Ladies' LP

[Kitt]

I think she did HER best. And HER best was more than enough to win. Yes, her spirals could be better (and that was mentioned by the NBC commentators during the late-night coverage). You can't do more than your best, even if you wanted to. We can sit here and make a fuss about her spirals. But the fact is despite the fact that they are not perfect, they have improved from 2007.

And as I mentioned in an earlier post, without going into the GOE debate, she did two more triple jumps than Asada and when you take just the two lutzs, you have 12.6 base points right there. So even without getting ZERO GOE, she probably still would have won, albeit with a much smaller margin.

Actually, the only reason I mentioned it is because she is getting ready for Worlds. There is really nothing else for her to work on; everything else is wonderful. So if she and Brian are looking at improving anything, the spiral should be it. (I actually find myself looking away from the TV screen when she does hers - I am a ballet person and if skating is going to do a ballet move, it should be done right.) Mirai has a great one, as does Mao)

[loop9497]

Congratulations to the medalists !!!
YuNa was such a perfection ... simply incredible.
Mao, be proud of your three 3A, and of conquering that heavy music.
Joannie, just Bravo, as a former Montrealer I feel you close.

Mirai, yes, you are the Future(mirai) and it's already coming.
Rachael, you are never unreliable, impressively steady.

Well I'm a BIG Miki fan so whenever she doesn't do well I'm very sad, but this time I am absolutely NOT because she skated so beautifully! I'm very happy for her. It was exquisite.
Her performance was filled with delicate expressions integrated to her skating.
Most of them aren't broadway style so I imagine they could be hard to be comprehended in Western (or maybe North American?) culture.
She was definitely not just "skating around".
But if such impression as "empty" is posted like here in this forum, (which is utterly opposite of what all the commentaters say over here in Japan,) might it be better for Miki to reconsider her program choices? ...After all, this is figure skating and it's root is western.
However this Cloepatra program was choreoed by Lea Ann Miller. Morozof only tweaked it, and what's more, it was retweaked by Lea Ann twice last week, IIRC.

(Or maybe just a matter of choreo being too subtle?)

I don't think it was Miki's program. I thought the program was pretty decent for her. I think she was just trying being too cautious to really bring out the performance. She wasn't the only skater to do that last night, IMO, but she was the most noticeable.

I am glad there were no falls from the top ladies. That is very positive.

Watching Mao in the interview posted earlier breaks my heart.

[Layfan]

Yunas toes
I'm not a skater, but I think a lot of the reason for Yuna's lack of pointed toe has a lot to do with the construction of her boots . We know how difficult it can be for skaters to adjust to new boots anyway, so whether she'd ever change to a different maker ( which could feel totally different ), I don't know. I've been hoping for it. I've noticed the other little Korean girl wears them too.
I was mentioning this last night , but I don't know if anyone else chimed in..

Those boots are very flat in the arch,(& lower in the heel?) and very deep and rounded in the toe. Also look like heavier construction at the ankle. all of which doesn't help.

Years ago , I noticed Marie-France Dubreuil changed her boot style ( just a year or two before they stopped competing) and the difference was dramatic.
I think it would also help if she could achieve a better turnout of her free leg in spirals etc.

Then you have to look at the person's physique, but improvements can be made. However , a naturally flexible body and years of ballet or gymnastics training are always going to give a skater the advantage... Sasha was Sasha.

Yuna was glorious last night.

Thank you!!! Very interesting points. Well, Yuna should certainly not change her boots in detriment to the rest of her skating just to point her toes...

I agree w ith the turnout issue of course, but I decided against raising that point because I know exactly how hard it is to have a good turnout. You can't look at a picture of Sasha Cohen or walk up to barre once a day for 20 minutes at age 19, as some posters have suggested. It takes not only natural ability but years and years of practice, preferably from a very young age.

So it was easy for me to work out the question of Yuna's turnout (and many other skaters, in fact nearly all) I guess even though turnout is absolutely essential in ballet it's just not in figure skating, and that's fine.

But the pointed feet thing was a puzzle to me because it didn't seem like it should be such a hard quirk to iron out. OTH, I had to believe that it IS more complicated that it seems or a skater such as Yuna would have fixed it.

Well, you raised an interesting theory, so thanks again.

[Mrs. P]

She still made history, the media should focus on that instead of giving this girl an infiriority complex. I wonder if Mao will keep skating if Yu-na does. Dealing with the fact that she can never have the titles she deseves because fate ruled that a even greater skater should compete at the same time...
I am waiting for the announcement that she and Terosova are splitting. I will bet anything this will happen before June.

Yes....I think the other lesson from this competition is that a good coach does make a difference. A lot of credit for Yuna's win should go to Brian Orser. The fact is that team Kim protected her and guided her when she felt the most at pressure and did it with great humor. (i.e. the flip fall during pratice Brian: When did you do your first triple flip? Yuna: 12. Brian: Than what's the problem? (laughing)

Also Frank with Mirai. Those run-thoughs do make a difference between the SOHL and a great first world competition and a complete meltodwn (Carolina).

So yes, I'm hoping that someone will come along from Mao and better show her all-around skating. I want her and Yuna to duke it out in 2014 (though I don't know if that will happen).

[Mrs. P]

Actually, the only reason I mentioned it is because she is getting ready for Worlds. There is really nothing else for her to work on; everything else is wonderful. So if she and Brian are looking at improving anything, the spiral should be it. (I actually find myself looking away from the TV screen when she does hers - I am a ballet person and if skating is going to do a ballet move, it should be done right.) Mirai has a great one, as does Mao)

Well, here's hoping she'll get some good ballet lessons before Worlds and for next year!

[miki88]

For Mao to put up such a fight despite all the odds, it's a testament to her immense amount of raw talent. With a better coach and strategy, she can achieve so much more.

[raress]

I have a question will Yu-na retire before World on Turin ?:|

[Mrs. P]

I have a question will Yu-na retire before World on Turin ?:|

Nope. Both her and Mao will be there. So another matchup. YEAAAHH! Plus an opportunity for our American girls to get 3 spots back!

[skatemom1122]

I thought it would be interesting to see how Yu-Na would fair in the men's event. So i refactored her components using the men's factor and this is what it came out to!

SP - 86.95 (4th)
FS - 168.00 (1st)
Total - 254.95 (3rd)

LOL, if Yu-Na was competing with the men, she would have WON the free skate and placed third overall. This is laughable.

[Mrs. P]

I thought it would be interesting to see how Yu-Na would fair in the men's event. So i refactored her components using the men's factor and this is what it came out to!

SP - 86.95 (4th)
FS - 168.00 (1st)
Total - 254.95 (3rd)

LOL, if Yu-Na was competing with the men, she would have WON the free skate and placed third overall. This is laughable.

She would've outskated Evan in the LP. Now that crazy -- kinda shows how anti-climatic that win (while well-deserved) was.

[janetfan]

If Mao continues without top flight coaching and continues to be her own strategist then I see little chance for her in 2014. The sport moves forward and other skaters can see how Yuna's all around skating can beat the big jumps.

Mao is a great talent but to downplay what Orser and Wilson have done for Yuna is to miss the big picture.
I take nothing away from Yuna who delivered one of the best performances in Olympic history last night under pressure most of us can't begin to imagine.

But Mao was great in her own right too but did not play the CoP game well enough. Even had Mao been clean Yuna was always going to score more points due in part to her team's meticulous preparations.

We saw this with the Men to an even greater extent as Evan and Carroll played the CoP to maximize every possible point for him.

The scary thing about Yuna is if she chooses to continue competing she can get even better.
Mao seems to be working hard to get back to where she was a few seasons ago and that is why I think she needs a better team around her to maximize her considerable talents.

That won't happen right away either as Mao needs to get back the 3Lz, and 3x3's.

[millie]

She still made history, the media should focus on that instead of giving this girl an infiriority complex. I wonder if Mao will keep skating if Yu-na does. Dealing with the fact that she can never have the titles she deseves because fate ruled that a even greater skater should compete at the same time...
I am waiting for the announcement that she and Terosova are splitting. I will bet anything this will happen before June.

In the history of figure skating, this is reality. The reality is that there is always going to someone competiting that is better than the other skater. For example, Sasha never won gold or national champion due to the fact that Michelle was competiting at the same competitions. After Michelle stoped competiting, Sasha won Nationals and a silver at the Olympics. You never know, there is still hope for Mao if Yu-na retires. Then Mao probably be on top and some other skater will be in the same position that Mao is in now, second. That's skating.

[Mrs. P]

If Mao continues without top flight coaching and continues to be her own strategist then I see little chance for her in 2014. The sport moves forward and other skaters can see how Yuna's all around skating can beat the big jumps.

Mao is a great talent but to downplay what Orser and Wilson have done for Yuna is to miss the big picture.
I take nothing away from Yuna who delivered one of the best performances in Olympic history last night under pressure most of us can't begin to imagine.

But Mao was great in her own right too but did not play the CoP game well enough. Even had Mao been clean Yuna was always going to score more points due in part to her team's meticulous preparations.

We saw this with the Men to an even greater extent as Evan and Carroll played the CoP to maximize every possible point for him.

The scary thing about Yuna is if she chooses to continue competiting she can get even better.
Mao seems to be working hard to get back to where she was a few seasons ago and that is why I think she needs a better team around her to maximize her considerable talents.

That won't happen right away either as Mao needs to get back the 3Lz, and 3x3's.

Nicely said, janetfan! ITA and mentioned such earlier. Mirai was held back because of PCS, but now that she has one major worlds competition under her belt and has established that she isn't downgrading her jumps anymore, I wouldn't be surprised if Mirai eventually beats Mao even with the latter having the triple axel and neither having a 3-3. Mirai beat Mao in TES and was right behind her in +GOE.

It will be interesting to see how things play out at worlds.

ETA: Mirai beat Mao in TES but not GOE but was close.

[R.D.]

Totally agree! I honestly think this was the worst coverage of the ladies' LP EVER in recent Olympic history since I've been closely following the sport since the Albertville 1992 Olympics. I mean, seriously, they only showed 1 skater (Elene G.) from that strong penultimate group. In total, all we got was Tugba, Cynthia, Cheltzie, Elene, Rachael, Miki, Yu-Na, Mao, Joannie, and Mirai. I'm so .

Perhaps it had something to do with the US not having a medal contender? After all, they chose to show Nordic combined, where two Americans won medals, over the third group of skaters.

[miki88]

Ok. Before people start saying that Mao doesn't have 3-3 anymore, we should see if she has it in her layout for next season.