Ladies SP 5:05AM EST

**sjwh08** · 11-06-2009, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by gourry

She said so?? Hm, she must have forgotten Torino, or GPF 2006, or.... or her glasses is ultra rose-tinted....

Yes, a strange reaction in many ways.

**katha** · 11-06-2009, 02:46 PM

Perhaps she meant SP performance? She didn't go for the 3-3 and fell on the flip. Has she ever had less technical content in senior competition?

**Okami** · 11-06-2009, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by sjwh08

Miki said it was THE WORST performance in her skating life. Was it (I haven't seen it)?

It definitely was not her worst performance ever. I actually enjoyed it more than at CoR, I liked her expression, speed and cool running steps right after 3F.

However, I can see why Miki could be very disappointed with her performance. Yes, she has had worse showings, but when they happened, Miki usually was badly out of shape (Olympics), sick with stomach flu (GPF 06) or battling an injury (all the other cases). Because of that she might had been not expecting much of herself and was glad just to get through her programs.

Today, however, Miki was reported to be in a really good shape in practices. she even landed 3-3s and 2A-3T. Furthermore, she really wanted to skate this program perfectly - it's a program dedicated to her deceased father. Miki said that she wanted to skate it with a feeling that her dad is looking at her from heaven.
After doing mistakes on elements that she executed perfectly in practice she might feel that she let her father (and herself) down.

I don't think she's looking through rose-tinted glasses. If anything, she's looking through black-tinted ones on today's SP. She has always been very critical of her own skating.

**sjwh08** · 11-06-2009, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by Okami

It definitely was not her worst performance ever. I actually enjoyed it more than at CoR, I liked her expression, speed and cool running steps right after 3F.

I guess it was a harmless hyperbole, then.

But I kind of suspect that she is expecting a lot from her or acknowledging that people are expecting a lot from her this season. Nothing wrong with it as long as she can handle the pressure.

**SerpentineSteps** · 11-06-2009, 03:31 PM

To directly quote the article (excuse the on-the-fly translation), "The performance wasn't my worst because of the failed jumps. I couldn't get myself in the mood, and I couldn't concentrate. It was to the extent that I wondered what it was exactly that I was trying to express".

**Ginask8s** · 11-06-2009, 03:38 PM

It was pretty messy and her coach looked really mad. When they walked backstage she kind of looked at him and he seemingly ignored him . They then walked in different directions. .

**Ginask8s** · 11-06-2009, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by PolymerBob

Ashley did a great job - first after the short!
Now don't be like Mirai.

She generally is a long program skater, although usually from behind. The scores are so close that it really doesnt matter that much. Great job Ashley!

**R.D.** · 11-06-2009, 04:04 PM

First off, Nice job by Wagner (that was a pleasant surprise, even though it's a virtual tie)

but it looks from the scores that everyone was rather bleh. I thought Ando would have a sizable lead, though (based on how she was scored in Russia)

I think she'll end up winning anyway. But Wagner now has a VERY GOOD opportunity to make the GPF. All she needs is to medal and she's in the hunt. That said, if she does make it I think she'll struggle to be competitive with the field- her scores haven't been particularly impressive (mid-50s for the SP and < 110 for a clean LP performance??)

**DragonPhoenix** · 11-06-2009, 04:11 PM

Originally Posted by Okami

It definitely was not her worst performance ever. I actually enjoyed it more than at CoR, I liked her expression, speed and cool running steps right after 3F.

However, I can see why Miki could be very disappointed with her performance. Yes, she has had worse showings, but when they happened, Miki usually was badly out of shape (Olympics), sick with stomach flu (GPF 06) or battling an injury (all the other cases). Because of that she might had been not expecting much of herself and was glad just to get through her programs.

Today, however, Miki was reported to be in a really good shape in practices. she even landed 3-3s and 2A-3T. Furthermore, she really wanted to skate this program perfectly - it's a program dedicated to her deceased father. Miki said that she wanted to skate it with a feeling that her dad is looking at her from heaven.
After doing mistakes on elements that she executed perfectly in practice she might feel that she let her father (and herself) down.

I don't think she's looking through rose-tinted glasses. If anything, she's looking through black-tinted ones on today's SP. She has always been very critical of her own skating.

ITA

Miki can be very critical of herself.

Except for the fall, I really enjoyed this SP, and I liked her expression during the performance.

**Phoenix347** · 11-06-2009, 04:43 PM

Poor Miki... I wonder what is causing her to be unable to perform as she wanted to. She's probably upset that she couldn't perform like during practice. I always remember her tears when she had to withdraw from the 2008 Worlds... that really made me empathize with her. She is vulnerable and emotional under her normally stoic face. That's when she won me over. I hope she will do better in the free to make her feel better. It's also sad that she wanted to do well for her deceased father as the SP is dedicated to him. I wish her the best but I still want Ashley to do well. Does that make sense?

**hikki** · 11-06-2009, 04:43 PM

Miki looked so beautiful, alive, energetic, confident and all the rest of it in the practice clip (and she often does in practices -like LA Worlds where fortunately she did just as fab in the comp). She was fast and the jumps fantastic. Last night, even from the moment she appeared in the 6-minute warmup she just looked different. To UR her lutz is so uncharacteristic of her (and lucky it was called UR) and her posture and speed didn't look as good as it did in the practice.

Like I could tell all this from a 1-minute long practice clip

But this is what I observed.

I'm disappointed as I think she can do much much better- And she seems to think likewise.

**sjwh08** · 11-06-2009, 04:50 PM

**HCOSurfer** · 11-06-2009, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by sjwh08

Now that it's highly likely that Ashley will go to GPF, who would be the rest?

Most certainly:
Yuna
Ashley
Miki

Likely:
Joannie
Akiko

Maybe:
Yukari?
Rachel?
Leonova?

DON'T JINX IT!!!