2014 Olympics: Asada vs. Kim

[adamanna]

And, the thing that Russian pair teams have good choreography... (cough... Morozov... cough)

Well, I don't like programs of VT, to be honest... This season's SP is tip-top, but FS Anyway, there's one point about Morozov: he knows exactly what a CoP program should have to be praised by the judges. Yes, nowadays his programs are not the best examples of beauty or good taste, but they do score. And the programs of Liza, Julia, Gachinski etc. - not only they do not present beauty or good taste, but they don't score, and that's a greater problem since it's a sport we're talking about. And as for Mishin - not only he doesn't understand CoP, but he doesn't understand PCS side af figure skating either. And he never did.

[jiggs]

If she returns to competitive skating (which I doubt), she will certainly fall at least three times at the Olympics.

How optimistic

Carolina officially comfirmed that she will be competing at Golden Spin Zagreb next weekend, as well as Italian Nationals a week after that.

[adamanna]

How optimistic

realistic rather. Olympics is a stamina competition.

[Krislite]

Now that Yuna has performed her free skate (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye0u0lM9IP4), it's clear Worlds 2013 will be about Kim vs. Asada, with Wagner a strong podium contender (though Suzuki could knock her off).

As for Sochi, it's too far out to say. I personally would wait until Worlds to declare anything, but with the Russian wonderbabies underwhelming recently, it might be another Kim vs. Asada battle all over again.

[blue_idealist]

What do people think regarding Leonova's chances? I know she had a terrible GP season, but the young girls have failed to deliver what a lot of people thought they were going to, and I think she might still be Russian #1 in 2014.

[gmyers]

Lol at some technical frailties for Mao. She has no triple lutz or barely a flip she urs almost every jump sometimes but jumps are irrelevant with her pcs. she definitely no longer has triple axel ability and barely most jumps that are triples. She is atrocious but the whole idea of the thread is possible with triples really being irrelevant.

[gmyers]

What do people think regarding Leonova's chances? I know she had a terrible GP season, but the young girls have failed to deliver what a lot of people thought they were going to, and I think she might still be Russian #1 in 2014.

Tuktamisheva's pcs is garbage and really so is lipnitskayas and along with sotnikova they are all 2018 skaters. Leonova is the best bet because of the pcs and world medal.

[Melon]

Lol at some technical frailties for Mao. She has no triple lutz or barely a flip she urs almost every jump sometimes but jumps are irrelevant with her pcs. she definitely no longer has triple axel ability and barely most jumps that are triples. She is atrocious but the whole idea of the thread is possible with triples really being irrelevant.

I mostly agree, but let's not jump into conclusion toooo soon. Although Mao's jumps are limited, and the only thing that really cushions her is the PCS score, we might see her bringing her 3A back. We just never know what's going to happen =P

For example, I didn't really expect Yuna to score 200+ points but she did!!! (congrats for her )

[coolboogie22]

I would much consider the battle for the gold medal : Kim Vs Osmond

Osmond could have be the «it» factor this year if she could have competed at NHK Trophy 2012 and she could have easily beat Mao Asada at the Grand Prix Final.

Look at those score at Skate Canada Challenge (5-9 december) that Kaetlyn Osmond earn:

http://results.skatecanada.ca/2012-2...catResults.pdf
http://results.skatecanada.ca/2012-2...gesDetails.pdf
http://results.skatecanada.ca/2012-2...gesDetails.pdf

Kaetlyn is definately able to win Sochi, she is very consistent and artistry

[loren]

Kaetlyn is NEVER going to receive those PCS scores (at least this season) among Kim, Mao, and Ashley...!!

[skateluvr]

Even Browning is a huge Osmond fan and feels it was obvious she was not wanted at the final. She really might have won, or pushed Akiko off the podium. Will someone please post ashley's injury? How bad is it?

[adamanna]

What do people think regarding Leonova's chances? I know she had a terrible GP season, but the young girls have failed to deliver what a lot of people thought they were going to, and I think she might still be Russian #1 in 2014.

She has to be Russian #1. Among Russian wonderbabies, only Tukt is a 2018 skater, the rest has lost/will lose their jumps as their bodies grow. It appears to me, only Kudriavtsev and Mishin give good jumping technique that lasts. I do hope that I'm wrong, I really like Adelina... Anyway, I fail to see Leonova as a gold contender. Bronze is possible. But in order to get that bronze she first needs to get to the Olympics. Let's wait and see if she will be able to get to the Worlds this season... I'm really not sure if she is a fighter... It all will depend on her character.

[coolboogie22]

Kaetlyn is NEVER going to receive those PCS scores (at least this season) among Kim, Mao, and Ashley...!!

Your are simply jealous Loren.

I notice that Mao Asada and Kim Yu-Na in their first year Senior have also received high mark in PCS scores in 2007. Why not Kaetlyn, she is truly talented like Yu-Na and Mao in my opinion. She could definately be on the podium at world this year. Watch out!

[Tonichelle]

Even Browning is a huge Osmond fan and feels it was obvious she was not wanted at the final. She really might have won, or pushed Akiko off the podium. Will someone please post ashley's injury? How bad is it?

as stated in several other threads - she's on crutches at the moment and will be getting looked at when she returns to the USA.

[silverlake22]

Kaetlyn is NEVER going to receive those PCS scores (at least this season) among Kim, Mao, and Ashley...!!

Her PCS at Skate Canada weren't that far off lol. I know it was in Canada but it's still an international panel, and Worlds are in Canada this year too.

Julia might be able to win in Sochi before she really has to deal with the worst of the puberty monster, sort of like Lipinski or Meissner winning Worlds in 06. Leonova and Sotnikova are looking headcase-y now but that could change. Tuk is still landing 7 triple FS even while dealing with puberty monster so if she can cope that well now, she might be even stronger by next season and if she has adjusted and looks more grown-up and less awkward out there, her PCS could improve. Russia will surely have a strong team to send to the Olympics, it might not be the girls we expect to make the team, but there are just so many good skaters to pick from, even if things continue the way they are for the favorites, some other girl will rise to the challenge and go instead. I mean look at that girl Pogorilaya, she came out of nowhere and each competition she gets better, her 2nd GP she increased her score 15 points from her first, then she just won bronze at JGPF with a score 8 points higher than her 2nd JGP, almost 170 total. PCS went from 42 to 50 in a few weeks, she keeps jumping this way they will just get higher. She can do 3lz-3t and 2a-3t, last season she was 13th at Junior Nationals. She is 14 like Julia, puberty monster might not be an issue until after Sochi. She is just one example, this kind of ascent isn't even unusual in Russian ladies these days.

Kim has big PCS but her FS jump layout isn't even that ambitious, and she usually makes mistakes. I think it would be fairly easy for a Russian lady, or someone else, to outjump her enough to make up for the PCS deficit and win. Mao's content is currently really weak and her PCS aren't even as strong as Kim. Same for Carolina if she ends up coming back. Boosting the PCS of some jumping bean is not that difficult if they show a consistent ability to land hard jumps consistently. Not anyone can get PCS of like 66-68 like Mao or Yuna, but with consistent jumping, 60 is possible for pretty much any decent skater who can land difficult jumps consistently. It happened for Mirai at 2010 Olympics, it's happening for Gracie and Kaitlyn now. Yuna and Mao could still be a factor, but it's in no way a done deal.