2022 Worlds: Women's FS - Thoughts?

[Jaana]

I was very happy for the podium!!! Kaori was awesome and it was great that Alysa got the bronze, but the performance of the evening for me was that of Loena, WOW!!!

 

[aliste]

I edited it. Your post still has the spoiler, though.

Thanks! Edited mine too. Too late for me but maybe nobody else will have an unpleasant surprise.

 

[TT_Fin]

I don't remember when I have last time watched whole women's competition from the beginning. My daily job has prevented it a little, but I could have watched afterwards if I wanted. It was worth of watching and I did not miss quads at all.

 

[Mathman]

Spectaclar show, especially the podium.

Kaori was the boss. She skated like the champion she is. Loena's program was my favorite. Perfection. Alysa skated with a grace and maturity that I have not seen from her before. (Well, duh. Sjhe is older. )

Mariah was just a couple of "triples at the end of combos instead of doubles" from the podium.

 

[Jaana]

I don´t remember seeing for a long time such a genuinely happy looking podium, where they all were sooo happy and friendly towards each other!!!

 

[jrh]

I don't know where I should post these video, so excuse me if I was wrong.

Nobunari ODA's tribute for Kaori (his performance starts around 1:00)
and for Wakaba

I hope you enjoy them

This is wonderful! Thanks so much. Still grieving over Wakaba's skate.

 

[jrh]

This, so much this! Over the past few years, I kept recognizing the sport I fell in love with less and less. Well, yesterday showed me that it's still there, buried underneath all the scandals and drama. It was such a refreshing competition and one that I'll gladly rewatch again and again.

First off: The podium just makes me happy. Seeing all three women so joyful has been a long time coming and I kept smiling throughout the entire medal ceremony. No tears (well, only happy ones!), no breakdowns, no forlorn looks or screams of "I'll never go onto the ice again!!" This happens when you have women who truly enjoy their sport and aren't conditioned to think that everything below a gold is a complete failure.

Kaori: Deserving World Champion and I won't hear otherwise. Her speed, her flow, those edges … incredible. Yes, she was overscored but in the end, the gold medal hangs around the correct neck.

Loena: I was so worried for her and thought she possibly couldn't pull it off with her injury. Well, turns out I was wrong to doubt her. Probably my favorite moment of this competition - this is how you earn a Worlds medal. And the first medal for Belgium since 1948 and the first ever in singles as well! History made.

Alysa: She went through so much this season that this medal feels very deserved. Yes, she's still not my favorite skater and she has a lot of growing up to do but she's only 16! I really hope she decides to stick around for a few more seasons so we get to see a grown, mature Alysa at the next Olympics.

I felt Mariah was hugely overscored for the technical content she put out but she didn't fall and the judges liked it, so good for her.

You was a bit disappointing because I really wanted her to medal here but 5th is still a great result. And the Korean women now have three spots as well. FINALLY.

Gubanova keeps being underscored. That was a qualities FS with two great 3-3. 63 in PCS for her smooth and soulful skating is a joke. I hope her 6th place finish here will finally make the judges appreciate her because this is getting ridiculous.

Haein did so well too!! Redemption from the SP and I'm really happy about her 7th place here. After not making the Olympic team, she's still had a great second half of the season. I do think the judges were overly strict with her in some areas, though…

Katia was amazing as always, too, I'll just pretend I didn't see the fall on the 3Lo. I read she had a stomach ache before the FS and wasn't sure whether she'd compete, so considering that, it was a very commendable effort.

Another shout out to Olga, who I'm extremely proud of. With everything that's going on (the war, worrying about her family, illness) she performed really well and I hope she knows that.

Josefin, Kailani and Nicole were all very enjoyable as well.

Wakaba was the only sad moment and my heart still aches for her. I read she injured herself after the Olympics, so maybe she shouldn't even have been here… But I hope she knows she's still such an incredible skater with a huge fanbase that just adores her. The applause yesterday was heartwarming.

All in all, it was an amazing competition and I hope we'll see more of this (= skaters enjoying themselves and being genuinely happy on the podium, no matter who they are!) in the future

Thank you for all of this. My heart aches too for Wakaba given how well she did at Worlds in 2018. I so hoped she would make the podium. Has she stated whether or not she will continue to compete?

 

[Joekaz]

Congratulations to Kaori on a well deserved win, especially the fact that she continued to improve while many skaters seemed tired. Amazing consistency all season. But on a related note, if anything ever showed what a fraud skating is when it comes to scoring, it is comparing Kaori's scores in the last two WCs. She basically did relatively comparable performances, yet was scored 30 points differently. And you can't blame it all on the Russians, because it was the US that was the main beneficiary last year, as they needed Chen to place highly to get 3 spots. This scoring system is just 6.0 hidden by more numbers. The political influence from all the major Feds is the problem with the sport.

 

[solani]

I was finally able to watch the competition!
The vibe was interesting, different. It felt more real to me somehow. And sad as well, because we know why it's so different.
Some soar when the stakes are high. I did see something extra, because there was finally something to win.
I like the podium and this judging system hasn't fully appreciated skaters like Kaori and Loena in the last couple of years. No matter who's missing, great athletes with great performances medalled and that's how it should be.

 

[noskates]

Big congratulations to everyone on the podium...especially Loena. It's so gratifying to see some of the countries that aren't usually on the podium. She looked awesome. And Kaori's kiss and cry moment just made me smile. Also congratulations to all the US ladies. I look forward to watching Alyssa continue to evolve.

 

[jenaj]

Congratulations to Kaori on a well deserved win, especially the fact that she continued to improve while many skaters seemed tired. Amazing consistency all season. But on a related note, if anything ever showed what a fraud skating is when it comes to scoring, it is comparing Kaori's scores in the last two WCs. She basically did relatively comparable performances, yet was scored 30 points differently. And you can't blame it all on the Russians, because it was the US that was the main beneficiary last year, as they needed Chen to place highly to get 3 spots. This scoring system is just 6.0 hidden by more numbers. The political influence from all the major Feds is the problem with the sport.

I'm just wondering how that type of manipulation would work. Kaori was less than a point behind Karen but Loena Hendrix was also in the mix. Can judges really, in the amount of time they have, collectively decide to a fraction of a point who should be in what place?

 

[Joekaz]

I'm just wondering how that type of manipulation would work. Kaori was less than a point behind Karen but Loena Hendrix was also in the mix. Can judges really, in the amount of time they have, collectively decide to a fraction of a point who should be in what place?

The point here is that her score was 30 points less for almost the same quality performance as she had the following year. That is highly suspicious.