Ladies - Long Program | Page 28 | Golden Skate

Ladies - Long Program

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Kinda funny to ponder the possibility that the only event USA wins any medals in is freaking ice dance...
 

Kwanford Wife

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2004
We don't have any reliable medal contenders anyway so who cares that much about the three spots? Three spots is nice but I don't think it would significantly improve our chances of winning a medal. Three spots wouldn't have helped Alissa not fall this time. Three spots wouldn't have guaranteed that Mirai wouldn't have freaked after being first in the SP.
I'm glad Rachael competed at what could be her last worlds. (maybe, maybe not.) It's not like she's out there trying to save babies. It's just a spot.
Anway, I guess I just can't help but think of figure skating as an individualistic sport more than a team sport. As a fan, I admit I pay attention to the USA skaters a lot but in the end if I prefer a foreign skater I'd much rather see that person on the podium that an American skater who I think isn't so great.

True. I like the idea of the three spots because it increases the odds of US skaters making the podium - which, to me is even more important when you DON'T have reliable skaters since you never know whose going to show up. I like to believe that MiRai would've finished higher than Flatt, esp. since it was a big ol' splatfest without anyone doing a really stellar job. Alissa finished right around where I thought she would - anywhere from 3rd to 6th - and Flatt just a bit lower based on her season up until today so with that third spot, the US might have made some noise, even if it was a quiet "yay, we're still here!" Now, the Ladies field is going to get even tighter leading into Sochi since no one has room to slip.

But I agree with skating being an individual sport where nationality doesn't play such a big part in my fandom... so six eggs in one hand / half a dozen in the other.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Good news for USA ladies (if you can call it that): I think a changing of the guard is imminent. Flatt has likely skated her last worlds...whether Czisny has or not depends on whether she sticks around, and if she does, if she keeps up the momentum. Wagner and Zhang are out of the picture...with Gao, Zawadki (sp), and other up-and-comers emerging, I think they will be the contenders for Sochi. Nagasu can be, too, but depends on if/when she pulls herself together.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
The ladies 3 spots depends on the results of the US Nats and the results of Worlds.

Since Worlds will not do it, we have to question the selection of the World Team by the USFS, and for now we must think clearly about an answer to the question: Could Mirai have placed high enough to compliment Alissa's placement points to get 3 places next season.
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Good news for USA ladies (if you can call it that): I think a changing of the guard is imminent. Flatt has likely skated her last worlds...whether Czisny has or not depends on whether she sticks around, and if she does, if she keeps up the momentum. Wagner and Zhang are out of the picture...with Gao, Zawadki (sp), and other up-and-comers emerging, I think they will be the contenders for Sochi. Nagasu can be, too, but depends on if/when she pulls herself together.

I don't think Alissa will be a contender for Sochi but at this point I do hope she sticks around for another year. She's still better than Gao and Zawadski at this point, overrall. However, that could quickly change. If Agnes skates clean next season she will surge. She could even be US champion. Whether she o Christina be any more of a world medal contender than Czisny, Mirai and Rachael though who knows. I don't think so yet.

And btw, before anyone says anything, I don't think Alissa sticking around for another season hurts the younger skaters from being groomed for Sochi. If they aren't good enough to beat out Alissa for the world team next year they definitely can't be considered emerging medal hopes for Sochi.

Sigh. Go Mirai. Please, go Mirai.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
On Alena Leonova

She is a remarkable "character" skater - not the ballerina-type. She is refreshing because so many ladies all pretend to be ballerinas.

At Worlds, she danced through the many rhythms of her music and showed an excellent flair for the Tech. Had I been a 6.0 judge I would have given her 1st place.

Nothing wrong with Miki, who is skating's most elegant performer. The Grieg Concerto (that was it, no?) does not change all that much in rhythm and timing, and so Miki didn't show diversity in her performance. She did well, and I would not argue my position on Alena.
 

YunaBliss

On the Ice
Joined
May 11, 2010
On Alena Leonova
Nothing wrong with Miki, who is skating's most elegant performer. The Grieg Concerto (that was it, no?) does not change all that much in rhythm and timing, and so Miki didn't show diversity in her performance. She did well, and I would not argue my position on Alena.

I could name about 5 skaters right off the bat who are more "elegant performers" than Miki, just among those who competed today. She deserves credit for winning, but that statement is just bit too much over-the-top for me...
 

wonderlen3000

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Congrats to MIKI, YUNA & CALROLINA !!

I think Miki is over all, the rightful winner. Aside from the stumble on 2A+2T (doubling the 3T) , all her jumps are huge, fast and criisp. In terms of perfromance wise, might be a little tentative than 4CC but she keep her composer and deliver it. From Miki you cannot ask for more, and she is no Mao or Yuna.

Yuna silver is not bad, after not competing for the whole year. But hornestly, both her SP n LP are forgettable and no where near her SP/LP caliber from previous year. I found it Giselle just plain flat and her Lp, was just average...not bad..nor brillent like her Sherharazade or Lark Ascending program. She did her 3+3 but all her other jumps seem tight and both 3S are barly hanging on, bravo for her to hanging on her first 3S. Though she was going to fall w no speed going on and dead stop afer landing.

Iam glad Koster won, more Leonova. To me, she has the best LP of the ladies, so light, fast and skating to her full potential. Granted she pop the 3f and some of her jump are shaky, but all the PCS requirement are there. I would have give her the highest PCS of the night thou, if i am the judges. Great ending to her season, after all the injury and up n down skating.

Cizney did great considering the mistake she had earlier. She was underscore in SP, and Lp was a bout right. Leonova was overscore in PCS department. i have no problem with TES score given what she deliver, but would have give her 58 range at best. Kanako did great given her world debute.

Sad for Mao but given what she reworking with her jumps, it will has to be brillent from her to get on the podium. And she was not today. All jumps are tight and borderline underrotation. Maybe she working too hard and wasting her body away??? And long season didn't help her better. I could be wrong, Mao looks more healthy and sharp @ 4CC than in here.

Too bad about Rachale skate. She has to relies on her jumps to keep on the top 6, and tonight all her jumps are not there. I was hoping US will gain 3 spots back. Oh well!
 
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
^ Great summary, wonderlen 3000. That's how I felt about Yu Na's performance too. She skated well, but not overpoweringly, and the big surprise is that her programs were so underwhelming. The middle section of Airang with that mournful female voice was such an opportunity for dramatic, emotional choreography but it just wasn't there. I wonder what happened - could she have watered it down maybe? This was unexpected from someone who has done so many amazing programs.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I don't think Alissa will be a contender for Sochi but at this point I do hope she sticks around for another year. She's still better than Gao and Zawadski at this point, overrall. However, that could quickly change. If Agnes skates clean next season she will surge. She could even be US champion. Whether she o Christina be any more of a world medal contender than Czisny, Mirai and Rachael though who knows. I don't think so yet.

And btw, before anyone says anything, I don't think Alissa sticking around for another season hurts the younger skaters from being groomed for Sochi. If they aren't good enough to beat out Alissa for the world team next year they definitely can't be considered emerging medal hopes for Sochi.

Czisny would be what- 26? in Sochi. I seriously doubt it. But then again, I didn't think she'd be relevant now so who knows?

I think we need someone like Czisny especially now that NO ONE ELSE seems to be willing to step up and lead US ladies. But if she goes, I don't necessarily think she'll be missed, per se (except maybe sentimentally by some fans)

Yes, Zawadski has potential but like always, I caution against premature crowning of anybody. Too much pressure when they've yet to prove themselves. And from what I saw this season, she is not exactly consistent (at least at this stage).

While I'm not fully convinced the newcomers will dominate, I do think they will take over the contender positions previously occupied by Zhang, Wagner and Flatt. Like I've said before, a 90%-100% Nagasu is the only current skater that I believe genuinely has a shot at Sochi.
 
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Hikaru

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 23, 2004
So far I've only seen one video of Yuna's free. Maybe my expectations were too high, and I do have a different version of the music of Arirang in my ipod, played by the New York Phillarmonic, which sounds much better than the cuts used by Yuna. Her first combo was awesome like always, but she shouldn't have attempted to do the 2T after the salchow when she obviously did the 3S with little speed and flow... she should have had a plan B to add the 2T to another jump in her layout. Some of the spins I saw slow (I don't know if the video was running slow, which is why I will look for another one).

In general it looks like a good work in progress, while most people I've read in blogs loved the footwork sequence music cut I hated the wailing voice, it took my attention away from what she was doing on the ice. I would definitely change that to another music cut.

The dress, I know someone here explained the meaning behinds it (something about paiting and korean mountains) so it doesn't bother me but compared to other ensambles I have seen before from her, it wasn't as good as other of her past outfits...maybe in a different color instead of black. Really it wasn't bad, but it was just ok.

I think the program has potential, she can do it, but I felt that after the first mistake she went a bit stale in her performance. She had great carriage and flow through the ice, but didn't have that extra gutsy feeling I've seen from her. The position of the free leg in the layback needs work, but i loved the changes of position she did. Not great spiral, but I don't think that's her best element anyway. Again, maybe I had very high expectations with everything the media said about this program. I don't think I would have placed her first either... its like she was a shadow of Last Season's Yuna Kim. I hope she can regroup for next season.
 

Skatingfan1

Rinkside
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Don't count on it, this is Rachael Flatt we are talking about here. She had a world of very vocal haters when she was known as "Reliable Rachael." Now that "IT'S ALL HER FAULT!", can you imagine the number of trolls who are going to rear their ugly heads? And there's going to be the crying that if she knew she was this injured and unable to do her best, then she should have withdrawn so that Nagasu could have had a chance to help get those 3 spots. I shudder the thought and feel very badly for the poor girl.

I agree. I really like Rachael and I hope people will be kind. I was impressed with how well she skated considering she had a stress fracture, right tibia. She did not have the lowest placement of an American Lady ever.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
That's unfortunate. Yu-Na lost by a missing double toe loop. I thought her step sequence was chilling and haunting, and I think she should keep this program for next year. It was just under-seasoned. I'm surprised she didn't include a 2A+3T in her program.

better that than overly salty, right? (yes I know lame attempt at humor here...)
 

Layfan

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Czisny would be what- 26? in Sochi. I seriously doubt it. But then again, I didn't think she'd be relevant now so who knows?

I think we need someone like Czisny especially now that NO ONE ELSE seems to be willing to step up and lead US ladies. But if she goes, I don't necessarily think she'll be missed, per se (except maybe sentimentally by some fans)

Yes, Zawadski has potential but like always, I caution against premature crowning of anybody. Too much pressure when they've yet to prove themselves. And from what I saw this season, she is not exactly consistent (at least at this stage).

While I'm not fully convinced the newcomers will dominate, I do think they will take over the contender positions previously occupied by Zhang, Wagner and Flatt. Like I've said before, a 90%-100% Nagasu is the only current skater that I believe genuinely has a shot at Sochi.

I mean, if things are exactly the way they are now in 2013-14 then Alissa obviously has a shot at the Olympic team. But it's extremely hard to imagine they will be.
For one thing, would she be able to keep up her tech at 26? And it's hard to imagine her tech won't be surpassed. I hope it will be anyway - otherwise we definitely won't have a strong medal contender for Sochi, as it's nearly unthinkable that one of these upcoming junior Russians won't emerge to be medal favorites. And they are the type that will have both 3-3 AND great lines, etc.

But it doesn't matter. It's already great that Alissa that she stuck around for her most successful year yet and can be proud of her career. She won't be a superstar but she'll be a fan favorite for a long time.

Rachael may be young but don't see her vastly improving while attending Standford at the same time.

All be told it's anyone's guess who will be on the US ladies Olympic team. This would be be fine if there was any clear emerging star power out there but to me there just isn't at this point, unless Mirai gets her act together.

You say it's good news that it's a new era for the American ladies. Except that a whole "new era" has come and gone with none of the newbies - Rachael, Mirai, Ashley, Caroline, - living up to what they did as juniors. So are we in for a similar cycle over the next three years? :confused2:
 

fairly4

Medalist
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
congratulations to Miki ando for winning your 2nd world title, good job.
congratulations to Yu-na for coming in 2nd in your only competition--good job.
congratulations to Carolina Kostner for winning the bronze medal. good job
Congratulations to Alena for coming in 4th--good job.
Congratulations to ALissa for coming in 5th--good job. way to go.

Congratulations to all athletes for doing your best,
good job Rachel for doing your best with your injury.
 
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