2012 Cup of China Ladies Short Program

[tulosai]

I doubt her consistency will persist with her jumps, unless she makes some serious changes fast very fast! and i stand by everything thing i said about her skating! it was my honest opinion....

We will have to see but we are mostly talking about this competition and what we know now. Julia has not taken a fall in a competition, IIRC, since before Russian nationals 2010. In all that time I can only recall her once doubling a planned triple, and once making a minor error on a footwork sequence. I like Julia and her skating for many reasons but one big one is I am not ever worrying about if she will fall.

She is of course not in the same league as Mao when it comes to SS. This is for many reasons but a big one is is simply experience. Her team could also help her have better choreography.

As regards her jumps persisting, she has very good technique on everything but the axel, she is a fighter who I have no doubt will not give up even if the jumps become a struggle for her, and she is mentally very tough. Maybe that is partly a result of her age (some have commented it is easy to be fearless at 14) but I know plenty of 14 year olds who are a mess and think at least she has a solid psychological foundation to build on.

I hope that your tone is not coming across as you intend.

[FlattFan]

I said it last year, and it's still true. Julia is gross. Pulling her leg up 3-4 times in a minute? It's sad to watch.
Already her landing from the jumps are a bit wonky and pitch forward. As soon as she fills out, I guess the jumps will be gone soon.

Mao is skating to that? Maybe rework the 2006-07 SP for today's standard. Another lost cause. Although she's about 10x better than the Cirque du Soleil wannabe.

Mirai is slow and boring now. She's done.

Kiira is still pretty, which helps.

[Mrs. P]

Don't get the debate here. Mao beat Julia in PCS by 3.35 points. Julia won on the strength of her tech content, which for this competition, has been solid and more difficult relative to Mao's (3Z-3T, 3F, 2A vs 3F-2L, 3L, 2A for Mao). Julia has received much better PCS scores as a junior, due to her dominance there, but the PCS here seem much more tepid.

I say this as someone that also does not care for the bendy-leg choreography she currently has.

[inskate]

Well I'm not a massive fan of Mao's SP, why does she bother with Lori Nichol?

I like Lori's programs for Mao. Jupiter was a masterpiece, and Liebenstraum could be if she ever performed it at 100% (she came close a few times).

I Got Rhythm has a youthful feel, but that was intended, I think... Lori said in an interview that she made this program for Mao because she wanted to cheer her up - Mao was depressed after losing her mother. According to this interview, Mao even considered retiring and took a break from skating after Worlds. She eventually found her motivation again - as she said, she "reset" her feelings.

I think Mao's SP is still a work in progress - there were certain things she did in practice but omitted in the competition (an illusion spin as a part of CCoSP, a donut as a part of FCSp, a few nuances in choreo). Plus her costume wasn't ready in time, so she reused her old costume she used back in early 2010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z_yFiSEWnk). She grew taller since then, so the dress ended up looking a bit short/juniorish.

[AlexRus]

(Unofficial from forum.fsonline.ru , translation from Russian)
Press-conference

Lipnitskaya is very happy with her skating, and didn't expect to be on the first place.

Nagasu is very glad that didn't fall this time from the combo but only held up the second foot; enjoyed skating and hopes for successful skating of FS.

Mao came upset. Mao was slightly nervous since is a debut of her FS. As a whole she is happy with skating. Mao was asked how her present arrival on the Chinese cup, after a seven-year break differs. And how she organized herself still to skate being twice a World Champion. (Questions were on English, not all was understood by Mao - Mirai translated to her). In China Mao had the First Grand Prix as now at Julia - being 15 years old, first time. 7 years later after ups and downs she is very glad to skate again here. Now many young figure skaters skate on the Grand Prix, Mao tries to show the best skating.

Nagasu was asked about her debut on the Grand Prix was on cup of china, and whether China is pleasant to her. She is here 4th time, got used to a skating rink, adores local food - names listed, and will be disappointed not to get on COC the next year..

Asked something on Chinese under a strange sigh of a hall, translated for Lipnitskaya - we know that you are Champion of Juniors Worlds last year, we know nothing more - be presented please. She told shortly the bio - the beginning at 4 years old, skated in Yekaterinburg, then in Moscow. Likes to do manicure, to paint and go by horses.

Mao knows about a political conflict of Japan and China, but she has no problems in China (we did not hear a question)
They praised Mao's wonderful program and are interested is she going to modernize it. Mao considers that there is nothing to improve - in the future will probably strengthen a jumping part according to the plan of practice.

[Li'Kitsu]

Julia has received much better PCS scores as a junior, due to her dominance there, but the PCS here seem much more tepid.

Just out of interest - and not related to Mao - do you disagree? I think it's quite alright.

[Mrs. P]

Just out of interest - and not related to Mao - do you disagree? I think it's quite alright.

I also agree! Her scores are correct given her choreography, performance and packaging relative to her current competitors.

[AlexRus]

Julia has received much better PCS scores as a junior, due to her dominance there

Where? When?
In her ISU bio http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs_pb_00013146.htm
Best SP Component 06.10.2011 ISU JGP Trofeo W. Lombardi 2011 27.77
Now 27.71.
At Junior Worlds 26.66.

Practically the same values.

[tulosai]

I also agree! Her scores are correct given her choreography, performance and packaging relative to her current competitors.

Just chiming in as the token Julia fan to say I think everyone agrees (or at least I certainly do). I think Mirai's PCS should have been slightly higher but thought everyone else's were spot on here so far.

[Mrs. P]

Where? When?
In her ISU bio http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs_pb_00013146.htm
Best SP Component 06.10.2011 ISU JGP Trofeo W. Lombardi 2011 27.77
Now 27.71.
At Junior Words 26.66.

Practically the same values.

Perhaps overall, but let's look at skating skills from her JGP (ordered by highest to lowest):

7.50 7.50 7.25 7.25 7.00 6.75 6.50 6.25 6.25

vs at Cup of China:

7.50 7.25 7.00 7.00 7.00 6.75 6.75 6.25 6.25

The outlier on the high end at her JGP was a lot higher than the ones at this competition. And her PCS scores for the top four scoring judges from her PCS is .25 higher at JGP than at this competition.

.25 is not a small difference, when you consider that the difference some skaters see between the GP and 4CC/Worlds. (Ashley Wagner's PCS increased by that much between NHK and Worlds last year).

Yes the highest of those scores are thrown out, but still can influence the overall score.

So maybe much higher wasn't the right phrase, but I think it's clear that her PCS scores, rightfully so, are a good margin lower.

[RumbleFish]

Julia Lipnitskaya said the right thing. There was nothing special with Mao Asada's SP.

[ayayukiituka]

Somehow,I'd like to post some part of latest Mao's interview.
1,She had thought to retire after WC last season. Following Mr.Sato's advice,she took two-week off until she wanted to skate again.
2,As for her SP,Lori gave her a program that brings her a joy.
3,Don't plan on 3A at the beginning of the season,maybe later season.
4,She's eager to do 3F-3T.

After SP interview,she said she's happy to do well as she's not good at SP and beginning of a season.

[AlexRus]

Julia is kind and clever girl (I know her well enough), but she is only 14 years old, so please don't look for the bad things in her words, that bad things in fact don't exist there.

Julia now is best skater of the world.
Yuna was better, Mao was better, Miki was better, Carolina may be better when she will return to compete.
But they were or may be - Julia is.

[AlexRus]

Julia Lipnitskaya said the right thing. There was nothing special with Mao Asada's SP.

1. Julia did not tell this. She told nothing about anybody's skating at all.
2. Mao's SP today was very nice.

[shine]

Julia is kind and clever girl (I know her well enough), but she is only 14 years old, so please don't look for the bad things in her words, that bad things in fact don't exist there.

Julia now is best skater of the world.
Yuna was better, Mao was better, Miki was better, Carolina may be better when she will return to compete.
But they was or may be - Julia is.

Then what a sad state we are in for ladies figure skating.