LADIES FREE Skate

[lavender]

LOL at Weir, if he comes back he has about a 10% chance to make the U.S World team, and if he does make it there he wont be anywhere near a medal. Maybe around where Rippon finished here if he is lucky (PS- Rippon is quite unlikely to make the U.S World team next year too).

Evan, well we will see. I think his rumored comeback is a publicity stunt personally and no way he medals if the skating is like we saw in the mens event earlier. Takahashi would have blown any version of Evan out of the water with his LP here and still came only 3rd in the LP.

Hey I'm not a fan of Evan or Weir but both are better competitors than Adam and Jeremy and I love Adam and Jeremy.

[koheikun90]

I almost forgot about this! Well, it's okay. It's been Japan and Korea for the past 5 years? Next year, it will probably be Japan again :P

Yep...

2007 Miki Ando JPN
2008 Mao Asada JPN
2009 Yu Na Kim KOR
2010 Mao Asada JPN
2011 Miki Ando JPN
2012 Not Asia
2013 COME BACK YU NA KIM!!!!! GET IT TOGETHER MAO! I would love to see another Yu Na and Mao rivalry. It made me watch FS again.

[pangtongfan]

Oh common...she was lucky to be on the podium. Had it been another year, she would be crying of joy to be up there. Next year will be interesting, please come back Miki Ando ;P

Ando should stay retired. Last year was her peak, a good note to go out on. If Murakami keeps improving and Mao finally puts all the pieces together she will have a hard time even making the Japanese team. My guess is she wont come back.

[Selene]

I looked at the protocol. Ashley had the highest base value. She was beaten on GOE and PCS.

[pangtongfan]

Hey I'm not a fan of Evan or Weir but both are better competitors than Adam and Jeremy and I love Adam and Jeremy.

Who cares. Adam and Jeremy werent even close to a medal here so competing better than them wouldnt put you on the podium. The 3 medalists here all skated LPs that would blow Evan at his best away.

Weir, LOL! Vancouver was his absolute best and he only came 6th in a mediocre event. His Vancouver performances which he would be hard pressed to duplicate in competition ever again, would be hard pressed to even be top 10 here. He has since slammed hte USFSA who were never his biggest supporters anyway, been out of competitive skating for a few years (and not even doing much touring) and is nearing 30. 7th place at Nationals would be a good result for him if he returns.

BTW neither Evan or Johnny has beaten Jeremy at Nationals since 2008. Evan "might" be allowed to if he returns (although if Abbott skates like Nationals this year he will lose) but Johnny, not a chance, unless Jeremy bombs.

[Becki]

Ando should stay retired. Last year was her peak, a good note to go out on. If Murakami keeps improving and Mao finally puts all the pieces together she will have a hard time even making the Japanese team. My guess is she wont come back.

This is Miki Ando we're talking about. If anything, she has not reached her peak yet. Her federation lost faith in her after a disappointing 15th place finish at the Torino Olympics, and she fought hard and walked away as a World Champion the next year.

The ladies' field is so weak right now, Miki Ando can win the World Championships almost effortlessly..(same goes to Yuna Kim)

Of course, if Mao Asada comes back strong next year, you can never count her out

[Jammers]

Japan like every other country is going to have to start looking at the younger girls coming up too. Akiko is now 27 Ando if she comes back about 24 and Mao doesn't seem to be the same skater she was even two years ago. And after Sochi they will all be gone.

[sky_fly20]

We may not see Alena in 2 years once the world junior champ is eligible. Plus there's so many other good skaters coming out of Russia.

Makarova can be dumped
but Alena has shown she is a fighter, I don't think they will dump a world medalist
Alena can still compete with Adelina, Tukt, Julia, Radionova, Shelepen etc.

[lavender]

Yep hope Miki comes back. That would be great. Mao will be back.

[Becki]

Japan like every other country is going to have to start looking at the younger girls coming up too. Akiko is now 27 Ando if she comes back about 24 and Mao doesn't seem to be the same skater she was even two years ago. And after Sochi they will all be gone.

Kanako Murakami is the future of Japan's ladies' figure skating. And they have plenty of new talents coming up!

[raress]

I almost forgot about this! Well, it's okay. It's been Japan and Korea for the past 5 years? Next year, it will probably be Japan again :P

With the new Russian wave I don't think so but it's about time to see other continents that Asia on the first place of the podium!!!! Congratulations to Carolina well deserved Title!!!And to Ashley to who saved the honor of USA today!!

[l'etoile]

This is Miki Ando we're talking about. If anything, she has not reached her peak yet. Her federation lost faith in her after a disappointing 15th place finish at the Torino Olympics, and she fought hard and walked away as a World Champion the next year.

The ladies' field is so weak right now, Miki Ando can win the World Championships almost effortlessly..(same goes to Yuna Kim)

Of course, if Mao Asada comes back strong next year, you can never count her out

Sadly it's highly likely that if will always be if.

[ayayukiituka]

This is Miki Ando we're talking about. If anything, she has not reached her peak yet. Her federation lost faith in her after a disappointing 15th place finish at the Torino Olympics, and she fought hard and walked away as a World Champion the next year.

The ladies' field is so weak right now, Miki Ando can win the World Championships almost effortlessly..(same goes to Yuna Kim)

Of course, if Mao Asada comes back strong next year, you can never count her out

I haven't seen Miki hit triples except 3S this season though.

[Becki]

I haven't seen Miki hit triples except 3S this season though.

That's 'cause she's not competing this season?

[pangtongfan]

Kanako Murakami is the future of Japan's ladies' figure skating. And they have plenty of new talents coming up!

Murakami is their best chance for a medal in Sochi. I dont see Ando in Sochi, Asada is a question mark at this point (she will probably be there, but in what form), and Suzuki will be pretty old by then but she seems to be a late bloomer, but the 2014 field will be stronger so she will have to keep improving even more.