Skate Canada 2012 Ladies - Long Program (7:45 AM PST/10:45 AM EST)

[drivingmissdaisy]

Mr. P watched both programs at the coffee shop tonight on YouTube. He was utterly confused when I told him who won on PCS. He kept going on about how much he loved Akiko's arms in the program, while he described Kaetlyn's program was "full of arm flailing."

Just one man's opinion.

ETA: Akiko did win the pcs, but rather he was puzzled they got nearly the same pcs scores.

It's interesting to hear a casual fan's take on this. Does his head explode when you tell him people can win competitions with 4 falls?

[Mrs. P]

It's interesting to hear a casual fan's take on this. Does his head explode when you tell him people can win competitions with 4 falls?

Oh he hates that skaters win with falls. He has not been very impressed with Patrick Chan for this reason. He jokes that he transitions to the ice. I have explained the system to him, but he feels like it's flawed that a fall on a quad, for example gets more points then a perfectly good triple lutz.

I think at Skate America -- so thankful he was willing to go with me! -- in the men, he really liked Hanyu's SP and Kozuka's FS. He also liked Jeremy's FS, though he was saddened that he didn't do it to its full potential.

In the ladies, back to this thread, he liked Ashley and Christina's program. He felt Adelina deserved bronze for her jump mistakes, but agreed that she has a lot of great ice coverage and speed. He felt that Adelina's brain just needs to get used to the fact she has a more grown up body and not signal it to do the jumps like when she was younger.

[Irishflip]

Oh my God, Kanako Murakami was WONDERFUL. SHE should have won this event! That was the best performance of her career! She blossomed into that tango dance so naturally. The Bronze medal and only 4th in the LP??? LOL! It was by far the performance of the night. This program is more complex and interesting than Akiko's, although that one is nice, plus Kanako seem to have a bit more fluidity to whole thing today. Technically she was also ahead on the spins (the jumps and footwork were about even). INSANE judging.

Kanako was crazy good, I felt her PCS was the one that should have been that close to Akiko's with Akiko just about edging her out in that respect due to Kanako's telegraphing. I do think she is going to start getting recognised by the judges again...and me for that matter! I had honestly written her off after last season and her boring, empty programs which were technically lacking too. Good to see her coming back and not letting her jumping technique get in her way again.

[kwanatic]

^^Agreed. I just rewatched her LP and WOW. That program is wonderful! That's probably the best LP she's ever had and to perform it like that...incredible.

[ImaginaryPogue]

Blades, could you actually grade the top four LPs (in your mind)? Because I'm curious how exactly you had Murakami ahead of Suzuki in the long (though Murakami probably should've won the silver. I don't think I've ever seen her skate an LP that well).

[Tonichelle]

even after watching today's NBC broadcast I'm still not seeing Murakami as doing anything but going through the motions - I'm not seeing any connection to the music from her eyes/face... she is just blank up there... the only time any emotion registered was after she was done.

[Blades of Passion]

1. KANAKO MURAKAMI - 125.84

3Lz ... -2 GOE = 4.6
3Lo ... +1 GOE = 5.8
3F ... +1 GOE = 6.0
StSq3 ... +2 GOE = 4.3
LSp4 ... +2 GOE = 3.7
(halfway bonus for jumps starts here)
3Lo+2Lo ... +1 GOE = 8.29
3S+2T+2Lo ... 0 GOE = 8.03
3F+1A seq ... 0 GOE = 5.63
3T < ... +1 GOE = 3.89
FSSp4 ... +1 GOE = 3.5
ChSq ... +2 GOE = 3.4
CCoSp3 ... +1 GOE = 3.5 space space Technical Total - 60.64

Skating Skills ... 8.0
Transitions ... 8.25
Performance ... 8.25
Choreography ... 8.0
Interpretation ... 8.25 space space sp Program Components - 65.2


2. AKIKO SUZUKI - 122.39

3Lz+2T+2Lo ... 0 GOE = 9.1
2A+3T ... +1 GOE = 8.1
3F+1Lo ... 0 GOE = 5.8
FCSp4 ... -1 GOE = 2.9
StSq3 ... +2 GOE = 4.3
CCoSp3 ... +1 GOE = 3.5
(halfway bonus for jumps starts here)
3F ... 0 GOE = 5.83
3Lo ... 0 GOE = 5.61
3S ... -1 GOE = 3.92
2A ... +1 GOE = 4.13
ChSq ... +2 GOE = 3.4
FCCoSp3 ... 0 GOE = 3.0 space space Technical Total - 59.59

Skating Skills ... 8.25
Transitions ... 7.5
Performance ... 7.75
Choreography ... 7.75
Interpretation ... 8.0 space space spa Program Components - 62.8


3. ELIZAVETA TUKTAMYSHEVA - 113.73

3Lz+2T+1Lo ... +1 GOE = 8.5
3Lz < ... -3 GOE, -1 point fall = 1.1
3F ... 0 GOE = 5.3
LSp3 ... 0 GOE = 2.4
StSq3 ... +1 GOE = 3.8
(halfway bonus for jumps starts here)
2Axel+3T ... +2 GOE = 9.54
3S+2T ... +1 GOE = 6.75
FSSp4 ... 0 GOE = 3.0
3Lo ... 0 GOE = 5.61
ChSq ... +1 GOE = 2.7
2A ... -1 GOE = 3.13
CCoSp4 ... 0 GOE = 3.5 space space Technical Total - 55.33

Skating Skills ... 7.5
Transitions ... 7.25
Performance ... 7.0
Choreography ... 7.5
Interpretation ... 7.25 space space s Program Components - 58.4


4. KAETLYN OSMOND - 112.13

3F+2T ... +1 GOE = 7.3
3Lz ... -3 GOE, -1 point fall = 2.9
2A+3T ... +1 GOE = 8.1
CCoSp4 ... 0 GOE = 3.5
3S ... 0 GOE = 4.2
(halfway bonus for jumps starts here)
3F ... 0 GOE = 5.83
3T ... -2 GOE = 3.11
2A+2T+2T ... 0 GOE = 6.49
FCoSp4 ... 0 GOE = 3.5
StSq3 ... 0 GOE = 3.3
LSp4 ... +1 GOE = 3.2
ChSq ... +1 GOE = 2.7 space space s Technical Total - 54.13

Skating Skills ... 7.75
Transitions ... 7.75
Performance ... 7.25
Choreography ... 6.75
Interpretation ... 6.75 space space s Program Components - 58.0

[let`s talk]

^ PCS are over 8 for Kanako ? She is really a lovely hard-working girl. But pardon, her SS are far to be refined, legs in camel spins are in the position of ^ an > accordingly, back is not proudly straight, it's more round-shouldered than straight, the feeling of music is really rather teen-ish, skating in general is very unpolished. And she is cheating on landings, I don't know why you keep saying that she is not when it's easy to see. Yes, she has imroved a lot compared to last year. But come one, the clock is ticking. I am afraid if she stays with her current coach, who is maybe goot at politiking but all the rest is not THAT super great, there won't be any radical changes for good in the future. I don't see her as the future queen Mao after Sochi when Asada likely retires. But the fandom Japan needs a new Queen!

[Blades of Passion]

Kanako has the best female program I've seen so far this season. It's filled with transitions that actually feel cohesive and work with the music for the most part. She has good arm movements and her spin positions make more sense with the music than in most other CoP programs. I found Kanako to be quite fluid in this performance and her edges were very controlled, with a good amount of speed. I could also see her understanding the nuances of the music and her timing to the music was really great in places - look at how she ends that first step sequence! I also particularly enjoy the transition from the choreography step sequence to the final spin.

[ImaginaryPogue]

Thank you.

[Bluebonnet]

Kanako has unique but very unpretty technics opening a jump. She really needs some works on posture and artistic aspect.

[chuckm]

Kanako also has a rampant UR problem. She got a UR and a downgrade in the SP and 3 URs in the FS.

[pangtongfan]

Kanako needs to fix her jump technique in a major way if she is to ever reach the top. She reminds me of Caroline Zhang minus the major speed issues. Her jumps are just as bad though.

[Blades of Passion]

Her jumping ability is certainly better than Zhang's, whom has a weak 2Axel, no 3Sal, and no 3Toe (especially on the back end of a combination like Kanako does so consistently). Zhang has better 3Flip technique now but she still isn't able to do it with any shorter of a preparation than Kanako, so that's only a very minor area of superiority.

[Jaana]

Our commentator was enthusiastic about Osmond´s choreography and performance both in sp and fs, and I definetely agreed. Tuktamysheva has beautiful jumps, but her musical interpretation is still rather lacking and the same applies to the choreography, in my opinion. Her transitions score was a huge gift...