Laura Lepisto - - - 2011 World Champion? Yes or.... No?

[miki88]

Mao attempted 3sal last season and landed it a few times (2008 NHK, 2008GPF), so she can do it apparently. In this article, she says she has no problem landing it, but doesn't really like the jump. http://www.goldenskate.com/articles/2007/060708.shtml

[rtureck]

Hmm yes I think gentle piano music is more difficult to skate to than some other styles, but several skaters have managed it quite well. I loved Kimmie's Un Ange Passe SP, it was beautiful. This year there was also Dubé/Davison's The Way We Were LP.

Ahh, thanks for bringing up the other programs. I just think solo instrumental music (without the benefit of an orchestra) is very challenging. At least the skaters need to have quiet edges, otherwise the "scratch, scratch, scratch" sound of their edges on ice would be so audible. Anyone remember Kristi;s program of passages from an ink dark moon? She skated to a solo Japanese flute with a woman reciting a poem in the background. How I miss Kristi

[chuckm]

Dube/Davison's The Way We Were was not a good program for them. If anything, it just emphasized the broken relationship between them. Bryce looked grim and Jessica looked bored, the same way they looked for Carmen last year. It's too bad their romance went sour, but either they should go their separate ways or find some way to get back their "pairness".

[pohatta]

I think it is not too far off to suggest that ISU judges favored Laura's style and programs at Worlds over Miki's. I know I certainly did - and I like Miki, but not her programs so much this season.

I think there is still something intangible - even more than just "subjective" - that effects scores at the biggest international events. Laura seemed to be offering the style of skating that appealed to the judges at Worlds. Maybe technically her programs were not the most difficult, but she did skate with alot of grace and flair. The judges preferred her and gave her bronze over Miki and Cynthia.

It's almost funny how 6.0 based this Lepistö bronze debate is at times.

In CoP, when the judges rate a skater, they don't know if their marks are enough to put the skater ahead or behind another skater. The judges can't decide to give a medal to a skater over another skater. If Lepistö's bronze was a surprise to us, it might have been a surprise to the judges as well.

[janetfan]

It's almost funny how 6.0 based this Lepistö bronze debate is at times.

In CoP, when the judges rate a skater, they don't know if their marks are enough to put the skater ahead or behind another skater. The judges can't decide to give a medal to a skater over another skater. If Lepistö's bronze was a surprise to us, it might have been a surprise to the judges as well.

I meant that judges gave Laura better marks than a few others - because they might have liked her style and presentation. Judges are human, and GOE and others areas of scoring are still subjective.

Thinking of Mao and Yuna's LP's might be another example.
The judges watched Mao skating to very gloomy and dramatic music. It is a dark program.

By comparison, Yuna's lighter music seems so much happier and the way she skates to it could be described as joyful and uplifting.

I suggest that if Mao and Yuna skated to the exact same level - and theoretically should receivce the same score - that most nights ISU judges would favor Yuna and place her ahead of Mao.

It has nothing to do with CoP or 6.0 but alot to do with ISU and how they like to sell the sport.

When Tat remarked a while ago that "she let Mao down" I have to wonder if she realized that Mao's doomsday LP could never beat Yuna's Gershwin LP (unless Yuna had a terrible skate).

We saw at Worlds what happened with the LP's - a very good performance from Mao still could not outscore a Yuna making what appeared to be more mistakes.

Just as the judges liked what Laura was presenting more than Miki and Cynthia - they also favored Yuna's program over Mao's.

[jian10]

When Tat remarked a while ago that "she let Mao down" I have to wonder if she realized that Mao's doomsday LP could never beat Yuna's Gershwin LP (unless Yuna had a terrible skate).

When did she say that?

[chuckm]

It's almost funny how 6.0 based this Lepistö bronze debate is at times.

In CoP, when the judges rate a skater, they don't know if their marks are enough to put the skater ahead or behind another skater. The judges can't decide to give a medal to a skater over another skater. If Lepistö's bronze was a surprise to us, it might have been a surprise to the judges as well.

Nonsense. If judges want to put Skater A over Skater B, they will give A more +GOE and less -GOE than skater B. They will also give Skater A PCS scores in the upper 7s, while keeping Skater B's PCS scores in the upper 6s---lower 7s. That's easy enough to do.

Remember, a panel is made up of INDIVIDUAL judges, each with his/her own preferences and prejudices. In addition, the marks of only 5 of the 9 judges count. Only 7 of the original 9 judges are randomly selected, and then the high and low marks are thrown out. If it so happens that the final 5 judges all marked A higher than B, then A will beat B.