with 3 triple jumps get on to the podium. IMO she was overmarked in the SP.

With that two silver GP medalist are out of the GPF, Mao and Kairra, and Kostner. Who ever get 2 bronze might have a chance to get into final.

**bekalc** · 10-31-2009, 10:07 PM

month.

I think you've hit the nail on the head as to the source for this finish for Rochette in China. She has to be exhausted from all this traveling in such a short period of time from Canada to Japan back to Canada and back to China (and back to Canada) in less than 1 month . . . Mao Asada can relate to this too. Luckily, Joannie's last Grand Prix in the series will be in Canada, where I think and hope she will win gold to advance to the Grand Prix Final.

I don't know though. All of the skaters have to travel a lot during the Grand Prix.