2012 Challenge Cup | Page 3 | Golden Skate

2012 Challenge Cup

Puchi

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
I just watched Alissa's FS again and I'm pretty certain she was going for an upgraded technical content. Her opening 2axel was intended to be "bigger" than her usual 2axel. I think she was going for a 2axel/3toe and that messed up her timing. She lost all her confidence and wathever was planned after that just went down the drain. This was just a test skate for her. Whaterver new jumping layout they were considering is clearly not going to happen. So she'll get back to her comfort zone at worlds and will hope for the best.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
That's actually a relief to hear, Puchi. If she was trying something out of her comfort zone in a low-stakes competition (low-stakes except that it's giving her fans heart palpitations and quivers), then that's a smart tactic, and it might not reflect her level of success at Worlds. From our mouths to God's ear. Thanks for being so brave and going back to watch Alissa's program with an analytic eye.
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
That doesn't explain why she had messy landings on all her jumps. It isn't a good thing if one misstep at the beginning of the program cascades to the extent that everything fails.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
A test jump at a low stakes test event should not mess up her confidence and all her jumps. OTOH, she messed up big time at the club send off as well. :confused2:

The alternate twin theory works as well as any in depth analysis. :sarcasm:
 

Puchi

On the Ice
Joined
Sep 26, 2010
Infidels! :p Alissa is gonna prove all those who are writing her off wrong!

For some reason I still keep the faith in her doing fine at worlds. ;)
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
Yes, she messed up at the club sendoff and then didn't skate well at Nationals.

Her Challenge Cup skate was much worse than the club sendoff skate. That doesn't bode well for Worlds. ISU judges aren't going to give her the breaks and PCS cushion the US judges did.
 

centerpt1

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 27, 2008
Whether or not it's a put on bravado, he doesn't seem to let poor performances and result get him down.

I would think that is related to many years of sports psychology sprinkled with a bit of media training.
 

Skater Boy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
One wonders if Alyssa would have ever gone to an event like the Challenge Cup so close to world's if this were the Olympics. Remember how every dropped out of 4ccs to go to the Olympicsi n Vancouver. Ditto for Jeremy.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
She's actually really talkative in that video :p Alissa seems to express a lot with her smile and facial expressions. Has anyone, as a fan, ever been able to really talk to her?

I have "met" Alissa several times as a fan. She is very nice and friendly. But our conversations were all pretty much like this: "I like your La Vie en Rose program." "Thank you." "Good luck at Worlds." "Thank you." :)

Some people are ill at ease in situations like that (Sasha Cohen) and some are shy (Kristi Yamaguchi as an amateur). Two skaters who are really good at "working the room" at a meet and greet are Tanith Belbin and Michael Weiss.
 

Violet Bliss

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
One wonders if Alyssa would have ever gone to an event like the Challenge Cup so close to world's if this were the Olympics. Remember how every dropped out of 4ccs to go to the Olympicsi n Vancouver. Ditto for Jeremy.

4cc 2010 was impossible for an Olympian to attend, especially the non Asians, as it was held at the end of January in Korea when the Olympics was about to begin on February 12 in Vancouver. Europe is relatively easy for a N American to travel to, almost the same distance as a transcontinental trip.

I'd like to think it was the kindness of the Olympians to leave some consolation prizes for the lesser skaters. :)
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
One wonders if Alyssa would have ever gone to an event like the Challenge Cup so close to world's if this were the Olympics. Remember how every dropped out of 4ccs to go to the Olympicsi n Vancouver. Ditto for Jeremy.

I think Puchi (post 41) is on the right track as far as team Alissa's strategy this year. If Alissa is seriously going to contend for the world championship she has to upgrade her technical content to include a triple Lutz triple toe, or at least a double Axel triple toe. I think her first element was supposed to be her 2A/3T attempt. When it failed, she just wasn't able to get her legs under her the rest of the program.

Now I think (again agreeing with Puchi) that Jason and Yuka will say, OK, plan A didn't work, let's go on to plan B. Do what jumps you can, spin pretty, and hope for the best.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I have "met" Alissa several times as a fan. She is very nice and friendly. But our conversations were all pretty much like this: "I like your La Vie en Rose program." "Thank you." "Good luck at Worlds." "Thank you." :)

Some people are ill at ease in situations like that (Sasha Cohen) and some are shy (Kristi Yamaguchi as an amateur). Two skaters who are really good at "working the room" at a meet and greet are Tanith Belbin and Michael Weiss.

I'll definitely agree about Tanith :yes: (Weiss is cool, too) She, and surprisingly Sarah Hughes...they both put me completely at ease. It's just like talking to your good friend.

As for Kristi Y, I went to one of her book signings last week and she was friendly as well (although since it was an "autograph table" format, of course not much time to do anything else other than quick sign and perhaps a picture). I expected to be nervous (autograph tables really do me in!) but I actually wasn't...maybe I'm finally getting used to it :laugh: Maybe taking photos helped with that a bit...

Back to Czisny though- saw her once at a post-show M&G at SOI. MM is right, she's really friendly...by the time she got to our table though, I was admittedly a bit overwhelmed by the moment- but you know, she offered to sign my stuff (I would have asked, but I couldn't say anything) then I finally came to my senses and told her I enjoyed her that night, and she said thank you. (Think I also took a picture with her). Had it been someone more reserved, it definitely would have been more awkward...
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
...then I finally came to my senses...

Shizuka Arakawa once said, about her free skate at 2004 Worlds, IIRC, "Blanking out was a good thing. By the time I came to my senses I was halfway through my program. :rofl:
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Shizuka Arakawa once said, about her free skate at 2004 Worlds, IIRC, "Blanking out was a good thing. By the time I came to my senses I was halfway through my program. :rofl:

Perhaps :laugh: it would be nice if certain skaters would have the good fortune of "blanking out" at Worlds *cough*Czisny*cough*

That wasn't even the first time such a moment happened to me, though. I remember the first M&G I ever went to- an SOI pre-show in 2009 I think, and it was really awesome (you can probably check the archives for full report) but nerve-wracking at the same time. It was the final skater I went to (Sasha Cohen) and the moment just hit like a ton of bricks. She was kinda standoffish too, that added to the anxiety I was feeling. Keep in mind this was my first time meeting skaters in person.

You just don't know how you will feel in a particular situation until you find yourself in the middle of it...
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ I know. And if we feel nervous just meeting a famous skater, think how they must feel going out to skate in front of thousands of people, a row of television cameras, and a panel of mean judges!
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
^ I know. And if we feel nervous just meeting a famous skater, think how they must feel going out to skate in front of thousands of people, a row of television cameras, and a panel of mean judges!

Most interesting to me is that numerous skaters say they feel MORE nervous watching their peers skate than they are themselves (I guess it's a control thing).

For me personally, it wasn't so much nervousness as it was simply an "OMG moment", as in "I've seen these people on TV for years and here I am, actually talking to them!" It's realization of that moment, I think, that causes these "blankouts". Thinking about it too much, essentially. And there is no warning.
 
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