Best Ladies jumper(s)

[aftertherain]

Well, uh, height is a factor in considering the quality of a jump. So maybe some people like Gold's 3-3's better for their height.

Others seem to prefer YuNa's proven track record of consistency.

There's nothing wrong with people having different preferences in what they look for in jumps.

Obviously, ice coverage, speed, height, landing position, take-off position, rotations are all important. You can't say one's jumps are better, simply because of one factor.

Disclaimer: Nationals scores may be subjected to inflation, blah blah blah; yes, I did have a lot of time on my hands.

Comparing 2A+3T: - Yuna

• Gracie Gold - 2013 Nationals (7.40BV +1.40GOE = 8.80)
  
  • Animated GIF - http://gifsoup.com/view2/4507147/usn...old-2a3t-o.gif
  • Full video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU6osJzg368&t=0m49s

• Yuna Kim - 2011 Worlds Practice (found the most recent one where Yuna has about the same entrance into combo as Gracie; scores N/A for this event)
  
  • Animated GIF - http://gifsoup.com/view2/4507175/w11-ykim-2a3t-o.gif
  • Full video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hThNnkgDq6g

• Comparisons:
  
  • ice coverage: Hard to tell, but I would say Yuna.
  • speed: About the same
  • height: Probably Gracie
  • landing position: Gracie's landing seems stiffer, but has a higher free leg. Yuna's landing is gentler but her free leg is down.
  • take-off position: About the same?
  • rotations: Gracie seems to rotate and complete her jumps faster.

Comparing 3Lz+3T: - Yuna

• Gracie Gold - 2013 Nationals (10.10BV + 1.80 GOE = 11.90)
  
  • Animated GIF - http://gifsoup.com/view1/4507107/usn...ld-3lz3t-o.gif
  • Full video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU6osJzg368&t=0m29s

• Yuna Kim - 2011 Worlds (2012-2013 season ones taken with less-than-desirable camera angles; 10.10BV + 1.60 GOE = 11.70) -- and yes, I know she got +2.00GOE at the Olympics, but the base value was different and I really just wanted to watch her HtK program again.
  
  • Animated GIF - http://gifsoup.com/view6/4507231/w11-ykim-3lz3t-o.gif
  • Full video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkGobx09RQ8&t=0m37s

• Comparisons:
  
  • ice coverage: Probably Yuna.
  • speed: Yuna
  • height: Gracie
  • landing position: Gracie's landing seems stiffer, but has a higher free leg. Yuna's landing is gentler but her free leg is down.
  • take-off position: About the same?
  • rotations: Gracie seems to rotate and complete her jumps faster.

In conclusion, I would have to say that I wish there were better camera angles of Gracie's jumps (as only time + the duration of her skating career will give us) and that I prefer Yuna's jumps over Gracie's because they are more aesthetically pleasing to me.

And that Midori Ito pretty much beats them both in speed and height and probably ice coverage.
(Neither have crashed into a cameraman before.)

• 3T+3T (Animated GIF) - http://gifsoup.com/view4/1226871/wor...to-3t-3t-o.gif
• 3A+3T (Animated GIF) - http://gifsoup.com/view/971034/oly92...ito-3a3t-o.gif