Ladies Free Program

With all due respect to Cynthia and Allisa, my points would go to Susanna. When they show the breakdown of the presentation parts, it flashes so fast there is no way you can actually see how the various parts were scored.

I would think that Cynthia had some high scores in areas which were not all together noticeable while watching her skate.

Joe

Miki was less than 3.5 points ahead of Cynthia and Alissa after the SP, and only 0.2 points ahead of Angela.

For Miki to win the gold medal she had to at least tie Angela in the FS and finish no more than 3.3 points behind Cynthia and Alissa. Angela beat Miki by 6.88 points, and Cynthia beat her by 5.2 points. If Alissa had had just 1.25 points more, SHE would have won bronze.

What really cost Miki was underrotating jumps. Her 'quad' was rated a 3S and after the -GOE and the deduction for the fall, she got only 0.5. The lutz she fell on was rated a 2Z and she wound up with only 0.2. Her 3S3L was counted as only a 3S2L, and she got -1.2 GOE. The base value of the jumps she did (with underrotations) was 47.0, of which she received 42.6 points, minus 2.00 deductions for falls.

Because her spins, spirals, connecting steps and footwork are no better than average, Miki HAS to completely rotate and land her jumps to have any chance to win these competitions.

I think it was World's that I noticed that Totmania was much more expressive and it made watching their skate so much better. I think one of the reasons was that they used to be boy & girl friend and they no longer are. I always suspected maybe there were hard feelings between them but they were so far along with their skating that I wouldn't pay to get other partners. I may be wrong there but it's just what I was feeling.

euterpe said:

If Sasha Cohen had the warmth and radiance of Yukina Ota, she would truly be tough to beat. Sasha has wonderful moves, but there is something missing when she skates. Peggy Fleming, one of Sasha's biggest admirers, has said she lacks warmth. Yukina has the expressive quality that Sasha lacks.

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I agree with you. Dick Button said (to paraphrase) during the warm-up for the long program at last year's US Nationals - in which Sasha Cohen was in first place after the short program - "If Sasha can learn to skate from her heart, she could be unbeatable. As it is, she always seems to skate with a combination of anger and fear." Perceptive comment, I thought. Unfortunately, Sasha really does lack warmth on the ice, at least in my humble opinion.

eyria said:

Yukina Ota: She is a nice skater and very expressive. Her jumping obviously needs a lot of improvement though. So far, I feel like Yukina is a bit overhyped. I feel that she benefits a lot from the frequent comparisons to the other Japanese ladies. What I mean is that everyone seems to expect the Japanese ladies to be short on artistry, so when Yukina comes along *with* artistry, she gets a lot of attention.

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I agree you somewhat regarding how Ota stands out among the Japanese skaters when it comes to "artistry". But to me her presentation is much more than that: for me, now that her moves seem more finished, she's simply the most gorgeous lady to watch today, even more so than last year

Dick is right. Sasha does not skate from the heart; she skates for the gold. So be it. It's her business. She has great natural talent.

And yes, Yukina has her heart in skating. One of these competitions, Yukina will combine the heart with the winning desire and it will be pure gold all around. JMO.

Joe

To me, Sasha does skate with her heart . Sometimes I think her focus shifts to technicalities, but I remember her short program at Nationals and Worlds this year, and I think they were breathtaking. She really seemed happy when skating in those occassions some years ago when I saw her skate for the firts time, she reminded me of that spark that Tara had when skating. I really like her :agree:

I love the natural grace of Yukina Ota (even though this was one of her worst performances). It is not because she is different from other Japanese skaters, but because she is different from other skaters of any nationality. Most other skaters sort of 'develop' artistry, including Sasha. Yukina looks like she was born with it. There is so much detail in her skating! Every move she makes has something to express, from the fingertips to her whole being. The only other skater like her is/was Oksana Baiul.

That said, her jumps were an absolute disaster. If she got even half way better, she could be on the podium at worlds, but unfortunately getting half way better won't help her make the Japanese world team.

Vash

Yup Mathman----that's the one. Miki, Miki you're so fine. She had the pom poms and the whole nine yards. On her top, she had Miki spelled out. Really cute and she did a cute job.

Ladybug

Vash01 said:

There is so much detail in her skating! Every move she makes has something to express, from the fingertips to her whole being. The only other skater like her is/was Oksana Baiul.Vash

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I totally agree with you Vash. When I first saw her skating at NHK exhibition a couple of years ago, Oksana Baiul came to my mind instantly and thought I started a thread here(might have been a different board) comparing them. I remembered many didn't agree with me saying Oksana was very special and such.. but now you see the same thing in her as me!!!!! Yukina has indeed very distinctive style of her own which wasn't gained but she was born with it.

According to the Japanese newspaper, Ota is carrying out fatigue fracture in June. Moreover, the ankle is sprained the beginning of October. Therefore, She is not good physical condition. This result is unavoidable especially jumps. Ando seemed to become it tense very much. There is also no original speed and it seemed to be another person. I think that she had an good experience for her career Physical

Thanks for that info on Ota--that is indeed very interesting.

Reading all these posts on the Ladies, you don't seem to be commenting that Susanna Poykio did WIN the LP - not Angela. Angela was second in SP and LP.

But what do you expect from ABC? Susanna was not shown.

Joe

The explanation seems to be that ABC did not even do live commentary on the first flight of skaters, so when Sussana pulled an upset vectory, they weren't prepared to show it. What an embarrassment it would have been if Sussana had pulled herself all the way up to first overall!

Mathman said:

The explanation seems to be that ABC did not even do live commentary on the first flight of skaters, so when Sussana pulled an upset vectory, they weren't prepared to show it. What an embarrassment it would have been if Sussana had pulled herself all the way up to first overall!

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They could have pulled the tape and have done a voice-over commentary after the fact. Liashenko was in the same group as Poykio, the same Liashenko who came from 7th in the SP to 1st last year. You'd think they'd have planned for a repeat, and that they'd have used the plan to show Poykio's skate.

Or, imagine this, a voice lead-in, and Poykio's program without over-babbling...

Actually, Susanna's SP wasn't any worse than the other Ladies, but c'est la vie.

I adore Yukina, and love Cynthia, and Angela BUT, it was Susanna with the best skate that night!! I'm sure Peggy and Dick have some influence over the programming of these competitions and they have to realize that Susanna's skate should have been shown. What gives at ABC?

Joe

Joesitz said:

Actually, Susanna's SP wasn't any worse than the other Ladies, but c'est la vie.

I adore Yukina, and love Cynthia, and Angela BUT, it was Susanna with the best skate that night!! I'm sure Peggy and Dick have some influence over the programming of these competitions and they have to realize that Susanna's skate should have been shown. What gives at ABC? Joe

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I posted this on another board, but I believe that the reason Susanna Poykio's winning free skate wasn't shown was because of any or all of the following:

1. She isn't a U.S. skater AND/OR
2. She didn't make the podium AND/OR
3. She wasn't in the final group AND/OR
4. She is not a "baby ballerina" AND/OR
5. She isn't known in the U.S., except to avid skating fans AND/OR
6. She would have interfered with ABC's "storyline" about Angela's comeback

And since Yukina Ota also matches with 1, 2, and 5 and yet her 7th ranked free skate was shown, it seems to be a combination of 3, 4 and 6. ABC clearly didn't think it was worth the effort to edit their tape to include her program. Heaven forbid that U.S. viewers would get a chance to see a lovely, well-skated program by an unknown (non-baby ballerina) skater. A pox on them!

ladybug said:

I am not a big Miki fan but her program on Sunday was to the song Micky. It was very upbeat and she was very effective in showing her emotion. She took on the character of a cheerleader and was very bubbly.

Ladybug

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YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!! WOOHOO!!!

On 4-15-04, I mentioned this exact song......no lie......it was one of my very last posts on GoldenSkate until this past month (6 mos. ago, that is).

Miki, I'm convinced you're out there, b/c I know Yoshie Onda reads this board as well ~ even received mail from her (no lie). Thus, I want you two to know that you two are my favorite skaters, of all-time (for real).

Here is the post where I mentioned this song, and how it reminded me of Miki (copied & pasted from 6 mos. ago btw; also have highlighted it in red):




Golden Skate Forums > Office > Archives > 2003-04 Season
In Celebration of Phenomenal TECHNICAL Single Skaters! (;^D

04-15-2004, 08:04 PM #36
Nadine
Posts: 251 Love your posts, floskate (no lie), but needed to comment on this one in particular (please see below):


Quote:
Originally posted by floskate
Bronzeisgolden: ITA about Miki. I thinks she has done really well to hang onto her 3z/3l combo because she has done some major growing over the past 2 seasons. I just don't get why people dismiss her as a jumbing bean when clearly she has an adult body!! I also think that this is the reason her quad has gone AWOL this season. She last landed it at Japanese Nationals in December although IIRC someone posted that she did land some in practise at Dortmund. It remains to be seen if she can do this move consistently. If not I see a 3f/3l on the horizon!!

ME: right on! It is quite obvious to the naked eye that Miki Ando has the body of a woman (not a jumping bean), especially noticeable @ 2004 Jr. Worlds, when she was standing on the podium next to Kimmie Meissner & Katy Taylor (both of whom obviously haven't even begun the maturation process yet). In fact, Miki grew exactly 5" during the 2001/2002 season alone, and another 1" this past season (per her ISU bio). Thus, it appears to me that she is about done growing, if she hasn't already done so. This is why I'm fairly confident in her ability to land her arsenal of nuclear bomb jumps (aka 3Z/3R, 3T/3T, 4S) in the future.......hopefully the 'danger period' has past........we shall see.

As regards Miki's 3Z/3R, I think it is fairly safe to say that it is consistent b/c I have stats that state she has landed it at the following competitions in the FS (not taking into account the numerous times she has landed it in the SP btw) - 2002 Jr. Worlds, 2002 Canada JGP, 2002 China JGP, 2002 Sr. Nationals, 2003 Mexico JGP, 2003 JGPF, 2003 Jr. Nationals, 2004 Jr. Worlds, 2004 Sr. Worlds, 2004 Marshall's Mini Competition! However, I would say that her 4S is "getting there" (certainly not AWOL), as she has landed it at the following competitions in the FS - 2002 JGPF, 2003 Jr. Worlds (1-foot landing with 3turns/hops afterward), 2003 Jr. Nationals, 2003 Sr. Nationals, 2004 Marshall's Mini Competition. ***Note: astoundingly, my stats state she is getting even better after each competition (no lie) ~ e.g. 2003 Jr. Nationals was the first time she landed BOTH the 3Z/3R & 4S together in the FS ~ however, she outdid that @ her most recent competition (aka 2004 Marshall's) where for the first time she landed ALL of them together (aka 4S, 3Z/3R, 3T/3T)!!! ***

What's also great about both Miki and Shizuka is that both have disproved the theory that you have to be a prepubescent little girl to do the hard tricks! Midori's "children" sure are making their "Mom" proud!!!!!!

ME: again, right on! I'd also like to add Sarah Hughes, whom also had a mature adult body when she landed her 3/3s.

***Note: funny, all the time I think of Miki, that popular song from the 80's keeps playing over & over again in my head (no lie) - called "Miki" - and goes something like this oh Miki, you're so fine, you're so fine, you blow my mind, hey Miki! It was very popular when I was in h.s. - the cheerleaders even choreographed a number similar to the one in the video - remember it well b/c while this was going on during Assembly, I & my cronies snuck away (lol). ***



Some more worthy additions to the list are as follows:

Krizstina Czako (HUN) - hot diggity dang, could this woman ever JUMP! (8^O Will never forget her "Addams Family" FS @ Worlds. Wish she would've continued b/c I remember reading that she actually was able to land 3As in practice (no lie). However, it was my understanding that the pressure got to her, especially from her father (whom was also her coach; he actually competed w/Dick Button btw). Too bad, but the memories live on... ^)

Yoshie Onda (JPN) - how can I ever forget Yoshie Bear! I've been so blinded by her countrywoman, Miki Ando, that I've overlooked the greatest jumper in Japan today (bar none). Now that's what you call a JUMP ~ nobody but nobody in Japan today attains the spring & height on the jumps like Yoshie does ~ truly a natural.

***Note: btw, floskate, though Nakano & Nelidina became only the 3rd & 4th women (respectively) to officially land the 3A in competition, I give HUGE props to Yoshie's @ 2002 Bofrost Cup on Ice - best dang one since Midori & Tonya IMHO - she literally attained an unbelievable amt. of height & spring on it (though 1/2 short of rotation, but landed)! Whereas the Asada sisters are massively underrotated, as well as weak & puny (haven't seen Sawada's, thus can't comment, but would love to as she has the perfect build for jumps IMHO).***

Julia Sebestyen - vaskula, you are dead on! This woman ties w/Yoshie Onda as the best pure & natural jumper skating today (bar none). The spring & height they attain is, once again, unbelievable (reminiscent of Michael Jordan; no lie). Truly a thing of beauty...

Peace & Love, Nadine

P.S. In honor of these wonderful athletically gifted skaters, I quote from Christina Aguilera's song "FIGHTER":

"'Cause it makes me that much stronger
Makes me work a little bit harder
Makes me that much wiser
So thanks for making me a fighter
Made me learn a little bit faster
Made my skin a little bit thicker
It makes me that much smarter
So thanks for making me a F-I-G-H-T-E-R"


04-15-2004, 08:08 PM #37
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