Ladies Short Program

[Justafan]

Just some thoughts:

Congrats to Sasha...finally put it all together! I was so happy to see her smiling during her program...there was a time when she didn't. Maybe she has finally learned that it's okay to love skating.

I thought Fumie and Shiz both skated lovely tonight. It was great to see them both smiling at the end of their programs.

I felt really bad for Elena and Carolina...how heartbreaking for them both. I have always like Elena, but she just didnt seem on top of her game at all...and Carolina has so many elegant moves, would love to see her get her nerves in check.

Kimmie has awesome athletic ability but looks like a tomboy...in 4 years when she gets some artistry down, she is going to be a force to contend with.

I thought Emily did really well considering getting to the Olympics as late as she did...she really attacks her program. I would like to see her grow into some elegance in the next few years.

Sorry, I have been an Irina fan for years, I remember when she was just a teen starting out, but I think her program was rushed and somewhat sloppy choreography ...I think she was overscored.

Not sure what to think about Miki Ando...will be interesting to see if she lands her quad in the LP. I think she has soooo much potential.

I missed Michelle.

I thought a lot of the music was terrible tonight.

 

[Rgirl]

Lori Nichol counted. SIX beillmans

In whose SP?
Really, only six?

I can remember as far back as the 1988 Olympics and the 2006 Men's Olympic Championship for me is by far the worst. Here's crossing fingers for a FANTASTIC ladie's LP and may the best one's land on the podium!

Okay, who else here can remember back to the 1968 Olympics? Or will admit to it?

Although I don't totally agree with this school of thought, i think the judges give her high PCS because of her energy and the fact that she skates to music that make the most of this style of skating (energizer bunny programs). She is lively and energetic, which is a skating style, but the part that bothers me is that her programs lack real choreography and coherence. They seem to have, for once, given Sasha the credit she deserves for a beautiful program and dinged Irina for a somewhat incoherent program. that lacked finesse All styles are not created equal and Irina's is much less refined, which should be a negative. Now if Irina skates a clean program and Sasha doesn't then it should get dicier. I would still give Sasha a slight edge unless it turned into a splatfest because of her superior execution and choreography. But if Irina skates dynamically and cleanly, I can see them giving her the gold also. I have to hope there is a clear winner for the LP, no matter who wins.

ITA. Very well said, Kyla.

Rgirl

 

[Justafan]

I don't think she's conquered anything quite yet. Sasha very often has clean SPs. Thursday will be the true test for her. And quite honestly, I don't think she has what it takes. She nearly always has little mistakes here and there in her LP, and the scores are just too close to allow for that. She needed to do something big in the SP and give herself a cushion, but she did just enough to hang in there. Just one of her trademarked bobbles, and she's out of the running, quite possibly off the podium. I'd like to say I have cofidence that she really has conquered her demons, but so far I have not seen enough to believe it.

The LP will be the true test for everyone. Sasha has been very consistent this year, moreso than any other that I recall...at least in the latter part of the season. I think she will do well. Irina looked tired to me..I think she may struggle in the LP...she has had a long season...although I don't doubt at all her spirit. I agree that Sasha would do better if she had a 3/3, but her execution on her spirals and spins is almost flawless. I also think her jumps are much more confident this year.

 

[Zanzibar]

3 random ladies short program thoughts:

Am terrified that Arakawa could win this - it's so close.

Sylvia Fontana is the prettiest of the bunch - she looked great.

Hope if I ever make it to 76 that I can be as on my game as Cohen's coach John Nicks seems to be.

 

[cell]

Go Shizza! Land that 3-3!

 

[new_europe2006]

Go Shizza! Land that 3-3!

I second that. I also hope she skates like she did at 2004 Worlds and wins the gold medal.

 

[Ladskater]

The US can be proud of Kimmy Meisner. Not perfect but close.

I thought Emily Hughes skated better than Meisner. A little more spark and her program had better music and choregraphy.

 

[akagela]

Hi all! I think that Elene Gedevanishvili from Georgia was the best. She did everything!!! She is just 16 and she is so cute! Have you seen her program?

 

[rob43]

Sylvia Fontana is the prettiest of the bunch - she looked great.

If she and Zimmerman have kids they will either be highly awkward or devestatingly attractive. They are just that frickin good looking. And in completely feminine and masculane terms, not 'model' or flawless pretty but absolutely physically striking.

I'm really thinking Kimmie, Fumie and Shizuka are going to go all out in practices and try to intimidate Cohen/Sluteskaya. Or at least put everyone on notice they had better deliver. Shizuka's score and planned content really have to move those two out of their 'comfort' zone.

 

[cell]

I thought Emily Hughes skated better than Meisner. A little more spark and her program had better music and choregraphy.

Agreed!

 

[cell]

I second that. I also hope she skates like she did at 2004 Worlds and wins the gold medal.

:agree: :thumbsup: (OK, enough smilies for now )

 

[JonnyCoop]

See, here's the problem for those of us who wish to wait to see the event on TV so we keep ourselves in the "suspense loop" -- by the time the thing gets televised (especially on the West coast), the thread is 16 pages long!! So some of what I'm about to say may probably have been said already by others, but it's way late here and I don't have time to go through all of them, tho I have no doubt I am missing some great comments.

First of all. Sasha. WOW. WOW. WOW. She was -- and in 27 years of watching skating, I have never used this to describe anyone -- SIMPLY DAZZLING. IMHO, that was the short program of her career, and she's had some nice ones.

Tonight was the first night where I really missed the old 6.0 system; I think things would have been even more interesting.

I would have put Irina in 4th, behind Sasha, Fumie, and Shizuka (in that order). As far as I'm concerned, that was not a program, that was putting on a recording of semi-wild funked-up music and dashing about out there slapping off a bunch of elements right and left. I am starting to understand the complaints about how COP encourages this type of thing. It is especially disappointing to me because Irina has skated 2 of my all-time favorite ladies SP's -- "Culture" in 00-01 and the one she did in SLC; I would have expected a lot more. And I didn't like the bodysuit on her, either; between the "program" and the look, I felt like I was watching a men's competition from the late '70s.

Too bad about Joannie, but despite the errors I still think she was underscored.
And too bad about Carolina as well; but you could see the adreneline flowing and the media glare has got to have been intense. She probably did herself no favors by getting that bronze in Moscow; had she been, say 7th or 8th, the expectations here might have been a little lower and she might have been able to relax a bit more. As for Silvia -- no, she didn't do well, but she's just so dang gorgeous she could pretty much just stand there as far as I'm concerned.

And I still don't understand all the hype about Ando. As far as I'm concerned, she's about one notch above Onda in overall quality. That spiral sequence was one of the most novice-level things I have ever seen at this level.

Kimmie was terrific, and Emily was, too, but regarding Emily, I just don't find her programs that interesting, tho I will grant that they are very well executed. But beyond the elements, I just don't think there's a lot there. Yet, anyway. We should bear in mind that Emily finished 11th out of 11 at National Junior Ladies in 2002, so for her to make the leap she's made in the last 4 years is pretty remarkable, and she can only get better.

Now for a couple of words about two ladies I had never seen before. First, Tugba Karademir. I'm thrilled first of all that she made it, since I'm always in favor of obscure nations (from a skating perspective) such as Turkey do well in Oly competition. She definitely needs to work on her speed, but this lady has some style and elegance and I really enjoyed watching her. Second -- Elene Genevanishvili. First of all, too bad Skating's New Sweetheart (which after tonight, I perfectly understand why she's been labelled that) has a name which is such a pain in the butt to type. (And not a thrill to pronounce, either, for those of us whose linguistics do not tend toward the Eastern European). But, what fun to watch!! She was just terrific!! But this leads me to my last subject --

Sandra Bezic. Did US audiences get stuck with her because she got chased out of Canada with sticks and torches or something?? She's gotta go. For someone who is supposedly so knowledgeable, she's pretty dang dumb about some things. First of all, after Elene G. has spent the last 2 and 1/2 minutes racing around having a ball and jumping towards the rafters, what comes out of Ms. B's mouth? "She learned how to skate on a small surface, so she needs to work on power and speed." WHAT ON EARTH WAS THIS WOMAN WATCHING FOR THE LAST 3 MINUTES?? Not the same program I was, apparently. Maybe she got her Genevanishvili notes mixed up with her Karademir ones. And then there was the "2-Foot" controversy with -- was it Meier? Rochette? [Can't remember exactly]. I have a very small television and not very good reception on the NBC channel, and yet I could clearly tell that she did NOT 2-foot the thing (tho she did land it a bit on the lurchy side). However, right before Irina skated, when she said, "I just love this music; it just indicates no artistry at all, she's going to go out there and power it out" [Certainly not the exact quote, but my version of my recollection of it]. At first I thought it was really really rude, given that Irina hadn't actually skated yet, and it was rude. But once Irina got going, I could certainly understand what she was talking about.

Actually, not quite my last subject. I adore Shizuka and have always been a big fan of her skating, but I would one of these days like to see her in a costume that isn't distracting to me. In 2004, she skated that brilliant long program with her butt hanging out of her dress, and tonight that "high neck" thing she had going on made her look like she'd been in a fender-bender the night before and was recovering from whiplash. I found it extremely distracting.

 

[bili]

Thanx to everyone who replied to my questions.

Now, as to the Ladies' upcoming LP, I would like to say that I agree with all of you who said that at last, we'll get to see an exciting final, hopefully much less predictable than the Mens final. I really hated it that I knew before the Olympics that Plushenko was going to win the OGM. I usually skip the Ladies competition because I don't like it as much as the other 3 disciplines, but this time it's gonna be hot!
I think I want Sasha to win, even though I am not a fan, because I thought that her SP was totally seductive and beautiful. I don't like Irina that much, she seems kind of grumpy, and I never really understood why she is usually considered the top female skater. You could certainly say that about Plushenko, regarding the male competition, but I don't think that way about her.

 

[cell]

Hm.... I find Emily's short more exciting than almost everyone else (gasp!) choreographically. Definitely thought there was more excitement to it than Kimmie's.

Also, was Eleni G. undermarked? I got the feeling she could have been marked top 3. She was fantastic! I thought she was better than Meissner and even Irina, who I'd probably have in 5th.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Sasha, Sasha, Sasha - How good it was to see you to put it out there. It was better than Malaquena in Dortmund! I see Sasha now - not with a shot for the gold but as the favorite for the gold

Irina.- Was she as ill as she looked. Very pale and no eye sparkle. Nontheless, a good showing as the great competitor that she is.

Shizuka - Good to see this gal back on track! Can't wait for that Ina Bauer in the LP and a clean skate. Her 3x3x2 should count for something.



Turbot - Surprising good and for me, she was undermarked.
Kimmie - Very good tech but Kimmie is missing something in performance, however that is another thread.
Susanna - Didn't know she had rythym. Very nice skate.
Joannie - Too bad about the hand down. Looking for a clean LP.
Elena S - Clumsy and overmarked.
EleneG - Now I know what the fuss was all about. Good girl!
Miki - Lovely routine but lacks any special performance.
Emily - First Class Power Skater. Looking for a good LP.
Sara M - Very nice routine and very nice skating.
Sylvia - Sad. I was hoping for a nice clean program.
Elena L - Always a sincere skate and at 29 she's something!
Fumie - First Class Skate! She's not to be overlooked for the LP.
Carolina - Everyone who said she would blow in the home town was right.

One thing about this comp was that it was the most enjoyable Division in the whole 2006 Olympic Figure Skating. Most contestants can go home knowing they had a good Short program.

Looking Ahead: It's close up front. Others will need help. My money is on Sasha.

Joe

 

[maruru]

Hi all! I think that Elene Gedevanishvili from Georgia was the best. She did everything!!! She is just 16 and she is so cute! Have you seen her program?

Her face reminded me of Krylova (a coy version). I liked her program too.

 

[Sasha_4_The_Win]

Shizuka- I liked her program more than Irina's and I thought her skating was really nice. My only problem with her is that she has no passion in her skating.... its all business. No emotion at all.

Irina- She was fast and I liked her pace, but her program was missing serious artistry.

Fumie- I liked her skating alot. In the past I've thought she was kind of slow or a little bit too 'laid back' but I think her choreography now has her putting a bit more oomph into that footwork. I really enjoyed it.

Emily- She really attacked her program- I liked that. On the other hand she flops her arms around too much and needs to work on what is happening in between the jumps and spins.

Kimmie- Technically clean, but lacking excitement and she needs some ballet classes or something of the sort.

The girl with the really long name- I thought she was soo cute, and I am guessing she will be a real medal contender in 4 years. Btw, Sandra Bezic is again off her rocker on the comments made about this girl. (seriously would like to punch that woman in the face for her cruddy Olympics commentating)

Sasha- AS ALWAYS, beautiful, perfectly polished skating. Breathtaking. Even with mistakes I love this girl's skating, but last night she was on. She skated her program with passion and with excellent execution. Her marks should have been distanced further from Irina's in my opinion, but at least the judges put her on top where she belongs. Good luck to Sasha in the long. Knock 'em dead!

 

[antmanb]

Carolina - Everyone who said she would blow in the home town was right.

Joe

Oh poor girl - my heart broke for her - did you see the fantastic 3F/3T she hit in the warm up? That must be a very difficult thing to handle. Very little chance of moving up now because i don't think her LP is very good, her SPs have always been her strong point.

Keeping with the italians and with referecne to Fontana's SP. Firstly she's very luck y to get through to the LP but secondly she did steps followed by a split jump into her triple jump...is that legal? I thought the requirement was footwork into a triple jump and a split jump is a jump...i know under CoP unless the jump is in the scale of values its not considered a combination but i wuolod have thought a split jump/3T is more of a combination jump than a jump out of footwork.

Ant

 

[Silver Blade]

Elene

Elene Gedevanishvili should be the 1st for her talent and character and to stop the medals division between Russian and US federations.
In the case of such under- and overestimating, Irina and Sasha should have nothing at all to prevent the fans from abusing each other. I'm really tired of it.

 

[flying camel]

Sasha actually looked like she had gained a little weight to me. She did not look as thin as she did at Nationals. I don't know maybe it was the camera's or maybe she decided to go back to eating.