Ladies Long Program Skate Canada 2013

bekalc said:

But you don't know how long a skater has. Look at Tara, I don't think she'd have made it to Salt Lake, due to her hip issues. We should base things on the skating now and not how old they are. Some people have a super long time in the sport, some don't. Julia, from the little I heard, is an extremely hard worker. Piseev mentioned they need to actually get her to train less to not out due herself..

I mean look at Kimmie too she didn't have it in her for a super long career. Even Asada jumpwise (although the rest has improved) isn't the same. It may very well be that Torino really was Asada's best shot for Gold.

There's so much you don't know and to just say well they are 15 so lets not give it to them, as if Julia hasn't spent a lot of time training and working to this moment, and there's no guarantee whatsoever that she has till 2018.

I think anyways that Julia would need some help for her to win Olympic Gold or even a medal over Kostner, Asada, and Kim anyways. But saying she doesn't deserve it because she's young isn't fair.

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Agree. And many skaters peak at 14,15. (I won't list....but many of those who are still around peaked at 15 or 16)
I think Julia has a good chance to win the Olympics. She attacks each jump without hesitation, skates with massive energy, and has a huge fearless confidence. She reminds me a great deal of Tara. (fast spin in the air). Also, she brings charm to the ice.

Wow. And score inflation continues. At this rate, Yu-na will break 160 in the free.

LADIES FREE SKATE - RESULT & VIDEOS (Updated)

1. Julia LIPNITSKAYA (RUS) - 198.23 Free Skate
2. Akiko SUZUKI (JPN) - 193.75 Free Skate
3. Gracie GOLD (USA) - 186.65 Free Skate
4. Christina GAO (USA) - 173.69 Free Skate
5. Amelie LACOSTE (CAN) - 163.11
6. Courtney HICKS (USA) - 162.00 Free Skate
7. Natalia POPOVA (UKR) - 145.88
8. Veronik MALLET (CAN) - 138.13
WD Kaetlyn OSMOND (CAN)

sky_fly20 said:

Julia can definitely podium, only Kostner and Tuk can challenge
we'll have to see how Carolina scores at Cup of China next week

Sotnikova should make the most of her opporutnity
her GP assignments have a weak field CoC only Kostner, Kanako and TEB only Wagner , Gao

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Oh I was some reason thinking it was Cup of China. I know that Sotnikova has a very weak field at one of her events.

sky_fly20 said:

Sotnikova was not confident and is inconsistent so far in her seniors career
has not yet won a GP event for the last 2 seasons

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(This reply is also to bekalc)

I never said she did. Again, to review what I actually wrote: Liza won on the GP her senior debut season, and Adelina her Sr. Nationals. While she did not win on the GP, Adelina managed a couple of bronze finishes, which was considered a strong debut at the time. It was only disappointing by comparison to Liza. I remember that both were considered Can't Miss Kids by just about everyone.

The only reason I never joined the bandwagon is that I am naturally somewhat skeptical about the Wunderkind phenomenon, across the board. Which is why I apply the same cautious approach to Julia and Elena.

Who is Julia most likely to knock off the Sochi Podium?

Mathman said:

There have always been suspicions about bias and politics in judging. But this event is not a poster child for skullduggery. Lipnitskia skated best, Suzuki second best, Gold third.

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Then you agree with the judges. And, of course, no one said that this comp is "a poster child for skullduggery." Figure skating is a subjective sport which involves skating federations from different countries supporting their skaters interests while kowtowing to the ISU, which means political skullduggery is simply part of the territory, be it conscious, unconscious, intentional or unintentional. IMO, it would do the sport some good if the heavy country/ fed related aspect of it could be eliminated. But then country affiliation is also so tied to the Olympics, of which figure skating has always been a top draw among winter sports.

Again, there are so many factors that go into the judging equation. I think Christina Gao, e.g., is as talented as any of the ladies skaters currently competing. She just needs more oomph obviously, confidence and political backing too. She definitely should have been third or fourth at U.S. Nats earlier this year. She skated very well here, but is obviously not being rated overly highly by the judges.

IMHO, Suzuki deserved to win this competition with her great athleticism and artistry. Julia is a precocious skater with tremendous acrobatic skills. Plus she's from Russia, and in fs that's often worth extra rep points. Schindler's List music and costume seem to be working very well for Julia this season to help her with the maturity and expressiveness factor in comparison to the packaging she had last season.

Gracie has tremendous technical ability and athleticism, plus the looks, name and now the top level coach to guide her. It takes many skaters awhile to find their artistic niche (as well as maturity, experience and grace under pressure), but maybe Gracie is on her way. One other thing, she's from the U.S. which is panting after having a new top level ladies champion to beat the rest of the world.

tulosai said:

I don't feel like I've seen anyone hating on Gracie here?

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riceplate said:

bye bye gold for Gracie

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museksk8r said:

I am always baffled by Gold's overscored PCS and always feel that I am watching a completely different skater from the judges. Guess the judges have drank all the hype kool-aid around this kid. :disapp:

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Selene said:

She can't skate when any pressure is on her. She folds.

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Maybe they should institute a minimum age for this forum.

12 should suffice.

Icey said:

Who is Julia most likely to knock off the Sochi Podium?

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Truth be told, we don't know how Yuna is skating. I would say it will be Mao, Julia and Yuna, I think Julia has a good chance to win the Olympics.

^^ Ha ha, yes, James R. Gracie often gets as much hype as she gets criticism. I'm just gonna sit back and watch and see how her journey unfolds. Gracie should realize that she's in a good spot and doesn't need to win it all at the upcoming Olympics. She just needs to show up and enjoy the experience.

So if Julia wins is it more likely that she dash after her one big win?

lavender said:

So if Julia wins is it more likely that she dash after her one big win?

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Maybe she come back in pairs...lol

James R said:

Maybe they should institute a minimum age for this forum.

12 should suffice.

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I think you're the one acting childish. You have to realize that not everyone is going to share your opinions. This is not a Gracie Gold Fan Forum.

katymay said:

Maybe she come back in pairs...lol

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lol....it has happened when they don't jump the same after puberty.

sequinsgalore said:

Christina GAO (USA)

Music: Angels and Demons (soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer

White lace flowy dress with open back

3F+1T
2A
3Lz+2T - e
StSq
FSSp
2F
3Lo
CCoSp
3S
3T+2T+2Lo
ChSq
FCCoSp

Problems with the flip, other jumps solid. The program is a bit too bleak for her, though it would help if she didn't throw her arm back all the time. Who did this choreo?

FS: 53.95+56.92=110.87, 173.69, in 1st (out of 5)

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I believe Tom Dickson did the choreo.

Mao88 said:

LADIES FREE SKATE - RESULT & VIDEOS (Updated)

1. Julia LIPNITSKAYA (RUS) - 198.23 Free Skate
2. Akiko SUZUKI (JPN) - 193.75 Free Skate
3. Gracie GOLD (USA) - 186.65 Free Skate
4. Christina GAO (USA) - 173.69 Free Skate
5. Amelie LACOSTE (CAN) - 163.11
6. Courtney HICKS (USA) - 162.00 Free Skate
7. Natalia POPOVA (UKR) - 145.88
8. Veronik MALLET (CAN) - 138.13
WD Kaetlyn OSMOND (CAN)

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Thank you for finding Hicks! HOly Cow her jumps are huge. I hope she works on the sloppy problems and posture-cause she has some awesome jumping ability.

Art&Sport said:

^^ Ha ha, yes, James R. Gracie often gets as much hype as she gets criticism.

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Hope and hype aren't the same. The US ladies program has lost all Olympic hope since Sasha's Olympic silver in '06. Is it so wrong that people would try to have hope that someone could step up above the fray of 1 & 2-year skaters and disappointing skates, and get us back on the podium again?

If a skater is hyped, whose fault is it? Who should be punished? Apparently the haters think all of a skater's fans and potentially the skaters themselves (if they should be so unfortunate to come to a forum like this, hoping foolishly for a fair discussion of their work) should be punished verbally. I disagree 100%. The only people who should be punished are the ones doing the hyping.

Criticism and hate aren't the same. Legitimate criticism is backed up with facts; legitimate criticism is unbiased. I post about any skater as if they (or someone involved with them) might potentially come here and read our comments. There's lots of skaters' skates I didn't really care for, but I didn't post for each of them saying how much I didn't like their skate, laughing about how they failed, saying someone is a koolaid drinker for believing in them, or saying "they can't skate when any pressure is on them, they fold" when they are just starting at the senior level. Just think about those comments being read by the skater and maybe you will see how hateful they are.

Is there a rule about posts needing to add meaningfully to the discussion? If not, there should be. "I don't like this skater. (Negative opinion without factual support.)" That adds nothing. It's just a demonstration of someone's bias, poor manners and hatefulness.

riceplate - you laughing at Gracie not winning is a clear demonstration of your hatred, and more need not be said.
museksk8r - she skates with speed and I and many others find her movements graceful and her choreography to be mature for her age. You're allowed your own opinion, but saying others with a different opinion must be drinking "hype koolaid" is insulting. The judges seem to side with me, so in dissent the burden of proof lies with you. Do you have mathematical justification for her PCS being inflated? What parts of her PCS? Inflated by how much?
Selene - she's practically just started senior level skating. There isn't even a large enough body of evidence to draw the conclusion you're drawing ("she can't skate under pressure, she folds") if it even appeared accurate with the limited data (it doesn't.) Your comment is thus not properly supported as well as unfairly negative. Maybe you should take another look at the last 2 Olympic cycles of US ladies skating, and get back to me as to who else with Gracie's ability could handle pressure better starting their second freaking year of senior competition.

And since you're forgotten, let me refresh your failing memory. Ashley Wagner and Gracie Gold are the ladies who finally stepped up and won us our 3rd spot back for the Olympics. Much more pressure than a GP event, and they both came through. That's not hype. It's fact.

Akiko was glorious!!!!!

pitterpatter said:

Akiko was glorious!!!!!

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Totally agree. I just watched her skate...and omg, she blew me away

I find Julia so spellbinding. I never tire of watching her interpret Schindler's List! It's a perfect vehicle for her style I think. What a well deserved victory! Congratulations, Julia Lipnitskaia, 2013 Skate Canada Champion! :yay: