I think it boils down to whether she can up the tecnical content - the program is gorgeous and she clearly loves to skate it - somewhat like Aikiko in that regard today .Originally Posted by Jammers
Agree with those suggesting an immediate coaching change for Mirai ( with no disrespect to Frank ) - and that LP has got to go - who the #@#$ choreographed it - it could not be less suitable for Mirai
That seems like a good sign!
I'd call her Queen-in-waiting, and for now, Princess Tut ... A controlled and confident performance. She's got the skills definitely. A long way yet to go. I'll bet her competitors are quite happy though that she's still too young to compete at Worlds.
Ashley won the mini-U.S. Nats battle, and I hope she keeps going strong. A legendary coach now and great programs. She looks good on the ice. Interesting that Flatt was scored as highly as she was in the sp, and equally interesting how they dumped her down so far in the free. Her lack of endurance a factor in her free performance, I suppose. Her slicked back hair at least not as bad as the short cut. The colors of Flatt's outfits a better look for her.
I thought Mirai should be ahead of Alena, but I guess it was that close due to Mirai's lackluster presentation.
Protocals.
Akiko -- She got a e on her second lutz (but not the first!) -GOE on 3 Loop and the 3Z.. AND A LEVEL FOUR STEP SEQUENCE!!! Awesome. Actually got got level fours on all her spins too!
Liza -- No negative GOE wow. But she got a level 1 on her camel spin. She'll have to work on upping those spin levels.
Ashley -- Ah, two flutzes :( But otherwise postive GOE on everything else. They loved her spiral +1.40 GOE!!!
Alena -- ah, lots of URs, which is about right.
Mirai - Level two layback? Aw, man. Edge call on the lutz and negative GOE on her 2A-2T, 3Z (also UR and 3T). She only got a .10 on her spiral?
Amelie - Whie she popped a bunch of jump and -GOE on her 3S-2L combo, her 1F and her 2A.
Cynthia -- UR on 3Loop, level one spin and level 2 step sequence.
Sarah - negative GOE on 3F and 3S and 3T-2T combo. Okay otherwise.
Adriana- edge call on flip, neegative GOE on 3Lz, 3F. level two layback and combo spins.
Rachel -- well lots of negative GOE and URs. One level one spin, level two spin, level two step sequence. Not her day.
Liza still skates like a Junior skater. She's more a jumping bean then anything at the moment. She doesn't cover a lot of ice and her spins are subpar. She has a lot of work to do.
Now that Frank has finally moved to his Cathedral City rink, Mirai only goes there a few times a week. It's quite a time consuming drive from LA. I don't think she trains hard enough when Frank or Evan are not around to push her.
The new Queen! (Well, maybe.) The American ladies are such a disappointment. And in that, I include Ashley--and Alissa. Mirai is the most talented, but she is a head case, I'm sad to say. I hope something is happening at the junior level to bring American skating back to the highest level because none in the current group is going to do it.
Coaching isn't the problem with Mirai. She has to decide if she really wants it bad enough. She skated with no fire out there when she needed to go for broke. If she can't handle the nerves then maybe skating isn't for her.
I don't think Mirai necessarily deserved such low PCS as she received tonight. Sure, she didn't skate with a lot of energy but neither did Phaneuf nor Lacoste and they got much higher PCS. (Also, her SS is WAY better than Leonova's)
Well the problem seems to be for the american girls landing there jumps more then anything. Flatt used to be consistent but wasn't ever going to be a World champion. I would love to see Gracie Gold skate as a Senior at Nationals she skates with power and has huge jumps.
With this I agree somewhat. However, she does have budding artistic skills. She's quite precocious, not just a jumping bean. But I agree, she still has work to do. If she maintains that charm and confidence, along with the jumping skills, she's a contender in the ladies' ranks. INterested to see how the other Russian up-and-comers will fare.
As far as your wholesale "wipe the slate clean" attitude toward U.S. girls, I think Jammers, that you've been spoiled by the one and only Kween!
Yes - Gracie Gold
I agree her spins still need some work (and a minor back problem she has at the moment may be affecting her in that respect), but everything else apart from the doubled out toe loop was perfect. Should have been in the 120.00s. Her PCS for her free skate of 53.60 was way undermarked
Last edited by Mao88; 10-29-2011 at 04:17 PM.
But Jammers, Gracie is still a junior, and has even more to work on than Elizaveta, IMO. Wow, jenaj's "disappointment" probably equals how much he/she too was spoiled by the Kween!
No just that the US used to always have girls that were contenders. Maybe over 50 years of great US women skaters was bound to come to a end for awhile.
Liza was indeed calm and her performance was really good, but she has a HUGE advantage because she is a "tween". When you're young like she is, your whole emotional chemistry is that of a child and the doubts and insecurities etc. that creep into the young adult mind don't plague her yet. Also, she's tiny and weighs almost nothing yet, so her body defies gravity with much greater ease. Don't get me wrong, Liza is a real genuine talent and should have been scored higher than she was, she is an ice-princess and if she survives puberty intact she will be a major player at Worlds in 2013 and the Olympics in 2014. She had two admirable performances at Skate Canada.
The only senior skater in the Grand Prix that can maybe beat her is Mao. Will they be competing before the Grand Prix Final?
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