The up and coming ladies | Page 2 | Golden Skate

The up and coming ladies

Joined
Jul 11, 2003
My tour in Moscow had a dinner which was attended by Kimmie, and Pang and Tong. I actually got separate photos of myself with them. With just a few words, I would say that Kimmie is very quiet but feisty. I really think she will blossom at the Olys and be in the top 10,

BTW, Pang does not look at all anorexic in person.

As for Mao Asada and Yu na Kim, I have not seen them skate yet and I am very much looking forward to it. I hope the hype doesn't hurt them.

I had been so hopped up reading the hype on Miki and her quad last year, But it didn't happen for me. She did turn out to be a very good skater but no where's near the hype.

Joe
 
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CDMM1991

Medalist
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
Mathman said:
I have also read from people who observed her training in Ontario last summer (Jeff Buttle helped with her choreography) that she appeared to be totally miserably the whole time. Maybe she was homesick. I hope I'm wrong, but the overall impression I keep getting is that this is a girl who has been told, if you don't win a gold medal you are nothing. :frown:

ITA. Mathman, I was one of those people who got the chance to observe her training, as I was training there as well myself. It was really discouraging because she was such a talent. If she had the love of the sport she could be absolutely magnificent but she just didn't have that fire in her. But man, she could land some jumps. hehe.
 
Joined
May 17, 2005
Joesitz said:
My tour in Moscow had a dinner which was attended by Kimmie, and Pang and Tong. I actually got separate photos of myself with them. With just a few words, I would say that Kimmie is very quiet but feisty. I really think she will blossom at the Olys and be in the top 10

Out of sheer curiousity... do they actually... eat? Just wondering, because there are SO many preconceived notions about skaters being all anorexic, and I've never actually met the higher level skaters. :)
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
IceDancingPrincess14 said:
Out of sheer curiousity... do they actually... eat? Just wondering, because there are SO many preconceived notions about skaters being all anorexic, and I've never actually met the higher level skaters. :)

They arrived after dinner as a kind of entertainment.

Joe
 

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Has everyone watched Emily Hughes from Jr. Worlds???

But first.....so Joe, when exactly do you plan to share those pictures????? How cool. Come on!! We want Pics!!

For anyone interested, the SP's and LP's for Kimmy and Emily are available now on http://fsvids.9.forumer.com/index.php?showtopic=53&st=275&#entry11590 for download. (it expires, so if you want 'em - go get 'em)

I'm SO glad I asked for those. It was great to watch Kimmy. She had some jump trouble in the LP, but she really does have a mature presentation style for the Junior ranks. But OMG it was worth the time to watch Emily's international debut!! She just takes the ice with such enthusiasm, and she completely attacked her programs. I caught myself wishing that Sasha had NOT chosen Don't Rain On My Parade for her Ex this past year, because it would make a perfect Ex number for Emily. :) Seriously, watching that one is worth the time and hard disk space if you haven't seen it.

After more viewing, I would agree with posters who mentioned that Kimmie (and I would even add Emily to the list) have presentation that is a bit more mature at this stage than Mao. But if you look at the score sheets, Mao is putting out some pretty darn good presentation in the midst of much more difficult programs at all levels. The jump content in the SP's was pretty close for the top ladies, with only a slight point advantage for Mao with a 3Z/2Loop compared to 3Z/2T for several others. But her non jump elements are scored way above the rest - level 2 and 3 in the SP, and all level 2 in the LP compared to more level 1 than 2 for the rest of the top ladies. Of course Mao had a more significant point advantage related to jumps (in addition to non-jumps) in the LP.

Both Emily and Kimmie (and I'm sure a number of other young US ladies) have SO much potential, and very different styles. I think Emily has great potential for some awesome future spirals as one example of how these ladies can "up the ante" as they develop.

Anyway, enough rambling. Enjoy!

DG
 

shine

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I think Kimmie Meissner had by far the most mature and complex choregraphy in both her programs. The LP and SP musics are not easy to skate to even for older skaters. Yu Na Kim's programs were more mature than Asada's as well. Just by watcing her skate with those secure, smooth edges and flow I'm sure Meissner is able to do everything (other than the 3/3s and 3axel) that got Asada the level 2 and level 3 points, but it was just a matter of choice. I don't think the girls (Meissner, Kim and Hughes) will continue to let Asada have such a big advantage over them in the elements once they get more used to CoP, because really their skating skills and spins are just as good if not better than that of Asada's. Will be interesting next season.
 

Kathy

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 3, 2003
Well from the performances I have seen Asada and Kim are the ones to beat and Kimmie and Emily have some catching up to do. Asada is amazing, she is so consistant and her edging is wonderful. Plus she really appears at this point to skate with joy and so far is fearless. Kim is great too, although I share the concern mentioned here about the psychological piece - and she skates with more hesitation and anxiety than Mao. Both remind me of the talent of a Kwan or Tara in there own ways. I saw both Kimmie and Emily at Nationals, and to be honest other than her 3 axel I wasn't that impressed with Kimmie. Talented of course - but compared to the talent of 15 year old Kwan,
Tara or even Cohen, I just didn't see it. Emily, on the other hand, impressed me a lot. Not so much with raw talent - but goodness that girl has grit. She does just not give up. I watched her fall repeatedly on a jump (can't remember which one) and she would get up, fly back to her coach at the boards, get advice, and fly back to center rink to go full force at it again, all the time with a great "I'm gonna get this attitude." She kept struggling through all the practices with that jump, but when the competition came - bam - she nailed it and no one would have ever known her struggles with it. She was an absolute energizer bunny during practice and if she approaches skating like this always - well she will be quite the competitor. With all that said - no one yet knows how puberty will affect all the young uns so we'll just have to wait and see.
 

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
shine said:
I think Kimmie Meissner had by far the most mature and complex choregraphy in both her programs. The LP and SP musics are not easy to skate to even for older skaters. Yu Na Kim's programs were more mature than Asada's as well. Just by watcing her skate with those secure, smooth edges and flow I'm sure Meissner is able to do everything (other than the 3/3s and 3axel) that got Asada the level 2 and level 3 points, but it was just a matter of choice. I don't think the girls (Meissner, Kim and Hughes) will continue to let Asada have such a big advantage over them in the elements once they get more used to CoP, because really their skating skills and spins are just as good if not better than that of Asada's. Will be interesting next season.

I hope Kimmie, Emily, Alissa, and other American younger ladies can "do it" with the difficulty of all moves under COP. But they didn't, and Mao did. Emily was the ONLY one debuting for the first time under COP. Asada, Kim, Meissner, Czisny, and the other gal in the top six, other than Emily all competed in the Jr. Grand Prix getting a bit of COP under the belt. That makes me all the more enthusiastic about Emily's Jr. World's debut - it was also her COP debut.

DG
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I hope you are not forgetting an injury free Bebe under the tutelage of Frank Carroll. This, I hope, will surprise us all.

Jo
 

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Joesitz said:
I hope you are not forgetting an injury free Bebe under the tutelage of Frank Carroll. This, I hope, will surprise us all.

Jo

I love Bebe!! I hope she has a great season next year and can make a run at that 3rd US spot on the podium. I guess my focus has been on the up and comers from Jr. Worlds since I've been busy watchin' them over the weekend. ;)

On the men's side, I also watched Othman recently (I think you commented about him after Worlds) and I really like his style too. I hope he develops into a top tier skater!

DG
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
If Liang and Othman do not place first in their GPs, I doubt we will see either of them skate. Maybe Liang for TV of Nats. So I'm off to St.Johns to check out Othman against the Canadian enslaught.

Joe
 

chuckm

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Country
United-States
BeBe still has problems with hip pain, and has particular difficulty with the edge jumps. She seems to have completed her growth, and perhaps the pain (which doctors say is related to growth issues) will begin to subside.
 

Doggygirl

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
chuckm said:
BeBe still has problems with hip pain, and has particular difficulty with the edge jumps. She seems to have completed her growth, and perhaps the pain (which doctors say is related to growth issues) will begin to subside.

Hi Chuckm. Have you heard any recent news about this? Or is the "latest" what we heard about her hip pain during the last season? I'm hoping the pain is subsiding for her.

DG
 

mzheng

Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 16, 2005
chuckm said:
BeBe still has problems with hip pain, and has particular difficulty with the edge jumps. She seems to have completed her growth, and perhaps the pain (which doctors say is related to growth issues) will begin to subside.
Seem almost all top US ladies having problem with edge jump especially the loop. MK had not done one in competetion last season (albeit she only skated 2 seriouse competetion LP last season, nevertherless she diddn't try in either one, the ones in practicing dosn't count). Sasha's Loop went MIA recently according to the practice reporting. BeBe has had problem with loop as reported. Who else US lady missed the loop?

No the pain will not subside. Michelle completed her growth long time ago, yet the loop gives her hip pain, which is the majore reason she refrains herself practicing too many loop, so I heard. The office trainning may help to some degree though.
 
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CDMM1991

Medalist
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
Joe you have seemed to be quite a Beatrisa Liang fan! Is there anything in particular that you like about her skating?
 

EricAba

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 27, 2003
Re the loop jump, does anyone know if it's easier to do the jump out of three turns rather than by itself? Perhaps the momentum from the three turns makes it easier to rotate the jump, once it gets in the air? I noticed that Bebe tried to do the triple loop from three turns at Marshalls, in place of the triple salchow.

I hope Bebe does well next season. I really enjoyed her programs at Nationals, and I thought that she had the best mix of athleticism, flexibility and artistry out of all of the up and coming ladies. And I think she can get the triple axel, given the height and power she gets on her double... next year will be exciting!
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
CDMM1991 said:
Joe you have seemed to be quite a Beatrisa Liang fan! Is there anything in particular that you like about her skating?
Bebe has spunk and I like spunk :)

Seriously, she doesn't hold back. Come pain or injury, when she's on the ice, she will not leave anything out. And she has very high technical tricks (I'm sure we'll see a Bielman at Nats) and her presentation is her own original style. She copies no one!!

As the ad goes: She's refreshingly good.

Joe
 

attyfan

Custom Title
Medalist
Joined
Mar 1, 2004
Any news on Bebe's grandmother? (IIRC, she moved to Frank Carroll to be closer to her sick grandmother. I would think that her health will have a profound effect on how Bebe skates)
 

chipso1

Rinkside
Joined
Nov 20, 2004
The quadrennial between Torino and Vancouver should be VERY exciting in the ladies department! Obviously Asada and Kim will be top contenders, and I would expect the US to continue to put out top notch, World title contenders.

I know that right now, many percieve Asada as unbeatable. I'm sure she'll win a number of World championships and medals, but she can't stay at the top forever. She's going to have some bad competitions and I'm sure she'll experience some burnout (due injuries and the extreme number of competitions each year - not to mention travel, fatigue, training, and wanting to have a great off ice life).

The 2006 Worlds in Calgary will most likely be the last major competition for many of the top skaters. Slutskaya, *Kwan*, Suguri, Arakawa, *Cohen*, *Nikodinov*, Sokolova, ........................Liashenko, *Kirk*, *Ando*, and Sebestyen will most likely retire - with a few exceptions: Cohen might stick around for a season or two to try to win a National and World title, but I don't expect to see her stick around until 2010 - she seems very ambitious and wants to accomplish so much in life - not to mention that winning won't come easy with the abundance of talent coming up. Nikodinov also might stick around for a while to try to make it back to Worlds, and we're never sure what Kwan might do. Also, I strongly think that Ando might go pro after '06 - she'll be facing tough competition in Japan, and if she doesn't do something to improve her spins, spirals, and PCS, I don't see her as being a World champion.

And who knows what Kostner will do; IMO, she'll stick around for a couple of years, and maybe even 2010.

Top contenders will *most likely* be:
Japan:
Asada, Sawada (even though I was NOT impressed with her at ALL at Jr. Worlds)

Korea:
Kim

USA:
Meissner, E. Hughes, Liang, Czisny, Taylor

Canada:
Rochette, Phaneuf

Europe:
Kostner, Johansson
 
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