U.S. Nationals - Ladies (gettin' excited!)

[Mathman]

About Michelle's Red Violin, in my opinion her best performance was the exhibition version at 1999 Worlds. (The music had not been released in the United States yet at that time.)

Come to think of it, some of Michelle's most outstanding performances came right after she lost something. Like Fields of Gold at the 2002 Olympic gala and the exhibition version of East of Eden that she used in several events after the 1998 Olympics.

[Mathman]

It's a lovely program, though I'd put Black Swan ahead of it. Part of the reason for me is that I just love the Black Swan music: starting with Villa-Lobos's "Song of the Black Swan" and continuing with Dvorak's "Dumky" Trio....

I prefer it greatly to the warhorses that she tended to use in the post-Lori Nichol years, unsettling though it is.

I don't think Michelle ever "got" the Black Swan music, or liked it very much. Lori Nichol knows a lot about music and has a subtle ear. Michelle, not so much. This may have been a factor leading to the breakup of the team the next year.

Left to her own devices, Michelle heard Slutskaya's Tosca music and said, "That's for me, and Bolero next!"

I can't complain. Her 2004 Nationals performance of Tosca might be her most triumphant tour-de-force of all.

[Layfan]

^^

Christina Gao JGP Cup of Austria. 109.07

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE1wMEdn47w

Yasmin Siraj JGP John Curry Memorial. 106.09

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL0gUfHQvCc

Vanessa Lam JGP Czech Skate. 103.36

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-1XWXuvh8I

Kiri Baga JGP SBC Cup. 88.61

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7w8qbPEJe0

Kristene Gong JGP John Curry Memorial. 88.24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu3QS...eature=related

I'm excited about the future of Vanessa and Yasmin... Yasmin needs to work on the flow out of her jumps a bit and the speed of her spins, but she's so young. And the musicality and personality is already there. What a great spinner Vanessa is! Does anyone know anything about the technique of her jumps? It was far beyond my abilities to assess from this video - she was too far. But her entries on some of her jumps, like the lutz look a big odd. I don't know what it is. Anyway, still, I was impressed over all. How old is she?

Ladies LP performances so far this season...

Alissa Czisny GPF. 116.99

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXK3i98momk

Rachael Flatt SA. 111.84

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSLS8lS0FYw

Ashley Wagner COR. 110.85

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQIx70cdQ9M

Mirai Nagasu TEB. 109.07

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

Agnes Zawadski SC. 98.06

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltzyRsO5GIs

This is why I'm saying, let's not forget about Ashley. It's like last year with Mirai - people were kind of forgetting about her because the hype was on Rachael and Ashley for making the final - and Sasha of course. People kinda forgot that Mirai had good skates during the GP. Obviously, comparing different competitions isn't perfectly useful but still - Ashley posted the third most competitive FS of the American ladies this year.

[kalle]

I'm excited about the future of Vanessa and Yasmin... Yasmin needs to work on the flow out of her jumps a bit and the speed of her spins, but she's so young. And the musicality and personality is already there. What a great spinner Vanessa is! Does anyone know anything about the technique of her jumps? It was far beyond my abilities to assess from this video - she was too far. But her entries on some of her jumps, like the lutz look a big odd. I don't know what it is. Anyway, still, I was impressed over all. How old is she?



This is why I'm saying, let's not forget about Ashley. It's like last year with Mirai - people were kind of forgetting about her because the hype was on Rachael and Ashley for making the final - and Sasha of course. People kinda forgot that Mirai had good skates during the GP. Obviously, comparing different competitions isn't perfectly useful but still - Ashley posted the third most competitive FS of the American ladies this year.

I think Ashley will do well this year..if she can do a clean SP
Agnes LP have quite some room for improvement. Agnes jumps are just amazing (when she lands them!) and just like Ashley, she should not feel to much pressure at Nationals.

I wonder if Mirai will go for the 3Z/3T this year..I have been watching her programs over and over and they start to grow on me, just like last years Carmen

[silverlake22]

I'm excited about the future of Vanessa and Yasmin... Yasmin needs to work on the flow out of her jumps a bit and the speed of her spins, but she's so young. And the musicality and personality is already there. What a great spinner Vanessa is! Does anyone know anything about the technique of her jumps? It was far beyond my abilities to assess from this video - she was too far. But her entries on some of her jumps, like the lutz look a big odd. I don't know what it is. Anyway, still, I was impressed over all. How old is she?



This is why I'm saying, let's not forget about Ashley. It's like last year with Mirai - people were kind of forgetting about her because the hype was on Rachael and Ashley for making the final - and Sasha of course. People kinda forgot that Mirai had good skates during the GP. Obviously, comparing different competitions isn't perfectly useful but still - Ashley posted the third most competitive FS of the American ladies this year.

Vanessa is 15 and will turn 16 in June, so she is old enough for senior ISU competitions this season. If she does well at nationals I could see her going on to Junior Worlds and then earning 2 assignments on the senior GP next season. About her jumps, the thing I notice is that they are really tiny and spinny, but for now it seems to be working for her. Yasmin is great too, but at this point I think the up-and-comers most likely to spoil would be Christina and Agnes, just due to their technical prowess, strong jumps, and 3-3 combinations.

I think Ashley will do well at nationals, but I think a lot depends on if she can do a clean SP and if skaters like Alissa, Christina, and Agnes bring their A game or not, and then of course obvious flutzing and 2-footing issues.

[PolymerBob]

A poster over at FSUniverse has reported that Caroline appears to have lost weight. I hope this will help her speed and jumps.

EDIT : Here is a picture of Caroline practicing. She looks happy.

http://ohtheseskaters.tumblr.com/pos...-in-greensboro

[Jammers]

Caroline's opportunities for any kind of success on the National or international stage are rapidly diminishing with all the younger skaters coming up. And this doesn't even include the girls skating in the Junior ranks. Watching some of them last night at the Junior event makes me think that some of the more veteran skaters like Caroline and Ashley and maybe even Rachael will soon be passed up. There is a lot of talent coming up and you either improve or get left behind.

[silverlake22]

Caroline's opportunities for any kind of success on the National or international stage are rapidly diminishing with all the younger skaters coming up. And this doesn't even include the girls skating in the Junior ranks. Watching some of them last night at the Junior event makes me think that some of the more veteran skaters like Caroline and Ashley and maybe even Rachael will soon be passed up. There is a lot of talent coming up and you either improve or get left behind.

This is true, but I feel like this is usually true. A lot of the junior ladies are quite young, so you can bet at least some of them will be hampered by puberty and/or loss of interest/motivation. That being said, some of the really talented ones are a bit older and more mature looking and could be forces right away. Hicks and Kulgeyko were particularly impressive last night, good jumps, attack, artistry, maturity. I also really like Edmunds and Jiang, they are both quite young, which could be a good or a bad thing, but they both have a nice elegant quality to their skating which you often don't see in 12 and 13 year old skaters.

[ranjake]

Do any of you have a link to Michelle's 'Black Swan'? Thanks so much- and really enjoying reading all of your comments.

[Jammers]

I didn't think i'd enjoy watching the Novice and Junior skaters as much as i did. Lots of talent there. It is good that some of the more talented skaters seem to be a bit older so hopefully they can continue to improve. Polina Edmunds reminds me a bit of the russian babies but at 12 who knows where she will be in 2 years.

[Olympia]

Do any of you have a link to Michelle's 'Black Swan'? Thanks so much- and really enjoying reading all of your comments.

This is her Worlds free skate to "Black Swan," 2001

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFp7RVrihvk

[ranjake]

Thanks, Olympia!

[lilshorty]

A poster over at FSUniverse has reported that Caroline appears to have lost weight. I hope this will help her speed and jumps.

EDIT : Here is a picture of Caroline practicing. She looks happy.

http://ohtheseskaters.tumblr.com/pos...-in-greensboro

Excuse me for being a bit shallow, but that is not a flattering dress on Caroline. Something about it makes her look chunky in the upper portion.

[seniorita]

Is there the Nationals program somewhere, and in local time?
I want to fix my schedule for men and ladies as Euros are on the same days

[silverlake22]

Excuse me for being a bit shallow, but that is not a flattering dress on Caroline. Something about it makes her look chunky in the upper portion.

She loves the tube-top-with-illusion-straps style of dress. I've never thought it was the most flattering style for her, even as a junior.