Michelle will not win Worlds | Page 4 | Golden Skate

Michelle will not win Worlds

Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Hikaru said:
I was asking myself something about that! I would like to hear some opinions on why do you think Michelle didn't hold the spirals longer. What difference would that make in the 6.0? Why not hold it for the 3 seconds at Nationals? is it that she cannot do it or that she didn't want to do it at that moment? What do you all think on that?
Michelle is dictated by the music not by the tricks.

Joe
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
Hikaru said:
I was asking myself something about that! I would like to hear some opinions on why do you think Michelle didn't hold the spirals longer. What difference would that make in the 6.0? Why not hold it for the 3 seconds at Nationals? is it that she cannot do it or that she didn't want to do it at that moment? What do you all think on that?

She has to fit the whole spiral pattern in the rink. She almost hit the board when she switch to one of her positions.
 

apache88

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Hikaru said:
I was asking myself something about that! I would like to hear some opinions on why do you think Michelle didn't hold the spirals longer. What difference would that make in the 6.0? Why not hold it for the 3 seconds at Nationals? is it that she cannot do it or that she didn't want to do it at that moment? What do you all think on that?

I would think because it is not a requirement to hold those spirals for at least 3s under the old system, why do it then? Just like when she intuitively decided that a 3/3 was not needed at 2003 Worlds and hell, she was right.

It would be stupid of her to incorporate those spirals in her LP (obviously to achieve level 3) only not to hold them for 3s in an actual competition under the COP. It doesn't make sense. She's the smartest competitor around and I'm sure she will do accordingly under the COP and I beleive she has the skills to adjust. People are just so accustomed to Michelle's same old same old moves that they surmise Michelle doesn't have the skills to come up with new moves. Just my opinion.
 

MKbeauty

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
Re. Spirals

Speaking of spiral sequences under COP, the 3-second hold criteria is something that has been confusing me all season. If you look at the ISU levels of difficulty, the only place it mentions 3-second hold is under one of the requirements for level 3 - "Unsupported change of edge during one spiral (3 second hold following the change)." It doesn't specifically say all the positions must be held for 3 seconds.

I e-mailed USFS in the Fall with this same question. I actually received two separate replies - one said the 3-second hold was necessary for level 3, the other said it wasn't. So I'm still trying to find out where the 3-second hold criteria is mentioned. Does anyone know??
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
MKbeauty said:
I e-mailed USFS in the Fall with this same question. I actually received two separate replies - one said the 3-second hold was necessary for level 3, the other said it wasn't. So I'm still trying to find out where the 3-second hold criteria is mentioned. Does anyone know??
I'm confused as well. When it was first mentioned in general concention it was meant the 2nd edge position after change should be hold 3 second to be consider a COE spiral in level 3 def, and that's why some of Sasha's spiral last season was not called level 3, but Arakawa's was. But late it was interpreted as each position have to be hold 3 second.

But if you go FSU, read armchairs judges there, you would find the internet armchair judges apply the rule in general more strict than ISU judges. LOL.
 

MKbeauty

Rinkside
Joined
Mar 22, 2004
re. Spiral

Thanks, Mzheng. I'm glad I'm not the only one who's confused by this. I guess it's another one of those "gray areas" of COP. :)
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
From where I was sitting at the Nats, Sasha's spiral was on the diagonal and on the flat heading for the judges. It was effective but it did not have an edge. I've seen her do it on an edge so it was not like she does it on flat all the time.

Michelle began her spiral at one corner of the rink on the inside edge and carried it almost to the other corner before changing edge. Very effective but I would have like to have seen a longer stay after the change.

Joe
 
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gezando

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
Joesitz said:
From where I was sitting at the Nats, Sasha's spiral was on the diagonal and on the flat heading for the judges. It was effective but it did not have an edge. I've seen her do it on an edge so it was not like she does it on flat all the time.

When Cohen attempts to do the COE and on a flat, her path is a straight line or maybe diagonal, but there is no curve to the line, therefore even if she covers tghe entire length of the rink, she covers less net distance

Michelle began her spiral at one corner of the rink on the inside edge and carried it almost to the other corner before changing edge. Very effective but I would have like to have seen a longer stay after the change.

Joe

I have seen MK a few times either in practice or gala encore she can cover a lot more ice after the change of edge, but she never does that in competition, Maybe it does not fit the choreography
 

chania36

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 2, 2003
Do nof forget the Canadian Champion Joanie Rochette, she could very well cause a surprise. she has the triple triple, she can do two of them in the long, if she skates well, with the new COP, she can be on the podium. She has a fantastic long program to Firebird. Just wait and see, I am so happy that we have her in Canada, next season are the olympics, she is in the eyes of many,.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
apache88 said:
People are just so accustomed to Michelle's same old same old moves that they surmise Michelle doesn't have the skills to come up with new moves. Just my opinion.
I think Michelle is aware of this danger, and so she does try to come up with new "wow!" moves. This means that she has to put less emphasis on her old wow moves. In 1999 (Arianne) she started including a Charlotte. Wow! Then she phased it out. In 2003 she lit up the ice with footwork, which had never been a big part of her repertoire before.

So in part, I think she is not emphasizing the spiral quite as much because she doesn't want to do the same old, same old. The longer she holds the spiral, the longer that takes away form other MITF that she might be doing instead.

gezando said:
I have seen MK a few times either in practice or gala encore she can cover a lot more ice after the change of edge, but she never does that in competition, Maybe it does not fit the choreography.
I agree. In encores and exhibitions, you go with your money move. Give the people what they paid for -- that full rink, break your heart, make you fall in love spiral.

About choreography, one thing I have noticed lately is that the lead-ins to her spiral are shorter. So it seems like just out of nowhere, suddenly this beautiful flower opens up before our eyes, bloom gloriously, then dies in its season. If she held it any longer our emotions would not be able to bear it.

Mathman
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
RealtorGal said:
I think my emotions would survive the experience. :laugh:
Ha! The exquisite torture of a Michelle spiral? For three whole seconds?

Sure, you talk tough now. But when they strap you to that chair in front of the TV and tape your eyelids open...
 

ChiSk8Fan

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 7, 2004
Any recent MK preparation reports?

I believe Michelle Kwan can win the World Championships, but she will have to really skate her best in all three phases, and she will have to dazzle in the QR.

Do any posters out there know of any reports, now that we are close to the competition?
 
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Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
I was wondering the same thing...

ChiSk8Fan said:
Do any posters out there no of any reports, now that we are close to the competition?

But haven't seen a peep about any first hand practice reports anywhere that I usually look. Looks like everyone must be practicing with the doors locked!

DG
 

Kathy

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Doggygirl

There is a first hand report of Michelle's practice now at MKF in spoilers. The reporter is known for accuracy and is only giving a brief report. Saying that Michelle looks "solid." Also said she saw possible new fw into the flip in the short and that MK was practicing 2 3/3s and 2 3/2s, with the loop as the ending to one of the combo's - no word on how successful she was with them. I have a really good feeling about how well MK will do at Worlds - despite all the pessimism on the boards. I saw her in Portland and although Bolero didn't come out as well as she'd like, she was so amazingly solid all week in practices. I have a hunch she will peak at worlds and if she doesn't win, I still think she'll skate really well. I'm most nervous about qualifying - guess because of last year - if she gets past qual ok I think they'll be no stopping her. I expect lots of +3's for GOE on her elements even if they aren't the most difficult in the competition.
 

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Hi Kathy..

Kathy said:
Doggygirl

There is a first hand report of Michelle's practice now at MKF in spoilers. The reporter is known for accuracy and is only giving a brief report. Saying that Michelle looks "solid." Also said she saw possible new fw into the flip in the short and that MK was practicing 2 3/3s and 2 3/2s, with the loop as the ending to one of the combo's - no word on how successful she was with them. I have a really good feeling about how well MK will do at Worlds - despite all the pessimism on the boards. I saw her in Portland and although Bolero didn't come out as well as she'd like, she was so amazingly solid all week in practices. I have a hunch she will peak at worlds and if she doesn't win, I still think she'll skate really well. I'm most nervous about qualifying - guess because of last year - if she gets past qual ok I think they'll be no stopping her. I expect lots of +3's for GOE on her elements even if they aren't the most difficult in the competition.

Do you have a link to the site / post? I'm sure I'm the only one on the planet who doesn't know which site "MKF" refers too, and it seems there are LOTS of MK fan sites out there. Note that I am a fan of Michelle as well as many, many other skaters. So I tend to "hang out" in more general skating forums than specific skater fan sites. Just wanted to explain that so you know I'm not anti-anybody.

JOE - we're out to set a world record on this thread. Think we can do it??? :agree:

DG
 
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