2004: The top ladies and the 3/3

Re: 3/3

Hey everyone, I'm new here but not to ezboards. I have to say that it's too soon to know what will happen with the 3/3s and triple axels. Do people realize how many current skaters are suffering from hip and other problems because of these jumps? I don't necessarily think that it will be enough to have a consistent 3/3 without the presentation. It just won't happen. As for Sasha, I think she has talent and I'm still waiting for her to rise to the occassion. At this point, as beautiful a skater as she is, she does not emote or put her heart into her skating and the consistency problem on her jumps is a very serious one. I just don't have a "secure" feeling when I watch her skate. I think the judges really like her, though, so we'll see what happens over the next 3 years with all the newbies coming up as well as possibly Michelle, Irina, Elena, and Fumie. Nothing is for sure and I'd rather just leave it at this rather than speculate on who will or won't have it together for 2004 0r 2006 for that matter.

Re: 3/3

Hey, KwanRachs. Welcome to Golden Skate, the number one figure skating board. :lol: I know you,re going to like it here.

Mathman

Re: 2004: The top ladies and the 3/3

Hello, Mathman. Yes, I've been reading the interesting comments on this forum. I'm not sure what to think, but I think I like it here, mostly. I know you are a MK fan , which means we'll be good friends. I definitely think this was a rejuvenated Michelle that came to Nats and Worlds, but that doesn't discount her past credits, either. I think she is definitely overall happier on than she has been over the last two years, but I don't think she ever stopped loving to skate. Just needed a change of scenery and it's done her a world of good. We'll see about the 3/3 and I think MK will have something up her sleeve if she indeed comes back next season. Anywho, the whole off-season-waiting-deal is kind of hard, but oh well. That's why I'm here. If I can't watch figure skating, I can still post about it.

KwanRachs

On the 3/3 jump

I find it kinda funny how everyone is/was raving about the 3/3 being the be all end all to winning the title, on just about every skating forum I check. Funny because nobody seemed/seems to care about presentation as if once a 3/3 was put out there, the presentation marks would automatically be jacked up as high as the tech marks regardsless of the actual presentation (is it true?).

As an observer of this sport since I'm not a fan and I have no passion for it, I would think the truly contenders for the major titles are those who can put out the 3/3 and have good/great presentation at the same time. I was amused by the overwhelming enthusiasm from many posters who were so quick to write off Michelle for lacking the 3/3 before 2003 Worlds, citing there were A, B, C from Russia, D, E, F from Japan, etc etc who would churn out 3/3's and 3A's and hog the podium. I was baffled because they spoke as if the presentation marks would automatically hit the range of 5.6-5.9 once they had accomplished their 3/3 mission.

IMHO, if I were forced to predict, I would say only Irina and Sasha who have the goods technically and artistically to challenge or beat a clean 3/3-less Michelle. For others, if they can't get at least 5.6's for presentation (regardless of 3A, 3/3's or quads), they can't beat a clean 6-7 triple, 3/3-less Michelle because she commands at least 5.6's for tech marks, and 5.8's for presentation with performances like that. Michelle only needs the 3/3 to fend off Irina and Sasha not others (at least for the time being).

I'm embarrassed to say this all so emphatically since I'm not knowledgeable about the sport. Just felt compelled to let you guys know what a layman thinks. :lol: Please feel free to rebut.

Re: On the 3/3 jump

ApacheApache,

ITA about 3/3s. I have very mixed feelings about the whole thing, especially with the new Code of Points coming into the Grand Prix Events next season. I think everyone should know that Michelle is capable of doing a 3/3, but she has had some hip problems over the last year to two years. That said, I think it's a little ridiculous that I hear about all the girls in Russia, Japan, and Italy (kostner) who can do 3/3s and so are touted to beat Michelle in future if she doesn't have the 3/3. A. I think, right now, the only two people who would beat a clean MK w/out a 3/3 would be Irina or Sasha (if they are clean as well w/ 3/3s). B. This is all based on some strange assumption that MK somehow said that she will not do a 3/3 again EVER. That's what they make it sound like and it's mindboggling. She NEVER said that, she just said she wasn't planning it for this season. So, I think it would be better to wait on that judgment until closer to the season. MK is taking it one day at a time on deciding, I think, primarily how, not if she is going to compete next season. We'll see, but some of the conclusions people jump to are unfair.

Re: On the 3/3 jump

I agree with some here say it is too soon to predict if 3/3 will be the majore force next season.

For those top ladies who are consistantly landed 3/3s this season.

Sokolova. It is hard to say that Sokolova will come back with the same consistant of 3/3s next season. She mentioned in a interview that she didn't know if she was able to compete at the worlds three weeks before the Worlds because of her knee injury, which might need surgery.

Kostner. I don't know if she will preserve her 3/3s after the growing spurt since she is only 16. I only hope she dose not over train her 3/3s in case the injury; but at the same time keeps practice her 3/3s in order to preserver them when she pass her growing spurt.

Arakawa. I don't know if she has the injury. But she seems always undermarked. To me she has wonderful edge and flow on the ice and Sandra Loosemore called her "Powerful presentation". Hope she become a solid medal contend next year.

For top ladies who has the reputations for landing 3/3; with a grown up body; but we had yet see the consistance this seasons yet.
Irina S., Sarah H., Sasha C., Fumie S., Onda, Michelle Kwan, etc.
It is hard to predict if they can all get consistance down by next season. And I very much doubt we will ever seen Sarah next season in eligible rink.

For new upcomers who has landed 3/3s this seasons in JWC. It is even hard to predict if they will preserve their 3/3s after their growing spurt. The same for Kostner applied here.

Re: On the 3/3 jump

Question about a clean Sasha being "unbeatable": didn't Sasha skate a clean Qualifying round with 7 triples at Worlds and they put her in 3rd?

Sokolova had 2 (?) 3/3's in Qualifying and they put her in 2nd, didn't they? 3/3 is just one piece of the pie. Of course, with the new system, we have yet to see how big a piece it'll turn out to be.