LADIES FREE Skate | Page 41 | Golden Skate

LADIES FREE Skate

Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Yeah maybe both good and bad means. Daisuke and Yuzuru's FS was brilliant besides T/T got medal for Japan pair for the first time! I'm so happy for Carolina to take the title and Akiko's on the podium,too! Nice podium! But I'm really worried about team Sato (USA and Japan) whose all skaters except Marchei had rough skates...

I love Yuka Sato so much, and I'm so distressed for her team.

As for Alissa, since I didn't yell at Rachael last year, I have the luxury of not having to yell at Alissa this year. I can just feel awful, and I certainly do. I'm sure she didn't expect to do so badly, and she certainly didn't do it on purpose. It's not only agonizing to skate like that in public, it's humiliating, and it takes her coaches and her federation down with her. I'm sure she would have done anything to avoid this. In fact, I wonder whether there was something really wrong with her, whether physical or mental. This isn't just a calf injury.

As for Carolina and Akiko, how delicious to see them do so well. Carolina's program this year is lovely. She might not have been a champion during a time of more technical demands, but she's skating here and now, and she delivered the goods. As for Akiko...wow. Twenty-seven years old, and this is her first year with a triple-triple. Like Shizuka, she rewrites the book on what women skaters can be capable of doing. (Not all women skaters, of course; just the exceptional ones.) I hope she can keep up the good work until Sochi. But meanwhile, she has that wonderful performance at Worlds, and a silver medal.

My heart aches for Mao. But I know she won't give up. Wait till next year!

And Ashley is now in the big time. My thoughts for next year: she and Caroline might be the ones who top the heap in the U.S. next year. For all her problems, Zhang always seemed to be poised under pressure. Before her size changes and weak technique did her in, she was the American skater who did best with international judges. And now she's been repairing her technique. Hmmmm.
 
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
I have always cheered for Mao and it's very upsetting to see her in this condition.
Much as I love her, I am puzzled by the PCS she got. She got 7.61 for performance/execution, higher than Wagner, Suzuki, Murakami and Leonova. Is that possible?

It shouldn't be. That is what I'm most upset about ladies' event. If Mao was given 60 PCS to 45 TES mark, Suzuki must receive 64 PCS to 62 TES mark.
 

Becki

Medalist
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
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.

Ando will be 26 at Sochi. I see her at Sochi....she will probably look up to Shizuka Arakawa for inspiration, since Shizuka went to her last Olympics at 24.

I will give Asada the benefit of the doubt, it has been a tough year for her. She looked amazing at the beginning of the season, but things happen....and it takes time to heal. It takes a lot of courage to continue training after the death of a loved one, and I applause her for that. I will not count her out - she has Sochi in her eyes.

Suzuki - will probably 28/29. There's a chance she might be there...but then again, being a world medalist might be satisfying enough for her, and she will turn pro soon :)

As for new talents - look at the girl who placed 4th at Jr Worlds. Would she be age eligible for Sochi? either way, the field is so deep in Japan. I wouldn't count anybody out.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Man, I was REALLY hoping Wagner would sneak in there for bronze. Thought she should have been scored higher in the FS, but I'm guessing being in Group 3 held her back a little. Oh well, she did her best.

Czisny- no words needed.

I'm still disappointed over this entire competition though. It's a never-ending cycle...
 

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
Ando will be 26 at Sochi. I see her at Sochi....she will probably look up to Shizuka Arakawa for inspiration, since Shizuka went to her last Olympics at 24.

I will give Asada the benefit of the doubt, it has been a tough year for her. She looked amazing at the beginning of the season, but things happen....and it takes time to heal. It takes a lot of courage to continue training after the death of a loved one, and I applause her for that. I will not count her out - she has Sochi in her eyes.

Suzuki - will probably 28/29. There's a chance she might be there...but then again, being a world medalist might be satisfying enough for her, and she will turn pro soon :)

As for new talents - look at the girl who placed 4th at Jr Worlds. Would she be age eligible for Sochi? either way, the field is so deep in Japan. I wouldn't count anybody out.

Regardless who is on the Japanese ladies team for Sochi I see 0 medals for them but see Murakami as their best chance, with Suzuki and Asada kind of equal 2nd, and Ando least likely if she makes it. None more than 25% to medal though. I see the podium in Sochi being most likely 2 Russian and Kostner or 2 Russian and 1 American.

As for Ando she might try for Sochi (although my best guess is she wont come back at all) but even if she does 1 of those 4 will miss it and I think she is most likely. Suzuki despite being older than Ando is a late bloomer and she was nearly beating Ando last year, and I doubt Ando returning to her last season form. Asada is still their most talented skater, if she gets herself semi together she will make it. Murakami is their youngest and will keep improving moreso than the older Japanese.
 
Last edited:

Oreo

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
About all these young Russian girls who will be entering seniors next year: Don't forget, they're all due to be hit with puberty pretty soon. It will be interesting to see who survives it.
 

Mao88

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Just for the record, Czisny's 22nd placed finish is the worst 2nd placed American finish by a lady at Worlds since 1994 when Nicole Bobek finished equal 25th (failing to make the free skate). Moreover, the only reason why Bobek was participating at those championships was because Kerrigan and Harding decided not to take part after the Olympics. Hence, Bobek went as a last minute alternate, it was her first World Championships, and nothing much was expected of her. Michelle Kwan was the top placed American that year, finishing 8th at her first Worlds
 
Last edited:

Becki

Medalist
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
Regardless who is on the Japanese ladies team for Sochi I see 0 medals for them but see Murakami as their best chance, with Suzuki and Asada kind of equal 2nd, and Ando least likely if she makes it. None more than 25% to medal though. I see the podium in Sochi being most likely 2 Russian and Kostner or 2 Russian and 1 American.

As for Ando she might try for Sochi (although my best guess is she wont come back at all) but even if she does 1 of those 4 will miss it and I think she is most likely. Suzuki despite being older than Ando is a late bloomer and she was nearly beating Ando last year, and I doubt Ando returning to her last season form. Asada is still their most talented skater, if she gets herself semi together she will make it. Murakami is their youngest and will keep improving moreso than the older Japanese.

I don't understand you. If age is a matter, Kostner is in fact older than Ando (born in same year, but Ando is born at the end of the year). Why does Kostner have a better chance than Ando?
 

kwanatic

Check out my YT channel, Bare Ice!
Record Breaker
Joined
May 19, 2011
My thoughts!

Carolina: God, thank you for skating well! I do think she was overmarked but I DON'T CARE!! Carolina deserves it and (in a way) she earned it. Her technical content was pretty lame but the jumps she did do were beautiful...and her program was wonderful: the music, the choreography, the interpretation...amazing. Add in her incredible speed and flow, gorgeous lines and there's the justification for her score IMO. Plus she had to earn it; if she'd gone out there and messed up they would have had to put her under Alena. I'm proud of her! She was my pick for gold and I'm glad she delivered. I've gained a new appreciation for her skating in the last two years. I don't know how long she'll remain at the top if she can't up her technical content once this newer crowd of youngins comes in, but I happy she got to have her moment.

Alena: Well, you can't say she didn't fight for it. I do think she was overscored in the SP and LP in terms of her PCS; both segments' scores were about 2 points too high. Take those 4 points away and she'd be in 3rd place where she belongs. But I'll give her credit b/c she definitely delivered. She was a little slow and cautious in the LP but she hung on for all of the jumps. I think it's good for her that she's proven to her federation that she can challenge on the world stage. Being a world silver medalist should help her in rep points next year when the younger girls are eligible for senior worlds.

Akiko: I think she was underscored and I'd have had her 2nd here. She looked SO beautiful in her blue dress! I loved it! I'm so proud of her and I'm happy she made it on the podium though I think she deserved silver. It's great that she and Carolina are smashing the stereotype about "older" skaters. I really hope Japan celebrates this victory for her. I know they love Mao and Kanako, but Akiko has been carrying the torch for them this season. I just love her!

Ashley: I'm so proud of her too! She killed that LP, just like I knew she would. I do think her PCS were a little low in this event, but I hope that strong performance in the LP and 4th place finish will earn her a bit more respect next year in her GP events. She delivered on her promise for the US and she should be proud. Her 4th place finish is the best placement for a US lady in the last 4 or 5 years.

Kanako: Great skate for her as well. I know she's kicking herself over those two axels she messed up. Still, I think her performances (both SP and LP) were the strongest she's been all year. I love her speed and personality on the ice and she had two strong programs this year. Kanako doesn't have the elegance of some of the other ladies but there is a maturity and passion in her skating that I really love. Good job for her.

Mao: IDK what happened with her. After the pop on the axel it looked like she'd settled herself in...but then she just started doubling everything. Mao has had a tough couple of months and I'm in awe of her even being at worlds with all that she's been through recently. I really hope she continues to improve. I'm on the fence about her insistence on including the 3A...on one hand, I just wish she'd play it safe; but OTOH, everyone is playing it safe so I kinda admire her daring and tenacity. IDK...I just love her skating and I hope to see a stronger Mao next season.


Alissa: I really have no words. She was beyond terrible. I don't know what has broken inside of her but I really hope she finds a way to fix it. It's not an injury; her jumps looked fine in the warm up. It's like the Alissa from 2010-squared...I've never seen her do that poorly. There wasn't an ounce of fight in her. I think she's gone about as far as she's going to go in this sport. I'd be really surprised if she continues to compete next year...I just feel bad for her.


I expected Carolina to win this and I really hoped Akiko would medal, so I'm happy about that. I did not expect Alena to do what she did but I can't be mad at her. Even though her skating makes me wanna throw up a bit, she came out and laid it down when it counted...and I can respect and appreciate that. I do love her energy and enthusiasm...I just hate her skating.

Congrats to the medalists!!
 
Last edited:

pangtongfan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jun 16, 2010
I don't understand you. If age is a matter, Kostner is in fact older than Ando (born in same year, but Ando is born at the end of the year). Why does Kostner have a better chance than Ando?

Since Kostner is only getting better. Ando in fact peaked way back in 2007, last year was her late career peak but she capatilized on the super weak field which was even worse than this year. Plus Kostner is just a better skater. Ando is only a jumper so unless her jumps are right on, she isnt much of a threat. Kostner can afford less than the hardest and most consistent jumps everytime since she has the PCS and other elements. Ando also isnt likely to get the inflated PCS she got last year again, which was more the result of timing than anything.

If you started a poll who has a better chance to medal in Sochi between Kostner and Ando I am pretty sure Kostner would win in a landslide.
 

artsciboy

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
About all these young Russian girls who will be entering seniors next year: Don't forget, they're all due to be hit with puberty pretty soon. It will be interesting to see who survives it.

ITA. I like all the young Russians - but puberty is nobody's friend.
 

Becki

Medalist
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
Since Kostner is only getting better. Ando in fact peaked way back in 2007, last year was her late career peak but she capatilized on the super weak field which was even worse than this year. Plus Kostner is just a better skater. Ando is only a jumper so unless her jumps are right on, she isnt much of a threat. Kostner can afford less than the hardest and most consistent jumps everytime since she has the PCS and other elements. Ando also isnt likely to get the inflated PCS she got last year again, which was more the result of timing than anything.

If you started a poll who has a better chance to medal in Sochi between Kostner and Ando I am pretty sure Kostner would win in a landslide.

Wait...Ando peaked in 2007, but she peaked again in 2011? How can you tell? How do you know she won't get any better?

Kostner is only getting better in what aspect? Artistically - maybe, but definitely not technically. Ando is slowly developing her artistic ability (or rather ability to evoke emotion), and I think she hasn't reached her true potential in that department yet.

What Ando has that Kostner lacks (besides this season) is consistency. Last year, I believed all her LPs were skated cleanly.

Remember, Ando won the bronze in a strong ladies' field in 2009, and placed 5th at the Winter Olympics. If it had to do with timing, Ando wouldn't have achieved such admirable achievements. Kostner was able to win despite lackluster technical content is because of the TIMING - the field was so weak this year, you didn't need a 3-3 to medal.
 

adamlondon

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 7, 2004
Sigh 5 triple program, no lutz and you get a world championship. the standard for women have dropped a lot since the days of midori, yuka and michelle, by a mile
 

mateusp1

On the Ice
Joined
Mar 11, 2012
Carolina was stunning, amazing, beautiful.

Her jumps were more than textbook. They were PERFECT!

The first loop, flip and salchow were absolutely flawless. That jumps jumps deserved, at least, +2,0 GOE. The steps, spins and everything worked so well.
 

Mrs. P

Uno, Dos, twizzle!
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 27, 2009
Protocals breakdown (for top 15 because, it's reveals so many crazy trends!)

Things to note:
** Ashley executed the most difficult program of the night (highest base value). Ashley also had the highest score in jumps.
** Carolina's program was sixth in difficulty, but she had a on of +GOE. She also had the highest non-jump elements. Goes to show that good execution will help you.
** Mao's tech was dismal. She was saved by decent GOE and her non-jump elements (and PCS)
** They gave a lot of level 4 for footwork. Interesting.

Base Value:
Ashley: 57.70
Alena: 56.57
Yretha: 55.63
Akiko: 55.59
Kexin: 55.40
Carolina: 53.04
Kanako: 53.02
Valentina: 51.92
Elena: 50.50
Sonia: 48.00
Viktoria: 45.78
Jenna: 43.46
Ksenia: 42.30
Elene: 42.13
Mao: 39.88

GOE
Carolina: 10.18
Akiko: 6.47
Ashley: 5.21
Mao: 5.13
Alena: 4.00
Jenna: 3.45
Kanako: 2.51
Kexin: 2.67
Sofia: 2.04
Yretha: 0.22
Elena: 0.44
Viktoria: 0.41
Elene: -0.62
Ksenia: -2.52
Valetina: -3.05


Jumps:
Ashley 44.81
Carolina: 42.64
Alena: 42.83
Akiko: 41.75
Kexin: 40.50
Yretha: 40.44
Kanako: 36.35
Elena : 35.20
Sonia:34.83
Valentina: 32.12
Jenna: 31.36
Viktoria: 28.91
Mao: 25.09
Ksenia: 23.13
Elene: 24.39


Non-jump elements:
Carolina: 20.58
Akiko: 20.31
Mao: 19.92
Kanako: 19.18
Ashley: 18.10
Alena: 17.74
Kexin: 17.57
Viktoria: 17.28
Elene: 17.12
Valentina: 16.75
Ksenia: 16.65
Jenna: 15.55
Elena: 15.74
Yretha: 15.41
Sonia: 15.21
 

FTnoona

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 26, 2009
How many points are need to keep 2 spots for next years worlds and did the US ladies keep 2 spots? Thanks.
 
Top