Cohen Has Breakout Season - GPF Spoilers

**gsk8** · 12-18-2003, 12:11 AM

This may be a breakout year for Alexandra Pauline (Sasha) Cohen, the diminutive ballerina on ice who has captivated the public's eye in the last year.

More

**nymkfan51** · 12-18-2003, 05:56 AM

Thanks Paula ... an interesting article.

I didn't realize that she had landed a quad at SA in 2001.

**euterpe** · 12-18-2003, 06:22 AM

She ATTEMPTED one at Skate America, but it was never ratified. IIRC, she fell on the attempt and finished 5th in the FS and 5th overall.

**Skate Sandee** · 12-18-2003, 06:26 AM

Originally posted by nymkfan51
Thanks Paula ... an interesting article.

I didn't realize that she had landed a quad at SA in 2001.

She didn't land it in that competition. That's an error in the article. She attempted it and popped it open. So it was a single. Actually that whole program was a disaster for her at Skate America. But I do think she landed a two-footed quad (so it wasn't ratified) at Finlandia earlier that season. It wasn't televised, but I'm almost sure I read that she almost landed it at Finlandia.

**Joesitz** · 12-18-2003, 07:34 AM

A very good PR job and very good pictures.

Joe

**chuckm** · 12-18-2003, 08:43 AM

At this time last year there were similar articles being written about Cohen. She had won two GP events, finished 2nd in a third, then won the Winter Cheesefest and the Canadian Open. Consensus had it that she was a shoo-in for the GPF, US and World titles. She lost the US Championship, then won the GPF over a stressed-out Slutskaya, but once again finished off the podium at Worlds.

Sasha had an even better early season this year, winning Campbell's and all three GP events. But then she had the worst skate of her life at the Winter Cheesefest, and blew the GPF with two sloppy performances.

This article would probably have had more validity if it had come out before the cheesefest.

**Dee4707** · 12-18-2003, 10:23 AM

Thanks Paula, I enjoyed the article.

Dee

**tharrtell** · 12-18-2003, 10:50 AM

Appears as though the girl doesn't know the proper name for some of her moves. Sasha spin? What's that? I'm familiar with the BC ...

**berthes ghost** · 12-18-2003, 11:57 AM

Cohen likes to do some of her own choreography, which incorporates a variety of unique moves including a Charlotte spiral, a 'Sasha spiral' with an incredibly high leg lift, and a very fast 'Sasha spin', again performed with her free leg held straight up over her head.

How can doing the Charlotte be called unique? Someone else invented it like a zillion years ago and half the ladies field are currently doing it.

What's a 'Sasha spiral'? Does she just mean the regualr spiral with the fabulous extension of the free leg? AFAICT, tricks with authorship have different positions, not just excellent execution. The TanoLutz is actually a different position, not just a really high Lutz. The HamilCamel is a different combination, not just a camel spin with really good stretch.

I've seen plenty of people do spins which are sometimes called Y spins or martini spins. Midori used to do it all the time. AFAICT the only differnce is that the 'Sasha spin' has the foot closer to the head. So. Isn't that just a really well executed martini spin? Why not call it a Midori spin then?

Maybe she should try doing a Mike pike? Now that's unique!

**Skate Sandee** · 12-18-2003, 01:34 PM

Originally posted by tharrtell
Appears as though the girl doesn't know the proper name for some of her moves. Sasha spin? What's that? I'm familiar with the BC ...

Well that's kind of how the whole "TM" thing started on the Internet. I remember wondering why people were always coming up with Sasha related expressions and following it up with a (TM). Apparently some posters on the net started it as a tongue-in-cheek acknowledgement of that fact that Sasha's team kept naming things after her that had been done by other skaters long before her. Thus the infamous trademarking began and took on a life of it's own!

Love her or hate her, she's definitely a force on the skating scene and an intriguing character to watch.

**shine** · 12-18-2003, 02:46 PM

I'm sorry, but if I see Sasha Cohen gets called a "ballarina" one more time, I'm seriously going to puke.

**Piel** · 12-18-2003, 03:00 PM

Shine, not worth ruining your keyboard:D !

Piel

**4dogknight** · 12-18-2003, 03:22 PM

Shine: ITA

I'm sorry, but if I see Sasha Cohen gets called a "ballarina" one more time, I'm seriously going to puke.

Gymnast, maybe; Cirque du Soleil performer, a distinct possibility; ballerina - not in a million years.

4dk

**kappa_1** · 12-18-2003, 07:10 PM

What's a 'Sasha spiral'?

I think she meant this:
http://www.sashafans.com/media/galle...bition/ap2.jpg

ballerina - not in a million years.

Well I tcertainly think so, what with her exceptional extension toe point, posture, grace, style etc., JMHO.

**mpal2** · 12-18-2003, 09:21 PM

Originally posted by kappa_1
I think she meant this:
http://www.sashafans.com/media/galle...bition/ap2.jpg

The only problem with that is I've seen it before and done better. She has gotten better with it, but I always wonder about her ankle strength and the spiral isn't as steady or as long as I've seen others do.