2015-2016 Ladies Power Rankings

Daniel1998 said:

Yes. It worked for the title of the actual post, but the thread seems to not know I changed the title.

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Mrs. P or another mod prob. soon will notice your posts about the attempted change to the thread title, and will make the change for you.

But another way to bring your request to the attention of the mods is to report your own post.

After mere mortals (i.e., non-mods) like us have started a thread, we have only a brief window of time (several minutes, I think) in which to change the thread title.
After the short time limit has passed, a mod must do it for you -- or else what you just experienced will happen: the thread will not "know" that you changed the title in the OP.

I don't follow the other disciplines as much as the ladies, so I'll do ladies here too.

1. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva - Russia
She won GPF, Euros, and Worlds all in one season which is beyond impressive. I have a feeling her consistency will continue. But her LP is really not that great and while her SP is ok I'm not really sure what to think about it. She has the 3A and those awesome jumps which gives her the big TES boost, but I'm just not sure if she will be just as consistent as last season.

2. Mao Asada - Japan
Mao is who I'm most excited for and I would've easily put her 1st, but I'm just not sure about het current condition. Yuna's return for 2012-2013 was amazing and she earned the highest PCS score ever at that time. I have a feeling Mao will still be the highest PCS scorer (and rightfully so), but her overall scores really depend on her current state. She has lovely programs and is entering as the best skater of the current field though. I hope she does well!

3. Satoko Miyahara - Japan
Judging from her beautiful programs and her win at U.S. Classic, I think Satoko's condition is very good so far. With just better jumps (hopefully she reduces the pre-rotation), Satoko will be one of the top skaters this season. After all, it's probably just the jumps that are her biggest enemies. She has beautiful (and IMO underrated) spins and the great artistry.

4. Elena Radionova - Russia
Judging from the test skates, it seems like Elena is getting her growth problems now. Elena was one of the most consistent skaters I've ever seen. Unfortuneatley, her jumps are starting to look a bit bad and even worse her new programs aren't that good (although her Je t'aime SP IMO isn't that bad). Will her growing be an obstacle to be one of the top skaters?

5. Gracie Gold - USA
Her programs this season are looking great. I'm one of the few people who likes her LP but are not super crazy over it. Still it looks like a great program. Anyways, Gracie can be one of the top if her consistency problems are gone and that really is the only obstacle for her this season.

6. Ashley Wagner - USA
Ashley is reusing her Moulin Rouge LP which was one of my favourites for last season. But I'm not that excited to see it again because I think it's better to see her do something else at this point. I have a good feeling about her samba SP though. Ashley just needs to fix minor problems in some areas of her skating to be one of the top. And right now, I think she is one of the most artistic skaters of the current field along with Mao and Satoko.

Honourable Mentions
7. Evgenia Medvedeva - Russia
Evgenia is pretty consistent but it all comes down to whether she'll have a sucessful senior debut like Elena or just fail because of the pressure and depth of the field. But either way she really needs better programs fast.

8. Julia Lipnitskaya - Russia
Like Mao I really don't know how she'll be like this season but it seems like she has improved a little in some areas of her skating and is trying something new for her SP (which I like) so I think she may do better than last season.

9. Rika Hongo - Japan
Rika's programs are looking good so I hope she will be able to have good showings of them. She has her problems in her skating but with more polish it will look much better.

10. Polina Edmunds - USA
*I forgot to put her in the original post. My bad.

I wasn't sure if I should've put Polina higher or lower than Anna, but I put her higher because she's more consistent. She is the reigning 4CC champion and has difficult technical content. If she just fixes her edge issues on the 3F and improves a bit artistically, I thinks she will be a major threat this season. And I LOVE her SP this season!

11. Anna Pogorilaya - Russia
As long as Anna becomes more consistent she can be a major contender this season. Anna has good spins (which like Satoko are pretty underrated) and jumps so she just needs to be able to get it together.

12. Kanako Murakami - Japan
Her U.S. Classic performances weren't good but it still is early in the season so I hope she shows her full potential at the upcoming competitions.

13. Zijun Li - China
I haven't seen her programs yet but I love Clair de Lune so I'm excited for that. Her new layback looks even more beautiful than her already-good layback. I hope she becomes sucessful this season.

14. So Youn Park - South Korea
We don't know her programs yet but she seems to be trying an upbeat and dramatic LP so it will be exciting to watch her this season...if she just fixes her consistency issues.

following ladies less lately but here we are...

1) Mao Asada: I think her return will show everyone who deserves high PCS scores
2) Liza Tuk : it's hard not to give her this spot with her 3A.... however, i am not impressed with her choreography, her interpretation, her spins, musical choices... etc... I just enjoy watching her because she wants to win and is gutsy.
3) Gracie Gold IF and ONLY IF she stops thinking about the 3A... she has enough on her plate without this...
4) Rika Hongo will surprise everyone this year while Satoko feels shadowed by Mao
5) Evgenya Medvedeva will not reach the podium but her consistency will impress the judges
6) Satoko M does well but not enough to keep her #2 spot... she realizes she needs to upgrade her jumping skills and is less consistent this year.
7) Lip is thankful she is Russian #3 as Radio, Pogo and Adelina don't make the world team
8) Ashley Wagner does an amazing FP but since she bombed the SP, she cannot make it better than #8
9) Zijun Li has a good season and everyone is happy
10) Osmond barely upstages Chartrand (11) while Daleman watches at home... Canadian girls will fight hard at home before getting to the WC... I think they will peak at Canadians but will have some lesser quality FP... I think their SP will be good thus finishing in top 12.


I decided to stick with only including 3 russian and 3 japanese ladies as despite the depth in those countries, the rules being what they are, we won't see the others at the WC.

My Ladies' Power Rankings:

01. Asada Mao
She returns to what is, relatively, a much weaker field than she has faced in the past. Carolina and Yuna are both out of the picture. Adelina and Yulia both suffered a post-Olympic slump and it's unknown if they will be a big threat to Mao at this point. Her only real challenger (at this point) seems to be Liza Tuktamysheva, the reigning World Champion. However, if Mao can skate cleanly and land the 3A as consistently as she possibly can, she will be unbeatable. I know she has not been very consistent in the past, and she has taken a significant amount of time off from skating. However, seeing clips of her training and what not, it looks like she is in top shape. I have a good feeling about Mao.

02. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva
She is the reigning World Champion so the reputation boost should work nicely for her. Last season she completely steamrolled the field. The perceived main contenders going into the season like Yulia and Gracie failed to meet expectations (lack of motivation following the Olympics probably comes into play). Her main competitor was Elena Radionova, who put up one heck of a fight. However, once she landed the 3A, it was basically over...nobody else had a chance. Going into the upcoming season, the jumps all seem to still be there (although we can't be sure about her consistency with the 3A just yet), but other areas are lacking. To be honest, the spins are still sluggish and her presentation is pretty much the same as it has been for years. Without the jumps, her programs are kind of dull, and this season, she has by far the worst free program of the Russian ladies thus far. Still, if she can maintain last year's momentum, I believe she should do just fine.

03. Gracie Gold
She's always had the potential, as we saw during the Olympics. Last season she suffered a slump, and her free program was a bit messy (although it was the best program utilizing vocals in my opinion). She has the best 3Lz - 3T since Yuna Kim, and her other jumps are solid...when she's able to actually land them. Her spins are very good as well and her artistry is developing well. Going into the season, she has two programs which are some of her best ever. She is a major factor, but her consistency is unknown at this time. It's a shame because if she were able to get over the nerves, she would probably have been at least on the Worlds podium (maybe multiple times) by now.

04. Evgenia Medvedeva
Although she is the reigning World Junior Champion, her reputation might not be as great as those above. However, she is a major threat, make no mistake. Love it or hate it, the cram-all-the-(tano)jumps-into-the-second-half-of-the-program strategy is really working for her and she has the technical goods to obliterate the rest of the field. Her artistry is still underdeveloped but decent, and she has good spins so all things considered, I think we'll see her on the podium...a lot. What she has working against her right now seems to be her programs. They are just so forgettable and similar season to season. All I remember about them is that she did well and had nice jumps throughout...but I guess it doesn't really matter that much when she's getting the killer scores.

05. Anna Pogorilaya
Anna is a great jumper when she is on. The spins have also improved a lot too. She has a certain wildness that is very intriguing, which gives her a unique style IMO. You wouldn't think that she would be a good fit skating to ballet music but last year's Firebird was a masterpiece, and this year's Scheherazade is shaping up to be just as good. Unfortunately, she falls apart easily mid-program, and if other skaters go clean, she will likely be off the podium.

06. Yulia Lipnitskaya
As with Gracie, Yulia went through a post-Olympic slump, but for her, puberty and her newfound fame could also have contributed. Coupled with skate problems, lack of preparation, and self-doubt stemming from Sochi, a disaster was bound to happen. The Olympics changed her life in mere minutes, and the unwanted attention has definitely broken down that steely, unbothered demeanor she is so famous for. She recently talked about how anxious she was going into the test skate which is not a promising sign as far as confidence goes. Still, she is one of the most compelling skaters on the ice, and it's no surprise that she captivated the world during the Games. Personally, I find that the new Yulia has a vulnerability that can offer a lot to her skating...if she utilizes it. Going into the season, she already has a completely different SP that seems to be working for her, and a LP that could be a beauty if/when the holes get filled in (moments of haphazard, unfinished choreo, missed timing on jumps, etc). Her jumps are noticeably higher and less "snappy". She has slowed down a lot of her movements which I personally think is a smart decision...as this can help her maintain her stamina throughout while being more expressive with her skating. If she can get her confidence and consistency back, she should have no problem jumping right back onto the podium.

07. Adelina Sotnikova
She is the reigning Olympic Champion and seems to be back on track as far as skating preparedness goes. However, she already has a back injury, so that may turn into a problem in the long run. Her programs are very suitable, death scene and all. I think Adelina is a very dramatic performer and both programs really allow her to show that. However, the jumps are not all totally there, as observed in the shows she did this summer as well as the test skates. It's not really a new problem per se, but she really needs to work on that if she wants to be competitive with skaters like Liza who basically never fall. She really seems to have hit the jackpot with her two Sochi performances. If only she could skate like that with any semblance of consistency, she would definitely be a main contender.

08. Elena Radionova
I've always enjoyed her skating, and she was able to keep me engaged in a program with Jennifer Lopez moaning up a storm in the background so...kudos. That ability to sell even the crappiest programs will serve well her this season more than ever, because her programs this season are her worst ever by far. Also, she is growing like grass and her jumps look just ever so slightly unstable. Whenever she lands a jump, I am positive she is going to topple over, but she never does. That in itself is a pretty incredible ability, but I have a bad feeling about how much longer she can keep it up.

09. Hongo Rika
Like Liza Tuktamysheva, she has consistency going for her, although her technical content is not quite as strong. She was also very, very lucky last season, but I'm not sure how far she can get on luck alone. If compared to her compatriots, Mao is obviously in a completely different league, but I do think Rika has more potential than Satoko. She definitely has the better jumps, and won't be dealing with puberty issues as far as I can tell. Yes, she will need some polish artistically, but it's coming along quite well as observed in her summer show skates. I'm hoping that maintains the momentum and really grows this season.

10. Miyahara Satoko
On paper, she is the reigning World Silver Medalist and Japanese National Champion. I don't mean to call her wins complete flukes...but on some level she did luck out. Now that Mao is back, I don't think she will be as big a contender. Still, I think the reputation she built up last season will definitely help her along during the season. She is also consistent and has generally pleasant programs. I must say, despite the steely/intense focus she displays on ice, her performances come off as a bit stiff and her jumps are scary to watch.

Honorable Mentions:

Polina Edmunds: She demonstrated her potential at 4CC, and like Anna Pogorilaya, she is capable of good technical components and has a unique style. She did not have a great season last year, but others had post-Olympic slumps as well.

Zijun Li: This girl is way overdue for a breakout season. She has every quality, beautiful jumps, beautiful spins, a lot of emotion in her skating...it's just always sad to see her not realize that potential. Hopefully, this year will be her year.

Mirai Nagasu: I still believe that Mirai has a chance of success even at this point. She has a lot of potential, and is working very hard to become reestablished. I'm not sure about the 3A, but hopefully she improves enough all around to be competitive again.

while Satoko feels shadowed by Mao

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hmm haven't thought about it until this thread....
Maybe the opposite
The return of Mao may motivate her even more

1. Mao Asada (I feel a bit weird putting her in the top spot, but she has the PCS and the base value, and of course, she's Mao!)
2. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (I'm sold on her technical ability but maintaining her level will be a challenge; as WTT showed, she can be vulnerable)
3. Elena Radionova (I still think her consistency will help her win this season or at least medal - I predict her to win Russian nats even against Tuktamysheva)
4. Evgenia Medvedeva (192 at last Junior Worlds, but that was with no 2nd footwork sequence and lower PCS that all Junior skaters receive, which is bound to jump this season esp. if she reels off consistent performances)
5. Gracie Gold (she's due for a good season, but I still don't think she is mentally as tough as the Russians to get consistent programs; I think she'll get a win whether on the GP or Nationals, but I still think she'll be off the World podium)
6. Satoko Miyahara (I think this is a season where she really develops her artistry, but I see her jumps as deteriorating and not getting stronger and at some point she'll have to grow)
7. Rika Hongo (so underrated, she's definitely the new Suzuki having to pull out consistent tough performances just to hang with the top girls even though she deserves higher scores)
8. Ashley Wagner (I think she's got a fire under her but her URs will continue to hurt her)
9. Polina Edmunds (I want to place her higher, like even 6th or 7th on this list, but her GP season is often weak and she's usually 2nd tier at Worlds; love her SP though)
10. Adelina Sotnikova (I actually think Julia will do better, but Sotnikova's PCS scores will keep her in the hunt for the first half of the season)

1. Liza Tuk
strength: given us the consistency to rise above the ashes and go beyond that; greater BV than Mao (if not, please clarify); GOEs are secured in jumps
weakness: may not know how pressure will get through her; polarizing programs; ambitious layout
competition: she can easily go to GPF and podium in everything

2. Mao
strength: sentimental favourite; has the "veteran" polish that the major of today's skaters lack; renewed confidence; knows how to come back (re: Sochi 2014 and WC 2013)
weakness: may not be mentally secured (re: Sochi 2014); UR-prone; ambitious layout; of the older age bracket
competition: like Liza, she can win things easily and be on the podium

3. Satoko
strength: highly consistent; great programs that showcase her strengths; artistically-sound; underrated spins
weakness: TINY JUMPS- will likely be hampered by the judges early on; tends to be better later in the season
competition: will make it on the podium for a lot of the competitions; may fight for a spot to GPF but will likely go to Barcelona

4. Ashley W.
strength: fiery competitive spirit; engrosses herself into the music; fun skater to watch
weakness: UR-prone; inconsistent; not-so-great SS
competition: see Satoko's

5. Gracie
strength: beautiful jumps; GOE-banker; now has programs that matches her; great SS to boot
weakness: inconsistent; edge calls on flips; can be stiff on the ice
competition: see Satoko's

6. Elena R.
strength: consistent; makes anything work for her; gorgeous spins; effervescent
weakness: PUBERTY HAS STRUCK; jumps aren't in the best state; polarizing programs
competition: like Satoko

7. Polina E.
strength: has more mature programs; good jumps; has that 'Russian grit' that the other Americans lack
weakness: wonky 2A and flips; GWTW program may not work if not packaged right
competition: lower chance to podium in competitions

8. Evgenia M
strength: coming as a JWC; very consistent with recent showings; tano-jumps for the GOEs
weakness: evidently the slowest out of the top Russians; polarizing programs
competition: like Polina's

9. Yulia and Adelina
I have decided to put both skaters for 9th. Both are a question mark- we don't know how both will fare due to last season. Yulia is coming back but at a state of lower confidence as evident from her interviews. Adelina is dealing with a back injury. Both receive generally positive acclaims for their programs but they still need work. Both will also receive a lot of pressure to do their best, especially Adelina.

11. Rika
strength: mini-Akiko; shown consistency; good programs that hides her weakness
weakness: horrid posture is still sadly there; recieve lower fed. politics
competition: will not make it to GPF unless a freak win happens again.

Honourable mentions:
- Anna P.
- Zijun
- Kaetlyn
- Soyoun
- Kanako
- Liza Turz.

^What is polarizing program?

^You either like it or you don't. No middle ground.

^Thanks got it

A program that people either love or hate.

Ladies in no particular order:

Mao - she's definetly podium quality even if she doesn't land that 3axel.

Liza - her jumping technique is so secure that she's the only russian lady I'm pretty sure will make the worlds team.

Ashley - don't stress yourself out - just go and attack like you did last worlds FS. No headcasing anymore.

Gracie - highly inconsistent but her SS is above a lot of the other ladies.

Karen Chen - I believe she's going to make the world's team. Her layout in the FS last year was top notch and unlike Polina she's going toget those PCS not only nationally but also internationally.

Li Zijun - stamina, stamina, stamina! SS, SS, SS!! This is all that keeps you from the podium. Just train SS ONCE you will benefit from it throughout your whole skating career!

Rika Hongo - she's extremly consistent and now has Akiko as her choreographer. I'm expecting a successful season.

Elena Radionova - she has the grit, the spark and the crazyness to make the world's team even while fighting puberty issues.

skaters I think who could have a succesful season but also needs a bit more than they have shown yet:

Yulia - her body has changed dramatically and her jumping technique was never the best. Also she can't rely on high PCS any more because she's not yet accustomed to skate the mature and polished style. Also her SS is not really outstanding. I wish her the best in winning back those jumps and confidence and hope she'll make the worlds team.

Adelina - while just as Yulia she struggles with her jumps, Adelina has the SS to back it up and her jumping technique is more secure, although adelina herself tend to be inconsistent. If she gets her jumps, she has a good chance to make that world team.

Anna Pogo - her sheherezade costume is breathtakingly beautiful and she too has stable jumping technique. I fear her inconsistency is more due to wrong coaching style and not peaking at the right times.

Mirai - I would love to see the olympic mirai once again. She was reeeeaaally good.

Polina - she has the technical goods but really lacks in the presentation department. It wasn't the peter pan music being too immature (it could have been very lyrical and inspiring) - I'm sorry to say that- but it's her execution that did prevent her from getting higher PCS.

Soyoun - I heard her FS is fast and Passionate -i'm not sure she'll be able to sell that convincingly. But I root for her to improve on the speed and SS department. SS!!!! Needed very much!!!!

1) Liza - Because she is the WC with all the triples. I suspect the 3A will not be as consistent.
2) Adelina - She has the best artistry among the Russian ladies. If her jumps are there she only has one problematic jump: 3Lz.
3) Mao - More for sentimental reasons. She wasn't very consistent before and I'm afraid at her age it is going to be hard to compete, considering her 3Lz, 3S, 3T and 3A can all be problematic.
4) Ashley - She is a solid competitor and there's always a chance she could put together two clean programs and land on the world podium.
5) Evgenya - She is really talented and her LP is very intriguing. She will get good GOE for the tanos.
6) Gracie - Her strength is her technical merit and she is getting passed by other competitors there, so even if she gets her act together she will need mistakes from others to place high.

Unite said:

My Ladies' Power Rankings:

08. Elena Radionova
I've always enjoyed her skating, and she was able to keep me engaged in a program with Jennifer Lopez moaning up a storm in the background so...kudos. That ability to sell even the crappiest programs will serve well her this season more than ever, because her programs this season are her worst ever by far. Also, she is growing like grass and her jumps look just ever so slightly unstable. Whenever she lands a jump, I am positive she is going to topple over, but she never does. That in itself is a pretty incredible ability, but I have a bad feeling about how much longer she can keep it up.

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I don't agree 100% with your rankings (except for #1 and #2 order), but I can understand your analysis and why you stated your case. And also, the bold segment above had me laughing at my desk today!!

drivingmissdaisy said:

3) Mao - More for sentimental reasons. She wasn't very consistent before and I'm afraid at her age it is going to be hard to compete, considering her 3Lz, 3S, 3T and 3A can all be problematic.

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I wouldn't write her off right away. Caro won worlds at 25 and Olympic bronze at 27. Slutskaya had a stirring comeback at age 26 and won her last Olympic medal the following year. Mao will be 27 in 2018 so it's possible she can still keep it up for the next couple of years. But I do agree with sentiment, she's easily my favorite of the entire field this year.

I definitely am not writing her off, especially after her fine performances to finish 2014. However, between wrong edges and <, there are so many potential deductions that will keep her TES far behind Liza that unless Mao skates almost perfectly, her PCS advantage can't make up the difference. Liza can do two proper lutzes in her LP, rotate the second triple in a 3-3 every time, and breeze through the easier triples that sometimes give Mao problems.

My power ranking based on 'current impression' without able to check out all the choreographic programs yet. So far, I must say, I am not that impressed from watching the Russian test skate programs (the only one that seems potentially interesting is Julia's SP, Anna's Scherazade), but it is just a test skate, still waiting for the competition version. So there's definitely room for great programs/performance to come through these rankings.

(Based on optimum level at WC in a non home field advantaged hosting country, something like Canada.)

1. Mao
2. Liza
3. Gracie
4. Ashley
5. Elena
6. Julia
7. Kaetlyn Osmond (Revised after Nebelhorn, jumped from 10th place)
8. Evgenia = Anna
9. Adelina
10. Rika = Polina = Li Zijun = Kanako = So Youn

drivingmissdaisy said:

I definitely am not writing her off, especially after her fine performances to finish 2014. However, between wrong edges and <, there are so many potential deductions that will keep her TES far behind Liza that unless Mao skates almost perfectly, her PCS advantage can't make up the difference. Liza can do two proper lutzes in her LP, rotate the second triple in a 3-3 every time, and breeze through the easier triples that sometimes give Mao problems.

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I hear ya. If Liza is clean and Mao gets edge and UR calls, it'll be very tough to win. Then again, Caro was known as a technician (they had to slow her speed way down to build consistency) up until Vancouver and then in the quad leading to Sochi became the consummate artist. Perhaps Mao will follow the same path, leaving Liza and the Russians to step it up technically (hopefully stay injury free).

Frankly, Mao is more likely to be successful than Adelina at this point. She looks like a mess, technically. Luckily for her she was gifted with the ultimate prize. Hopefully she can get it together... Also, it's not like Mao has been on the couch eating crisps for a year.

Daniel1998 said:

Yes. It worked for the title of the actual post, but the thread seems to not know I changed the title.

Click to expand...

The rationale is that after someone else posts on a thread, the thread belongs to everyone, not just to the original poster.

So, yes, if you want the title of a thread changed, use the "report" feature to bring it to the attention of the moderators.

The moderators may also change a thread title on their own, for instance to correct spelling (especially of skaters' names) and grammar, and also to make them show up better in Internet searches.