Ladies Free Skate

[burntBREAD]

ZZZzzzzzzzzzzz.

Rachael will never do the 3Lz+3Lo.

She should change coaches to Artunian. He would get her jumping higher. She needs to improve her speed across the ice and her basic jump technique.

You know who needs to go to Arutunian? Caroline Zhang.

[FTnoona]

My gosh! I've heard of this tech caller being really strict but after actually looking over the protocols..... 22 or more underrotations called in the FS and 9ish of those were called on double jumps. More respect for those ladies that didn't get any UR called even if they singled or doubled the jump.. Sigh I hope Mirai doesn't get this guy as the caller in France :(
On a happier not congrats to Kanako for her first GP win!!!

[Nigel]

ZZZzzzzzzzzzzz.

Rachael will never do the 3Lz+3Lo.

She should change coaches to Artunian. He would get her jumping higher. She needs to improve her speed across the ice and her basic jump technique.

Flatt is dealing with a leg/ankle injury according to her coach's interview and could not do the combo this week.

[burntBREAD]

Flatt is dealing with a leg/ankle injury according to her coach's interview and could not do the combo this week.

She already jumps so low though, I think that's what Blades of Passion was getting at. You need real height to get a 3Lo in, even men can't do this consistently

[FTnoona]

She already jumps so low though, I think that's what Blades of Passion was getting at. You need real height to get a 3Lo in, even men can't do this consistently

Totally agree with you. Meanie tech callers keep calling Miki's 3Lz-3Lo UR so I think If Rachael does attempt it, the 3Lo most likely will be downgraded too :(

[krenseby]

I have to agree. The numbers don't lie, and looking at the numbers, Caroline is about on par with Jenna McCorkell and Min-Jung Kwak at the moment. She's young and has time to improve, but she still has a long way to go. In the SP she was fairly impressive b/c it seems she is usually able to pull out the 3 jumps needed in the SP, but in the LP it seems that she just can't keep it together, and in the 2nd half of the program her jumps abandon her. She also looks more labored on the ice than she used to, I think some of it is due to the much sturdier body type she has now.

In the next few years I could see her going to Worlds and placing decently there and maybe getting back on the podium at US nats, but I don't think she'll ever be a world beater, and don't expect her to ever medal at Worlds or win nationals. JMPO but that's how I see it.

She used to do so well because she could do 3-3s (albeit with poor technique), her spins and spirals were exceptional, and she was consistent with her jumps. Now, she can't do 3-3s or even a proper 3lz, and while her spins and spirals are still good, they aren't as good as they used to be, and she's inconsistent with her jumps. She has time but the US is always a deep field and there's a good chance she could get lost in the shuffle, at least until she gets used to the new technique.

Yeah, it's a dire dire situation for her. Not only does she have to make her skating seem less labored, but she would also have to learn to rotate and land her jumps again and execute them well enough to stop getting -GOEs. All of that that would only get her close to a top 6 finish at your average Grand Prix event. What I am getting at is that even if she manages to gel her jump technique with incredibly hard work, (being consistent with a new technique is one of the most difficult challenges a skater has to face) she'll still end up in the middle of the pack and nowhere close to the top because her skating in general is sluggish and uninspiring. (She is very far from looking like she moves with ease, fluidity, and verve. To succeed, a skater has to look nimble and agile on the ice.)

[volk]

Are programs available on youtube yet?

[Andalusia]

Well, as per her sister's posts on Caroline's FB page, Caroline has been working her butt off this off-season on correcting her flip. That her flip now looks perfectly normal compared to the monstrosity it was last season is indicative of how much work Caroline must've put into fixing it; it wouldn't surprise me that her other jumps and elements fell by the wayside as a result. This is the first season since she's started major work on fixing her technique and people are already expecting miracles. Lovely.

[burntBREAD]

Are programs available on youtube yet?

Yep, just search the skaters' names on youtube and look for the latest videos

Yeah, it's a dire dire situation for her. Not only does she have to make her skating seem less labored, but she would also have to learn to rotate and land her jumps again and execute them well enough to stop getting -GOEs. All of that that would only get her close to a top 6 finish at your average Grand Prix event. What I am getting at is that even if she manages to gel her jump technique with incredibly hard work, (being consistent with a new technique is one of the most difficult challenges a skater has to face) she'll still end up in the middle of the pack and nowhere close to the top because her skating in general is sluggish and uninspiring. (She is very far from looking like she moves with ease, fluidity, and verve. To succeed, a skater has to look nimble and agile on the ice.)

I'd lay off on the doom and gloom for now. She is only 17 and has shown improvement each time we've seen her. I still say she goes to Rafael! He would FORCE speed and jump technique in her!

[silverlake22]

You know who needs to go to Arutunian? Caroline Zhang.

Idk if he'd take her. Plus she JUST made a coaching change, so let's give Tammy a chance before Caroline ditches her for someone else. I just wish Caroline skated for a country that was less competitive because then she would get more experience and chances to compete while she's going through this transitional stage, instead of being overshadowed by other skaters. I hope she can make top 10 at nationals this season but there are a lot of strong ladies this year so even that's not a garuantee. I admire her perseverance though and hope she continues to make good changes.

[dlgpffps]

Whoa, with Kanako rising up in the ranks like this, the ladies event at Japanese Nationals is going to ruthless. I wonder who is going to be this season's Yukari?

Three ladies,
(1) best GPF result
(2) best Nationals result
(3) federation recommendation

Mao's in for sure (either #2 or #3). My gut feeing is that Kanako and Miki (#1), who's pretty consistent, will get the go, leaving Akiko out. Too bad. Her programs for this season are not as good as her last, but I enjoy her more than Miki. An upset could leave Miki out and Akiko in, but Kanko's in for sure. She's getting loads of media coverage as the rising star who combines the best out of Yu-na and Mao. Don't think Akiko gets as much love & it's not like the Japanese fed doesn't curb a few rules for a media favorite (Miki & Yukari 2006).

I haven't seen the programs yet, but Kanako got straight +2 GOE (although with 0.7 factor) for her 3T-3T Does that make her the second lady with a 3-3+2.0 GOE after Yu-na?

Congratulations to the medalists, esp. Kanako for her first senior gold!

[miki88]

Three ladies,
(1) best GPF result
(2) best Nationals result
(3) federation recommendation

Mao's in for sure (either #2 or #3). My gut feeing is that Kanako and Miki (#1), who's pretty consistent, will get the go, leaving Akiko out. Too bad. Her programs for this season are not as good as her last, but I enjoy her more than Miki. An upset could leave Miki out and Akiko in, but Kanko's in for sure. She's getting loads of media coverage as the rising star who combines the best out of Yu-na and Mao. Don't think Akiko gets as much love & it's not like the Japanese fed doesn't curb a few rules for a media favorite (Miki & Yukari 2006).
Congratulations to the medalists, esp. Kanako for her first senior gold!

I am not sure if she combines the best out of the two. Kanako has a nice triple toe but she flutzes and her flip and loop are not as strong either. It has prevented her from going for more difficult 3-3 combos. Also, her posture and lines are not as good as Mao's. However, she does have good speed and a lot of energy. In some ways, she reminds me of Yukari more than Yuna or Mao.

[Mathman]

One thing I like this season is the new spiral rules. Several of the ladies are doing really nice spirals as choreographic highlights without all the contortionism of required positions that we used to see.

[burntBREAD]

I am not sure if she combines the best out of the two. Kanako has a nice triple toe but she flutzes and her flip and loop are not as strong either. It has prevented her from going for more difficult 3-3 combos. Also, her posture and lines are not as good as Mao's. However, she does have good speed and a lot of energy. In some ways, she reminds me of Yukari more than Yuna or Mao.

ITA. She does not have the excellent technique of Yu Na, and doesn't quite have as soft knees as Mao (Kanako's knees are still very good). She also seems to be restricted (kind of like Mirai) to the sugar-overload type of emoting. She doesn't remind me of Yukari, either, because Yukari, IMO, was quite a delicate, precise skater and Kanako is a purely energetic skater.

[SkateSkates]

I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but it seems like Kanako's flutz is getting better. You could tell she was trying to hold the outside edge longer, and when she did flip over to the inside edge, it wasn't as deep as it was last year.