Ladies' LP

[QuadLutz]

Oh, the illness of fate. For over a year, Laura (with Kiira) has been bashed on this board for not landing her jumps (justly, partly, but I daresay the beauty bonus joke is just getting old). And now, when they finally showed some gutts, rose to the occasion and delivered spectacularly, many North-Americans seem not to have seen one second of it.

It's simply devastating. Or, would be, if I weren't so incredibly happy for each and every one of the top ten for giving it their all, making so few mistakes and making the results won, not lost. Yu-na, this somehow otherworldly creature (during her floating I felt she was not with us); Mao, the fighter and the risk-taking perfectionist, Joannie - I have no words, just tears; the young Americans who already succeeded so well, the solid Miki and Akiko, and the new rise of the Russians.

And you know, for many of us Finns Laura and Kiira's combined result feels almost like a medal. Being a small nation, we actually rarely expect to have success internationally, and take it all with surprise and gratitude. I guess it's just something the fans of the 'big countries' can never experience.

Thank you ladies, this FS night I will never forget!

[Mrs. P]

Unless Mao changes her program, Mirai can beat her by being more like Yuna. No triple axel, but strong triple triple (flip or lutz with toe) and double axel and triple toe combo that both Yuna AND Mirai has that Mao does not. Mao's down fall was lack of variety of jumps and that could hurt her again Mirai.

Not to mention that, IMO, Mirai has even better spins and spirals than Yuna! Also you will see a 3-3, likely at Worlds. She was upset in the SP beacuse she didn't do the 3Z-3T. I bet she'll work it so she can have it in Torino.

[Gymfan15]

Unless Mao changes her program, Mirai can beat her by being more like Yuna. No triple axel, but strong triple triple (flip or lutz with toe) and double axel and triple toe combo that both Yuna AND Mirai has that Mao does not. Mao's down fall was lack of variety of jumps and that could hurt her again Mirai.

Oh, I agree with you, I was just wondering if from what I saw of Mirai's 2a, if she could do a 3a if she wanted to. Just technically speaking. It certainly looked to me like she had enough air for another rotation.

[Moxie]

Oh, the illness of fate. For over a year, Laura (with Kiira) has been bashed on this board for not landing her jumps (justly, partly, but I daresay the beauty bonus joke is just getting old). And now, when they finally showed some gutts, rose to the occasion and delivered spectacularly, many North-Americans seem not to have seen one second of it.

This may literally be the case. At least in NBC's case, they only showed the final 6 and they aren't up on youtube yet.

[miki88]

Having great height doesn't necessarily mean the skater can do a triple axel. I mean Yuna has great height on all her jumps, but she doesn't do the 3A. I think Mirai can work on her 3-3 more. However, I don't think we should say now that she can potentially beat Mao because she doesn't have 3-3 anymore. I mean maybe she will bring it back next season. It's too early to tell.

[prettykeys]

Oh, the illness of fate. For over a year, Laura (with Kiira) has been bashed on this board for not landing her jumps (justly, partly, but I daresay the beauty bonus joke is just getting old). And now, when they finally showed some gutts, rose to the occasion and delivered spectacularly, many North-Americans seem not to have seen one second of it.

It's simply devastating. Or, would be, if I weren't so incredibly happy for each and every one of the top ten for giving it their all, making so few mistakes and making the results won, not lost. Yu-na, this somehow otherworldly creature (during her floating I felt she was not with us); Mao, the fighter and the risk-taking perfectionist, Joannie - I have no words, just tears; the young Americans who already succeeded so well, the solid Miki and Akiko, and the new rise of the Russians.

And you know, for many of us Finns Laura and Kiira's combined result feels almost like a medal. Being a small nation, we actually rarely expect to have success internationally, and take it all with surprise and gratitude. I guess it's just something the fans of the 'big countries' can never experience.

Thank you ladies, this FS night I will never forget!

Really nice comments you shared.

I saw it with my boyfriend (thanks to the Canadian programming) who doesn't know anything about figure skating. I didn't "get" Laura Lepisto until last night. She was truly regal, polished, and impressive. When we saw Miki's LP and I said she would overtake her, he was disappointed and thought Laura should have retained her spot. On a side note, he saw both the Finns and thought despite Kiira's Barbie-face, Laura was more stunning. Then he asked what language was spoken in Finland and wouldn't believe me when I said "Finnish".

Actually, his opinions as a non-FS-fan were interesting. He thought Akiko was also better than Miki. I kinda think he was bored by both YuNa's and Mao's performances (but he didn't say anything because I gave him my opinions of them first hehe), and then he left to play some video games right after their skate. He turned around once and said "Cool, Canada got another medal huh?" (referring to Joannie)

Until this point, I'd considered Carolina Kostner the best European lady, but I must say I now believe it is Laura.

[sjsmedia]

I laughed at NBC commentators have announced that Yu Na Kim the Olympic Champion right after her LP scores came out. There were three more skaters to skate. :

They were actually mentioning that Yuna would win the gold before the huge score came out.

[aurora100]

Oh, I agree with you, I was just wondering if from what I saw of Mirai's 2a, if she could do a 3a if she wanted to. Just technically speaking. It certainly looked to me like she had enough air for another rotation.

Mirai did 2A3T in her LP at the olympics. I only know of Mirai and Yuna who did it. Now, why can't Mao do something like that. 2A and 3loop even. I understand 3loop is Mao's favourite jump.

[Layfan]

Really nice comments you shared.

I saw it with my boyfriend (thanks to the Canadian programming) who doesn't know anything about figure skating. I didn't "get" Laura Lepisto until last night. She was truly regal, polished, and impressive. When we saw Miki's LP and I said she would overtake her, he was disappointed and thought Laura should have retained her spot. On a side note, he saw both the Finns and thought despite Kiira's Barbie-face, Laura was more stunning. Then he asked what language was spoken in Finland and wouldn't believe me when I said "Finnish".

Actually, his opinions as a non-FS-fan were interesting. He thought Akiko was also better than Miki. I kinda think he was bored by both YuNa's and Mao's performances (but he didn't say anything because I gave him my opinions of them first hehe), and then he left to play some video games right after their skate. He turned around once and said "Cool, Canada got another medal huh?" (referring to Joannie)

Until this point, I'd considered Carolina Kostner the best European lady, but I must say I now believe it is Laura.

Heh. I can understand your boyfriend's opinions on everything except Yuna and Mao...

Well, in my ongoing drive to stir up interest in figure skating at work, here's how far I got:

My boss watched the women's short on a feed with her two little girls (who tried to touch their toes the whole time, hee!) The next day, I asked, hey so did you watch what did you think? She said, "yeah it was fun. You must be happy, that American girl you told me about won!" I said what are talking about? She said "oh well, the last skater, Myray, she was in first." I said "what there were about 15 other skaters after her!" And she laughed and said "Oh, I just saw taht she was in first and though, cool the American won, and shut if off."

sigh.

Another colleague went up to me the day after Men's final and said oh my god I've suddenly become a huge fan of Evan. I said "I'm happy he won too but you know, there's a bit of a controversy because he didn't do a quad and the Russian did."

And she said, "Well I don't know about that. I just think Evan Plushenko is hot!"

[jennylovskt]

They were actually mentioning that Yuna would win the gold before the huge score came out.

I have rewatched her LP. You are right. Right after her LP, they said the coronation has completed.

[Mrs. P]

Mirai did 2A3T in her LP at the olympics. I only know of Mirai and Yuna who did it. Now, why can't Mao do something like that. 2A and 3loop even. I understand 3loop is Mao's favourite jump.

That's actually a pretty good combo there. Again, I think that reflects Mao not having a coach to think about these things (or Mao not willing to listen to such alternatives). Such a combo would have a base value of 3.5+5 =8.5. That's more than doing a single Triple Axel. (8.2)

[seniorita]

I just think Evan Plushenko is hot!"

[rtureck]

The coverage we had was great. I appreciated watching YuNa, Mao, Joannie, Mirai, and Laura Lepisto (she did have a very good LP) the most.

So yes, chide the "gushfest" all you want by the enthusiastic YuNa uberfans who want to call her the "best ever" (I know I have fuchsia-tinted glasses, too.) But I can't believe most people, especially YuNa's detractors, are shrugging that off. YuNa seems one of the "best ever" at least in that regard. The programs she managed were not easy.

Not to mention it looks really sour.

No one is chiding YuNa ubefr fans. It is the job of uber fans to force down others throat that their favorite is the best ever. Hey it is in your job description. If uber fans are saying she is one of the best ever, then no argument from most ppl at least not from me. But the tactics from YuNa ubers are shouting intimidating others for not agreeing that YuNa is the be best ever IMO does not work.


BTW, I think sour. is when one of the Yuna ubers view Kat Witt as being "in the way" of preventing YuNa of being the greatest ever. JMHO
Anyway what sour?? I root for the ladies to skate the best, and I totally agree with the placement, just don't agree with the Yuna ubers that she is the best ever. I don't know of there is a best ever yet.

[janetfan]

I have rewatched her LP. You are right. Right after her LP, they said the coronation has completed.

But it is OK since they were right- just like they were right in SLC when they called Jamie and David the winners before the score came out.

[Puppylove]

Overjoyed as I was to see Yuna win so deservedly, I was beginning to wonder if she had indeed been a tad overscored (not that it made a blinding bit of difference to the final outcome which I agree with entirely), especially when some people here observed that, even if Mao had skated clean in FS as well, she would not have beaten Yuna, ie. gone OTT on Yuna's +GOE.

...That is until I listened to a couple of work colleagues of mine. They used to have this "huh, figure skating is NOT a proper sport" attitude. They had accidentally watched the gold and silver performances in ice dance and been so impressed, that both of them actually stayed up to watch the ladies FS! They were absolutely astounded by the top girls in the final group. When I explained the change to the new rules blah blah blah and the opinions of some that Yuna had been a bit overscored and Mao's TA's under-appreciated, they just went; "well, those jumps just got buried because the rest of it was weird", "yeah, that Japanese girl was WASTED in that, poor thing".

This has brought me back to my original thinking. Is it really because Yuna was over-rewarded with +GOEs that Mao couldn't have caught up anyway, or is it because Mao's team failed to put two programmes together, which are painstakingly constructed in order to show off Mao's strong points and mesmerise judges (heaps of +GOE) and spectators - of course, provided that they are skated clean? Talented as yuna is, I really don't think she would be where she is now, if she hadn't got together with Orser and Wilson. That is not to say they are the best coach and choreographer in the world. They are the best FOR HER. I don't think Mao's current coach is capable of doing the same FOR MAO.

As much as skaters should be encouraged always to push themselves to the next level technically, I think pressure should be put on coaches and choreographers to make the maximum use of their athlets' abilities. Even with the current system, I think an amazingly clever and beautiful programme with huge jumps but a few minor mistakes on the day would win over an amazingly clever and beautiful but technically less demanding programmes that are skated clean. In this event, I think it was unfortunate that the boy and the girl who landed the hardest jumps happened to have programmes that deteriorated once the jumps were over.