Practice reports

[Bluebonnet]

If this article has been posted somewhere in this forum, I apologize that I didn't see it:

Takahashi Plays Down Chan Rivalry

"This is simply an opportunity to compete ahead of the world championships. I want to skate better than I did at the nationals and give myself a platform to build on for the worlds."

"This is my first time to compete in an event at high altitude. I am not sure how things will work out but I want to get lots of practice," said Takahashi, who will likely need to nail quads in both his short and free skate to stand a realistic chance of beating Chan.

"I have been told that (the altitude) makes it easy to put in quads as you can get height on your jumps but this is my first time so I don't know what will happen until I try."

[SkateFiguring]

I've read that though it's probably not been linked here. I remember it as it was a new concept to me that one can jump higher at high altitude.

Haruka begs to differ.

japanskates Japanskates
(2/4)Aiko: Mao still has planned one 3A in both SP/FS, and 3F-3Lo in SP!!! #4CC
6 minutes ago

japanskates Japanskates
(3/4)Aiko: Kanako will have 3T-3T 3F in SP, 3Lo(one time) 3T-3T and 2A in FS as I tweeted. #4CC
7 minutes ago

japanskates Japanskates
(4/4)Aiko: Haruka feels problems with toe jumps(such as 3T-3T) due to the altitude there. #4CC
6 minutes ago

LynnRutherford Lynn Rutherford
@chris61978 I did not see Ashley run-thru, the jumps she was practicing I did see, triple loop, triple flip, triple Salchow, looked strong.
3 hours ago

And this,

LynnRutherford Lynn Rutherford
Listening to the ladies' music as they practice, you can tell RFlatt is a trendsetter. East of Eden is the new Carmen. #4CCs
2 hours ago

LynnRutherford Lynn Rutherford
MAsada tried a 3A in her FS runthru but popped it. I did not see her land a clean one in the practice. Murakami looked solid. #4CCs
2 hours ago

^^^ Mao indeed did land at least 2 3As, with video proof.

LynnRutherford Lynn Rutherford
Presser: MAsada plans 3Axel in both programs&perhaps 3flip-3loop. Other Japanese ladies will do 3toe3toe. Details to come @icenetwork #4CCs
1 hour ago

LynnRutherford Lynn Rutherford
On @icenetwork: Takahashi targets quads, transitions to beat Chan: tinyurl.com/6sl69sa #4CCs
1 hour ago

^^^ I posted about it in Men's LP thread.

Here's a short video of Mao's practice with 3A, from the long video l linked earlier.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BizEYCkL87U

[SkateFiguring]

LynnRutherford Lynn Rutherford
TMachida impressive in practice, clean run thru of short and also hit 4Toe outside of runthru. Really nice steps, high flying sit. #4CC
53 minutes ago

LynnRutherford Lynn Rutherford
PChan fell on 4T in runthru and hand down on 3A, but did these jumps easily outside of runthru. As always Take Five steps brilliant. #4CC
52 minutes ago

japanskates Japanskates
(1/4)Aiko: SPに四回転を予定している男子の構成 quad jumpers SP Planned jump elements except for 3A: #19Nan SONG{4T-3T,3Lz} #20Patrick CHAN{4T-3T,3Lz} #4CC

japanskates Japanskates
(3/4)Aiko: SPに四回転を予定している男子の構成quad jumpers SP Planned jump elements except for 3A: #24Daisuke TAKAHASHI{4T-3T,3Lz} #26Denis TEN{4T,3F-3T}#4CC

japanskates Japanskates
(4/4)Aiko: SPに四回転を予定している男子の構成 quad jumpers SP Planned jump elements except for 3A: #27Takahito MURA{4T-3T,3Lz} #28 RAKIMGALIEV{4T,3F-3T}#4CC


So, it seems Song, Chan, Takahashi, and Mura will do identical jumps, while Ten and Rakimgaluev will do a different set of their own.

[SkateFiguring]

elizabethdehoff Elizabeth DeHoff
Dube and Wolf looked tentative. Hope they leave all that hesitation on the practice ice! #4CC

elizabethdehoff Elizabeth DeHoff
Takahashi/Tran will skate their short in this practice, as will Sui/Han.

Sui/Han did huge quad twist. (not quoting twitter because of their ID error.)

japanskates Japanskates
Aiko: #21 TatsukiMACHIDA has planned 町田樹選手は{3A, 3F-3T, 3Lz}の予定構成です。#4CC

elizabethdehoff Elizabeth DeHoff
T/T have the most elegant presentation from head to toe, even in practice. #4CC

swandie27 swandie27
Zhangs and Wang practice short. Her left knee is bandaged. #4cc

^^^ Who are Zhangs and Wang?

swandie27 swandie27
TakaTran did some nice side by side spins just now. #4cc

swandie27 swandie27
Nice 3 jump combo from Sui and Han! #4cc

The Canton team didn't show. Is dinner break so early?

[Nadine]

Loved reading the reports, keep them coming!

My favorite(s) were about Mao & Agnes. Lol, I'm more excited to see the ladies then the men, a first for me, but then again that's because Zhenya isn't competing here nor Jeremy Abbott. Euros & Nationals was more exciting for me due to that fact. But to see Mao again with a 3axel, finally, gets my engine roaring, as well as to see America's fantastic jumper, Agnes, on the world stage (can't wait to see how she does)!!!!

Now just waiting for a report about Denney & Coughlin.

3 HOURS TO GO!

[icellist]

from the practice youtube videos, mao's 3A looks < and her 3F-3L looks awfully similar to a 3F-2L. But if she says she'll do it, i'll be waiting intently for the ladies for her to prove me wrong. hope streaming links will be posted up

[mary01]

from the practice youtube videos, mao's 3A looks < and her 3F-3L looks awfully similar to a 3F-2L. But if she says she'll do it, i'll be waiting intently for the ladies for her to prove me wrong. hope streaming links will be posted up

for me the two 3A that she did in practice looked absolutely magnificent and completely fully rotated, her height was awesome and the fast rotation is so amazing to see, can't wait for the competition to begin and wish her all the best... can't believe that only one or two month ago her mother died, she really is unbelievable, wonder where she always gets the strength from!

[SkateFiguring]

This is what's said about Mao's 3A on Icenetwork report of Japanese Ladies press conference:

"After Japanese nationals, I have been trying to do triple Axel," she said. "I am willing to do it here at Four Continents.

"So far, my plan is to try to do triple Axel in both my short program and free skate ... My coach, Mr. Sato, is not against me trying the triple Axel here. I will also attempt the triple flip-triple loop."

Asada tried a triple Axel in a run-through of her free skate Thursday morning, but popped it. She came closer on other attempts, two-footing the landing of several.

For some, this event is the last and biggest of their season, a redeeming opportunity for some, and a skate-off for Worlds entry for others. But for a few, like Mao, it's time to try out aggressive moves ahead of World Championships. She has little to lose to put in the 3A here.

[SkateFiguring]

Andrew_Dodds Andrew Dodds
Mao & Kanako just hoped on for there practice #4CC


LynnRutherford Lynn Rutherford
MHubbell & ZDonohue have their practice session to themselves; lots of space to run thru rumba sequences. Other teams took time off. #4CC

[seniorita]

Sorry. stupid question but #4CC will be the tag? or #4cc2012?

[SkateFiguring]

I like #4CC and some individual twitter pages. #4CC2012 and #figureskate are mostly Japanese and a lot of RT on good reports on Japanese skaters.

[wallylutz]

for me the two 3A that she did in practice looked absolutely magnificent and completely fully rotated, her height was awesome and the fast rotation is so amazing to see, can't wait for the competition to begin and wish her all the best... can't believe that only one or two month ago her mother died, she really is unbelievable, wonder where she always gets the strength from!

Nope, I agree with icellist, based on the video that Japanese TV showed, her 3A from practice is clearly not fully rotated as part of the rotation is still finished on ice. Probably not enough to warrant < but as far as GOE is concerned, -1 in my book.

[KKonas]

Hubbell & Donahue were only US dance team on practice today. Said they hoped for a top 10 finish at Worlds. Worried a bit about altitude here in Colo Spgs, but Weaver & Poje and Virtue & Moir said they felt confident it was not a problem as long as they didn't have to speak immediately after they finished their program! Ha! Anyway, everyone had good practice today. Davis & White and the Shibs have early morning practice tomorrow and we will get them at the Mixed Zone afterward for a comment. V&M have gone back to the original ending of their SD and Virtue has a stunning new dress for the SD. Costumes not changed for the FD.

[SkateFiguring]

^^^ Lynn Rutherford reported

Tessa has new short dance dress, violet with gold beaded flowers, "puffy" skirt and criss-cross back. Lovely.

How's attendance?

skating102 Axels Loops & Spins
@USFigureSkating...we have got to do something about filling seats at events... #4CC #moreagressiveadcampaign

[colleen o'neill]

Yay! for V/M's ending.