2012 GPF Ladies' Short Program

[Mirunna]

well yuna did a 3lutz3toe in fs from last year's world championship. she didn't win. so, why bother doing it when you're winning.

akiko

And she popped 2 jumps. And no 3-3 in the SP. That is why she lost.
Anyway, even though I love Mao, I want Yuna to come back. She needs to set the bar higher in terms of jump content IMO. I don't think Mao can currently land a clean 3-3, I think it's more likely to see her 3A back than a 3-3. But Ashley could. She just doesn't have to. I want to see more of her.

[Buttercup]

I know and it's sad. That's why Kim was so good she had the artistry and the hard jumps to go along with it. No watering down her programs like Kostner did last year or Mao is doing now.

Kostner lost her 3Lz because of an injury and hasn't been able to get it back consistently. OTOH, she has great technique on all her other jumps, good spins, very good choreography, and was getting level 4s on step sequences before the tech panels started handing them out like candy. How does that make for watered down programs? Not having a 3Lz means the rest of the program is worthless? Do you really need to disparage Kostner to make Kim look good?

Neither skater is remotely relevant to this event, anyway.

[Nadia01]

lol i feel you. a 2 hour tv show for a 40 min competition? japanese commercialism at its best (or worst). i don't mind the choppy (free) feed, at least you get the excitement of watching a live event.

some bs sports channel broadcast it live though. not this event unfortunately. mao is in this event. it's an expensive broadcast.

True, but yes, there is nobody else but this worthless channel. I'm furious about the amount of Mao fluff b/c it was EXCESSIVE. It seriously made me want to root AGAINST her. Akiko was barely mentioned.

Anyway, I'm dreading how bad it's going to be tomorrow since she placed 1st in short. I'm sure they'll do about 4 hours of Mao fluff then do about 2 hours of real competition since they blocked off several hours for ladies' free & men's short tomorrow.

[demarinis5]

Kostner lost her 3Lz because of an injury and hasn't been able to get it back consistently. OTOH, she has great technique on all her other jumps, good spins, very good choreography, and was getting level 4s on step sequences before the tech panels started handing them out like candy. How does that make for watered down programs? Not having a 3Lz means the rest of the program is worthless? Do you really need to disparage Kostner to make Kim look good?

Neither skater is remotely relevant to this event, anyway.

Thank you Buttercup!

Back on topic I just woke up and missed the Ladies. Great scores for the top four so the skating must have been excellent.
Looking forward to the videos!

[Mao88]

LADIES SHORT PROGRAM - VIDEOS & RESULT

1. Mao ASADA (JPN) - 66.96 Short Program, 2nd Copy
2. Ashley WAGNER (USA) - 66.44 Short Program, 2nd Copy
3. Akiko SUZUKI (JPN) - 65.00 Short Program, 2nd Copy
4. Kiira KORPI (FIN) - 63.42 Short Program, 2nd Copy
5. Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA (RUS) - 56.61
6. Christina GAO (USA) - 48.56 Short Program

[demarinis5]

Thank you so much Mao88! That was quick.

[mcc]

Empty stands, terrible performances.. but high marks. Just terrible

[bixby]

You are the BEST Mao88! You always deliver and give us instant REPLAY opportunity...

[mikeko666]

Asada's 3F looks UR.

[calstudent]

Kostner lost her 3Lz because of an injury and hasn't been able to get it back consistently. OTOH, she has great technique on all her other jumps, good spins, very good choreography, and was getting level 4s on step sequences before the tech panels started handing them out like candy. How does that make for watered down programs? Not having a 3Lz means the rest of the program is worthless? Do you really need to disparage Kostner to make Kim look good?

Neither skater is remotely relevant to this event, anyway.

Whoa, way to stretch Jammers' post endlessly to your imagination. Jammers did not say "not having a 3Lz means the rest of the program is worthless." He/she was just stating the fact: that Kostner's programs were watered down compared to what they had been years ago. No 3-3 combination and no 3Lz. Points in fact: Kostner landed a beautiful 3-3-2 at the 2005 world championship and managed to knock Michelle Kwan off the podium; her short program at the 2007 championship contained triple flip-triple toe, triple lutz and a double axel. At the 2011 worlds, she was nowhere close to her younger days in terms of her jump layout.

Oh and just because one says something factually negative about a skater does not mean he/she is "disparaging" the skater, unless you want to take it personally and/or emotionally and perceive it being something of an attack.

[bigsisjiejie]

Empty stands, terrible performances.. but high marks. Just terrible

Missed the live feeds and the competition so have to pick it up on youtube and can't comment on the last part of this.

But on the first part for anybody who was watching: how does the venue look? This has to be one of the first competitions done inside the new Olympic facility. Not surprised at the empty stands, given where Sochi is located. Not a natural hotbed of figure skating, and this competition is too minor to justify time/cost of traveling the long distance from Russian locations that have legions of fs fans.

[Buttercup]

Whoa, way to stretch Jammers' post endlessly to your imagination. Jammers did not say "not having a 3Lz means the rest of the program is worthless." He/she was just stating the fact: that Kostner's programs were watered down compared to what they had been years ago. No 3-3 combination and no 3Lz. Points in fact: Kostner landed a beautiful 3-3-2 at the 2005 world championship and managed to knock Michelle Kwan off the podium; her short program at the 2007 championship contained triple flip-triple toe, triple lutz and a double axel. At the 2011 worlds, she was nowhere close to her younger days in terms of her jump layout.

Oh and just because one says something factually negative about a skater does not mean he/she is "disparaging" the skater, unless you want to take it personally and/or emotionally and perceive it being something of an attack.

Oh please. My emotions are not tied up in what people I don't know say about skaters I've never met.

Here is what Jammers wrote: No watering down her programs like Kostner did last year or Mao is doing now. Her programs, not her triple jumps. If Jammers wanted to make the point you're making, the post should have been phrased differently. Of course, Kostner did not initially turn to more conservative jump content by choice but because of an injury, and it seems some people insist on forgetting this. So there you go: I've provided a reminder, while also noting that in terms of non-jump content, they are by no means watered down. BTW, remind me - did Kim have a full jump repertoire? Because I seem to recall a certain triple missing... an easier one than the 3Lz, I believe.

Also, if Kostner and Kim have little to do with this thread, Kwan has even less. Not everything in skating needs to bee linked to Kwan and Kim.

ETA: I forgot to point out that Kostner landed a 3-3 in the SP at both Euros and Worlds last year.

[draqq]

I think it's fair to say that Kostner's jumps were at a lower base value, in part due to the doubling of the flip. She did perform a 2A+3T, which in this system is 0.8 points away from a 3T+3T. She had okay jump content that was performed well, and she won because the other three minutes of her skating were superior to her competitors in the presentation. However, there are more than several skaters this year who can meet that 128 mark now, so this year's Worlds should be much more competitive.

[Mao88]

LADIES SHORT PROGRAM - VIDEOS & RESULT

1. Mao ASADA (JPN) - 66.96 Short Program, 2nd Copy
2. Ashley WAGNER (USA) - 66.44 Short Program, 2nd Copy
3. Akiko SUZUKI (JPN) - 65.00 Short Program, 2nd Copy
4. Kiira KORPI (FIN) - 63.42 Short Program, 2nd Copy
5. Elizaveta TUKTAMYSHEVA (RUS) - 56.61 Short Program
6. Christina GAO (USA) - 48.56 Short Program, 2nd Copy

[FSGMT]

I'm really happy for Mao and for Ashley, it looks it will be a wonderful fight in the FS! But, no 3-3, no crowd, I was expecting them at least to clap before Mao's combo, when the music becomes absorbing... Akiko: I'm just sad for Christina, it looks like her last place is pretty done. Anyway, for the medals the battle is open!