Ladies' LP

Raatkirani · Feb 26, 2010

What a competition last night!

Yu-Na: Flawless performance and truly a worthy gold medalist! Clean as a whistle, she was. I'm also happy for Brian Orser that he has had this major success in the post-competitive phase of his life.

Mao: I am sooooo impressed with this girl! While she may have won silver last night, she made history (dang, 2 3A's?!). I hope after the initial shock, she looks back fondly at this night and sees how she kicked it out of the ballpark with her strong, gutsy performance. She didn't back down once and there was so much fight in her. I actually love her Bells of Moscow program--it's dark and dramatic and different from the typically perky stuff we normally see. And I think Mao's positions on many elements far surpassed Yu-Na's. Her spirals are crisp and neatly finished as are her spins. She was so interesting to watch last night and despite the mistakes, my favorite performance.
Joannie: I don't know how on earth she did it, but wow! I'm so impressed with her strength and courage.
Mirai: My hometown hero! We're so immensely proud of her! Her program was delicious (esp those spins and spirals).
Miki: Totally ran out of gas, but hey, it was quite an improvement from Torino.
Rachel: Solid performance and just such a well balanced skater. Maybe a few tweaks here and there (posture, my dear, posture!)

Mad at NBC for not showing Laura Lepisto, the Russian ladies (cold war much?) or Carolina Kostner :disapp: and mad at Scott Hamilton for his "Brian finally getting his gold" comment :sheesh:,

R.D. · Feb 26, 2010

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

How do you know? Was this announced?

Mrs. P · Feb 26, 2010

R.D. said:
How do you know? Was this announced?

Yu-na said in an interview that she's going back to Toronto and focused on training for Worlds and Mao has already said she's going to Worlds no matter what.

dlgpffps · Feb 26, 2010

janetfan said:
The scary thing about Yuna is if she chooses to continue competing she can get even better.

Now that she has an OGM, a WC, a 4CC and numerous GPs and GPFs, I want her to bring back that 3L. She now has nothing to lose, and I saw her do it beautifully in practice up till 4CC last year. She definitely can do it, so I'm guessing she just has a mental block. This will let her drop a 2A and might allow for a second 3-3, perhaps the 3F-3T I love so much. As for other areas of improvement, perhaps her spins and step sequence? Her step sequence is beautiful already, but it can always be better. I also want to see more creativity in her spins.

It's so exciting that Yu-na can do even better

which is exactly why I hope she stays after the WC.

woshisunnya · Feb 26, 2010

I just want to know is it Mao's idea to put 2 3As in the lp or is it TAT's idea at the very begining because I think back in 2007-2008,Mao had the most beautiful programs with the most difficult jump layout ( one 3A and two 33s in lp) and her 3flip3toe looked really nice (she used to have toe-axl before but it really improved in 2008). And then when in 2008-2009, she began to add two 3As in lp and changed her jump layout every competitions and started really put her money in one basket. IMO the strategy is just wrong for her and the programs TAT designed didn't wokr for her. I think Mao has the most nature talant in figure skating, she has wonderful edges, beautiful lines and ability to excuse super difficult programs and she works so hard. IMO it's just the strategy is not working and she needs a better person to understabd in system. I know TAT is a great coach but she seems just not working the new system well and her programs for MAO didn't show MAO's "it" factor which showed in her preiovs programs. My heart broke when I saw Mao's intreview, I really hope she will be proud by herself for what she didi in this oly.

edge31 · Feb 26, 2010

Pointed toes

Actually, most coaches want their skaters to point their toes during spirals, spins, and jumps if possible. They all nag about it.
It's harder to point your toes in some skates than in others. Nowadays they design the back of the skates (at the top) to accomodate that ability. I don't know if Yu-Na has this feature. But even if she doesn't I do believe she should be able to point her toes a little more than she does. She comes out looking awfully flat footed during the spirals - especially the catch foot spiral... her foot is almost flat to the ceiling.
This is part of extension. from the hip through the toes. Like some others have said here, I also find myself cringing when I see her positions regarding her ankles and feet.

I guess at the end of the day, no matter what the skate, people have been pointing their toes in skating forever. So she should also be able to do it if she pays a little more attention to it.

Layfan · Feb 26, 2010

edge31 said:
Actually, most coaches want their skaters to point their toes during spirals, spins, and jumps if possible. They all nag about it.
It's harder to point your toes in some skates than in others. Nowadays they design the back of the skates (at the top) to accomodate that ability. I don't know if Yu-Na has this feature. But even if she doesn't I do believe she should be able to point her toes a little more than she does. She comes out looking awfully flat footed during the spirals - especially the catch foot spiral... her foot is almost flat to the ceiling.
This is part of extension. from the hip through the toes. Like some others have said here, I also find myself cringing when I see her positions regarding her ankles and feet.

I guess at the end of the day, no matter what the skate, people have been pointing their toes in skating forever. So she should also be able to do it if she pays a little more attention to it.

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

SXTN · Feb 26, 2010

great olympics !!!

mao should be proud of herself to have achieved her goal---> three triple axels... and that after the difficult start of the season !!! even without those mistakes she would not have beaten kim... now she should change couch and get lori back as a choreographer...
i have noticed that she has changed her flip entrance again...

yuna deserved her gold.. she was the best !! but +2 for almost everything she did is a bit out of control to my mind...

nagasu is the future of figure skating... good ( and finally) rotated jumps, amazing flexibility and joyful to watch...

Cadiva · Feb 26, 2010

Sk8n Mama said:
To me, if the ISU were ever to kill the artistic component, it would be "the night they killed figure skating."

This I absolutely agree with, without the artistic component and the use of the music it's just a highly skilled (for doing it on skates) athletics routine.

Cadiva · Feb 26, 2010

janetfan said:
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.

Robin Cousins said this as Yuna was skating, he said he'd been talking to Brian and he'd said there wasn't one step in her routine that hadn't been choreographed to gain points. I think this shows just how much he understands the CoP system and how to make the most of it with a very talented skater. The credit is that Yuna managed to make it look like she was living the routine, performing to that exquisite music and not just robotically going through the motions.

jennylovskt · Feb 26, 2010

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. What a pressure the monstrous scores were putting on Rochett, Nagasu, especially Asada! They all answered well!:agree:

taikwan · Feb 26, 2010

Regarding the medals..... I love them. Reminds me of that Picasso painting with the draping watch plus they're very reflective due to their unusual shapes. Like them much better than those that looked like a CD. Plus the idea that native people had anything to do with the selection of material and shape IMO is part of the international Olympic spirit.

Cadiva · Feb 26, 2010

taikwan said:
Regarding the medals..... I love them. Reminds me of that Picasso painting with the draping watch plus they're very reflective due to their unusual shapes. Like them much better than those that looked like a CD. Plus the idea that native people had anything to do with the selection of material and shape IMO is part of the international Olympic spirit.

Am I missing a Picasso I don't know about or did you mean Salvador Dali's The Persistence of Memory? Either way, I love Picasso and Dali and agree with you on the medals, I like them even if they are quite large!

Gymfan15 · Feb 26, 2010

Completely random, but a poster was talking about how they wouldn't be surprised if Mirai beat Mao in the future if they both kept competing. That reminded me, do you think Mirai could ever do a 3a? They showed a slow-mo replay of her double axel last night and it was huge; it was like she jumped into the air, kept still for a second and then started rotating. There was definitely room in that jump for another rotation.

Am I thinking of the wrong jump that I saw, though? I could swear it was her double axel. Anyway, I thought that if Mirai could do a double that big, maybe someday she could do a triple.

aurora100 · Feb 26, 2010

Gymfan15 said:
Completely random, but a poster was talking about how they wouldn't be surprised if Mirai beat Mao in the future if they both kept competing. That reminded me, do you think Mirai could ever do a 3a? They showed a slow-mo replay of her double axel last night and it was huge; it was like she jumped into the air, kept still for a second and then started rotating. There was definitely room in that jump for another rotation.

Am I thinking of the wrong jump that I saw, though? I could swear it was her double axel. Anyway, I thought that if Mirai could do a double that big, maybe someday she could do a triple.

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.

QuadLutz · Feb 26, 2010

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 · Feb 26, 2010

aurora100 said:
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 · Feb 26, 2010

aurora100 said:
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 · Feb 26, 2010

QuadLutz said:
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 :eek:

hwell: and they aren't up on youtube yet.

miki88 · Feb 26, 2010

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.

Ladies' LP

Raatkirani

R.D.

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

dlgpffps

woshisunnya

edge31

Layfan

SXTN

Cadiva

Cadiva

jennylovskt

taikwan

Cadiva

Gymfan15

aurora100

QuadLutz

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!

Gymfan15

Moxie

miki88

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