2013 Europeans Ladies LP | Page 20 | Golden Skate

2013 Europeans Ladies LP

Moment

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
I don't have a problem at all with Carolina's PCS advantage of several points over Elizaveta and Adelina. She does have indisputably superior skating skills and pulls off the choreography better than them.

I think they were all overscored in PCS, by a good five points in their respective free skates. It does seems like the judges somewhat wanted Carolina to win, as winning by less than a point difference is not a good look. So it could've gone both ways IMO. The judging wasn't so unfair with the placements, at least not for me.
 

jamie

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 3, 2006
Can I just remind people that Carolina Kostner massively pushed the sport forward in her first year as a senior at Europeans 2003.

2loop
3lutz/3toe
3flip/3toe (both easily rotated with height and speed)
2 axel/ 3 sachow
3 loop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28djAK9g4-0

First time those 3 combos were ever done in the same program.


The year before, Mao Asada did this INASANE program (mostly underrotated and off the wrong edge, but crazy content none the less)
3 axel
3 lutz/3loop
3 flip/3loop/3toe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEyU1Baaaeg

Interesting that both of them were insane as juniors but had to rework their technique as adults. There is a clear argument to be put forward about pushing skaters too early and too soon.

Having said that, the fact that people criticise these ladies' technical ability is merely indicative of a short memory or little knowledge.
 

Li'Kitsu

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 29, 2011
Ziggy said:
She wasn't miles behind on the TES. She had the best step sequence of the competition and better spins than Sot and Tuk.

I'm not disagreeing with Carolinas win at all, but really... no to that bolded part. Caro is an amazing skater, but when it comes to spins, Adelina is at least on the same level. And the jugdes thought so too (SP: Adelina 12.12.; Caro 10.6 LP: Adelina 12.26; Caro 12.27).
For the steps, Caro isn't that much ahead of Adelina pointwise, about 0.7 more. So overall, Adelina did better in the non jump elements too :p
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Interesting that both of them were insane as juniors but had to rework their technique as adults. There is a clear argument to be put forward about pushing skaters too early and too soon.

Having said that, the fact that people criticise these ladies' technical ability is merely indicative of a short memory or little knowledge.

Kostner's technique has always been way better and more pure than Asada's. The only real technical shortcoming she's ever had with her jumps is the telegraphing of her flip and lutz.
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Why unfortunately? Are you a Russian babies' fan? Then I have good news for you- Caro BV was in the second 10s of Russian Nationals. So yes, she is miles behind not Adelya and Liza only but a bunch of other R-babies. All the rest GOE tried to cover but couldn't cover the gap that huge- an embarrassing lead of R-babies in TES. All the rest was covered by PCS for the Green Queen.
Wow, you are really something. I have fact for you: the best 2 Russian babies went and lost. TES wasn't anything to write home about, either. BEST TWO.
The other Russian babies would have been slaughtered in the World stage.

Comparing some National inflated scores to a legitimate score is so nonsense. :rolleye:

Here I actually agree with you. That less than a point "win" of WC over some Junior debutante is such an insult for the system. Give Caro more! :laugh:
It is an insult to Caro to win by so little.
 

seniorita

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2008
So how many ladies in the world have around 70 tes and 60+ pcs?

I think audience and judges were pretty amazed of what Liza and Adelina have done so far.
 

SXTN

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 5, 2008
If you (a general "you", I don't refer to anyone specifically) keep talking about Caro's 2Ss, I will start calling Adelina the "single flip Silver Medalist" and Liza the "double lutz Bronze Medalist"! ;) (Please, now, don't insult me, it's just a joke... :p)

All people are complaining but the level of these European ladies is very high. 131, 130 and 126 for the top three are scores I think I have never seen at Euros.

Transitions: Caro is playing it smart. Between her 3L and 3S-2T-2L there is really not much. But the last (overwhelming) impression is her fantastic step sequence and the choreo sequence with the (planned) 3S out of nothing.

Mao on the other hand has transitions before every single jump element. For me a bit overdone. If she did a little less I believe we wouldn't see the "<" sign after every second jump.
 

Bartek

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
All people are complaining but the level of these European ladies is very high. 131, 130 and 126 for the top three are scores I think I have never seen at Euros.

Transitions: Caro is playing it smart. Between her 3L and 3S-2T-2L there is really not much. But the last (overwhelming) impression is her fantastic step sequence and the choreo sequence with the (planned) 3S out of nothing.

Mao on the other hand has transitions before every single jump element. For me a bit overdone. If she did a little less I believe we wouldn't see the "<" sign after every second jump.

But on the other hand, should Mao skate her program cleanly with all those transitions it would be the best free skate amongst all ladies this season.
 

mary01

Final Flight
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
Can I just remind people that Carolina Kostner massively pushed the sport forward in her first year as a senior at Europeans 2003.

2loop
3lutz/3toe
3flip/3toe (both easily rotated with height and speed)
2 axel/ 3 sachow
3 loop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28djAK9g4-0

First time those 3 combos were ever done in the same program.


The year before, Mao Asada did this INASANE program (mostly underrotated and off the wrong edge, but crazy content none the less)
3 axel
3 lutz/3loop
3 flip/3loop/3toe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEyU1Baaaeg

Actually Mao didn't use the 3lutz as a combination, so there was no edge call in her 3-3, some may have been marked slightly underrotated but she certainly has had PLENTY ratified too!




Interesting that both of them were insane as juniors but had to rework their technique as adults. There is a clear argument to be put forward about pushing skaters too early and too soon.

Having said that, the fact that people criticise these ladies' technical ability is merely indicative of a short memory or little knowledge.

I completely agree with this!
 
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CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
Not to add fuel to the fire, but it's totally evident that the judges totally kept up Kostner for the title.

Her FS at Worlds last year got 65 pts of PCS and here she lands 4 triples in a program with worse choreography and gets 70.28 points. For comparison, Yu Na got 71.76 points at the Olympics with a perfect, way more technically demanding and certainly better choreographed and executed skate.

I think the most infuriating this is that Carolina has done better programs with wayyy better choreography than Bolero and with more speed and yet she's being rewarded with higher points.

You only need to look to her SP for blatant judging errors -- 4 out of 9 judges gave her -2 on the 3-3 combination that had a fall -- which is an automatic -3 in the SP.:rolleye:

That she wins with 4 triples is frankly a joke. And people's attitudes here (she should get at least xx points higher than so-and-so, even if she does badly) are the exact reason people vilify figure skating and its judges (who have the same notion that because she's a veteran she's automatically given an advantage). Think about what you say when you say she should be given a 15-point advantage... you're saying even if Kostner leaves out her 3Z, 3F, and a 3S, she should still get enough PCS to make up for that. :confused:
 
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SXTN

Final Flight
Joined
Jun 5, 2008
Not to add fuel to the fire, but it's totally evident that the judges totally kept up Kostner for the title.

Her FS at Worlds last year got 65 pts of PCS and here she lands 4 triples in a program with worse choreography and gets 70.28 points. For comparison, Yu Na got 71.76 points at the Olympics with a perfect, way more technically demanding and certainly better choreographed and executed skate.

I think the most infuriating this is that Carolina has done better programs with wayyy better choreography than Bolero and with more speed and yet she's being rewarded with higher points.

You only need to look to her SP for blatant judging errors -- 4 out of 9 judges gave her -2 on the 3-3 combination that had a fall -- which is an automatic -3 in the SP.:rolleye:

That she wins with 4 triples is frankly a joke. And people's attitudes here (she should get at least xx points higher than so-and-so, even if she does badly) are the exact reason people vilify figure skating and its judges (who have the same notion that because she's a veteran she's automatically given an advantage). Think about what you say when you say she should be given a 15-point advantage... you're saying even if Kostner leaves out her 3Z, 3F, and a 3S, she should still get enough PCS to make up for that. :confused:

She has speed, elegance and lightness. You should give her a chance.

At Worlds, she will be performing a 7-triple-program, her practices were awefully good (3F-3T; 3Lz-3T).
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Mao on the other hand has transitions before every single jump element. For me a bit overdone. If she did a little less I believe we wouldn't see the "<" sign after every second jump.
If you look closely at all of Mao's "transitions" into her jumps, they really are not that complicated. Mostly mohawks and done over and over. IMO those don't really add that much to the difficulty of the jumps, nor the overally impression.

For those who claim Asada's program is filled with transitions. I'd really like a breakdown, for I really can't see how her program is so much more difficult than Kostner's, or anyone else's program. IIRC, she has a couple of moves in fields here and there, but are they linked to any difficult element? Or are they precedded and followed by a bunch of stroking?
 
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ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Not to add fuel to the fire, but it's totally evident that the judges totally kept up Kostner for the title.

Her FS at Worlds last year got 65 pts of PCS and here she lands 4 triples in a program with worse choreography and gets 70.28 points. For comparison, Yu Na got 71.76 points at the Olympics with a perfect, way more technically demanding and certainly better choreographed and executed skate.

1. PCS increase over the years as a general trend. Kim's PCS for Bond > Kim's PCS for Danse Macabre, and I have yet to hear a single person single out Bond as a better skated/choreographed program. But it's clear that judges have been instructed to use the upper register - something they only started in the Olympic season.

I think the most infuriating this is that Carolina has done better programs with wayyy better choreography than Bolero and with more speed and yet she's being rewarded with higher points.

I'd be willing to debate as I tend to agree. The one advantage that Carolina has (and Mao, for that matter) is that the end of the program is so awesome that it leaves the judges inclined to improve their PCS.

You only need to look to her SP for blatant judging errors -- 4 out of 9 judges gave her -2 on the 3-3 combination that had a fall -- which is an automatic -3 in the SP.:rolleye:

No, it's not. An automatic -3 is given in the short program if the solo triple doesn't come out of steps OR if the combo doesn't adhere to rules (A quad or a triple with a triple or double attached. 2-3's okay, 3-1's not). Taking away three GOE levels must happen if a fall occurs and the final GOE must be negative, but if you decide that the combo had enough good qualities to be a plus one, than -2 is legitimate.

That she wins with 4 triples is frankly a joke. And people's attitudes here (she should get at least xx points higher than so-and-so, even if she does badly) are the exact reason people vilify figure skating and its judges (who have the same notion that because she's a veteran she's automatically given an advantage). Think about what you say when you say she should be given a 15-point advantage... you're saying even if Kostner leaves out her 3Z, 3F, and a 3S, she should still get enough PCS to make up for that. :confused:

Okay, lets make the reverse comment that you're saying.

Skater B leaves out transitions, complex choreography and has no feeling for the music. Should that affect her TES? Of course not. If she lands a gorgeous triple, we should still call it a triple and give her good GOE, right? If you believe that's fair, then you have to state equally that a program with all these things should be marked high in the PCS regardless of the element difficulty.
 
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Bartek

On the Ice
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
If you look closely at all of Mao's "transitions" into her jumps, they really are not that complicated. Mostly mohawks and done over and over. IMO those don't really add that much to the difficulty of the jumps, nor the overally impression.

For those who claim Asada's program is filled with transitions. I'd really like a breakdown, for I really can't see how her program is so much more difficult than Kostner's, or anyone else's program. IIRC, she has a couple of moves in fields here and there, but are they linked to any difficult element? Or are they precedded and followed by a bunch of stroking?

There is definitely not "a bunch of stroking" in Mao's program. A lot of mohawks and simple turns, that's right, but it's still more difficult to gain speed doing those than with crossovers like Carolina. And again, even if Mao doesn't have super difficult transitions before flips and lutz, steps and turns she does are harder and better than straight, telegraphed entrances that Kostner has.

What Mao has between her jumps is not of a very high difficulty but at least there is something and its quality is first rate. She does steps and turns all the time and other "little transitions" like short spread eagle, short ina bauer, brief spiral etc and it is certainly more demanding than just doing crossovers like Carolina or Akiko. What's more, I would take her moves in the field perfectly matching the music and its theme any day over posing that Carolina does.

Having said that, I must say I like Carolina's Bolero a lot but I acknowladge higher difficulty of Mao's program.
 
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CanadianSkaterGuy

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 25, 2013
1. PCS increase over the years as a general trend. Kim's PCS for Bond > Kim's PCS for Danse Macabre, and I have yet to hear a single person single out Bond as a better skated/choreographed program. But it's clear that judges have been instructed to use the upper register - something they only started in the Olympic season.

2. I'd be willing to debate as I tend to agree. The one advantage that Carolina has (and Mao, for that matter) is that the end of the program is so awesome that it leaves the judges inclined to improve their PCS.

3. No, it's not. An automatic -3 is given in the short program if the solo triple doesn't come out of steps OR if the combo doesn't adhere to rules (A quad or a triple with a triple or double attached. 2-3's okay, 3-1's not). Taking away three GOE levels must happen if a fall occurs and the final GOE must be negative, but if you decide that the combo had enough good qualities to be a plus one, than -2 is legitimate.


4. Okay, lets make the reverse comment that you're saying. Skate B leaves out transitions, complex choreography and has no feeling for the music. Should that affect her TES? Of course not. If she lands a gorgeous triple, we should still call it a triple and give her good GOE, right? If you believe that's fair, then you have to state equally that a program with all these things should be marked high in the PCS regardless of the element difficulty.

1. I'm okay with a PCS increase, but only if a skater deserves it. I fear that giving judges encouragement to use the upper register means judges have applied it to veteran skaters and not the whole field, leaving more of a gap between skaters instead of everyone simply moving up. Or a veteran skater gets 1.50-1.75 higher PCS and everyone else 0.25-0.50. I don't see the point in giving skaters higher PCS if they don't earn it. Also, IMO, Kostner's Euros free skate certainly didn't deserve to earn higher PCS than her Worlds freeskate last year, even if it was given a boost. PCS should also reflect how well a program was skated too. If a skater doubled all of her jumps, you would hope that she wouldn't be given the same PCS mark as the same program where she did all triples. But this isn't the case with Kostner/Wagner/Asada receiving the same if not better PCS marks for programs that have errors, i.e. holding them up. This is wrong and getting back to the days of wary judging.

2. Yes, I agree that the end of Carolina's long program is excellent, but I wish it were more balanced (as her SP is). Right now it's like she "comes to life" only when her footwork sequence begins. I realise that's also how the music goes, but I find that the first half still lacks intricate turns and choreography (deep edges and difficult turns in the 1st half and leaps and toework in the spryly 2nd half would make a wonderful Bolero program). And obviously skaters turn it on at the end to leave a lasting impression, but Carolina is so capable of a complete, well-choreographed program, and I feel her FS is just resting on that final minute and her reputation to garner PCS.

3. Thanks for clarifying. In that case, yes, the -2 does make sense given the execution of the first 3-toe.

4. Oh I'm not saying if a skater leaves out choreography, etc. they should be given high PCS. But if a skater lands 7 triples with not as sophisticated choreography, they should be placing higher than skaters who complete 3 or 4 triples. Otherwise what's the point of the first skater even competing as there's no way they could win? Don't get me wrong, I want a skater to have developed artistry, but I think judges are using artistry as a way of bailing out flawed skates from top skaters much to the chagrin of less-artistically-developed skaters who skate lights out. e.g. Radionova in her GP assignments should have beaten Kostner's Euros freeskate. It's still a sport. If anything the artistic component should separate two technically excellent skaters, but if a skater has a technically mediocre skate then they should be placed behind an artistically deficient skater with a great skate... not the other way around. You could say "Kostner has so much more speed, artistry etc. than the rest of the field, so why not give her a 9.5 and Sotnikova a 6.5?)" -- well that essentially negates any technical aspects of the competition reducing it from who skates the best to who is the best all-around skater in general.

A good example is Yan Liu in the 2006 Olympics. Lovely skater, but because she wasn't popular or as developed artistically and was accordinly robbed of a top 10 placement. Hammered both on GOE (when her jumps were actually nice!) and PCS. Here's the FS protocol (http://www.isuresults.com/results/owg2006/OWG06_Ladies_FS_Scores.pdf)... 11th in the FS and being the only one to land 7 triples (Kostner landed 2 triples in the FS and was 9th in the segment). How is that even justified?

I doubt we will ever see another GPF like 2006 where Mao defeated Irina because she actually outskated her. Under the CoP right now, you can bet the judges would have given Irina PCS through the roof over a "junior skater" like Mao to ensure a win. Even though Irina had much better skating skills/choreo/etc. the judges still gave credit to Mao for more technically demanding and well executed skates and didn't create such a huge PCS gap.
 

ImaginaryPogue

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
1. I'm okay with a PCS increase, but only if a skater deserves it. I fear that giving judges encouragement to use the upper register means judges have applied it to veteran skaters and not the whole field, leaving more of a gap between skaters instead of everyone simply moving up. Or a veteran skater gets 1.50-1.75 higher PCS and everyone else 0.25-0.50. I don't see the point in giving skaters higher PCS if they don't earn it. Also, IMO, Kostner's Euros free skate certainly didn't deserve to earn higher PCS than her Worlds freeskate last year, even if it was given a boost. PCS should also reflect how well a program was skated too. If a skater doubled all of her jumps, you would hope that she wouldn't be given the same PCS mark as the same program where she did all triples. But this isn't the case with Kostner/Wagner/Asada receiving the same if not better PCS marks for programs that have errors, i.e. holding them up. This is wrong and getting back to the days of wary judging.

Ah, now you're getting to two separate issues

a) I'm gonna argue that a good performance now would be scored the same as a great performance from the 2008/2009 season, PCS wise. Stephane Lambiel could barely break 8s for "Poeta"

b) I don't think that veterans inherently "get" a benefit. I do think that those people who have been skating around in COP longer have a better understanding of how to skate WELL in it. Equally, I believe there are some people who haven't made the effort to adapt to it's demands.

c) I absolutely would want a program of the same program quality (interpretation, performance, etc) to score the same PCS regardless of whether a skater landed all doubles or all triples. To make an analogy, if a skater did three level one spins and one level one footwork, would you want them to score higher PCS for the "same program" with all level four elements? Patrick Chan's highest PCS come from the skate where he doubled three jumps; the skate where he

2. Yes, I agree that the end of Carolina's long program is excellent, but I wish it were more balanced (as her SP is). Right now it's like she "comes to life" only when her footwork sequence begins. I realise that's also how the music goes, but I find that the first half still lacks intricate turns and choreography (deep edges and difficult turns in the 1st half and leaps and toework in the spryly 2nd half would make a wonderful Bolero program). And obviously skaters turn it on at the end to leave a lasting impression, but Carolina is so capable of a complete, well-choreographed program, and I feel her FS is just resting on that final minute and her reputation to garner PCS.

Fair enough.

4. Oh I'm not saying if a skater leaves out choreography, etc. they should be given high PCS. But if a skater lands 7 triples with not as sophisticated choreography, they should be placing higher than skaters who complete 3 or 4 triples. Otherwise what's the point of the first skater even competing as there's no way they could win? Don't get me wrong, I want a skater to have developed artistry, but I think judges are using artistry as a way of bailing out flawed skates from top skaters much to the chagrin of less-artistically-developed skaters who skate lights out. e.g. Radionova in her GP assignments should have beaten Kostner's Euros freeskate. It's still a sport. If anything the artistic component should separate two technically excellent skaters, but if a skater has a technically mediocre skate then they should be placed behind an artistically deficient skater with a great skate... not the other way around. You could say "Kostner has so much more speed, artistry etc. than the rest of the field, so why not give her a 9.5 and Sotnikova a 6.5?)" -- well that essentially negates any technical aspects of the competition reducing it from who skates the best to who is the best all-around skater in general.

1. The skater that did land seven triple beat the skater that landed four triples, in that phase. But, the skater that landed six triples beat the skater that landed nine over two phases as well as the skater that landed eight. Intriguingly the skater that landed eight outPCSed the skater that landed nine.

2. Is the difference merely "not as sophisticated" choreography? To what extent?

3. And you've hit the other nail on the head. Program Component scores, as written, really give only about 40% weight to the skate itself - the other sixty percent comes from the program and skater. But PCS aren't artistic scores. Skating skills is technical. Choreography and transitions can be artistic, but they are often technical as well (why Patrick Chan is justified in huge scores). So Kostner excels at one technical aspect of the competition if you argue she excels at skating skills. But that's only one part of the competiiton.

4. No way should Radionova beaten Kostner, though. So it seems we just have different opinions on what we want the sport to celebrate.

A good example is Yan Liu in the 2006 Olympics. Lovely skater, but because she wasn't popular or as developed artistically and was accordinly robbed of a top 10 placement. Hammered both on GOE (when her jumps were actually nice!) and PCS. Here's the FS protocol (http://www.isuresults.com/results/owg2006/OWG06_Ladies_FS_Scores.pdf)... 11th in the FS and being the only one to land 7 triples (Kostner landed 2 triples in the FS and was 9th in the segment). How is that even justified?

I'd have to watch the programs and give my impression.

I doubt we will ever see another GPF like 2006 where Mao defeated Irina because she actually outskated her. Under the CoP right now, you can bet the judges would have given Irina PCS through the roof over a "junior skater" like Mao to ensure a win. Even though Irina had much better skating skills/choreo/etc. the judges still gave credit to Mao for more technically demanding and well executed skates and didn't create such a huge PCS gap.

Eliza won two GP events beating, among others, Carolina Kostner her debut season. Katelyn Osmond beat a world bronze medalist and the level of screaming has been epic. Sui/Han scored epically well in their senior events their debut season because of huge TES (and poor scoring on PCS not holding them down far enough, imo).
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
Ah, now you're getting to two

I'd have to watch the programs and give my impression.



Eliza won two GP events beating, among others, Carolina Kostner her debut season. Katelyn Osmond beat a world bronze medalist and the level of screaming has been epic. Sui/Han scored epically well in their senior events their debut season because of huge TES (and poor scoring on PCS not holding them down far enough, imo).

You know Liza never won a free skate that season. She always lost them because of pcs and he same thing almost happened at euros. Beat kostner by nearly nothing- got lucky because of double salchows by kostner.
 
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let`s talk

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
I have fact for you: the best 2 Russian babies went and lost.
They didn't. The Russian babies won both, SP and FP. It's Caro who won nothing. :p
Comparing some National inflated scores to a legitimate score is so nonsense.
And how my charming one BV that I was referring to was inflated at RN? They gave double jumps the BV of triples? Or they did what exactly? Oh please. :biggrin:
No, it's not. An automatic -3 is given in the short program if the solo triple doesn't come out of steps OR if the combo doesn't adhere to rules (A quad or a triple with a triple or double attached. 2-3's okay, 3-1's not). Taking away three GOE levels must happen if a fall occurs and the final GOE must be negative, but if you decide that the combo had enough good qualities to be a plus one, than -2 is legitimate.
I wonder when people say "No, it's not", do they really think that no one else can read? CanadianSkaterGuy is right on this one: fall is an error for which final GOE must be in the minus of -3 reduction. Other errors of this kind recheck in ISU Communication 1724. Your info is not entirely right.
 

FlattFan

Match Penalty
Joined
Jan 4, 2010
They didn't. The Russian babies won both, SP and FP. It's Caro who won nothing. :p
And how my charming one BV that I was referring to was inflated at RN? They gave double jumps the BV of triples? Or they did what exactly? Oh please. :biggrin:
I wonder when people say "No, it's not", do they really think that no one else can read? CanadianSkaterGuy is right on this one: fall is an error for which final GOE must be in the minus of -3 reduction. Other errors of this kind recheck in ISU Communication 1724. Your info is not entirely right.

Take your own advice, read, and then take my advice, read between the line. BV is not be all end all. Look at all of Mao Asada's 2A-3T in Japan. her 3T should have been URed, but they gave it to her anyway.
Same thing at US Nat, the caller gave Ashley two full credited triples.
Same thing at Russian Nat, the caller can just give BV to anyone. oh, you didn't realize that? :rolleye:

Let's talk less and think more, eh?
 
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