Ladies SP - 2014 4CC

Wow... Slightly surprised by the results. Except Kanako on top, that isn't a surprise. If Mirai hadn't had a time violations, she would have been between the other two Americans. Surprised that Samantha got + GOE on her 2A, it looked pretty wild, other than that it was a good performance, though probably not top 3 worthy. Courtney's lutz looked pretty stunning - weirdly it got +3 from one judge and -1 from another.
Frustrating that the feed stopped working!! We missed 3 out of the top 5!

The Canadian women are down pretty low at this event. I thought maybe Lacoste would crack top 5. Looks like getting out of 10th will now be the goal.

Trewyn said:

Wow... Slightly surprised by the results. Except Kanako on top, that isn't a surprise. If Mirai hadn't had a time violations, she would have been between the other two Americans. Surprised that Samantha got + GOE on her 2A, it looked pretty wild, other than that it was a good performance, though probably not top 3 worthy. Courtney's lutz looked pretty stunning - weirdly it got +3 from one judge and -1 from another.
Frustrating that the feed stopped working!! We missed 3 out of the top 5!

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Very annoying that they cut off for hockey!

Without the step outs and close landings Mirai could have been higher. The time violation (again) is just silly. But I'm glad she's got this one out of the way. It must've been hard to step out on the ice after such a crushing disappointment at Nationals. The haters on FSU are already saying the U.S. Fed 'made the right decision' to keep her out of the Olympics and Worlds. Wonder if they'll sing the same tune if Ashley and/or Polina should bomb at the Games? Probably not - the hypocrites.

4CC Ladies SP videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/0316seisato/videos?shelf_id=3&sort=dd&view=0


4CC Ladies SP Group 1-2 videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NTW1Gcahnk

LADIES SHORT PROGRAM - VIDEOS & RESULT

1. Kanako MURAKAMI (JPN) - 64.73 Short Program
2. Zijun LI (CHN) - 62.84 Short Program
3. Haruka IMAI (JPN) - 62.72 Short Program
4. Satoko MIYAHARA (JPN) - 60.27 Short Program
5. Hae Jin KIM (KOR) - 57.48
6. Samantha CESARIO (USA) - 57.40
7. Courtney HICKS (USA) - 56.36
8. So Youn PARK (KOR) - 55.91
9. Mirai NAGASU (USA) - 55.39
10. Amelie LACOSTE (CAN) - 55.19

Ladies Short Program - Complete Groups 1+2

The fact that Amelie Lacoste has lower components than skaters like Courtney Hicks, Sam Cesario and even Mirai Nagasu (In this case because her program is a boring mess) is ridiculous.

Yes Amelie wasn't her best tonight and she let it show a bit in her performance, She should be getting atleast 28-30.


Also Haejin Kim was lucky with the technical mark because all but 3 judges gave her 0 for her opening Lutz - instead of -2 because she had zero steps into her jump!


:disapp::disapp::disapp:

Hm, either this competition is pretty mediocre or the scores are stingy, I wonder which is the case...

Shayuki said:

Hm, either this competition is pretty mediocre or the scores are stingy, I wonder which is the case...

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It was a bit of both honestly, no way any of the top five (except maybe Kim Hae-Jin) deserved such terrible PCS. The lower down skaters were a bit off, Park So-Youn was also underscored in PCS.

Sasha'sSpins said:

No excuses. Great fight from Mirai on the combo but overall not her best. Love the smile at the end.

Mirai - we need to talk about those time deductions...

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I know eh! She'd likely be 7th instead of 9th. :disapp:

Great skates from the Koreans, and of course this is a boost to Murakami and Li.

HaeJin's SP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrag6VwP2gg

Thank you Mao88, and those who uploaded videos so quickly.

Zijun and Haruka just made me smile.
They look so happy, and so do I.

Kanako's program is an old one?
Mirai

Sasha'sSpins said:

Very annoying that they cut off for hockey!

Without the step outs and close landings Mirai could have been higher. The time violation (again) is just silly. But I'm glad she's got this one out of the way. It must've been hard to step out on the ice after such a crushing disappointment at Nationals. The haters on FSU are already saying the U.S. Fed 'made the right decision' to keep her out of the Olympics and Worlds. Wonder if they'll sing the same tune if Ashley and/or Polina should bomb at the Games? Probably not - the hypocrites.

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Poor Mirai I thought she could win this one; but it will be hard; the scores are tight so she could move up a lot but 9th is a huge disappointment - actually I thought the Aericans would do better. Canada really didn`t look good. I think Amelie Lacoste might realize she is being shown the door - I remember a skater from canada years ago Jennifer Robinson - a a fine person I am sure but she was doing 7 painful triple programs and she was sewered like in 14th.

Zijun and Haruka are interesting skaters. I would have reversed their placements, though. I'm also not sure about Hae Jin Kim's score, but then again 4-7 are very close together! There could be a lot of shifts in the standings during the freeskate!

LADIES SHORT PROGRAM - VIDEOS & RESULT - Updated

1. Kanako MURAKAMI (JPN) - 64.73 Short Program
2. Zijun LI (CHN) - 62.84 Short Program
3. Haruka IMAI (JPN) - 62.72 Short Program
4. Satoko MIYAHARA (JPN) - 60.27 Short Program
5. Hae Jin KIM (KOR) - 57.48
6. Samantha CESARIO (USA) - 57.40
7. Courtney HICKS (USA) - 56.36
8. So Youn PARK (KOR) - 55.91
9. Mirai NAGASU (USA) - 55.39
10. Amelie LACOSTE (CAN) - 55.19

Ladies SP Complete Groups 1+2, Ladies SP Complete Groups 3+4

Thanks Mao88, you rock.
Recap of my thoughts on the top five, having watched the videos of the skaters the hockey cut off.

1. Kanako Murakami: She's really working to cement her position as future Japan #1. Lots of speed, attack and passion and a beautiful 3-3. Her 2A is still a little scary but it works for her. One thing I do worry about is the PCS she received here but I'm sure it's just the judging panel and entering the Olympics as reigning 4CC Champion and Japanese Silver Medalist will have its benefits.

2. Li Zijun: Awesome to see her back to her best, great 3F-3T, nice 3Lz, despite the flutz and lovely spins. I still don't think she has the attack and maturity needed for tango as it still fell a little flat, although maybe she was concentrated on landing the jumps. She earned the highest TES of the day though and it's great to see her come back from such a disappointing GP appearance.

3. Haruka Imai: Haruka finally skated to her potential here, nice airy 3-3, 2A that covered huge amounts of distance and as usual great speed and ice coverage. Pretty positions and a beautiful all around package earned her the second highest PCS of the night earning her third place overall. It'll be interesting to see where she stacks up Nationally next year with all the retirements on the way.

4. Satoko Miyahara: I love this program and thought she was a little underscored in PCS (namely SS and CH). She's been skating well all season long and here was no different, a UR call on the back end of her 3Lz-3T combination and a missed level on her layback cost her third. But she's been more consistent than any of the top three this year so she still has a good shot of medalling. I love this program and thought she was a little underscored in PCS (namely SS and CH).

5. Kim Hae-Jin: It's nice to see her perform with more commitment than before but she's still a little sluggish across the ice, and she dangles her toe like a limp salami, POINT IT! Her spins are far better than Park So-Youn's but I still have a feeling Park will best her overall with the way she's been skating at Nationals. She and So-Youn are the future of Korean figure skating so it's good to see them both place so highly at their first international senior event.

The judging panel were very stingy and made some questionable decisions (Courtney having higher PCS than Park, Kim, Satoko, Samantha and Amelie (???). The free will be a shake up, although I have a feeling Haruka is the only one whose placement is at risk.

Who was sitting with Mirai in the kiss and Cry?

flying camel said:

Who was sitting with Mirai in the kiss and Cry?

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He looks like Mura's dad, they have similar shape head and face.

zamboni step said:

Thanks Mao88, you rock.
Recap of my thoughts on the top five, having watched the videos of the skaters the hockey cut off.

1. Kanako Murakami: She's really working to cement her position as future Japan #1. Lots of speed, attack and passion and a beautiful 3-3. Her 2A is still a little scary but it works for her. One thing I do worry about is the PCS she received here but I'm sure it's just the judging panel and entering the Olympics as reigning 4CC Champion and Japanese Silver Medalist will have its benefits.

2. Li Zijun: Awesome to see her back to her best, great 3F-3T, nice 3Lz, despite the flutz and lovely spins. I still don't think she has the attack and maturity needed for tango as it still fell a little flat, although maybe she was concentrated on landing the jumps. She earned the highest TES of the day though and it's great to see her come back from such a disappointing GP appearance.

3. Haruka Imai: Haruka finally skated to her potential here, nice airy 3-3, 2A that covered huge amounts of distance and as usual great speed and ice coverage. Pretty positions and a beautiful all around package earned her the second highest PCS of the night earning her third place overall. It'll be interesting to see where she stacks up Nationally next year with all the retirements on the way.

4. Satoko Miyahara: I love this program and thought she was a little underscored in PCS (namely SS and CH). She's been skating well all season long and here was no different, a UR call on the back end of her 3Lz-3T combination and a missed level on her layback cost her third. But she's been more consistent than any of the top three this year so she still has a good shot of medalling. I love this program and thought she was a little underscored in PCS (namely SS and CH).

5. Kim Hae-Jin: It's nice to see her perform with more commitment than before but she's still a little sluggish across the ice, and she dangles her toe like a limp salami, POINT IT! Her spins are far better than Park So-Youn's but I still have a feeling Park will best her overall with the way she's been skating at Nationals. She and So-Youn are the future of Korean figure skating so it's good to see them both place so highly at their first international senior event.

The judging panel were very stingy and made some questionable decisions (Courtney having higher PCS than Park, Kim, Satoko, Samantha and Amelie (???). The free will be a shake up, although I have a feeling Haruka is the only one whose placement is at risk.

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Oh lord! Enough with the pointed toes already. Hae Jin KIM skated beautifully and if there is such a thing as a YuNa Kim school of skating then she is a top student of it. THAT is not a bad thing.
So happy for Li and I hope now she gets included in the conversations now. I'm exhausted talking about Ashley, Gracie and Katlyn. Li is at least in their company. She just needs to do more of the same in the Free which she has proved she can.
As for Mirai, she has the tools and I hope she is mindful that Americans love stories of rehabilitation and redemption. Hang in there Mirai and you may yet one day be celebrated.

glad Zijun is back after her injury
her speed and skating skills have improved too