Ladies Free Skate - 12/11

[Lily.Grace]

Just because she won the LP, it doesn't mean she's interesting, does it?

[Buzzz]

I am so out of touch with skating I had not realised Alissa had won, so congratulations to her.

[Lily.Grace]

Good one, pangtongfan!

[chloepoco]

Just because she won the LP, it doesn't mean she's interesting, does it?

Interesting is subjective. Besides, "interesting" is not a requirement to win.

[Lily.Grace]

Interesting is subjective. Besides, "interesting" is not a requirement to win.

Exactly. I'm not saying she shouldn't have won the LP, I'm just saying she isn't musical and she doesn't listen to the music at all. She can win anything, I don't care, she's always just jumps, just like Onda or Plushenko.

[Nadine]

Well I'm here to address those that think I'm being too hard on Rachael by bringing up weight, et al. I don't regret my words, as I think weight is a legitimate factor in the sport of figure skating. One has to control one's weight in order to land the jumps, and this goes for all skaters throughout history that have had to deal with this unpleasant reality. And I honestly have thought for a looong time (not just now, it's just that I've never had the guts to mention it before) that Rachael would benefit by firming/toning up like Joannie Rochette, Denise Biellmann, and Sasha Cohen have done. Those three are the only ones that I can think of that have killer bodes with muscles standing out all over!!!!

Rachael's body at times looks too soft out there on the ice, same as Sarah Hughes body did post-Olympics. I have often thought she could benefit from whatever regime Joannie, Denise, and Sasha used to get their bodies rock hard & competition tough & ready. That was my point about weight.

Rachael has been my fav skater amongst the USA ladies since her debut in 2007, and that hasn't changed.

GOOD LUCK, RACHAEL, AT NATIONALS!!!!

[Layfan]

It's not that I haven't been reading, but really, I haven't found much to write about. I am still blown away by the fact that Alissa won, and since I'm here in the Caribbean, being a figure skating fan is a lonely road so I have no one around who shares my excitement. So, thanks to you all for providing a community of like-minded folks even if I'm only reading.

Greetings from Mexico - I sympathize

[lavender]

I just tell things like it is

You tell it like you see it.

I love Carolina's program. Such a beautiful program and she skates it with that quality which I haven't felt from her hardly ever. Love Alissa's program too.

Kanako needs refinement seriously but I do love her potential. I hope she's not getting things to soon and not work on her line and other things.

Rachel does need to tone up like say Michelle Kwan but not get as skinny as Sasha who hardly ever had the stamina to skate clean in a long program muscles or not.

[R.D.]

For those who have twitter, I tweeted some TV impressions from the event.

[lavender]

I think Adelina Sotnikova also belongs to these gorgeous swans like Yu-Na and Alissa!

I think Mirai also belongs in this category but has gained some weight the past few months.

I really like Adelina but is she really only 14? She reminds me of Yu na but with better line (her foot positions). Mirai is still small even though she gained weight from being off her feet due to her injury.

I just want to say Miki is smaller now but I think she's just one of those people who gets smaller after puberty. Like she was carrying baby fat of something. Just a guess but could be wrong.

[Layfan]

You tell it like you see it.

I love Carolina's program. Such a beautiful program and she skates it with that quality which I haven't felt from her hardly ever. Love Alissa's program too.

Kanako needs refinement seriously but I do love her potential. I hope she's not getting things to soon and not work on her line and other things.

Rachel does need to tone up like say Michelle Kwan but not get as skinny as Sasha who hardly ever had the stamina to skate clean in a long program muscles or not.

I think I'm going to regret jumping into this debate, which is based on speculation and little knowledge about the habits of skaters. However, this statement is nonsense - sorry to be blunt, Lavender. Sasha's jumping technique was not as reliable as Michelle's and probably more to blame for her stumbles than anything else. No need resort to baseless claims about her body type. You should take another look at Sasha's programs - and you might notice that she nearly always finished with explosive footwork and looked every bit as energetic at the end of ther programs than at the beginning. And someone else mentioned Joannie - an admirable skater with a very enviable, muscular body _ but she very rarely got through a clean FS.

[Nadine]

P.S. this is the way I would like Rachael's body to look like ~ Elena Produnova ~ one of my all-time favorite gymnasts ever!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T45uE45nvY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofkVL...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cs1SHqoOjE


One of the hardest working, if not thee hardest working, gymnast I've ever seen in my life. She worked extraordinarily hard to get that bod in killer shape!!!!

[katymay]

Interesting, I feel this way about the Japanese skaters. Akiko is so skinny now that I can't imagine what she must have looked like when she was anorexic. Miki used to have a gorgeous womanly figure, but now she has sticks for legs and you can see all her ribs in her open back FS costume and from the side she is like a few inches wide. No wonder she can't get 3lz-3t ratified, I mean she has so little muscle. And you can tell she's trying to hide her thinness too in those matronly costumes with the long skirts. Same for Mao, she is too skinny. She has always been thin but last year it went overboard IMO, her arms and legs are so thin. She used to have those nice broad shoulders too but now she looks like some emaciated model not an elite athlete. And then there was Shizuka who also had a gorgeous womanly figure and then became a stick right after she won Olympic gold. I think there's something going on with the Japanese ladies team, and it isn't good. Kanako and Haruka are the only ones who look healthy to me and I'm sure in a few years they will get the emaciated look Mao and Miki are currently rocking, or the big elbows and knees look Akiko has.

Alissa got a lot thinner but looking at her face she seems ok, I will say the same about Yuna too. Rachael isn't fat in the slightest and she's honestly what an elite athlete should look like, Joannie too. They have muscles.

Thank you very much. Exactly. And by the way: Irina Slutskya, Midori Ito, Tanya Harding, Nicole Bobek-all fantastic jumpers and NOT ONE of these girls was stick thin. I just watched the NBC coverage, and Rachel looks JUST FINE. I have also taken note of the above Japanese ladies, and think there is something wrong in the state of Denmark. Especially Mao, who appears lethargic and weak. YuNaKim has always had a willowy body type so concern doesn't apply-but the rest? What is going on here.?

[miki88]

B] Sasha's jumping technique was not as reliable as Michelle's and probably more to blame for her stumbles than anything else. No need resort to baseless claims about her body type. You should take another look at Sasha's programs - and you might notice that she nearly always finished with explosive footwork and looked every bit as energetic at the end of ther programs than at the beginning. And someone else mentioned Joannie - an admirable skater with a very enviable, muscular body _ but she very rarely got through a clean FS[/B].

ITA. I don't think weight plays a major role in stamina issues. There are several other factors at play here. Technique issues, competitive nerves, and the normal wear and tear of the body that comes with age. I think the later has more to do with Miki's condition than her weight. I think Mao's body has also taken a toll from the years of jumping plus the fact she hasn't been properly coached until recently, which is one advantage that Yuna had despite being more prone to major injuries. I also don't understand the mention of Akiko since she isn't skinny at all to me. She did go through a weight problem but she survived and is healthy now plus she doesn't lack energy in her performances.

[janetfan]

ITA. I don't think weight plays a major role in stamina issues. There are several other factors at play here. Technique issues, competitive nerves, and the normal wear and tear of the body that comes with age. I think the later has more to do with Miki's condition than her weight. I think Mao's body has also taken a toll from the years of jumping plus the fact she hasn't been properly coached until recently, which is one advantage that Yuna had despite being more prone to major injuries. I also don't understand the mention of Akiko since she isn't skinny at all to me. She did go through a weight problem but she survived and is healthy now plus she doesn't lack energy in her performances.

It was a pleasure seeing Akiko's LP today on NBC. She really covers alot of ice, and her energy is apparent.
As to Miki - all she did was come out and put on a jumping clinic and I have't seen such nice jumps from a lady skater this season. Miki most likely has spent alot of time on her new SP - and although she made a few mistakes I thought she was expressive and loved the white dress.

If Miki wasn't as expressive in her LP she was still pretty good and I enjoyed watching her.

I am no expert on this weight stuff and not really so interested - but for what it is worth Kanako looks very thin and I don't think I have ever seen such an energetic skater.

Sasha was a former gymnast, has practiced yoga most of her life and pound for pound had to be one of the strongest skaters we will ever see. As layfan pointed out Sasha's jump technique was never as secure as Michelle's - but thinking back - did you ever see anybody get up......make that spring back up after a fall the way Sasha did? That sort of shows strength not to mention resilliencey